Agnew was originally known as Waronga or Waroonga. However, due to another gazetted town called Waronga, a new name had to be found. ‘Agnew’ was named after the mine superintendent John Agnew in 1904 of East Murchison United (EMU).
On 3 October 1895, Tom Cue and his party filed a land claim for a 21-acre lease located approximately 6 miles to the north of Lawlers. They named it The Waronga and by 1896 there were weekly coaches from Cue, a Cobb & Co mail service from Leonora and the opening of a telegraph line to Coolgardie.
The majority of the early finds in the area were alluvial in nature and most prospectors did not have the available funds for further exploration. However, Cue and his party sank a shaft to 95ft and the finds led to the sale of the Waronga/Waroonga site to the London and Western Australian Exploration Company in 1897.
Waroonga continued to develop and the early mining of the area was deemed a success with a football team having been established by 1906 and regular cricket matches held between the towns. Following a number of deaths at the Waroonga mine in 1907, the fortunes of the mine began to dwindle. Difficulties attracting labour c.1910 eventually led to the mining company being liquidated in 1913.
The mine was resurrected later the same year with Messrs Langford and Finch acquiring the site. As manager of the 10 battery site in Lawlers, John Finch had the battery relocated to Waroonga upon the closure of the Lawlers plant. Under the leadership of Finch the mining operations at Waroonga was successful until the mid-1920s when he failed to secure funding for further explorations.
Despite the depression in the 1930s, the Goldfields experienced a resurgence following the abolition of the International Gold Standard in 1931 which resulted in the doubling of the gold price by 1935.
In 1932, Claude de Bernales registered numerous mining companies including East Murchison United (EMU) Gold Mines Limited, and bought the Finch interests in the area. The Waroonga mine was again operational by 1935 and was renamed the EMU mine.
In conjunction with the flurry of mining activity, housing was being erected for the workers in 1936. The EMU mine continued to excel in the following years with the mine shaft being extended to 700 ft and the mine employing 120 people. By 1940 the shaft had been increased to 956ft with capacity reaching record levels.
The mine flooded on Christmas Eve 1940 causing all work to stop, but was up and running again by 1941. The demands of the war interfered with available labour which impacted on breakdowns and production. Following the war, the situation did not improve and lack of funds and the need for new exploration resulted in the mine closing in 1948.
An article in the Western Australian on 24 January 1948 noted:
‘The Emu goldmine, one of the de Bernales group, is expected to close within a fortnight. Ore breaking ceased today. The existence of Agnew is in jeopardy as the mine is its sole support’……….The mine which has approximately 80 men on its payroll supports a population of more than 200 persons who will be forced to find a living and housing accommodation elsewhere.’
As there was no other work in the town, families moved away. Population fell from 150 to 25, the school closed, followed by other businesses and eventually the town was abandoned.