Kalgoorlie - Places to See

1. British Arms Hotel
The British Arms Hotel at 22 Outridge Terrace (next to, and only accessible through, the WA Museum) has the dubious distinction of being the narrowest hotel in the Southern Hemisphere. For most of its life it was ideally located to trap passengers alighting from the Loopline tramway which ran from just across the road to Boulder and the mines along the Golden Mile. A short distance along Outridge Terrace beyond the pub is a tree which was planted on the spot where Paddy Hannan (as far as can be determined) first found gold.

2. Kalgoorlie Miner and Old Western Argus
The offices of the Kalgoorlie Miner and Old Western Argus at 117-119 Hannan Street lay claim to being the first three storey building in town. It was from here that the town's first daily newspaper, the Kalgoorlie Miner, was published. Between 1894-1906 Kalgoorlie had 12 different publications of which the Kalgoorlie Miner was the most enduring and successful.

3. Palace Hotel
Of all the city's historic hotels the most impressive is the Palace Hotel at 137-139 Hannan Street. Built in 1897 for the astronomical sum of ?17 000 it was the first hotel in town to have electricity, it had its own water processing units until the arrival of the water pipe, and it was reputed to be the most luxurious hotel in Western Australia outside Perth. Today it still has a charming and opulent late Victorian air about it.

Further down the street at 259 Hannan Street is the York Hotel (1900), a typical piece of Edwardian frippery with a beautifully carved staircase and a distinctive old world charm.

4. Statue of Paddy Hannan
On the corner of Wilson Street and Hannan Street is an exact replica of the original statue of Paddy Hannan, which has been photographed a million times. The original, completed in 1929 and made from 90 pieces of soldered copper, is now located inside the Mining Hall of Fame, to protect it from vandals.

5. Kalgoorlie Town Hall
The Edwardian Town Hall (1908) is well worth inspecting. The Council Chambers upstairs have some wonderful pieces of furniture - huge tables around which the council could all sit and beautiful leather covered chairs. There are also chandeliers, stamped-metal ceilings and a sweeping staircase. Dame Nellie Melba performed in the Town Hall Theatre on a number of occasions. It is open weekdays from 9.00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.

6. Government Buildings Complex
The huge centrepiece at 204 Hannan Street is the Government Buildings complex, commonly known as the Post Office Building. Built between 1896 and 1899, at a cost of ?22 000, it housed the Wardens Court, Court of Justice, Mines Department and Post and Telegraph Office. Its impressive clock (which was started by Warden Finnerty from Coolgardie in 1900) and its attractive pink stone make it one of the most prominent buildings on the street.

Hammond Park
Bordered by Hawkins, Lyall and Parsons Sts, Hammond Park has a kangaroo and emu sanctuary, bird aviaries, a miniature Bavarian Castle, which includes some 40,000 local gemstones, a duck pond, children's playground, pergolas, picnic facilities, a kiosk open Wednesday to Sunday from 9.30 am. to 5.00 p.m. and outdoor cinema screenings on Friday and Saturday nights in summer. It is open from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. from April to August with hours extended to 7.00 p.m. from September to March.

Karlkurla Bush Walk
This bushland park is scored by 4 km of walking tracks with a lookout and a diversity of native fauna and flora, with wildflowers in season. Information on the plants is marked along the trails and visitors can help with the bush regeneration project by picking up some seeds from the Visitor Centre in Hannan St and scattering them at marked spots along the track. Access to the park is from Riverinna Way.

Kalgoorlie Arboretum
There are also walking trails, native flora and fauna, information boards and shaded picnic tables, along with a small lake at Kalgoorlie Arboretum. Located in Hawkins St, it is a fine spot to exercise the dog.

Mt Charlotte Reservoir and Lookout
There are fine views of the city from atop Mt Charlotte. The reservoir is the storage point for water which is piped 563 km from Perth to quench the thirst of an area which has an average rainfall of only 252 mm per annum.

