Sandstone (W.A.)
Sandstone
Sandstone is a small town located in the Mid West region of Western Australia. The town is located 157 kilometres east of Mount Magnet and 661 kilometres north of the state capital, Perth. At the 2006 census, Sandstone and the surrounding area had a population of 119.
Sandstone is a remote community situated between Mount Magnet and Leinster, right in the heart of the spectacular east Murchison District, where you’ve got the action of gold prospecting and the industry of mining and pastoral stations, all coexisting with a rapidly growing Tourism industry…you had best get here before it’s too busy!
Our bronzed landscape tells many tales of bygone days, when gold was first discovered in 1894 by Ernest Shillington and a number of fellow prospectors about 20 km southwest of the present townsite.
For a period of six years from 1907 Sandstone was a small city of some 6,000 to 8,000 people. With four hotels, four butchers, many cafes, stores and business houses, as well as a staffed police station and two banks, things were booming. In July 1910, the railway came to the town, however by 1919 only 200 people remained and many buildings were pulled down and moved.
Fortunately Sandstone was able to survive as a centre for the region’s growing pastoral industry and in more recent times, gold-mining has re-emerged as the principal industry.
Throughout the area, natural rock formations or breakaways contrast dramatically with the rust stained Sandstone landscape which gives the town its name. The mainly flat surroundings and the distant horizons give the impression of a very large sky which provides that wide open and free feeling which one can only experience in the true outback.
The area is home to Australian wildlife such as emus, bungarras and of course kangaroos. Indeed it is not unusual to see a kangaroo hopping in the main street after dark.
The red terrain and the vivid blue of the mostly cloudless sky, enhances the natural beauty of this unique place. It is a wonderful, peaceful environment to experience the glory of the night skies.
In the evenings you can witness some truly spectacular sunsets. At night far, from the interference of city lights, the darkness of the outback makes it a great setting for stargazing and viewing the magnificent sky of the southern hemisphere. In addition from July to September, Sandstone is transformed from red earth to a carpet of colour with a spectacular display of wildflowers.
The town was first settled in 1894 as part of a gold rush after a team of prospectors including Ernest Shillington first discovered gold about 20km south of the present townsite. Following the influx of miners the local progress association requested that a townsite be declared in 1905. Correspondence of the time shows that the area was locally known as “Hans Irvine’s Find” and that a large amount of money had been spent on building hotels, banks and other services required by the residents. The townsite was gazetted as Sandstone in 1906.
By 1907 the population of the town had swelled to 6,000–8,000 and it boasted four hotels, four butchers, two banks, a staffed police station and many other stores. A brewery was also constructed in 1907 by an Irishman, I.V. Kearney, to satisfy the local demand. He built the brewery on a breakaway on top of a cliff about 35 feet high.
Water was pumped to the top level for brewing and the beer was stored in the cellars below to keep it cool even in the hotter weather. In 1910 the railway was extended to Sandstone but the population had declined to about 200 people and many buildings had been pulled down, removed or left derelict. The Jundoo Dam was completed in 1910 to provide water for the steam trains; the dam could hold three-and-a-half million gallons of water and cost £5,000 to build. Most of the original dam works still exist today.
A state-run battery operated in the town from 1904 to 1982. The remains of these are located along the Menzies Road.
Today, Sandstone is the administrative centre of the Shire of Sandstone Local Government Area. Sights to see include London Bridge, a natural bridge, which is part of the Sandstone Heritage Trail. It was the inspiration for the mining town in Randolph Stow’s 1963 novel Tourmaline. The smallest of the hotels built in town, The National Hotel constructed in 1909 from locally made bricks, is the only one left remaining.
Today, Sandstone is the administrative centre of the Shire of Sandstone Local Government Area. Sights to see include London Bridge, a natural bridge, which is part of the Sandstone Heritage Trail. It was the inspiration for the mining town in Randolph Stow’s 1963 novel Tourmaline. The smallest of the hotels built in town, The National Hotel constructed in 1909 from locally made bricks, is the only one left remaining.
