Menzies, the town that waited 95 years for its clock
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (325087)
Rockingham, Australia
March 20, 2018 6:13pm CST
In my last post, I used the same photo as I’m using here. It shows the lovely old town hall in the town of Menzies in Western Australia’s goldfields. The town is 728 kilometres (452 miles) east-northeast of Perth and 133 kms (83 miles) north-northwest of Kalgoorlie. It now has a population of 108.
Leslie Robert Menzies fourn gold there in 1894 and the townsite was gazetted the following year. Growth was spectacular and by 1900 Menzies boasted thirteen hotels, two breweries and 10,000 inhabitants. The town hall was completed in 1901. Unfortunately the clock destined for the tower was lost at sea when RMX Orizaba went down in 1905. Soon after the gold ran out and a new clock was only installed to celebrate the new millennium in 2000.
Menzies’ main claim to fame now is British sculptor Antony Gormley’s installation ‘Inside Australia’ which features 51 stick-like figures dispersed on the nearby salt lake, Lake Ballard.
I written about Lake Ballard both on Bubblews and on myLot in the middle of last year. I’ll post the link here.
@topffer recently wrote a post entitled ‘My trains to Lourdes and back. I’ve put the link below. The photo he posted with his discussion is a sculpture, a...
21 people like this
23 responses
@JudyEv (325087)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Mar 18
I guess when the clock was ordered the town was booming. The building was there and the diehards were canvassing for their clock and the millenium was a good excuse. Bit of a waste for sure.
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
21 Mar 18
my town has a clock they can't seem to keep running more than 2 weeks.
i think the weather messes with it.
2 people like this
@toniganzon (72285)
• Philippines
20 Mar 18
Wow that's too long and only in the year 2000. I wonder whey they didn't install a clock when the one got lost at sea.
2 people like this
@toniganzon (72285)
• Philippines
21 Mar 18
@JudyEv that's a really valid reason to wait that long then.
1 person likes this
@Deepizzaguy (94187)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
20 Mar 18
Thank you for sharing this story on this post.
2 people like this
@kobesbuddy (74309)
• East Tawas, Michigan
20 Mar 18
Imagine 10,000 people in comparison to 108, at this present time! Waiting 95 years for their clock, but almost didn't get one:(
2 people like this
@kobesbuddy (74309)
• East Tawas, Michigan
21 Mar 18
@JudyEv With that many people, buying the clock wasn't a problem at all:)
1 person likes this
@topffer (42156)
• France
21 Mar 18
@JudyEv All railway stations in France have a brick and stone architecture which is only common in northern France, it is why I thought at it. Have you seen Gormley's sculptures in Bordeaux last year ? I do not remember if they were still there.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40009)
• Laguna Woods, California
2 Feb 22
@JudyEv - Wow! The population dropped from 10,000 down to around 100 people. What a drastic population drop! I look forward to reading the post about the sculptures.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40009)
• Laguna Woods, California
3 Feb 22
@JudyEv - Yes, I'll check our Uluru, too. We haven't started Season 2 of Mystery Road, yet, so I don't know where it will be set. And, of course, it is always interesting to read about new places. Besides, from looking at the map, it doesn't sound like anything is actually near Kalgoorlie!
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
25 Apr 18
Population of 108? That's a little too small for me. We had three former gold towns here in Colorado that were close to dying out back in the 80's. We voted to allow legalized gambling in them. They boomed again right away.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325087)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Apr 18
@teamfreak16 It would make a difference. And it's kind of you to go back through these older posts of mine. 
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
25 Apr 18
@JudyEv - Oh, that would be a deterrent. These towns are all within driving distance from Denver and Colorado Springs.
1 person likes this
@thedevilinme (3894)
• Northampton, England
21 Mar 18
In the gold rush it was the shovel and tent sellers who got rich
@JudyEv (325087)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Mar 18
That's true - and those selling water. I think most of the miners lived on hope and not much else.
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
21 Mar 18
That is a very pretty town hall and I am glad they finally got their clock.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325087)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Mar 18
The authorities in 2000 must have found it hard to justify the expense when the town was down to so few people.
@Freelanzer (10745)
• Canada
21 Mar 18
Almost a ghost town now but beautiful building
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325087)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Mar 18
It is a lovely building isn't it? It deserves a clock.
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
21 Mar 18
Thanks for the info, I love learning about new places.
1 person likes this
@aninditasen (15720)
• Raurkela, India
21 Mar 18
Really! Nice to hear that your village has developed so fast though it got a clock after 95years.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325087)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Mar 18
This is a town a long way from me. It was lucky to get a clock at all as there are very few people there now.
