Following the discovery of gold in what would become known as Western Australia’s Goldfields region in the late 19th century, few would predict the impact the resources industry would grow to have on the fledgling state.
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industry → follow → state
In a bid to protect the interests of the local resources sector and promote miners’ right in the early days of the WA gold rush, several organisations formed that would grow to become known as the Chamber of Mining and Energy WA.
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that → protect → Mining
This week, to celebrate its 125th year as an organisation, the CMEWA returned to Kalgoorlie where it all began.
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it → celebrate → Kalgoorlie
WAtoday takes a look back at the history of the chamber and the role it has played in shaping not just the Goldfields, but the entire state.
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it → take → Goldfields
The gold rush of the 1890s drew people far and wide to the Goldfields, with discoveries in Coolgardie and Paddy Hannan’s famous find near Mt Charlotte in an area that would later become known as Kalgoorlie in 1893 sparking a flood of people hoping to make their fortune.
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that → draw → fortune
By 1895 the state’s population had doubled to 100,515 and by 1901 had reached 184,124.
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population → double → 184,124
In a move aimed at protecting workers and to guide legislation in the industry, the early iterations of the CMEWA were actually several separate organisations.
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iterations → aim → CMEWA
In 1895 the Coolgardie Chamber of Mines & Commerce was formed, while the Kalgoorlie Chamber of Mines began in 1896.
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Chamber → form → 1896
A short‑lived Perth chamber was opened in 1897, before the Chamber of Mines of WA, which would later become the CMEWA, was formally incorporated on February 28, 1901.
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which → open → February
Early influence on the Goldfields
At its first general meeting on March 11, 1901, Richard Hamilton was elected inaugural president of the new chamber.
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Hamilton → elect → chamber
Remarkably, he held the position until his death in 1943 - a tenure of 42 years.
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he → hold → years
During his time in charge, Hamilton saw some major changes in the area.
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Hamilton → see → area
In 1903, C.Y. O’Connor’s famous Golden Pipeline opened, delivering water to Kalgoorlie over 566 kilometres.
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Pipeline → open → kilometres
It helped turn the Goldfields from a collection of boomtowns into enduring mining communities.
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It → turn → communities
The beginning of the gold squad
Gold theft was a serious concern for the industry and in 1907, the Chamber began financing the WA Police Gold Squad, initially contributing £2000 annually.
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Chamber → begin → 2000
In 1926, two gold squad detectives, Inspector John Pitman and Sergeant Alexander Walsh, were murdered while investigating gold theft.
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detectives → murder → theft
It’s an incident that still reverberates in Goldfields – and WA Police – history.
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that → ’ → history
Its successor, the Gold Stealing Detection Unit, remains part of WA Police and is the last remaining squad of its kind in the world.
The squad also investigates other crimes that happen on mine sites, including assaults and deaths.
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that → remain → assaults
The emergence of an annual competition
The chamber also established a mines rescue service in 1907, with rescue competitions becoming an annual fixture in the region from 1911 — the origins of a tradition that continues today and one of the major reasons the CMEWA returned to the region this week.
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CMEWA → establish → region
The competitions play an integral part in mine site emergency training, offering competing teams the opportunity to test and hone their emergency response skills through simulated emergency situations while sharing their experience and knowledge with fellow participants.
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competitions → play → participants
CMEWA and the Mine Emergency Rescue Competition Committee host two mine competitions each year, the Surface Mine Emergency Rescue Competition (SMERC) in April/May and the Underground Mine Emergency Rescue Competition (UMERC) in November.
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CMEWA → host → November
By the middle of the 20th century, the focus of the state’s mining industry had expanded beyond the Goldfields, with demand for iron ore, oil and gas in the state’s Pilbara region adding to the wealth of minerals for WA.
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demand → expand → WA
While gold was still a major part of the economy of the west, other resources helped to turn the state into the economic powerhouse it is today.
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it → help → powerhouse
Mineral and petroleum exports make up roughly 90 per cent of Western Australia’s total merchandise exports.
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exports → make → exports
However, despite the massive expanse of the current industry, the chamber will always recognise its humble beginning from the early days of the state’s gold rush in the Goldfields.
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chamber → recognise → Goldfields
The Aporia
