BONNIE VALE is an abandoned goldfields townsite 14km north of Coolgardie in Western Australia.

The town was gazetted in 1897. It was apparently named after BONNIE, a prospector who picked up a 7 oz troy (220 g) nugget here in May/June 1894.

It is famous as the site of the Varischetti mine rescue of 1907, when Italian gold miner Modesto VARISCHETTI was trapped for nine days in a mine when it was flooded after a thunderstorm. Varischetti survived in an air pocket until rescued. A diver using deep-sea diving equipment located Varischetti five days after the mine was flooded, and provided him with food, candles and letters of encouragement.

It serves as the railway station for Coolgardie on the Prospector Perth to Kalgoorlie passenger service.

BONNIE VALE POSTAL DIRECTORY 1899
ALDERSON William, miner

ALLEN Harry
ALLEN James, miner

ANDREWS Bennett, miner

ARNOLD William, miner

AUSTIN H. plumber
AUSTIN William, Bonnie Vale Hotel

BALL Henry, miner

BAYNE Andrew B.P. mine manager

BEATIE A.H. miner

BEGG Percy, miner

BOURKE John, miner

BRADSHAW George, miner

BREWER Charles, Royal Exchange Hotel

BROWN Walter, miner

BUDGE D. manager Glasson & Co

BURRIDGE Henry E. mine manager

CHRISTENSEN M. miner

CLYDE John, miner

COLLINGS Arthur, miner

COOK John, miner

CRANE Frank J. miner
CRANE Robert, miner

DANIELS E.

DELLA August, miner

DINGLE John, accountant
DINGLE R. miner

DORIZZI F.

EDGAR William, miner

FAWCETT Jos. Miner

FIELD James, miner

FORD William, miner

FRICKER George, miner
FRICKER Herman, miner

FURNISS Robert, miner

GILLETT Albert, miner

GLASSON & Co general storekeepers

GODENA William, miner

GOODACRE Josiah, amalgamator

GOWLAND Isaac, miner

GRAHAM Ellison, miner

GRANGE Alfred, amalgamator

GRAY William

GREGSON Charles
GREGSON John

GRIFFITHS John, miner

GUIDICI Emilo, miner

GUINDNE Michael, miner

GURNER Arthur, accountant

HANDLEY H.

HANSEN John, miner
HANSEN William

HARGREAVES Richard, miner

HEELIS William, engine driver

HEIGHWAY George, miner

HERBERT Arthur E. draper
HERBERT Claude

HERLIHY David, miner

HEWITT Edward mangr Knight Atkins & Co

HILL John A. miner

HODGES L. miner

HOLLOWELL Benjamin, miner

HOLT William, miner

HOPWOOD H. miner

HOWELLS Albert, miner
HOWELLS Jos. miner

HOYLE J. miner

HUDSON W.

HUNT H. miner

HUNTER Charles A. miner
HUNTER James, storekeeper
HUNTER John, miner
HUNTER P.J. labourer
HUNTER Robert, baker

JENKINS C.W.B. manager Cyanide Works
JENKINS Thomas, miner

JONES John, miner
JONES Samuel, miner

JURY William, miner

KELLY James, miner

KNIGHT, Atkins & Co (E.C,) storekeepers

LAURENCE Henry, miner

LEECH Fred, miner

LEWIS Walter, miner

McBETH David, miner

McCARTHY John, miner

McDONALD Thomas

MACKAY George, miner

McKENZIE W.D. miner

McKINNON D. miner

McMAHON C. miner

McQUEON Neil, miner

MALMGREN Edward, miner

MANSFIELD Alfred, miner

MARTIN James, butcher
MARTIN William, storekeeper

MASON George
MASON John W.

