Kalgoorlie Western Australia
An outback mining city, surrounded by hundreds of kilometres of Australian desert. Gold lies beneath the rock and sand the city rests on and now other minerals like nickel and copper are also being mined. The mining work force population brings a lively, friendly culture to the city.
At a Glance
The largest open-cut gold mine straddles the edge of town, in what has become known as "The Golden Mile". One of the richest deposits of gold in the world.
The best way to book Kalgoorlie
Where is Kalgoorlie?
Kalgoorlie is 597 kilometres east of Perth.
Kalgoorlie is an inland town situated in the Goldfields area of Australia's Golden Outback tourist region. Kalgoorlie is at the site of Western Australia's first gold rush period of the 1870's. Situated on the major highway route to Australia's eastern states. One of the best ways to get to Kalgoorlie is to hire a car from Perth Airport or flying to Kalgoorlie Airport.
Things to see in Kalgoorlie
Hannans North Tourist Mine
No visit to Kalgoorlie is complete without a visit to Hannans North Tourist Mine, where you will experience a vibrant mix of gold rush history and modern day mining. During your visit you can climb onto a giant 793C haul truck, stand in the shovel of a 994F loader, listen to Paddy Hannan tell his tale of discovery, pan for gold and try your hand at the legendary game of “Two-Up". After exploring you are welcome to make use of the free BBQ facilities or picnic in the Chinese Garden. View more details
Image © Tourism Western Australia
Museum of the Goldfields
The Museum of the Goldfields features 2 floors of exhibits with an underground vault which contains spectacular gold nuggets and jewellery, the British Arms Hotel and also traditional miners cottages and stores. Ride the lift to the mine head frame viewing platform and be treated to a view of Kalgoorlie. View more details
Image © Tourism Western Australia
Golden Mile Super Pit
Be amazed by the view of Australia's largest open-cut gold mine, where huge haul-paks look the size of small toys from viewing platforms. The pit is currently 290 metres deep, 1.5 kilometres wide and 4 kilometres long. The pit is so big it can be seen from space.
Image © Tourism Western Australia
Royal Flying Doctor Visitor Centre
Learn the history of this great Australian icon and the role that the service continues to play in today's society. The centre provides artifacts dating back the the services earliest days and you can also climb aboard an RFDS aircraft to see an emergency room the size of a phone box.
Image © Tourism Western Australia
Outback Way
Located on the Perth to Cairns route known as Outback Way. Start your journey from Kalgoorlie through the centre of Australia past Uluru. At Warburton, the Art Gallery, Warta Shop and Kapi Cafe all offer you a true Australian outback experience. The art and artefacts are produced by the Ngaanyatjarra communities. Enjoy meeting local people, visit the art Gallery, see original Aboriginal art. View more details
Image © Tourism Western Australia
What's the weather like?
Kalgoorlie has a semi-arid climate and receives little rainfall. Surrounded by desert, vegetation is in the form of scrubland and tall trees are hard to find. In Summer, temperatures soar however at night, temperatures are cold in contrast to the heat of the day. In Summer (December to February), the average maximum temperature is 35°C with an average minimum temperature of 18°C. In Winter (June to August), the average maximum temperature is 19°C with an average minimum temperature of 2°C.
Get to know Kalgoorlie's history
Kalgoorlie came into existence in 1893 after Paddy Hannan, Tom Flanagan and Daniel Shea discovered gold near Mount Charlotte less than 40 km from the Coolgardie goldfields. This was the goldrush to beat all goldrushes. The area became known as 'The Golden Mile' which at the time was the largest goldfield in the world.
By the end of 1893 over 100 leases had been taken out in the area. By 1910 Kalgoorlie had fresh water, electricity, a tramline and every possible comfort for the town's hard working citizens. The founder of the region, Paddy Hannan became a symbol of the battler who struck it rich. The main street is named after him, the local club was 'The Hannan's Club', even a locally brewed beer became known as 'Hannan's Beer'. The name of Kalgoorlie is derived from an Aboriginal word 'kulgoolah' meaning 'silky pear' which are common in the area.
Looking for visitor and tourist information, maps and brochures, booking assistance and local expert tips in Kalgoorlie? Check out the Kalgoorlie Boulder Visitor Centre!