Completed in 1903, the remarkable 563-km pipeline is really the sad story of a man of remarkable vision who was destroyed by public cynicism. Charles Yelverton O'Connor was born in Ireland in 1843. He emigrated to New Zealand in 1865 and moved to Western Australia where he was employed as the engineer-in-chief, in 1891. His major projects were to be the state's railways, the establishment of Fremantle harbour, and, as far as the goldfields were concerned, the construction of the water pipeline from Mundaring to Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie. O'Connor initiated the plan in 1895 but it was violently opposed in parliament and the approval to start work wasn't granted until 1898. Even when the project was underway its critics, believing it to be impractical, did not relent. O'Connor was subjected to a particularly vicious press campaign. He committed suicide in March 1902, partly as a result of the pressures, and his suicide note included detailed instructions on the construction of the pipeline, which was completed the following year. The result was that vast areas of the wheatbelt and the Eastern Goldfields, which had been relying on unreliable wells, waterholes and condensers, suddenly found that they had regular supplies of water. The pipeline assured the survival of Kalgoorlie and Boulder.

The lookout runs off Sutherland St which, in turn, runs east off the Goldfields Highway.

The Golden Pipeline Heritage Trail and Golden Quest Discovery Trail
To coincide with the centenary of the 563-km pipeline mentioned above, the Golden Pipeline Heritage Trail was opened in January 2003. It follows the path of the pipe between Kalgoorlie-Boulder and Mundaring Weir. Those wishing to follow the trail can purchase the Golden Pipeline Heritage Trail Guidebook for $34.95 from the Visitor Centre. Information bays exist at the various pumping stations along the way.

The Golden Quest Discovery Trail explores over 965 km of the Goldfields region with stops at various relevant town sites. The guidebook comes with two CDs full of history, stories and facts and it sells for $39.95.

BOULDER

Goldfields War Museum and Information Centre
Doubling as a tourist information centre, the War Museum displays such memorabilia as tanks, artillery, armoured behicles, radio equipment, photographs and documents from the Boer War, the two World Wars and Vietnam. It is open Monday to Friday from 10.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m., weekends and public holidays from 9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. at 106 Burt St.

Super-Pit Lookout & Shop
The most popular attraction in Kalgoorlie-Boulder (on the Goldfields Highway), this lookout provides views over the 24-hour operations of a huge open-cut goldmining project. Immediately below is a pit which is more than 500 metres deep, 3km long and 1.5 km wide. Within ten years it is expected that the mining will extend to a depth of 600 metres. The Public Lookout is open daily between 7.00 a.m. and 9.00 p.m. Occasionally temporary closure may occur during mine blasts, ring (08) 9022 1100 for details of blasting times. The Super Pit shop is located at 2 Burt Street, Boulder, open weekends between 9.00 a.m.-4.00 p.m. and on Boulder Market Day (third Sunday of each month) from 9.30 a.m.-12.30 p.m., where free tours of the Super Pit depart at 10.00, 10.30, 11.00 and 11.30 a.m. (subject to availability). To pre-secure and guarantee your seat on the bus tour, pre-booking your tour tickets with teh Super Pit Shop is available for just $5 each or $10.00 for a family of four. Worth a visit for more detailed information. Contact number (08) 9093 3488, or log on to the web site, at http://www.superpit.com.au

The Boulder City Loopline Railway Society and Goldfields Historical Display Centre
The Boulder City Loopline Railway Society and Goldfields Historical Display Centre runs the Loopline Train as a reminder of the public transport which was available to the early settlers. In its heyday the Loop Line saw over 60 steam-hauled passenger and goods trains pass through Boulder City Station every day, making it the busiest railway in West Australia.

A portion of the old track has been reopened and today the journey lasts about an hour. It includes a detailed commentary and takes in Chaffers Power Station and Super-Pit Lookout. Trips depart from Boulder railway station (Fimiston St) at 10.00 a.m. daily. The oldest Australian-made operating steam locomotive is also used on special occasions (enquire at the Visitor Centre). There is a display of historical artefacts at the station.