MATTHEWS Abraham, miner

MERCER James, miner

MEREDITH John, miner

METZNER Charles, miner

MILLS W. miner

MINCHAW Charles, miner
MINCHAW Edward, miner

MINEHEN Samuel, Mt Burgess Hotel

MOLE Edward, miner
MOLE Frank, miner
MOLE George, carpenter

MOORE Charles, engine driver
MOORE Jesse, miner

MORRIS Charles E. battery manager
MORRIS Henry, miner
MORRIS James, miner
MORRIS John, miner

MOXHAM Henry A. engine driver

MUIR Alfred, clerk

NEILSON John, miner

NICHOLAN W.H. miner

O?BRIEN John, miner
O?BRIEN Patrick, miner

O?CALLAGHAN Owen, miner

O?CONNOR Thomas, miner

O?HALLORAN John, engine driver

O?NEILL H.

PARKINSON John, miner

PAYNE Thomas, draper

PEARCE James, miner

PENN T.R. miner
PENN W.H. miner

PILLIPS John miner

PIAZZOLA Martin, miner

PITT W.L. miner

PRESCOTT George, miner
PRESCOTT Thomas, miner

PURCELL Edward, miner
PURCELL Patrick, miner

QUAN John, contractor

QUINE John, miner

RANKIN James, carpenter

RESSINGER M. miner

REYNOLDS Edward, miner
REYNOLDS H. miner

RHYS Daniel, wheelwright
RHYS T.T. mine manager

RICKARBY Arthur H. mine manager

RILEY Charles, carter

RISDON Benjamin, miner
RISDON Ernest, miner

ROBSON Thomas, miner

ROSS John, miner

RUTHERFORD John, amalgamator

RYAN John T. miner
RYAN Michael, miner

SAMPSON Richard, carpenter

SCARLETT Percy, contractor

SCRUBY Henry, clerk

SEARS Arthur, miner

SHARMAN James, engine driver

SHAW James A. miner

SHERRY J.

SILVESTER C.J. cordial manufacturer

SKINNER W.H. miner

SODEMAN Frederick, miner

SOMMERS P. miner

SOWTER Alfred, amalgamator

SPADIER Stephen, carpenter

SPARGA Stephen, miner

STEWART Alexander, miner
STEWART Daniel, miner
STEWART Roland, miner
STEWART William, miner

STOBBART Daniel, miner
STOBBART S. miner

STOCKTON Charles, telegraph operator

SUMMERS Thomas, miner

SYNAN J.S. miner

TAMPALINI Emilio, miner

TAYLOR Alexander, miner
TAYLOR George, miner
TAYLOR John, miner

THOMPSON Jos.

TRETHEWAY J.M. miner

TWOMEY Edward, miner
TWOMLY ? Maurice, miner
TWOMEY Patrick, miner

TYSON Charles, miner
TYSON John, miner

VANCE David, miner

VESPER George, contractor

VILKINSON Michael, miner

WALKER Frank miner
WALKER George, miner

WARNES Saul, miner

WELSH John J. miner

WHITNEY John, storekeeper
WHITNEY William, clerk

WHYTE W.F. miner

WILKINS Alfred, miner

WILKES James, miner
WILKES J. miner

WILKS Saul, miner

WILSON John, miner

WOOD James, miner
WOOD Robert, miner
WOOD Thomas H. miner
WOOD Walter, miner
WOOD William, miner

WORTH Richard, miner
WORTH Thomas, mine manager
WORTH Thomas jnr. Plumber

YOUNG Walter J. engine driver


BONNIE VALE POSTAL DIRECTORY 1921

HEWITT Henry J. miner
HEWITT Mrs A.

LAIDLAW Archie prospector

NIOA Frank leaseholder

QUAN John leaseholder
QUAN Mrs E.O. prospector

ROOKE Charles B. leaseholder

SMITH William H. caretaker


BONNIE VALE BURIALS

HUNTER Alice Myra d. 4 May 1899 age 11 months
? Coolgardie death cert 85/1899

RISDON female baby stillborn 17 Apr 1899 buried near Westralia Lease
? Coolgardie death cert 78/1899


on 9 January 1906, as the result of an underground mine accident at the Vale of Coolgardie Mine at Bonnievale, 3 men were killed

the men, who were all married, were buried at Coolgardie Cemetery

Frederick Margido CHRISTENSEN age 52 born Norway,
John MILROY age 35,
John Hanson JORGENSEN age 27