BURBANKS is an abandoned town in Western Australia located between Coolgardie and Londonderry in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia.

In 1894 gold was discovered in the area and the townsite was gazetted in 1897.

The town was named after the prospector, W BURBANKS, who along with his partner Sheldon, first discovered gold in the area. The find was named the Birthday Gift and company was swiftly formed which bought a sixty head battery.

The Burbanks Gold Mine continues to operate near the old town site


From the site BURBANKS, Western Australia
... W. Burbank worked for a time around Coolgardie then travelled south towards Londonderry. With his mate Sheldon he camped for a time near a shallow claypan but after a while the water dried up.. Sheldon then took the horses to get some water but the horses strayed away and he took much longer to return than was planned.

Burbank knew nothing of the reason for the delay and waited at the camp with his water supply dwindling, he realised almost too late that he would have to make a dash back to Coolgardie or he would "do a perish" in the very hot weather. He set out on the six mile journey but before long his mouth was dry and his tongue swollen to the stage where even breathing was difficult. He though he was a goner and sat down under a tree where he cut a deep groove in the tree which released a little moisture which he wet his lips with, feeling very weak he lay down to contemplate his end when he realised it was his birthday. After a sleep he woke a little more refreshed and got up and staggered on back towards Coolgardie. Making slow progress he walked through some good gold bearing country which took his thoughts away his thirst for a while, then he remembered how useless this find would be to a man who was shortly going to die of thirst !

Later when things were looking really grim, out through the scrub came Sheldon with the horses with plenty of water although he had to fight a delirious Burbank.

Sheldon nursed Burbank back to health, then they set to work pegging out a lease over the gold bearing area then off to Coolgardie to register the claim. Burbank decided to name it the Birthday Gift as it was his birthday and he had been saved from death.

Before long a strong company was formed with a 60 head battery yielding many thousands of ounces of gold and by 1904 the Birthday Gift Mine paid a dividend of 12/6 per share. ... has photos


the BURBANKS POST OFFICE DIRECTORY 1921

ALFORD Thomas ? mine owner

AUSTIN Alice H ?Exchange Hotel

BRYCE William D ?miner Burbanks Mechanics Institute

CLARKE G N ?Secretary Mechanics Institute

DOUGLAS David ?builder

FRANKS Dimetre ?miner

HOBBA Henry P ?miner

LOCK A ?Post Master & Registrar

LOCK Maurice ?miner

McCARTHY Arthur G ? teacher

MALONEY John

MARRETT William ?Burbanks Hotel

NEIL John ?miner

PICKUPP Abraham ?miner

PURDY Alfred ?miner

RUDDICK Joseph ?miner

SAUER Joseph ?miner

SEAHILL Bernard ?wood contractor

SLIGHT Archibald ?miner

WALKER Jack ?miner

WEARMOUTH John ?draper & grocer

WEARTHMOUTH Rhd. ?mine manager