Nannine is a ghost town in the Mid West region of Western Australia.

In 1896 construction began on a railway between Nannine and Cue, Western Australia, which was completed in 1903.

The meaning of the name is 'fat', used of a place in the indigenous landscape where the primordial Dingo of the dreaming bit off part of an Emu, leaving a trace of the act in a local cliff-face, which the Aboriginal people called 'nganiny'.

[5] The earliest days of gold discovery at this site are shrouded in controversy, but according to one source it is likely that the first suspicions of gold in the area were apparently held by Ingpen and Watts, station hands on the Annean pastoral station.

In about May 1890 they showed the site to J. F. Connolly, a New South Wales mining engineer, who found gold but he does not appear to have been too impressed.

In October 1890 McPherson and Peterkin were directed to the same site and found significant quantities of gold.

The lots were surveyed in August 1892, and the townsite named Nannine, as "it is situated 10 miles [16 km] from Annean Station and 3 miles [4.8 km] from Nannine Wells", and was also the name of the proposed electoral district and adjacent gold mining lease.

Following the survey and the release of the town blocks for purchase, many if not all of the existing premises including the businesses moved to the official townsite.

The town and surrounding area was inundated by heavy rains in 1913, Nannine receiving 46 millimetres (1.82 in) in a day, causing the railway line to Meekatharra to be flooded and creating a washway a few miles north of the town.

[17] By 1896/7 there were about six graves in front of Judges Hotel in Simpson Street, but at the time they were due to be moved.

[18] In January 1892 Spalding began a coach service from Mingenew to Annean and Marsh ran one from Geraldton to Nannine from July the same year.

[19] The West Australian Tuesday 6 January 1903 records the opening of the 'railway line from Cue to Nannine'.

[21] Work on the stone post and telegraph building began in March 1896[14] at the corner of Marmion & McPherson Streets in 1896/7.

[8] David DOWNIE's entry in the 1897 postal directory links him with the Pioneer Hotel and store.

[27] In 1895 Mr KELLY's refitted brick Victoria Hotel, was refused a licence on the grounds of there being insufficient population, although it had been licensed in earlier years.

It boasted a large billiard room fitted out with a renowned 'Alcock' table, and was advertised to include stables, outhouses and a butcher's shop, and was purported to have an annual turnover of three thousand Australian pounds.

Mrs Eleanor WILLOWS (née SPENCER), the live in manager at the time, was reported to have been unscathed.

[32] 'Mum Willows', as she was known, managed the hotel on her own from the time it came into the hands of Mr William SNELL in 1904,[33] until she moved to Meekatharra in 1920.

[37] By March 1892 ALDERMAN, URCH, BRAND, FOGG and McINNES had all started grocery story stores and DURACK was operating as a butcher.

[8] James and John BOND were also advertising as confectioners by the time of their 1897 postal directory listing.

[19] STOREKEEPER 1 – James BROWN was the first person to move his store onto the newly gazetted townsite and by 1896/7 it is recorded on Marmion Street.

[24] This would appear to be related to David DOWNIE's entry in the 1897 postal directory which links him with the Pioneer Hotel and store.

[42] Freemasonry was a significant part of the social fabric of many rural and remote towns across Australia during the first half of the 20th century.

In listing the building on its Register, the Heritage Council of WA depicts it as being of "Federation Gothic" architectural style.

It lists the building's "Historic Themes" as being "social and civic activities, sport, recreation and entertainment".

"[43] Today, the Hall stands on the corner of Savage and Darlot Streets, Meekatharra, Western Australia as a distinctive if somewhat forlorn reminder of times now long past.