The drive from Perth to Kalgoorlie-Boulder is a comfortable and relaxing run through the Perth foothills, past Northam into the Heartlands and the towns of Meckering, Cunderdin, Tammin, Kellerberrin and Merredin.
There are ample places to refuel, stretch your legs or buy some refreshments during the drive and a new and interesting diversion is the Golden Pipeline Heritage Trail which runs from Mundaring in the Perth foothills to Mt Charlotte at Kalgoorlie-Boulder. One of the world’s great water supply schemes, this pipeline was completed on January 24, 1903, to supply the WA Goldfields with desperately needed water.
You can learn the tragic tale of its creator, Irish engineer CYO Connor, who took his life before the scheme was completed.
To enjoy the Heritage Trail fully you will probably need to allocate approximately three days, however if you do not have this amount of time, you can still take in some of the more interesting and spectacular sites such as Kellerberrin Hill, Merredin Peak, Karalee Rocks and No. 8 Pump Station at Dedari.
The journey is made even more enjoyable if you get the Trail Guide Book, which has been prepared by the National Trust and is available from Tourism Visitor Centres and bookshops. The Trail will take you along parts of the Old York Road to Goldfields Road, following in the footsteps of thousands of prospectors who didn’t have the advantage of a highway or even a roadway and were forced to walk, push barrows or cycle east to Kalgoorlie-Boulder.
The pipeline will also show you how water was harvested and stored before the pipeline was built.
