 Visit Leonora
Leonora, three hours' drive north of Kalgoorlie, is a very clean and well kept, busy little outback town.
It was discovered and named by John Forrest in 1869. The main thoroughfare of Tower Street is well laid out and attractive. The town has kerosene lamp lights; the footpaths are gravelled and kerbed. There are iron roofed, wooden buildings typical to mining settlements and the hotels and business establishments are impressive brick buildings. A double decker steam train runs between the busy towns of Leonora and Gwalia.
Established in 1897, the Sons of Gwalia mine closed in 1963. Many pieces of this historic period remain in the Gwalia Historical Museum and complement the little precinct of 20 original old miners' camps, lovingly restored by the local community.
The mine reopened in 1983 and a year later began operations as an opencut pit. The company reverted back to underground workings in 1999. Mining now operates adjacent to the museum and gives tourists an insight into both historic and modern mining methods.
Leonora is a fully serviced town with a motel, caravan park, two hotels, and two roadhouses. Bus and air transport regularly service the area. Many tourists use Leonora as a stop off enroute to Alice Springs or the northern parts of Western Australia.
Laverton
Located about 125 kilometres east of Leonora, and around a 12 hour drive northeast of Perth, lies the early goldmining town of Laverton.
Laverton almost became a ghost town when the gold ran out, luckily nickel was discovered and the mining industry was restored.
Nickel mining ceased in 1994 and $4 million has since been spent rehabilitating the area and establishing the Windarra Heritage Trail. This modern heritage trail stands in unique contrast with the old mine shafts scattered throughout the area.
Hotel, motel and caravan park accommodation is available if you're spending the night.
Warburton Community
The Warburton township, located approximately 1,540 kilometres northeast of Perth, is an Aboriginal community on private land and is not open to the public. Central Land Council permits must be obtained by potential visitors: contact 08 8951 6211.
This remote community sits between the Gibson and Victoria Deserts, providing rich, scenic ranges, red soil, spinifex, mulga and desert oaks. Warburton is home of the extraordinary Warburton Glass and traditional art made by local Aboriginal artists.
Tjuluru, the Warburton Arts and Cultural Centre, houses an exhibition of local Aboriginal artworks including paintings, artefacts and stunning glass pieces. It provides historical and contemporary examples of the vibrant Ngaanyatjarra world, where every feature of the landscape is known and named.
Kookynie
The small goldfields town of Kookynie is located two hours' drive north of Coolgardie or ten hours east of Perth.
Kookynie is an authentic, living 'ghost town', not to be missed if visiting the Kalgoorlie Goldfields region. This is true outback Australia. In 1905 it was home to 1500 people with six hotels, electric street lights, public baths, a brewery and many brick buildings. Today there is only the one working pub and a population of approximately 15 people.
Nearby is the historic Niagara Dam, a great camping spot.
Learn all about Kookynie and the surrounding area's history in the museum located within the local hotel.
Dine in one of Australia's true outback pubs located in a mining ghost town. Enjoy a cold beer and game of pool or darts in the hotel. The hotel also caters for overnight guests.
Norseman
The gateway to Western Australia, Norseman is a welcoming sight after crossing the Nullarbor from the east.
Norseman was discovered in 1894 by Laurie Sinclair. Sinclair named the site after his horse, Norseman, who pawed the ground uncovering a gold nugget. This led to the discovery of one of the richest quartz reefs ever mined in Australia. Situated at the junction of Highway 1 and Highway 94, Norseman has the Nullarbor and Adelaide to the east, Perth to the West, Kalgoorlie-Boulder to the north and Esperance to the south.
The town is surrounded by beautiful, dense eucalypt bushland, with ancient rock outcrops and large salt lakes nearby. Enjoy the breathtaking views from Beacon Hill, feast on a barbeque at Dundas Rocks, or view the historical collection.
There are many facilities available for travellers, with thousands of vehicles and visitors passing through the town every day. Shopping, banking, postal services, fuel, medical, accommodation and food facilities are provided. The tourist complex offers showers, toilets and barbeques in a shady, grassed area for travellers' comfort.
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