Planning a Trip

Getting There

Qantas (tel. 13 13 13 in Australia; www.qantas.com.au) has several flights a day between Kalgoorlie and Perth. Skywest (tel. 1300/660 088 in Australia; www.skywest.com.au) also flies from Perth daily. Fares are usually from A$171 (US$154/£77) one-way.

Kalgoorlie is a stop on the 3-day Indian Pacific train service, which runs between Sydney and Perth twice a week in both directions. The Prospector train makes nine trips a week from Perth to Kalgoorlie in just over 6 1/2 hours, for A$77 (US$70/£35) adults, A$36 (US$32/£16) kids under 16. Contact Transwa (tel. 1300/662 205 in Western Australia, or 08/9326 2600; www.transwa.wa.gov.au).

Driving from Perth, take the Great Eastern Highway, through the Perth Hills and the Wheatbelt on to Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie. The otherwise boring trip can be livened up by following the Golden Pipeline Heritage Trail (map and booklet available from the National Trust; tel. 08/9321 6088; www.ntwa.com.au), which celebrates the Goldfields' Pipeline, with its old pumping stations, reservoirs, and isolation. Both the pipeline and highway follow much the same track and, at times, both they and the railway loop together across the countryside.

If you want to make the long 2,182km (1,353-mile) journey on the Eyre Highway from Adelaide, contact the South Australian or Western Australian state auto clubs.

Visitor Information

The Kalgoorlie Goldfields Visitor Centre, (in the Town Hall) 250 Hannan St., Kalgoorlie, WA 6430 (tel. 1800/004 653 in Australia, or 08/9021 1966; www.kalgoorlietourism.com), dispenses information on Kalgoorlie, Coolgardie, and outlying regions. The center's inexpensive walking trail map (A$3.50/US$3.20/£1.60) to the town's heritage is worth buying. The center is open Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 5pm, and Saturday, Sunday, and public holidays from 9am to 5pm. The Coolgardie Visitor Centre, 62 Bayley St., Coolgardie, WA 6429 (tel. 08/9026 6090), is open Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm, and Saturday, Sunday, and public holidays from 9am to 4pm.

Getting Around

Avis (tel. 08/9021 1722), Budget (tel. 08/9093 2300), Europcar (tel. 08/9022 4922), and Thrifty (tel. 08/9021 4722) have offices in Kalgoorlie. Bear in mind that each company has different rules and restrictions for driving on unsealed roads, so check before hiring.

Goldrush Tours (tel. 1800/620 440 in Australia; www.goldrushtours.com.au) has several coach tours around the Goldfields, ranging from a half-day town tour at A$50 (US$45/£23) adults and A$25 (US$22/£11) children. Finders Keepers Tours (tel. 08/9093 2222; www.finderskeepersgold.com) has four-wheel-drive gold prospecting and Super Pit tours.