GOLDFIELDS HISTORY

Waverley / Siberia

A Lonely Grave on the Siberia to Coolgardie track

Siberia is an abandoned goldfields townsite, located 655 km east north east of Perth and 86 km north west of Kalgoorlie.

Gold was discovered here by the prospectors Billy Frost and Bob Bonner in the late 1890's, and the influx of miners into the area soon created demand for a townsite. Lots were surveyed and land for a townsite to be named Siberia was set aside in 1898, but when it came to gazetting the townsite the Chairman of the local Progress Committee suggested it be named Waverley, after one of the mines in the area. Waverley townsite was gazetted in October 1898.

In 1911 the Postmaster General's Department raised concern with the government about town names which were duplicated in other states, Waverley being one of these. Siberia was suggested as an alternative name, as was Wongi, derived from nearby Wongine Soak. The majority of the residents preferred Siberia, and the name change was gazetted in November 1914.

Siberia derives its name from Siberia Tank, a nearby water supply for the area. The origin of the name is uncertain, but in a book on the goldfields by Duke Stewart the author wrote that J S Christie told him how Siberia was named. "A swagman struck the track near the Carnage and cut on a tree the words: To Hell or Siberia".

Waverly Cemetery Records

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