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Lakeside / Lakewood
AKA Ngumballa (Aboriginal name for Hannans Lake)

Lat 30 48 S – Lon 121 32 E

Westralia Timber & Firewood No. 4 at Lakeside, ca.1924 - Photo SLWA

Lakewood is an abandoned goldfields townsite located 10 kilometres southeast of Kalgoorlie. In 1903 the area was known as Lakeside and the Secretary of the Progress Association wrote to the Government seeking the survey of lots for residential purposes. Lakeside was then at the terminus of the railway and close to Hannans Lake, from the proximity to which the name was derived. Lots were surveyed here in 1903 but when considering a name for the townsite Lakeside was ruled out because it was duplicated in Queensland.

The Kalgoorlie Roads Board suggested the name ‘Gnumballa’ for the new townsite, but when it was gazetted in 1904 it was spelt ‘Ngumballa’ in line with spelling rules adopted by the Department of Lands and Surveys. The name is the Aboriginal name for Hannans Lake. Despite the gazettal of the name Ngumballa, the railway station remained as Lakeside, as did local usage, and in 1909 the name was officially changed to Lakeside.

By 1938 there was another Lakeside near Wiluna and the school and post office at lakeside were changed to Lakewood to avoid confusion but still retaining the lake association in the name. For nine years the place was officially known as Lakeside, but locally Lakewood, before the Government finally accepted this name and changed the townsite to Lakewood in 1947.

Recommended Reading:

The Lakewood Woodline, 1937 – 1964 - by Phil Bianchi and Ray Tovey

The Lakewood Woodline operated south of Kalgoorlie and east of Lake Cowan, with firewood being cut as far south as 25 miles south of the Eyre Highway. This book whilst providing information on the history of the Lakewood Woodline also has numerous personal stories of people who worked and lived on the woodline. These stories provide the reader with reminiscences of various aspects of woodline operations as well as outlining the difficulties and problems that they and their families took in their stride. The book is indexed, has over 200 illustrations and is of great goldfields interest.

Available from Hesperian Press or the Eastern Goldfield Historical Soc