COOLGARDIE

town, south central Western Australia. It was founded in 1892 with the discovery of quartz gold in the vicinity, which marked the beginning of a rush to the East Coolgardie field. Known consecutively as Gnaralbine, Bayley's Reward, and Fly Flat, it was finally renamed Coolgardie, an Aboriginal term meaning water hole, depression, or hollow surrounded with mulga trees. By the turn of the century, it had a population of 15,000 to 20,000, but many soon left to work the more productive Golden Mile of Kalgoorlie (25 mi east); Coolgardie then became known as the Old Camp. The 2,000-oz (55-kg) Eldorado gold nugget was found there in 1951, but the town is now primarily a tourist attraction featuring deserted reminders of its gold-mining past. It is also a service centre on the Great Eastern Highway with rail connections to Perth (350 mi west). It has been served by the Goldfields Water Supply Scheme since 1903, drawing its water from the Mundaring Weir, near Perth. Pop. (1981) 891.