Tampa alluvial gold area, Tampa, Kookynie Goldfield, Menzies Shire, Western Australia, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Tampa alluvial gold area	Mining Area
Tampa	- not defined -
Kookynie Goldfield	Ore Field
Menzies Shire	Shire
Western Australia	State
Australia	Country

The Tampa area is approximately eight to twelve kilometres north of Kookynie, starting just after the Champion-Britannia-Batavia group of mines and extending north to the Orient Well open pit. The workings are mainly west of the Malcolm-Kookynie Road, and is bordered on the west by the Dingo Creek. The area is approximately eight kilometres long by six kilometres wide.

Ignoring the modern open pits at Butterfly and Orient Well at the extreme north of this area, the rest is a myriad of old shafts, small pits, alluvial workings, small modern exploration trenching, bulldozer scrapings, two battery sites, and a couple of modern prospector camps.

Mining started in the late 1890's, and major activity ceased by World War One. Intermittent mining has continued to the present day. It was always a prospector area, with many named leases, producing small amounts. Really drive or walk anywhere west of the road, and workings will be found in a short space of time. The workings tend to trend west south-west to east north-east.

A map listed the Tampa Hill alluvial area separately to the east. This can be located by following the west side of the railway line north, from where the Malcolm-Kookynie Road crosses the railway five kilometres north of Kookynie. After about one kilometre along the railway, a faint un-marked track diverges north-east. After a rough and difficult passage of another two kilometres, a west south-west to east north-east grouping of shafts appears.

In addition to the above, several small alluvial patches were uncovered in the area in the very early 1900's. The major one was in early 1903. Mid April rumours were flying around Kookynie about a major alluvial find at Tampa. The town was quickly deserted for the scene.

The find was four miles west of Tampa. It is assumed this was near the Grafters Mine close to the present Malcolm-Kookynie Road, which would place the find near the western Dingo Creek border. A modern prospector camp in the area may also hint at the location, but no more can be said.

152 men were soon on the ground. Gold was being located over a 300 yard area. Some found enough gold to make the effort worthwhile. Many did not, and it came to light the 100 ounce initial find was specked over a six week period after rains, rather than gold picked up over a day.

In 1900, there was another alluvial find about two miles away, and shortly before the 1903 event, an alluvial patch about one mile away. Neither were very large. It is noted by the Geological Society of Western Australia Bulletin 78 1921, the source of gold from these alluvial patches was never found.

In 1912, another alluvial find was reported just south of the Golden Butterfly Mine, near Dingo Creek.

Coordinates are general only.

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References