A Visit to Gwalia

This last week my husbands relatives came for a visit from Perth.  I took a day off to join them on a trip north to visit the mining ghost town and museum of Gwalia near Leonora WA.  The mine at Gwalia is still active.  It was made famous by one of its first mine managers, a very young Herbert Hoover.  Originally it was an underground mine.  Because the ore body sloped downward deep into the earth the idea of building a decline following the slope of the orebody was Hoover's idea rather than trying to build vertical shafts into the mine.  Today, the mine is a deep pit with the decline sloping off of the pit.  The old manager's house sits precariously on the top overlooking the pit and is called the Hoover House.  It is a Bed and Breakfast and is attached to a wonderful museum.  At the base of the hill below Hoover House is where the miners used to live.  There are still a few tin shacks remaining that have been preserved by locals.  Walking through them was wonderful.  Hope you enjoy my pictures of the interiors.  What wonderful old junk.  I took the picture of Thundermug tree for Barb's entertainment.

Time to head home!