TRAVELLING

Have you ever been to good old Kalgoorlie Boulder?

Its nicknamed Kal by the locals and this historic yet modern city is situated 596 kilometres northeast of Perth in the Western Australian Goldfields.

Yes, that is right the GOLD fields. Kalgoorlie is Australia’s largest outback city.

Gold was first discovered in Kalgoorlie by Patrick “Paddy” Hannan and his mates in 1893, and led to one of Australia’s great gold rushes, with thousands of hopefuls flocking to the area in the hope of striking it rich. The rich, quiet region of Kalgoorlie soon became known as Australia’s largest Outback City. Kalgoorlie-Boulder is now the major producer of gold within the whole of Australia.

In 1989 the two towns Kalgoorlie and Boulder joined to become a city after they had both serviced the famous ‘Golden Mile’. The two main streets, Hannan Street in Kalgoorlie and Burt Street in Boulder are lined with wonderful historic buildings that show the towns’ historical wealth and are well worth wandering around.

Visit many of the local attractions that can take you back in time and show you how and where the gold fever began. Be amazed by the monstrous machinery and Super Pit on a tour into the KCGM Super Pit Operation or find out about the history of Kalgoorlie Boulder on one of our Gold Town Discovery Tours.

Other attractions around town include the WA Museum, which has some great exhibitions, don’t forget to see their Gold Vault and take a photo from the headframe platform overlooking Kalgoorlie. The Loopline Museum which houses the Loopline Railway, was once the main means of transport in the Goldfields. And don’t forget to have a cold ale at the Metropole Hotel while looking down at the underground shaft that is situated at the front bar.

Mount Charlotte Lookout is well known by photographers for its amazing sunset and storm shots overlooking a historically bustling Kalgoorlie, while the Super Pit Lookout gives views across the mining operations with the chance to watch a blast. There is also a good gallery in the Town Hall and an interesting display at the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Evening entertainment around the town is good with various hotels, pubs and restaurants. If you’d prefer a night in the town, then Hannan Street is the place to be, with several pubs and clubs which you can’t miss. The Goldfields Arts Centre has regular performances as well as the local performances by the talented Repertory Club.

Where to stay in Kalgoorlie?

Kalgoorlie-Boulder has various accommodation styles available from Backpackers and Caravan Parks to 4.5 Star Hotels.

Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

Discovery Holiday Park – Kalgoorlie

Discovery Holiday Park – Boulder

The View on Hannans

Contact the Kalgoorlie Boulder Visitor Centre on (08) 9021 1966 or visit their website at www.kalgoorlietourism.com for more information on accommodation in Kalgoorlie.

How to get to Kalgoorlie? 

By Road

Kalgoorlie Boulder is situated 596km from Perth and 198km from Norsemen.

The coordinates are:
E: 353747
N: 6597361

By Air

Virgin Airways have services from Perth and Melbourne to Kalgoorlie. See their website for details and bookings go to https://www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/

Qantas Airways has services between Perth and Kalgoorlie. See their website for details and bookings go to www.qantas.com.au

By Rail

The Prospector http://www.transwa.wa.gov.au/ and the Indian Pacific www.gsr.com.au stop at Kalgoorlie. Please see their websites for details.

Remember all Australian Senior card holders receive 1 free train trip a year. Why not use this to visit the amazing Kalgoorlie Boulder region?!