Menzies

城市概覽

Looking down Menzies' main street today you wouldn't suspect that it was a major town during the late 1800s. Gold was first discovered here in 1894 by a prospecting crew headed by L R Menzie who, while registering the claim in Coolgardie, inadvertently sparked rumour of a prodigious new gold field that ignited a minor stampede of fervent prospectors wanting to grab their own share. Lack of water forced some of the hopeful back but those who lasted the arduous trek, sustained with the promise of abundant fortune, were soon joined by numerous like-minded prospectors. The burgeoning town was officially named in 1895 and within a year Menzies had a population of 10,000, 13 hotels, 4 churches and a brewery. Sapping heat, water shortages, fires and frequent typhoid epidemics all weakened the residents, but finally when the gold ran out so too did the fortunes of the town and with it the size of the population. By 1910 the population had withered to around 1000 and today the residents number a little more than 200. The handful of original buildings still standing are all that remain from Menzies' previous grandeur. While Menzies has enough interesting things to see on its own, many travellers pass through here on their way to the sculptures on Lake Ballard. Not as well known, though no less interesting, are the nearby Goongarrie railway cottages and Niagara Dam.

1 Menzies Visitor Centre, Cnr Shenton & Browns St, ☏ +61 8 9024-2702, [email protected]. 9AM–4:30PM. Runs just about every service in the town and provides info about Menzies and surrounding areas. (updated Feb 2020)

如何抵達

By plane Although there is an airport to the north of the town centre, it has no scheduled flights. Further afield, Kalgoorlie–Boulder Airport KGI IATA has flights from Perth Airport PER IATA, which does have international flights.

By car Menzies is 132 km north of Kalgoorlie–Boulder and 105 km south of Leonora on the Goldfields Highway, which passes through the middle of town.

By bus GRT Express, toll-free: 1800 620 440. A weekly passenger service between Kalgoorlie–Boulder and Laverton stops in at Menzies. From Kalgoorlie the bus leaves on Thursday at 9AM and takes 1 hr 40 min. From Laverton it leaves at the same time on Friday but takes 2 hr 30 min to Menzies. Tickets can be bought in Kalgoorlie from the visitors centre. $45 from Kalgoorlie, $57 from Laverton.

當地交通

Menzies is not large and the majority of sights line either side of a 300-m-long stretch of Shenton Street.

必看景點

For such a small town, the places of interest in Menzies are surprisingly informative. Almost every building has an information board explaining the history and significance of what you are looking at. Dotted around the streets at relevant places are larger than life-size metal silhouette figures of miners, bakers, police, prostitutes and priests captioned with quotes from past residents that give a voice to bloodless names and dates.

1 Former Lady Shenton Hotel, Cnr Shenton and Brown St. With a graceful façade befitting its name, this was the pre-eminent hotel during Menzies' golden years. The stonewalled rear section forms its humble beginnings in 1896. The foundations are said to conceal a time capsule containing coins and a newspaper. The hotel built its reputation and was extended several times under successive owners who, despite the hotel's sterling reputation, ended their tenure in bankruptcy. A fire in 1902 sparked a significant addition of the brick street frontage, including five bedrooms and a billiard room. The town's declining fortunes took the hotel down with it and it ceased trade in 1922. The visitors centre occupies the building now. 2 Original Menzies Hotel, Cnr Shenton and Brown St. The first hotel in town and the only one to have never caught fire. Now a private residence. 3 Old bakers oven, Shenton St (in the vacant lot on the right of the Menzies Hotel). No one is certain when the oven was built, only that a succession of owners kept it in use until the 1940s. The tin shed bakehouse and accompanying store are long gone, leaving only a disintegrating block of bricks hung with a heavy iron door that must have seen a lot of loaves come out of it over the years. 4 Former Railway Hotel (Menzies Hotel), 22 Shenton St. The last original pub left standing. It was renamed in 1990 but operated as the Railway Hotel since at least 1896. The present building is the hotel's second iteration – built after the original wood and corrugated iron structure

體驗活動

Catch Yabbies, Niagara Dam. The dam is full of these delicious freshwater crustacean. Throw in a trap after lunch time and you will have a couple yabbies for dinner. Fossick for relics. The people might have left the ghost towns long ago but they left behind remains. Keep your eyes to the ground when walking about and you will find 100-year-old bottles and rusting nails without much trouble. Go for a Hike, Niagara Dam. Two short hiking trails follow maker posts and interpretive panels describing fauna, flora and other features along the way. The Breakaway Trail is 1.6 km and follows the main stone ridge that the dam in built on and doubles back along a waterway to return to the dam. The shorter Round-the-Dam Trail makes a 1.1-km loop along the reservoir edge and along the top of the dam wall. Take a long bike ride (Menzies Classic). First weekend of June. The annual event has been going since 1928, becoming Australia's richest road race and attracting some serious riders. The race starts in Kalgoorlie and finishes the first leg in Menzies then continues on to Leonora. A participants ride is run at the same time if you are not so competitive and want to do the ride at a leisurely speed. 1 Menzies Water Playground, cnr Shenton St & Walsh St. Sunrise–Sunset daily. If your kids need to cool off in 30+ degree heat, this children's water playground offers that chance without the need in going to a pool. The park uses recycled water. Free. (updated Feb 2020)

美食

Isolation and the general smallness of most country towns hinder them from having abundant eating options. Menzies can offer even less. Self-catering is a practical option though you will need to be prepared as there are no supermarkets in town. Menzies Hotel have a very limited range of tinned or dry groceries. Stocking up in Kalgoorlie or Leonora with enough supplies to keep you going till you reach the other side will avert an empty stomach. If you can't be bothered cooking after the long drive the Menzies Hotel sometimes has food to go with your beer.

1 Achievable Outback Cafe, 36 Shenton Street, ☏ +61 8 9024 2858, [email protected]. M–F 8:30AM–4:30PM, Sa–Su 9:30AM–3:30PM. You wouldn't think of quality coffee and cakes in the middle of WA, but the quality is high at this federation era corner cafe. (updated Feb 2020)

飲品與夜生活

Menzies once had 13 bars. That number has declined to a solitary choice, so if you are particular about your booze it would be prudent to BYO as the nearest bottle s