Darlot Goldfield, Leonora Shire, Western Australia, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Darlot Goldfield	Ore Field
Leonora Shire	Shire
Western Australia	State
Australia	Country

Darlot was one of the richest alluvial goldfields in Western Australia. Darlot is pronounced with a silent T on the end.

Jim Cable from Victoria discovered a field of nuggets here in 1894, collecting 2000 ounces. For his trouble he was speared by an aborigine, and had to leave.

A rush set in and soon 1500 men were at the location. Once the alluvial gold was exhausted, shafts began to go in. Life was difficult, due to the remote location, lack of water, raids by the local aboriginal tribes, and an outbreak of typhoid causing a number of deaths.

Early leases included the Monte Carlo 1 and 2, Ballangary, British King, Amazon, Pride of Darlot, St. George, King of the Hills, Lass O'Gowrie, Zangbar and Filbandit.

A battery was opened on 19 February 1898 by Jim Finch, the son of John Finch, who was heavily involved with the Lawlers Goldfield. The State Government took over the battery in 1901, and relocated it to the Ballangary Mine. Over the next eight years, it produced the most gold of any battery for Western Australia to that time.

The town of Woodarra grew to service the mines, although it was commonly called Darlot. Many leases closed during the First World War years, and the area remained semi moribund thereafter. The store at Darlot closed in 1952, the last remaining business in the town.

Intermittent battery crushings occurred during the 1960's, 70's, and 80's. Modern open pit and underground mining began with Sundowner Minerals NL 1988 at Monte Christo. Plutonic Resources began open pit then underground mining from 1992, Homestake 1998, Barrick Gold 2001, and Goldfields from 2013.

Darlot is 58 kilometres east of Leinster and 75 kilometres north north-east of Leonora.

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