Coolgardie

View of Coolgardie

Coolgardie is a town in the Goldfields–Esperance region of Western Australia.

Understand

Coolgardie was the first major gold rush town. In early years, the now more substantial mining centre of Kalgoorlie–Boulder to the east was in the East Coolgardie area.

Things shift, mining towns come and go, and Coolgardie is an elegant set of remains of the older town along the main street.

• Coolgardie Tourist Bureau, 62 Bayley St, ☏ +61 8 9026 6090. daily 9AM–5PM. A small office in the old town hall will tell you where things are or if any roads are closed. 

Get in

No regular air services to Coolgardie, Kalgoorlie is the closest airport.

By train

• The Perth–Kalgoorlie Prospector train service is nearest to Coolgardie at Bonnie Vale station, 14 km north of town.

By car

• From Perth it's 557km east on the Great Eastern Highway, 32km short of Kalgoorlie. It passes right through the middle of town.
• From Esperance it's 368km north on the Coolgardie–Esperance Highway.

Get around

Most of sights are along either side of a 500m stretch of Bayley St, though the street is so wide you won't want to cross it too many times.

See

Along the road side and on significant buildings are information boards explaining the history of what stands (or once stood) here.

• Ben Prior's Park, Beyley St. A rusty collection of old mining and agricultural machinery. free. 
• Coolgardie Cemetery, Beyley St (1km west of town). Some of the oldest headstones in the region tell a story of the fortunes and misfortunes of the early pionering prospectors. The prominent grave of legendary explorer Ernest Giles is a few rows down on to the left of entry gate. He saw out his last days in Coolgardie working in a government office. free. 
• Jack Carin's Camp, Great Eastern Hwy (3km east of town). The ramshackle home of legendary prospector known for riding his bike into town. He was knocked from his bike and took his own life shortly after getting out of hospital. Try to ignore the huge mine only meters away. 
• Old Post Office. At the time of its construction the local press criticized it as the most unremarkable building in town. Age has not lent it any more grace, but it's worth a look. 

Further afield

• Burra Rock, Burra Rock Rd (Take Neepan Rd from Coolgardie then). Site of an ingenious dam built to supply water to the trains of the old woodline. The dam it still full and the wall of grannite slabs that fringe the rock is a remarkable site. Picnic and campsites here only have toilets as far as facilities go. 
• Victoria Rock, Victoria Rd (On the Holland track, 45km from Coolgardie). The largest hill in the area that gives a good view from the fairly tame peak. Camping spots are quiet and sheltered. 

Do

• Coolgardie Day, Along Beyley St. 9AM–5PM. An annual event held each September to coincide with the end of the Kalgoorlie Race round. Stalls, carnival rides, antique car parades and the odd bit of entertainment. Also probably the only time you will see bumper to bumper traffic on the Highway as the entire town and half of Kal head toward Beyley street. Free. 

Eat

• The Crib Hut, 29 Bayley St. (updated Oct 2021)

Sleep

There are hotels and a caravan park on the main street.

• 1 Coolgardie Caravan Park, 99 Bayley St, Coolgardie, ☏ +61 8 9026 6009. (updated Oct 2021)

Connect

Phone

A satellite phone would be useful to have in an emergency if you intend to spend an extended amount of time off the beaten track.

Go next

• Travelling east
  • Kalgoorlie–Boulder – A gold mining town with enough history and vibrant eateries to fill the giant hole in the ground where its fortune comes from.
• Travelling west
  • Southern Cross
• Travelling south
  • Norseman – the link to the inter-state Eyre Highway
• Further south
  • Esperance – on the southern coast