Super Pit
At 3.5km long, 1.5km wide, and currently around 600m deep, it’s not hard to see how the Super Pit earnt its name!Originally opened in 1893, the oblong-shaped Super Pit began life as a collection of much smaller underground mines.Officially known as the Fimiston Open Pit mine, the ‘Super Pit’ as we know it today was created in 1989, at the same time as Northern Star Resources' Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines Pty Ltd (KCGM) took over ownership from Bond International Gold, who had previously bought control of the various mines in the area through majority shareholding.
Boulder Town Hall
Previously functioning as municipal offices, a library, and even an air raid siren during war times, Boulder Town Hall has played a vital role in serving its civic responsibilities.Did you know Boulder’s Town Hall is more than 110 years old! Opened by His Excellency The Governor, Sir Frederick Bedford, who travelled from Perth to conduct an official ceremony which included a gold key to open the hall.Boulder’s historic Town Hall has several fascinating features.The well-maintained pressed tin ceiling and wrought iron balustrades wrap around the Dress Circle.Look up to the tower – accessible by a secret staircase in the Mayor’s Office. The tower was furnished with a silent clock in 1909.During the war, an air raid siren was also fitted and connected to the mines. It would whistle at precisely midday to announce lunchtime out over the Boulder area.Inside the glass doors of the Council Chambers features the Municipality of Boulder coat of arms, along with the Latin phrase ‘Dieu et mon droit’, or ‘God and my right’. The components on the coat of arms include a mine, a camel, a prospector, and a railway line.
Coolgardie
The birthplace of the 1892 gold rush, Coolgardie is nicknamed ‘The Mother of the Western Australian Goldfields’.Once the state’s third-largest townsite, with a population of over 16,000 residents in 1897, Coolgardie is now home to less than 1,000 locals.Coolgardie was born in 1892, when Arthur Bayley and his partner William Ford discovered 554 ounces of gold in an area called Fly Flat, 120 miles to the east of the present-day township.Within hours of registering their claim on 17th September, thousands of hopefuls began the arduous 550km journey from Perth seeking wealth and new beginnings.At the height of its fame, Coolgardie boasted 60 shops, 26 hotels, 25 stockbrokers, seven newspapers, six banks, four clubs, four schools, three breweries, two theatres, two cemeteries, two stock exchanges, a racecourse and an abundance of churches including the first mosque and a synagogue in the State.So well-known was the town, that a play called ‘The Duchess of Coolgardie’ was developed by the Drury Lane Theatre in London’s West End. The play went on to become long-running hit.Today, the remains of Coolgardie’s colourful gold rush history offer visitors insight into a time of exciting prospects.The heritage precinct provides much to see and do, including gold rush museums, pioneer cemeteries, and the historic architecture of Bayley Street.There are also other sites to visit in the outlying region, including Jack Cairns Camp – a lonely place where you can see the tin shanty where prospector Cairns spent 30 years in isolation.
Eastern Goldfields Historical Society
Home to historic relics and photographs spanning the past 125 years.Housed in the old Boulder Municipal Power Station and run mostly by volunteers, the Eastern Goldfields Historical Society (EGHS) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to helping visitors and researchers learn about the region.Formed in 1946 as a branch of the Royal Western Australian Historical Society, the EGHS has always had but one goal: to ensure the shared heritage of the region and its memories live on.A visit to the EGHS reveals various treasured artefacts, historic maps and town plans, fascinating local publications and autobiographies, and an extensive photo library going back more than 125 years, detailing the life and times of the region, it’s people, prospects and place.
Aboriginal Flag Pole
This Aboriginal Flag, sponsored by Northern Star Resources, was unveiled alongside the Australian Flag at Centennial Park on 31 May 2018 during Reconciliation Week, to recognise and celebrate the cultural identity and diversity of the Aboriginal community in Kalgoorlie-Boulder.In addition to the new, 25-metre-high flag pole flying the Aboriginal flag, a mural has been added. wrapping around the pole itself, to further demonstrate active reconciliation and harmony within the community. Painted by local Aboriginal artist Jason Dimer and john Paul Colege students, the design is reflective of the significance of water to the land.The mural's design was a collaboration between Dimer and members of the city's youth, in a project which launched the City of Kangoolie-Boulder's Reconciliation Action Plan.The creative installation encapsulates the history, spirit and culture of the Aboriginal people in Kalgoorlie-Boulder.This project was made possible by the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder in partnership with Northern Star Resources.Check out a great video of the Flag Pole project here
Hannans Hotel
Built on the same site as the original Home From Home Hotel, the single-storey Hannans Hotel has quite a salacious history.The Home From Home Hotel was one of many foreign-owned businesses throughout Kalgoorlie during the 1930s. One of the barmen, Claudio Mattaboni was an Italian migrant who, like many others, had come to the Goldfields seeking fortune.On January 29th 1934, he became involved in an altercation with a local miner, George Edward Jordan, a popular resident and sportsman. Jordan had already been cast out of the pub for being intoxicated and had returned to settle his score with Mattaboni.During the ensuing argument, Mattaboni pushed Jordan towards the pavement outside of the Hotel, where upon Jordan’s head connected with the curb.Although he was taken to hospital, Jordan did not survive his injuries the following day, it being believed the fall had fractured his skull.Mistaken belief that the Italian barman had purposefully murdered Jordan, fuelled the already underlying resentment towards the European migrants, whom locals viewed as having taken many available mining jobs for lower wages and harsher conditions.Together, it initiated a widespread race riot to be later described as the worst ethnic battle Australia had seen.For the following 48 hours, angry mobs rampaged through the streets of Kalgoorlie and the nearby settlements, firing at the foreigners and killing two, destroying and looting foreign-owned businesses. The Home From Home Hotel was one such building which was set alight and subsequently destroyed in the blaze.Before a group of Perth-based police and volunteers could arrive by train, the riot had ended, however 14 men were sent to jail with a further 83 convictions handed out amongst those involved. It took three days before peace could be properly restored, though the community were able to put the incident behind them and the multi-national community of Kalgoorlie has lived and worked together ever since.
