Gold rush history in Kalgoorlie-Boulder and the Goldfields began with the arrival of the great Australian explorers who came in search of rural land in the 1860s. What they discovered instead was a region filled with gold. Not only was this Australia’s most significant find, it was one of the world’s last great gold rushes, and the catalyst which secured the future economic and social development of Western Australia.
For more than one hundred years, ever since early the days of the region’s gold rush history, the mines of Kalgoorlie-Boulder and the Goldfields have produced the majority of Australia’s gold.
Early explorers
Arthur Bayley and William Ford were the first two explorers to claim gold in 1892. News of their discovery quickly reached neighbouring Coolgardie and many left for Kalgoorlie-Boulder to try their luck.
On June 17, 1893, three Irishmen by the name of Paddy Hannan, Dan Shea and Tom Flanagan stumbled upon one hundred ounces of alluvial nuggets close to the Golden Mile – the richest square mile of gold bearing earth ever discovered in the region’s gold rush history. Soon after Hannan’s find, Kalgoorlie-Boulder and the Goldfields were swamped by prospectors from far and wide.
The gold rush
Men travelled hundreds of kilometres across lands with no constructed roads, water supplies or facilities. They lived in shacks made of hessian, canvas, old packing cases and corrugated iron. Throughout these early days in gold rush history, food and water was more precious than gold in Kalgoorlie-Boulder and the Goldfields, and many diggers who came unprepared died of thirst, starvation and disease from drinking contaminated water.
Boom time in the Goldfields
As the local economy boomed, food and water supplies were delivered by Afghan camel teams and vast sums of money were invested in the construction of roads and railways. London investors also poured millions of capital into gold mining companies to fund further exploration.
A significant event in the region’s gold rush history was the construction of the world’s first long-distance water pipeline, led by CY O'Connor, which ran 563 kilometres from Mundaring Weir to Kalgoorlie-Boulder and the Goldfields. The completion of the pipeline secured the region’s future and as the population continued to grow at a rapid rate.
Within a few years, prospecting had given way to mine shafts and underground mines, and the Goldfields had become the economic and political centre of Western Australia.
Gold rush history today
Today, reminders of the region’s gold rush days can be found in Kalgoorlie-Boulder’s many museums, heritage buildings, monuments and statues paying tribute to the founding pioneers. And for an insight into modern gold mining, take a tour of the famous Super Pit, one of the largest open cut gold mining operations in the world.
Contact the visitor centre or check out the museums and historic attractions pages to find out how you can discover and explore the fascinating gold rush history of Kalgoorlie-Boulder and the Goldfields.
