Narra Tarra Mine & Prothereo Townsite (Site)

Statement of Significance

The Protheroe Mine and Townsite have considerable historic significance as one of the richest and most productive mines in the Northampton Mineral Field. The mine played an important role in the development of the Chapman Valley district. The extensive site could potentially reveal information about technological and scientific advances prevalent in the mining industry over time.

Physical Description

Located in undulating countryside the Protheroe Mine Site contains several shafts and open mines located over a large area, on a rise and in a valley below. The site contains a considerable amount of debris, rusty equipment and the ruins of a large shed of corrugated iron construction. There are also stone and brick ruins which were possibly kilns or other related mine buildings. Located on top of the hill to the west of the mine site, the former Protheroe Townsite is marked by several concrete foundations and two tall palm trees. Managers house was relocated to Craig and Shirley Mincherton’ s farm in Nolba and the remaining buildings also removed and relocated to other locations.

History

Copper was first mined at a place called Narra Tarra (Hill camp), on Michael Morrissey’s Mt Erin pastoral lease between 1863 and 1866, following which the decline in copper prices lead to an abrupt curtailment in activity. In the early 1870s a group of Melbourne businessmen floated a company, the Fremantle-Champion Bay Mining Company, which leased a number of mines in the Northampton Mineral Field. Mr Gray was appointed by the company to manage their interests at the Narra Tarra Mine. A smelter was built at the site in 1873. Between 1870 and 1879 copper and lead valued at over 60,000 pounds was extracted from the mine. However, when prices of lead and copper fell on the world market, mining became increasingly uneconomic and, finally, in 1885 the Company was forced to relinquish its lease. Between 1897 and 1902, the WA Smelting Company of Fremantle acquired the Narra Tarra lease for the purpose of smelting telluride ore from Kalgoorlie. However, when this venture became unprofitable, the company went into liquidation in 1902. Between 1902 and 1906, the Narra Tarra Mine was worked by the Fremantle Trading Company however results were not very encouraging. Transportation costs associated with the mining venture were greatly reduced with the opening of the Wokarena-Naraling branch line in 1910. Over the next few years the mine produced some significant tonnage of lead. Following the outbreak of World War One the price of lead rose significantly and the Mine came back into production. It was at this time that the mine began to be referred to as the Protheroe. Output at the mine reached a peak between 1914 and 1925, exceeding that of the rest of the Mineral Field put together in the 65 years to 1910. To cater for the mine’s large workforce a township called Protheroe was established near the mine site. The townsite included residences for the general manager, the mine manager, families, single men as well as a store, a government school and a boarding house which provided meals for the single men. Electric light was supplied by the mine. The company began to have financial problems as a result of mismanagement and the inability to compete with European smelters and, consequently went into liquidation in 1925. Between 1926 and 1946 the mine lay idle, following which Danish born Jules Heinsen revived the mine. In 1950 the Anglo-Westralian Mining Company obtained the lease of the mine and lead was extracted until 1958, when operations ceased and machinery was removed. Following this a large area of land surrounding Protheroe Townsite was sold off to local farmers. The townsite at the mine was the first one to be officially gazetted in the area and included a store, a school and a row of houses. The site is now marked by a row of large gum trees and two tall palm trees which mark the site of the Manager's House, which was a large timber and weatherboard building, the rooms of which were lined with hessian. This building was replaced by a timber and asbestos house with a tiled roof. All that remains of this structure is rubble.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Low Original Fabric: Foundations

Condition

Poor

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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