The Exchange Hotel – Coolgardie Hotels 6

When Evon Wisdom was granted one of the four Wayside Licences in April 1893, he erected a hessian building on the corner of what later became the junction of Bayley and Ford Streets, which he called the Exchange Hotel.

Exchange Hotel Bayley St Coolgardie (Far left)

The Exchange was the venue for the first meeting of the newly elected Coolgardie Corporation in August 1894 following an invitation by the new licensee Arthur Leevers, who was also a member of the Corporation.

In October that year, the Exchange Hotel made local history when it was thought worthy of reporting in the local press that ‘a bathroom is being added to the hotel’s many amenities’.

Leevers Exchange Hotel Coolgardie Advertisement.

When weatherboard replaced the original hessian building, a verandah was added to the front and side of the hotel where a row of shops were included in the hotel complex.

The Exchange was home to the Marquis of Queensbury who ‘smiled on the glowing Hebes as he sipped his wine yet found time to take part in many important mining ventures’.

A mining magnate by the name of Mercer, came along and approached Alfred Mercer as a man knowing something about stock to get him a team of camels. This was done, and on returning to Coolgardie the magnate Mercer said the camels were quite satisfactory and invited Alfred Mercer to have dinner with at the Exchange. When the question of a solvent arose, Alfred said he would have a cup of tea. “There is no tea, sire,” explained the waitress. “Then give me a glass of water,” rejoined the Coolgardie Mercer. “I think you had better have a glass of English beer,” advised the young person. “Gimme beer, then,” said the almost teetotal one. “Why did I have to drink beer?” inquired Alfred at the end of the feast, “when I wanted tea?” The explanation was: “You see, sire, you have had tea, but we had no water to make it with.” Beer was much more plentiful than water, at the time.

In 1916 the Exchange had become a ramshackle building and was demolished.

The Exchange Hotel Corner of Bayley and Ford Sts, Coolgardie

Public Meeting in Bayley Street, Coolgardie. 1897 (Showing the Exchange Hotel on the left hand side).

In 1916 the Exchange had become a ramshackle building and was demolished.

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Moya Sharp

Owner at Outback Family History

My name is Moya Sharp, I live in Kalgoorlie Western Australia and have worked most of my adult life in the history/museum industry. I have been passionate about history for as long as I can remember and in particular the history of my adopted home the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia. Through my website I am committed to providing as many records and photographs free to any one who is interested in the family and local history of the region.

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