Yunndaga is an

abandoned Abandon, abandoned, or abandonment may refer to: Common uses * Abandonment (emotional), a subjective emotional state in which people feel undesired, left behind, insecure, or discarded * Abandonment (legal), a legal term regarding property ** Chi ...

town located in the Goldfields-Esperance region in

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

, between

Kalgoorlie Kalgoorlie is a city in the Goldfields–Esperance region of Western Australia, located east-northeast of Perth at the end of the Great Eastern Highway. It is sometimes referred to as Kalgoorlie–Boulder, as the surrounding urban area includ ...

and Leonora along the

Goldfields Highway Goldfields Highway is a generally northwest–southeast highway in central Western Australia which links the Great Northern Highway at Meekatharra with Coolgardie-Esperance Highway south of Kalgoorlie. The highway is approximately in length, ...

. In the mid-1890s

gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...

was discovered in the area, and by 1898 a layout for businesses and residences was planned, initially called Woolgar. By 1904 the mining warden sought for the town to be declared. A town named Woolgar already existed in

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

, so ''Yunndaga'' was chosen instead. The town was gazetted in March 1904. In 1897 when construction of the

Menzies Menzies is a Scottish surname, with Gaelic forms being Méinnearach and Méinn, and other variant forms being Menigees, Mennes, Mengzes, Menzeys, Mengies, and Minges. Derivation and history The name and its Gaelic form are probably derived f ...

railway line commenced a siding was later established in Yunndaga. The narrow gauge line was closed in 1973 and the siding was subsequently demolished. A

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

and

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...

church had both been built in the town by 1904. The Yunndaga hotel was built prior to 1918, and was sold to J. K. Robinson for £3000 at that time. By 1924, the town was home to several businesses, including the Royal Group Hotel. One of the main mines close to town at the time was the Menzies Consolidated Gold Mine. In 1936 there were 50 residents living in the town. The name of the town is Aboriginal in origin and was originally spelt as ''Yundagar''. The meaning of the name is not known.

References

{{authority control Ghost towns of the Goldfields of Western Australia Shire of Menzies