Coolgardie

Gold was discovered at Coolgardie in 1892, sparking a rush that drew thousands of prospectors into the harsh, waterless interior. For a few years it was the third-largest town in Western Australia, with hotels, banks, a stock exchange and grand public buildings rising from the desert almost overnight. But the boom moved on: the even richer Golden Mile at nearby Kalgoorlie soon overtook it, and as the easy gold ran out Coolgardie's population collapsed. What survives is one of Australia's most evocative gold-rush townscapes — broad streets lined with imposing stone-and-brick facades that now far outnumber the residents.

The climate is hot and dry, with very hot summers and cold desert nights in winter; spring and autumn are the most comfortable times to visit. Coolgardie is usually seen as a half-day stop on the way to or from Kalgoorlie, or as a quieter, more atmospheric base than its bigger neighbour.

By Plane

The nearest airport is Kalgoorlie–Boulder Airport (KGI), about 40 km east, with regular flights from Perth.

By Train

The Prospector train (Transwa) runs between Perth and Kalgoorlie and stops at Coolgardie.

By Car / Road

Coolgardie sits on the Great Eastern Highway about 550 km (around 6 hours) east of Perth and 40 km west of Kalgoorlie–Boulder; it's also the junction for the Coolgardie–Esperance Highway running south to the coast. Coach services on the Perth–Kalgoorlie route stop here.

The town is tiny, flat and best explored on foot — the heritage buildings are concentrated along and just off the broad Bayley Street. A vehicle is needed for the Great Eastern Highway and to reach Kalgoorlie or the surrounding goldfields sites.

• Bayley Street — The grand, unusually wide main street, lined with restored gold-rush-era civic buildings far grander than the present population would suggest.

• Goldfields Exhibition Museum — Housed in the magnificent former Warden's Court building, telling the story of the rush, the town's boom and bust, and figures like Herbert Hoover (later US president), who worked the goldfields as a young engineer.

• Coolgardie Cemetery — A poignant record of the rush's human cost, with graves of prospectors who died of thirst, fever and accidents.

• Ben Prior's Open Air Museum — An eccentric roadside collection of old machinery, vehicles and statues.

• Historic hotels and facades — Many original pub and bank buildings survive along the main street.

• Walk the heritage trail along Bayley Street, reading the historical markers on the grand old buildings.

• Explore the goldfields history at the Exhibition Museum and the cemetery.

• Use Coolgardie as a base to visit nearby Kalgoorlie–Boulder and the Super Pit.

• Fossick or take a gold-prospecting tour in the surrounding goldfields (with appropriate permits).

Dining is limited to the town's pubs and a café or two, serving hearty Australian pub fare.

The surviving historic pubs are the social heart of the town and the place for a cold beer after a day in the heat. Tap water is safe to drink, but carry water in the dry, hot interior.

• Budget: Caravan parks and basic pub or motel rooms.
• Mid-range: Motel-style accommodation in town.
• Upscale: Limited; most upscale options are in nearby Kalgoorlie.

The town has a general store and limited services; serious shopping is done in Kalgoorlie. Look for local gold-rush memorabilia and minerals.

• Kalgoorlie–Boulder — about 40 km east; the goldfields' main city and the vast Super Pit gold mine.
• Esperance — about 4.5 hours south; white-sand beaches and Cape Le Grand National Park.
• Perth — about 6 hours west along the Great Eastern Highway.
• Norseman / Nullarbor — east, the gateway to the long crossing toward South Australia.