Out of the way. Out of this world.

AUSTRALIA’S Golden Outback. This name alone evokes images of sunburnt plains, endless skies and desolate beauty.

And while these images are true, Australia’s Golden Outback is also about wildly colourful events, down to earth locals and bizarre yet beautiful wildlife.

In fact Australia’s Golden Outback offers arguably the most varied range of scenery and adventures in Western Australia. And that’s no wonder, considering it covers 54% of the state.

Much of this massive region includes the Goldfields.

This area of red, wide sweeping plains is rich in gold rush history, charming outback townships and friendly, down to earth locals.

This is perhaps nowhere more evident than Kalgoorlie where you can step back in time and soak up the wonders of a region borne from the gold rush.

However, while much of this wild-west frontier feel remains, the twin cities of Kalgoorlie Boulder also now exude a modern, cosmopolitan feel and today, trendy restaurants stand beside historic Outback pubs.

To gain a taste for the colourful history, be sure to stop in at the Australian Prospectors and Miners Hall of Fame in Kalgoorlie. The hall transports you back in time, allowing visitors to kit up in overalls, hard-hat with cap-lamp, safety glass and gloves to begin their guided tour more than 70 metres underground into the darkness and eerie stillness of a former gold mine, watch the pouring of molten gold, wander through a replica miners’ village and roam through interpretative centre displays.

The Goldfields Museum and Gold Rush Tours also offer fascinating insights into the region’s rich history, or for an appreciation of the sheer scale of modern-day mining, a visit to the Super Pit in Kalgoorlie is a must.

The Super Pit is one of the biggest open cut mines in the world and forms part of the Golden Mile – said to be the richest square mile of gold-bearing earth in the world. The pit is 3.5km long, 1.5km wide, 340m deep and the view from its edge is mesmerising and Finders Keepers Tours offers 4WD tours into the Super Pit precinct.

Many Goldfields towns have retained much of the character of their gold rush heritage, with beautiful historical buildings and character pubs.

One and a half hours north of Kalgoorlie at Lake Ballard near Menzies, you can find one of Australia’s largest outdoor art displays where internationally acclaimed artist Antony Gormley placed 51 striking sculptures across seven square kilometres of a remote salt lake bed.

Further north again you’ll find another ghost town - Gwalia, near Leonora.  Strolling through its empty streets and miners’ huts, you’ll feel as though you’ve stumbled upon an empty Western film set.  Dust coats historic buildings in cloaks of brown and gold, stores and homes lay abandoned and the wind seems to whisper with the voices of local ghosts.

Hoover House at Gwalia tells the history of Herbert Hoover’s early days as a mine manager before becoming US President. Perched atop the Gwalia open-pit mine, the house today offers bed and breakfast accommodation on the edge of an open cut mine, overlooking the original miners’ huts, now a captivating ghost hamlet crammed with early mining artefacts.

The Great Beyond Explorers’ Hall of Fame at Laverton complements the rich visual history of the Northern Goldfields with cutting edge technology, bringing to life characters and stories from the past.

Tying together these quintessentially outback experiences is the Golden Quest Discovery Trail, a 965km self drive adventure through the region.

Using the comprehensive Golden Quest guidebook and CDs, you can learn an astounding variety of information about the region, including much about its gold rush history, indigenous history, unique nature and character architecture.

The route is dotted with 25 stop-off points, all with interpretive signage which bring to life the stories of people and fortunes made and lost.

Heading south of the Goldfields, you’ll find the stark red earth gives way to a profusion of plant and animal life on the WA south coast.

This southern coast is a pristine wilderness boasting some of Australia’s whitest beaches, brilliant turquoise seas and spectacular national parks including the stunning Fitzgerald River National Park near Ravensthorpe.

Esperance is the main township – a coastal jewel nestled along magnificent, largely untouched coastline - was recently named Australia's second top tourist town in a poll by Australian Traveller Magazine.

The coastline is framed by the magnificent Recherché Archipelago - a necklace of about 110 coastal islands boasting an incredible profusion of bird and marine life.

Head north again and you’ll come across the Wheatbelt. This golden and green agricultural region is a patchwork of fields, rustic farm stays, historic pubs and self drive adventures, is also home to one of Western Australia’s most visited attractions, Wave Rock near Hyden.

The rock stretches 100 metres and stands 15 metres high in the shape of a giant wave about to crash over the surrounding bush.

The Wheatbelt is also scene of one of nature’s most dazzling shows. From around August to November the landscape explodes into colour as wildflowers burst into bloom.

The riot of colour typical of the wildflower season is also evident in the Murchison and Gascoyne to the north.

After rains the red earth gives way to a blanket of brilliant colour as everlasting wildflowers carpet the region in pinks, whites and yellows.

When it comes to experiencing the Gascoyne Murchison, you may wish to consider setting out on the Gascoyne Murchison Outback Pathways. This collection of three self-drive trails comes complete with interpretive signage along the way that explains the region’s natural, historical and cultural secrets.

 You can also buy a book and CD that reveal more of the region’s colourful character. You’ll discover much about the wild days of the Murchison gold rush, the pioneering pastoralists who settled the land and the Aboriginal people who have lived at one in this often harsh land across the millennia.

 For those travelling the region, a night at a station stay is a must.   Accommodation varies from luxurious homesteads to shearing quarters and each offer a taste of real life in the bush.

Both the Gascoyne and Murchison also boast ancient landforms – the ethereal Mt Augustus – twice the size of Ayers Rock and the magnificent, rust red Kennedy Ranges are particularly stunning.

 For further information on holiday experiences including self drive itineraries, visit www.australiasgoldenoutback.com

Contact Information:

Gabby Simoni

Marketing Coordinator
Australia’s Golden Outback

Phone:            (08) 9325 1511
Email:            This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it