Cole's Shaft (Kelmscott Mine; Forbes' Mine; Neerigen Brook Mine), City of Armadale, Western Australia, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Cole's Shaft (Kelmscott Mine; Forbes' Mine; Neerigen Brook Mine)	Group of Shafts
City of Armadale	City
Western Australia	State
Australia	Country

This is considered one of the earliest mines in Western Australia, and ranks as the first mining shaft sunk in the colony being 1846 - 1847. Active mining however did not take place until 1869.

The original prospectors were Thomas Gilman and Samuel Duffield. A public meeting was held in Perth in October 1866 to form the W.A. Mining Company to develop the site. 50 acres of the surrounding land was purchased from John Adams, and Thomas Middleton.

A qualified mineralogist Dr Ferdinand Von Sommer and mine foreman named Thomas were brought in from South Australia on a six month contract. The shaft was named after Henry Laroche Cole, one of the shareholders. They deepened the shaft, sank another to 10 metres, and dug various costeans and trenches.

After six months, Edward Forbes continued the work at the mine, deepening the shaft to 32 feet. Calls were made on shareholders, however interest had waned, and the mine abandoned.

Joseph Butt was contracted to deepen the shaft by another 12 feet, without encouraging results. The mine was worked spasmodically to about 1909, and a few years later the buildings and equipment were removed. The main shaft had reached a depth of 86 feet.

In 1999, all but the main shaft was filled in, and the surrounding land developed for housing. What remains is the main shaft, covered by a locked metal grill. A ladder descends to the bottom of the shaft. The mine is located south of the Bedfordale Hill Road, and off Summit View Road, in a small patch of scrub, on the side of a steep hill near the top of the Bedfordale ridge.

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