Plan Book Travel Australia

Grain and wool contribute much to the economic backbone of this region; however the real wealth lies in its gold deposits. The Kalgoorlie Goldfields are the one of the richest gold mining area's in the world.

There is a real sense of 'frontier' in the Goldfields. The area has experienced a number of booms and busts, with fluctuating gold prices. What has endured in the wild-west pioneer spirit which nowadays combines a colourful history rich in extraordinary characters with high-technology mining.

The towns of Kalgoorlie/Boulder and Coolgardie, 600kms east of Perth, were the products of the 1890's gold rush era and still sit on one of the richest gold mining area known to man. The towns have retained the look of a century ago with many pubs and hotels to quench the thirst of locals and visitors. Kalgoorlie like many other famous gold mining towns is also famous for its gambling and it particular its Two-Up School. This is where locals and visitors alike can gamble on the outcome of the toss of two spinning Australian pennies.

Well worth a visit is Kalgoorlie's Miners Hall of Fame, which provides a graphic insight into the life of a goldminer in this desert environment where water was once more precious than gold. Tours to working mines, ghost towns and genuine outback pubs are available.

Content and images for this region: Western Australia Tourism