Big Bell Hotel (or what's left of it), Western Australia
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (364831)
Rockingham, Australia
October 16, 2020 3:40am CST
The township of Big Bell in north-west Western Australia, was gazetted in 1936 and by 1954, it had a population of 850. However, once the mine closed in 1955, it quickly became a ghost town and there is little left of it today. As you can see from the ruins, the hotel was an imposing building and supposedly had the longest bar in Australia although we were sceptical about that.
Water was supplied from three government wells and houses had ornamental trees and small patches of lawn.
Gold was the big attraction and today there are many mines of various sorts operating in the area. The gravel roads in this area are very well maintained. I guess they need to be to cater for the huge trucks that travel on them. There was even a water truck on the road to Big Bell keeping the dust down. We’re back in an area where we have telephone reception so soon I hope to be getting to my notifications.
24 people like this
22 responses
@LadyDuck (486144)
• Italy
16 Oct 20
That was a good construction if it's still standing in that arid area. In the United States we have visited several "ghost towns" that were abandoned after the mines were closed.Virginia City in Nevada was interesting, but I would NEVER visit the mines should I go back there, NEVER AGAIN!
3 people like this
@LadyDuck (486144)
• Italy
17 Oct 20
@JudyEv Frightening for me, because I suffer of claustrophobia. We walked inside, I did not had to bend because I am only 5'2", after a while there was water on the ground, it was darker and darker, humid and warm. When we reached a bigger room, the guide turned off the torch to show us "TOTAL darkness" and joked saying "and now how do you think to go out?". Honestly, I got a big scare.
1 person likes this
@arunima25 (92543)
• Bangalore, India
16 Oct 20
The left of the hotel tells enough about how magnificent it must have been. Do they still have it functioning as hotel there??
Good that you have reception there. It's always good to see your posts. 
3 people like this
@JudyEv (364831)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Oct 20
@arunima25 The trouble is that it is in the middle of nowhere. It wouldn't be viable.
1 person likes this
@arunima25 (92543)
• Bangalore, India
17 Oct 20
@JudyEv Oh! That's sad. They can repair it and bring it to use. That would be a historic thing in modern world.
1 person likes this
@allen0187 (58561)
• Philippines
17 Oct 20
@JudyEv that would be living the life.
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (53633)
• United States
16 Oct 20
I hate to see buildings fall to ruin.
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (53633)
• United States
17 Oct 20
@JudyEv if only the walls could talk.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (364831)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Oct 20
@Tampa_girl7 It would certainly have some stories to tell.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
16 Oct 20
'tis a beautiful buildin', shame such's jest set to decay. the stories such could tell, eh? 'm glad though that'cha didn't eat 's much dust whilst travelin' that road. did that'n the ol' alcan highway back'n the late 70's. most 'npleasant. stay safe'n y'alls travels! 
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
17 Oct 20
@JudyEv most definitely! oddly i 'twas trekkin' there'n an ol' motorhome with no a/c 'n leaked like a sieve. the need fer frequent stops to air said monster out 'twas a necessity, lol. 't least the scenery 'twas gorgeous 'n i could go stompin' 'round with a camera'n hand. 'tis been paved all the way now fer years, those folks no idea how 'npleasant such 'twas back'n the day, lol.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (364831)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Oct 20
@crazyhorseladycx I remember leaving early in the day to dodge the heat although that didn't stop the dust. Our school-bus used to get full of dust - and we won't even mention the corrugations!! 
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (126033)
• Gainesville, Florida
17 Oct 20
Is Big Bell entirely a ghost town? With mines operating in the area, I am curious if Big Bell has come back to life.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (126033)
• Gainesville, Florida
21 Oct 20
@JudyEv Have any new buildings been added due to the numerous mines operating in the area? Surely those miners would need a store of some sort to purchase food or drinks.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (364831)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Oct 20
@moffittjc Many of the big mines run their own mess and have their own communities with fly-in, fly-out workers. Tom Price is a mining town catering for a lot of mining personnel and I guess others go to whatever their nearest town is.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (204853)
• United States
16 Oct 20
Interesting. Glad to see that you're having a good trip. Drive safely and stay healthy!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (364831)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Oct 20
@LindaOHio I suppose he is just trying to be positive but people know better really.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (204853)
• United States
17 Oct 20
@JudyEv That's good to hear. Things are out of control here in the States; and our President says we are "rounding the corner".... :-(
1 person likes this
@DocAndersen (54399)
• United States
17 Oct 20
longest bar could just mean that one patron stayed longer at that bar than anywhere else!
1 person likes this
@DocAndersen (54399)
• United States
17 Oct 20
@JudyEv i have been to a few bars in Sydney, there are people there that seem to almost live there (but there are the same in the US) so that is a long record!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (364831)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Sep 22
I love it when you go back to these old posts because it brings back so many memories to me. I'd forgotten how much of this old hotel was left standing.
@JudyEv (364831)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Oct 20
They do indeed. This would have been incredibly impressive in its day. And yes, they do look very forlorn.
@jvicentevalera (13671)
• Santiago, Chile
16 Oct 20
What a curious fact about such an emblematic hotel. Out of curiosity, are people allowed to come in and explore it, or it is sort of protected from people to go in?
1 person likes this
@jvicentevalera (13671)
• Santiago, Chile
17 Oct 20
@JudyEv it is a shame! Hopefully the hotel's fences are fixed so nobody get into it.
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