Hannans North Tourist Mine
A little over five months after the initial discovery of gold by Paddy Hannan and Thomas Flanagan, Dorham Longford Doolette applied for the mining lease at Hannans North in November 1893.One of the first mines to be established in the Kalgoorlie area, Hannans North has changed hands several times. Since 2012, it has been managed by Northern Star Resources' Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines (KCGM), who took on the lease after the Mining Hall of Fame closed.Hannans North Tourist Mine is a vibrant mixture of the past and present. Filled with pieces of early mining equipment, still in working order, amongst original buildings and other historical artefacts, all seamlessly blended with examples of modern day machinery that are now employed in the surrounding mine site.Go back in time to the early days of the gold rush as you listen to the tale of discovery, as told by Paddy Hanna himself!Explore above ground by walking through the existing buildings for a glimpse into what everyday life for the miners and their families was like, then try your hand at panning for real gold a take part in the legendary Australian game of 'Two-Up'.When you're ready to re-join the modern world, climb aboard a gigantic 793C Haul Truck or try standing in the shovel head of a 99F Loader.Check out the inside of an underground refuge chamber, designed to sustain 12 people for up to 72 hours, then finish your day with a stroll through the Chinese Gardens of Remembrance to reflect on the history of immigrants in the early days of the Goldfields.Now a major attraction for the region, Hannans North Tourist mine offers a unique insight into the life and times of the early miners.Opening Hours:Sunday - Friday 9:00am - 4:00pmANZAC Day 12:00pm - 4:00pmChristmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day CLOSED
Kanowna
Approximately 20km north east of Kalgoorlie, once stood the rapidly growing town of Kanowna.There is much debate surrounding the name of the town, with some suggesting it is an Aboriginal term. One source describes the name as being derived from the Aboriginal word "kana" or "gana" which means "place of no sleep" or "can't sleep” and refers to the hard, stony ground of the area. Other sources indicate the name relates to a dispute between two parties, with one group running away from the other.Following the discovery of gold here in 1893, the government decided to declare a townsite with members of the public flocking to strike it rich.So much was the enthusiasm that the population swelled to its peak of 12,500 residents in only six short years.Kanowna soon had a hospital, school, race course, post office, police station, two banks, a stock exchange, churches and numerous pubs.Other businesses included a greengrocer, brewery, law firm, butchers, hairdressers, carpenters, builders, drapers, tobacconists, and a vast array of shops. A railway line from Kalgoorlie was built to Kanowna, with the assumption it’s prosperity could soon eclipse that of The Golden Mile.Unfortunately, the volume of gold was not as plentiful as many had hoped, and the town rapidly decreased in population as many left the area to seek their fortunes elsewhere.By 1953, the town of Kanowna had become almost completely deserted.Now, virtually abandoned, Kanowna is home to only 10 residents according to the 2016 Census. The many businesses that once thrived here in the 1890’s, are long since lost, with wooden markers now indicating the buildings’ original sites. The remnants of the railway station’s platform, two cemeteries and White Feather mine are all that remain of a once hopeful populace.The Eastern Goldfields Historical Society have just launched the https://www.kanownaheritagetrail.au/ There is now signage on the site and books can be purchased.
Karlkurla Bushland Park
Karlkurla Bushland Park encompasses 200 hectares of natural regrowth bushland, providing an environmental, educational and recreational escape for Kalgoorlie’s residents and visitors.The park takes its name from the Aboriginal word for the native silky pear (pronounced gull-gurl-la), from which Kalgoorlie also derives its name.Karlkurla was originally Native bushland, chopped by woodcutters during the time when the mines were all fueled by wood-fired steam engines.The regrowth bushland is now home to a diverse number of birds, reptiles and marsupials, and boasts several unique species of flora - including the Karlkurla (native silky pear) itself.Today, Karlkurla Bushland Park is one of six reserve spaces surrounding Kalgoorlie, which form a 'green lung' for the city. Locals take time out of the hustle and bustle of their everyday lives with a walk, jog or even cycle through the bushland's many paths.Visitors can learn about the different types of flora and fauna along the interpretive 4-kilometre-long Doug Krepp Trail.
