Bonnie Vale, Western Australia

Bonnie Vale
Western Australia
Bonnie Vale
Coordinates 30°51′22″S 121°09′43″E / 30.856°S 121.162°ECoordinates: 30°51′22″S 121°09′43″E / 30.856°S 121.162°E
Established 1897
Postcode(s) 6430
Elevation 375 m (1,230 ft)
Location
  • 570 km (354 mi) ENE of Perth
  • 12 km (7 mi) North of Coolgardie
LGA(s) Shire of Coolgardie
State electorate(s) Eyre
Federal Division(s) O'Connor

Bonnie Vale is an abandoned goldfields townsite 14 km north of Coolgardie in Western Australia.

The town was gazetted in 1897. It was apparently named after Bonnie, a prospector who picked up a 7 oz troy (220 g) nugget here in May/June 1894.[1]

It is famous as the site of the Varischetti mine rescue of 1907, when Italian gold miner Modesto Varischetti was trapped for nine days in a mine when it was flooded after a thunderstorm. Varischetti survived in an air pocket until rescued. A diver using deep-sea diving equipment located Varischetti five days after the mine was flooded, and provided him with food, candles and letters of encouragement.

It serves as the railway station for Coolgardie on the Prospector Perth to Kalgoorlie passenger service.

References

  1. Western Australian Land Information Authority. "History of country town names". Retrieved 2007-06-08.
Preceding station   Transwa Trains network   Following station
towards East Perth
Prospector
Terminus