Australia's Golden Outback 2023 Holiday Planner

How to Get There

By Road: Kalgoorlie is the transport hub of the Goldfields, with a good network of sealed roads that link Kalgoorlie with Perth, Esperance and the Northern Goldfields, Murchison and Gascoyne. By Rail: Transwa operates the Prospector train, with daily services between Perth and Kalgoorlie. Tel: 1300 662 205. If you have a valid Western Australia Pension Concession Card you are entitled to one free return trip or two single trips per calendar year on the Transwa network. Book your Transwa Seniors Break in person at the WA Visitors Centre or call on 1800 812 808 or Kalgoorlie Boulder Visitor Centre on 08 9021 1966. The coast to coast Indian Pacific rail service, travelling between Sydney, Adelaide and Perth, travels through Kalgoorlie weekly in each direction. Tel: 13 21 47. By Air Kalgoorlie-Boulder is serviced by Qantas and Virgin Airlines with multiple daily flights from Perth. Skippers flies from Perth to Leonora, Laverton and Wiluna. Reservations: Qantas 13 13 13 | Virgin 13 67 89 | Skippers 1300 729 924 By Coach Goldrush Tours operates a weekly service linking Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Menzies, Leonora and Laverton. Tel: 1800 620 440.

F rom the early era of gold rush fever to the scale of modern day mining, Kalgoorlie / Karlkurla and the Goldfields have epitomised the character, sense of adventure and outback glamour of a long dreamt of destination. The true heart of gold of Western Australia is here – come on out and discover it for yourself. Built on the dreams of fortune seekers, the busy twin city of Kalgoorlie-Boulder presents stunning colonial architecture that will immerse you in another era of gold rush glory and brazen pioneers. The collection of notable civic buildings, hotels, infamous Hay Street brothels and shops chronicle more than a century of history with tales of scandals, scallywags, successes and swindles, brothers, bootleggers and rebellions (discover more on page 74). Call into the impressive Kalgoorlie Boulder Visitor Centre to plan your visit. The Museum of the Goldfields is a great place to begin, then perhaps pan for gold and try the unique game of ‘Two Up’ at Hannan’s North Tourist Mine . Visit the Super Pit , the home of the world’s richest gold mine, to marvel at the collossal engineering feats and truly appreciate the scale of today’s mining. Gear up in high-visibility clothing and join a guided tour or just drive yourself to Super Pit Lookout (check to see if blasts are scheduled and time your visit). From quirky outback pubs to wide open landscapes that’ll steal away your

breath, the Golden Quest Discovery Trail shows off the best of this outback territory. This four-day road trip takes you on an adventurous loop from Coolgardie to Laverton and back, along the glittering Golden Mile and through Australia’s greatest outback city, Kalgoorlie-Boulder. This all-wheel drive route also brings you to the acclaimed Antony Gormley Sculptures near the township of Menzies. Placed into Lake Ballard , a salt lake of immense beauty, the metal artworks seem to take on a life of their own, stoically inhabiting their remote address. Another lake worth a visit is Lake Lefroy in Kambalda, which hosts exciting land sailing events. In Coolgardie, walk the twin cemeteries for a fascinating insight into the history of a ville, the site of WA’s first major gold rush and almost home to both a parliament and succession movement. In Leonora, a heritage trail showcases buildings and sites dating back to 1896 and Laverton’s Great Beyond Explorers’ Hall of Fame uses technology to bring the pioneers and olden days to life. The pioneering spirit is alive and well in the locals who will always give you a good yarn over a cold beer in traditional outback hotels like Kookynie’s Grand Hotel (meet Willie, the resident horse), and the Broad Arrow Tavern . For seasonal ales head across to Kalgoorlie’s Beaten Track Brewery .

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