30°43′37″S 121°28′18″E / 30.726849°S 121.471742°E / -30.726849; 121.471742 The Australian Prospectors & Miners' Hall of Fame is a hall of fame that recognises significant figures in the history of Australia's mining industry. It was established in 2001 at a site on the Goldfields Highway at Mullingar, on the outskirts of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. It closed due to financial difficulties in 2011, and now exists primarily as a web-based resource.

Overview

The Inductees to the Mining Hall of Fame number over 100.[1] The institution was, after various proposals,[2][3] started in Kalgoorlie in 1995. In 1997 there was an architectural competition for the design.[4][5] In 1999 it was combined with the Hannans North Tourist Mine.[6] With fundraising committees established in every state of Australia and sponsorship from the government and the mining industry, A$25 million were raised for the project.[7] The Hall of Fame was officially opened in October 2001.

Inductees are added over time,[8] as well as historic and unique items of mining history.[9]

In November 2011 the Hall of Fame had to close because of financial difficulties. The institution, founded by the mining industry rather than the Western Australian Government, had been in a difficult financial situation in 2009, being A$600,000 in debt. Under Andrew Cook, who took over as director at the time, the Hall of Fame slashed entry fees from A$25 to A$3 a ticket and was able to, at the same time, eradicate its debt. Despite this and a bail out by the government, it was not able to stay open at the time as it continued to operate at a loss.[7]

There was some hope that the institution would reopen in late 2012. However, instead the facilities are now leased out with the tourist mine being operated by KGCM (Hannans North Tourist Mine)[10] while the main building is closed to the public.[11]

Publications and reports

  • Australian Prospectors & Miners Hall of Fame Ltd (2002), Update, Mining Hall of Fame, retrieved 4 February 2014 also known earlier as Pick and Shovel - Australian Prospectors & Miners Hall of Fame Ltd (1997), The pick and shovel, The Hall, retrieved 4 February 2014

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Inductees - Alphabetical accessed: 4 February 2014
  2. ↑ Australian Prospectors & Miners Hall of Fame Ltd (1990), A tribute to our past : an investment in our future, The Hall, retrieved 4 February 2014
  3. ↑ One attempt was in Queenstown in Tasmania Professional Services Group (1995), Australian Mining Hall of Fame, Queenstown, Tasmania : draft overview and brief, Professional Services Group, retrieved 4 February 2014
  4. ↑ Australian Prospectors & Miners Hall of Fame Kalgoorlie Architecture Design Competition : 9 July-5 September 1997. Report on winning entries in competition. Architect, Western Australia / Royal Australian Institute of Architects (W.A. Chapter), Summer 1997, p. 10-15
  5. ↑ Strickells, Lee. Kalgoorlie, bolder.Architectural review of building. Australian Prospectors & Miners Hall of Fame. Ferguson Architects. Architect, Western Australia, Autumn 2002, p. 22-26
  6. ↑ The Australian Prospectors and Miners Hall of Fame established and the Hannan's North Tourist Mine in Kalgoorlie handed over to them by Normandy Mining Ltd and Homestake Gold of Australia 19 August 1999 - Media statement, Western Australian Minister for Mines, 19/8/99
  7. 1 2 Financial crisis forces troubled Mining Hall of Fame to close ABC Goldfields, published: 16 November 2011, accessed: 4 February 2014
  8. ↑ WASM legend enters Hall of Fame. Charles Harold Warman, born Kalgoorlie, 1910, died Sydney, 11 July 2008. Founder of Warman Pumps, holder of 19 worldwide patents, and co-holder of first iron ore tenements at Mount Newman. He has posthumously been inducted into the Australian Propectors and Miners Hall of Fame.Kalgoorlie miner, Oct. 6, 2009, p. 3
  9. ↑ Rare nugget for APMHOF. History and information about gold nugget found on the Golden Mile in 1991, now donated to the Australian Prospectors and Miners Hall of Fame. Golden Mile Nugget. Datum post, June 2000, p. 1,
  10. ↑ )
  11. ↑ History Official website, accessed: 4 February 2014
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