Historic Walk in Boulder
The historic walk in Boulder is conveniently located in Burt Street and only extends for a little over blocks. Boulder was always a mining town. It was surveyed in 1896 and proclaimed a municipality in 1897. One of the original surveyors remarked, after the survey had been completed, that 'although Boulder was not the best site for a town there was nothing better offering'. In spite of these reservations Burt Street is now regarded by the National Estate as one of the most significant historical streetscapes in Western Australia.

One of the numerous poets who wrote for the 12 newspapers which appeared on the goldfields wrote a description of Boulder which captures the atmosphere of the town at its height.

Rather rowdy,

Dingy, cloudy,

Dusty, dirty, dim and dowdy,

Thirsty throats to mock.

Can't mistake her,

Good drought slaker,

Six pubs to the bloomin' acre,

That's the Boulder Block.

The buildings worth inspecting in Burt Street (see the Eastern Goldfields Heritage Trail for more details) include the Hotel Metropole (1900) which was one of thirty eight hotels in the immediate vicinity, Tattersall's Hotel at 61 Burt Street, the Westpac Bank (once Orr's Emporium) at 63 Burt Street, Brennans at 79-83 Burt Street, the courthouse (1900) at 99 Burt Street, the Grand Hotel (1897) with its intricate ironwork at 121 Burt Street, the Masonic temple at 132-134 Burt Street (a typical late Victorian structure), the post office (1903), which once was so busy it had a staff of 49, the Albion Hotel (1898) at 60 Burt Street and the Chemist Shop (1900) at 46 Burt Street.

Boulder Town Hall and the Goatcher Curtain
The solid Boulder Town Hall (1908) features a prominent clock tower, wrought-iron balustrades and pressed-tin ceilings. Located in Burt St, this building once operated as a theatre, where Dame Nellie Melba performed, and it retains a rare surviving stage curtain (complete with original pulley system) by Phillip Goatcher who was famed in his day for his lavish drop curtains, which were used in theatres in such metropolitan centres as London, Paris and New York. It can be viewed every Wednesday from 10.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. and the third Sunday in the month plus Boulder Market Day from 9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m.

Boulder Pharmacy Museum
This pharmacy has been operating for over 100 years and so has garnered a collection of antique bottles and pharmaceutical paraphernalia. It is located at 46 Burt St.

WMC Nickel Pots
It is possible to have your photograph taken inside a giant nickel pot. There are interpretative panels on-site explaining facets of the nickel industry and its development. The pots belong to WMC Resources who are the world's third-largest nickel producer. They are located adjacent the Goldfields Highway.

Bush Two-Up School
7 km from town, via the Leonora Road, are the old corrugated iron building and bush ring which once played host to a legal gambling den where the traditional Australian gambling pasttime of two-up was once frenetically enjoyed. It lies in the bush at the end of a dirt track.

Kanowna Belle Goldmines
There are two public lookouts at the AurionGold mining operations, open from 7.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. daily. One looks out over an abandoned open pit with developed underground access, and the other furnishes views of the processsing plant. They are located about 20 km from town, near the abandoned mining town of Kanowna. Pursue the signs from the Goldfields Highway to Williamstown and Yarri Roads.

Books on Kalgoorlie and Boulder
There are a number of useful books and brochures on Kalgoorlie and Boulder all of which can be obtained from the Kalgoorlie Tourist Bureau in Hannan Street. Norma King's The Fabulous Golden Mile is an inexpensive look at the 'Golden Mile' which places Kalgoorlie and Boulder in the context of the auriferous lode rather than making the two towns central to the development of the area.

Back to the Goldfields - Coolgardie & Kalgoorlie 1892?1940 by A. N. Bingley is a mixture of fact and anecdote which, at its best, gives a good description of what life was like when the goldfields were at their height. It covers such unusual dimensions of the history of the area as 'Sports and Sportmen' and 'Music on the Goldfields'.