Mount Charlotte
Mount Charlotte is located approximately three kilometres from the northern most tip of The Golden Mile, where the richer reefs lie.The site was mined intermittently from the 1890s through to 1954, when a group of geologists identified the area that would become Mount Charlotte as a large body of lower grade ore, still very much worth extracting.Mount Charlotte has not had an easy history. Threatened with closure n three separate occasions, with gold price crashed and seismicity issues. Perhaps the most dramatic of near-misses occurred in 1976.The plunging price of gold throughout the 1970s saw most of The Golden Mile operations and surrounding sites close as the Goldfields entered its own depression period.Mount Charlotte had also been scheduled to close, on December 10th of 1976, however in a thrilling stroke of luck the price of gold suddenly rose on December 9th, thus the 'Dame of the Desert' was saved by just one day.As the price of gold continued to rise over the following years, Mount Charlotte received important upgrades and an overhaul of operations including a new headframe, The Cassidy Shaft, commissioned in 1985. The underground mine site became part of Northern Star Resources in 1989 and is now expected to continue to operate for many years to come.In its 55-year history, mount Charlotte has produced more than 5 million ounces of gold.The Mount Charlotte Lookout (atop the Mount Charlotte Reservoir) offers visitors a superb view of Kalgoorlie.
Railway Station
So much was the excitement and assumed importance of the region to the state’s economy, following the discovery of gold in 1893, the government wasted no time in ensuring a mode of transportation could be built to supply the growing populace.In 1895, the railway line between Perth and Kalgoorlie began, with an extension to Boulder completed in 1897.Getting the extension approved and completed was no easy feat – with the rivalry between Boulder and Kalgoorlie creating tension. Boulder residents were concerned the railway would take business out of town. However, they needn’t have worried. Whilst the public didn’t utilise the railway line much, preferring instead to shop within the scope of their own towns whether it be Boulder or Kalgoorlie, the mining managers were anxious to get the railway line up and running, with more workers arriving every day.By 1902, the railway line was further continued from Kamballie to Trafalgar, then going on to Brown Hill, Hill End, and finally Hannan Street. This completed a ring that became known as The Golden Mile Loopline Railway.This line soon became the main method of transportation around The Golden Mile, with as many as 100 trains running daily during the peak of the gold rush, used to convey the miners, timber, ore and heavy machinery to and from their sites.In 1903, the arrival of electric trams saw the beginning of the end for the railway line.Up until 1916, there were still more trains running from Perth out to Kalgoorlie than there were from the city out to Fremantle.However, the combined bleak periods of World War I and the Great Depression in the 1930s meant that many of the stations began to shut down.By the 1950s, shortly before the Loopline was closed, only one train remained in action: the 'Tin Hare'. it carried between Boulder and Kalgoorlie.With the Loopline long since gone, the Kalgoorlie Railway Station now services Westrail and the Trans Australian Railway, bringing people from the Eastern States of Australia to the west.
Paddy Hannan’s Tree
In 1893, three Irish born prospectors heard of a new gold find at Mount Youle: Paddy Hannan, Tom Flanagan and Daniel Shea.There is some conjecture as to whether Hannan, Flanagan or Shea first found gold at the base of Mount Charlotte. According to Flanagan, he found the first nuggets and concealed the gold beneath a bush until the other prospectors had departed. Hannan attributes the find to both himself and Flanagan, with Shea playing a role only after the first gold was discovered. In fact, most firsthand accounts make little mention of Shea’s role in the initial discovery, though it is clear he was one of the original three prospectors present and assisted in pegging the first leases.Following their discovery of gold and the registration of their 100 ounce find in 1893, the men did not have further luck and Hannan made the decision to move out of the area in 1894.Upon his return in 1897, however, Kalgoorlie had sprung into a bustling centre of gold rush activity, and many of the residents, including the Mayor, warmly welcomed Hannan back to the area. He was elected an honorary member of the Hannans Club and received a government payment of three pounds a week.Soon after, an official ceremony was held to mark the exact spot where Hannan was said to have first discovered gold, incidentally launching the state’s biggest gold rush.He was driven in a coach to the site, and Hannan’s achievement was memorialised with a tree planted in 1897.Hannan eventually left the area again, moving to the latest hub of gold rush frenzy, victoria, in 1910. Hannan lived to be 85, surviving Flanagan who passed away in 1899, and is buried in Melbourne Central Cemetery. A plaque was later added to the Kalgoorlie tree site in 1929 that bore the inscription:"Centenary of Western Australia a1929 erected by The Citizens of Kalgoorlie in honour of the late Patrick Hannan, discoverer of Kalgoorlie, who found gold on this spot 15th June 1893."
