The Goldfields

The Goldfields

Gold has been the raison d'etre for the remote twin-city area known as Kalgoorlie-Boulder—602 km (373 mi) east of Perth—for more than a century.

Paddy Hannan is credited with discovering gold in the region in 1893, sparking a massive rush of hopeful prospectors looking to make their fortunes. In less than two years, more than 100,000 men and women made the arduous journey from Perth—some on foot—to work the ground with primitive implements. There was plenty of gold to be found, and the nickname the "Golden Mile" quickly came into use to reference the region—now known to have one of the highest concentrations of gold in the world.

Today mining is big business, with massive machinery and huge open pits, yet the population of Kalgoorlie-Boulder is fewer than than 30,000, and the surrounding communities are little more than ghost towns. Kalgoorlie-Boulder is a one-day journey from Perth by car, bus, or train. Flights from Perth take a little over an hour.

Kalgoorlie-Boulder

"Kal," comprising the twin cities of Kalgoorlie and Boulder, is the major center in the goldfields. Although massive open-cut mines gouge the earth all around the town, including the massive Super Pit at 1,090 feet deep, 3 km (2 mi) long, and 1½ km (1 mi) wide and growing, the city still retains much of the heritage of the early gold-mining days and the atmosphere of a frontier town.

Hannan Street (named after Paddy Hannan) is the main thoroughfare of the area and contains the bulk of the hotels and places of interest, and it's a great place to wander on foot. You can start at the life-size bronze statue of Paddy Hannan outside the Kalgoorlie Town Hall, at the intersection with Wilson Street.

Farther along Hannan Street, is the Exchange Hotel (08/9021-2833, www.exchangehotelkalgoorlie.com.au). A superb example of a goldfield pub, the refurbished Exchange is replete with exquisite stained glass and pressed-tin ceilings. Miners once slaked their thirst here after a long day of prospecting; now you can do the same at the hotel's Wild West Saloon and Irish-themed Paddy's Alehouse.

To get a sense of the area's history, you can visit Hannan's Tourist Mine and the Mining Hall of Fame (Goldfields Hwy., 3 km (2 mi) from Kalgoorlie towards Menzies, 08/9026-2700, www.mininghall.com). Here you'll find audiovisual displays, a reconstructed prospector's camp, historic buildings, opportunities to go underground, and the chance to see an authentic gold pour.

A historic tour of Kalgoorlie wouldn't be complete without a gander at the infamous Hay Street "red light" district. Today only three brothels remain, including the multimillion-dollar complex at Langtrees 181 (08/9026-2181) which has tours available for A$35 per person.

The best accommodations in town are at the Quest Yelverton Kalgoorlie (210 Egan St., 08/9022-8181, theyelverton.com.au), with spacious one- and two-bedroom apartments, complete with full kitchens and modern furnishings; you can also stay at the Mercure Hotel Plaza (45 Egan St., 08/9021-4544, www.accorhotels.com.au), where rooms on the higher floors have views of town.

Coolgardie

Tiny Coolgardie (39 km [24 mi] west of Kalgoorlie towards Perth) is probably the best-maintained ghost town in Australia. A great deal of effort has gone into preserving this historic gold-mining community where some 150 markers placed around town indicate important historic sights.

Among these sights is the Coolgardie Railway Station Museum (08/9026-6388), where the history of the area's rail transport is explained through exhibits, photographs, books, and artifacts. The Coolgardie Cemetery (1 km/½ mi east of Coolgardie) with its stark weathered headstones, recalls stories of tragedy and the grim struggle for survival in a harsh, unrelenting environment. Many of the graves remain unmarked, because the identities of their occupants were lost during the wild rush to the eastern goldfields.

If you'd like a guided tour of the area, Goldrush Tours (08/9021-2954, www.goldrushtours.info) can enlighten you about the history and ghost towns, and show you the profusion of wildflowers in the area, depending on seasonal rains. Yamatji Bitja (08/9093-3745) runs individually tailored experiences with an Aboriginal guide.

More information on the goldfields is available at The Kalgoorlie Goldfields Visitor Centre (1800/004653, www.kalgoorlie.com/tourism) or the Coolgardie Visitor Centre (08/9026-6090).