Sandstone/ Gold
Rich in gold rush history, with magnificent local attractions, the area is an absolute delight to visit.
In 1894, a major gold discovery was made at Sandstone and the town’s wide streets are a reminder of its heyday in the decade before World War One. Several of its grand historic buildings have been restored, including the Post and Telegraph Office, Warden’s Court, now housing the Primary School and the National Hotel, which is still the lively social hub of the community.
The best way to see these fascinating heritage buildings is to follow the Sandstone Heritage Trail. A brochure and map for the Trail are available from the visitor centre and museum. The brochure includes additional information about some of the area’s stunning natural attractions, including London Bridge, believed to be 350-million years old, and the Peter Denny Lookout, dedicated to a former shire president, with its breathtaking ancient rock formation.
During the wildflower season, July to September (subject to seasonal rains), the landscape is transformed from rich red earth to a carpet of colours.
The Gold Rush Era
The Western Australian Gold Rush occurred in 1885 in the East Kimberley region. It wasn’t until 6 years later in 1891 that gold was discovered in the Murchison.
A £1000 reward was offered to the discoverer of a new and payable gold find. In an effort to keep some record of what gold was actually being found and taken, miner’s rights were introduced. These rights allowed miners to prospect for gold which they could then sell to licensed gold buyers.
There is much debate over who found the first person to find gold in the Black Range area, but the first recognised registered find goes to Ernest Shillington in January 1895.
The discovery of gold heralded the beginnings of the first township in the area, Nungurra. Due a number of factors, lack of water being a major one, a newer townsite was required. Four years later, in 1906, the town of Sandstone was officially gazetted. Within a year, Nungurra’s population dropped to a mere 50-60 people. Shortly after, Nungurra became a ghost town.
Building materials were too expensive to just leave behind, so many of the buildings in Nungurra were dismantled and reassembled in Sandstone.
London Bridge is part of a larger formation about 800 metres long, varying in height from around 3 to 10 metres. It is formed of weather basalt and the rock is believed to be about 350 million years old.
London Bridge is Falling Down
Unfortunately with time the bridge is getting thinner and thinner and will eventually fall. We do ask that you enjoy the picture from ground level to preserve this natural wonder, and for your own safety as well.
For over 100 years London Bridge has been a popular lookout spot. In the 1900’s it was frequented as a spectacular town picnic site and still is today. It is estimated the rocks of the Sandstone belt are close to 2 billion years old. Astronomers believe the age of the earth itself to be 4.6 billion years, so the Sandstone strata are little less than half the age of the planet.
Heritage Museum
This small museum accommodates various implements, appliances and bric a brac which help to portray what life was like in Sandstone from the turn of the century. As you walk around looking at the various photographs and stories on the walls one can imagine and share in the hopes and dreams of the people who once resided in this area.
The Shire of Sandstone is extremely grateful to its past and present residents who have entrusted items to the custodianship of the Shire Council and thus made the Heritage Museum possible.
The museum is located in a converted grocery store which was built in the late 1940’s and operated until 1981. After this the building was used as a multi-purpose store that served as a hardware shop, fuel-depot and agricultural supply business.
Traditional Owners
That there was an Aboriginal presence in the Black Range area before the coming of the Europeans has never been in doubt.
It is believed there were two distinct tribes within the Sandstone district. The Wongi in the eastern half and the Yamagee in the western half. It has been suggested that neither tribe would cross into the other’s territory except for tribal meetings. Furthermore, considering the scarcity of water in the area it is also thought both tribes may have only lived in the area on a non-permanent basis.
After that, very little is known of their presence in Sandstone. The only available information has been gathered from a scant number of publications throughout the years.
There are however, definite signs of an Aboriginal presence through the district. These include hand stencils on rock formations, old camping grounds, stone cairns and the evidence of flint tool making.
Gnamma holes have also been discovered throughout the years, mainly by farmers when their stock fell into them. Sadly, many of these holes have been filled in since then for this exact reason.