Leonora

Leonora
Goldmining town in the desert.
Leonora is located 833 km east of Perth and 240 km north from Kalgoorlie. Leonora is also like so many of the small goldmining towns in the Eastern Goldfields, has had a chequered history. Gold. nickel and copper are mined in the area, particularly at the Leinster and Laverton, around 100 km. north. This place was discovered and named by John Forrest in 1869. The town grew quickly. The Leonora townsite was declared in 1898 and two years later the thriving settlement became a municipality. In 1900 a steam tramway linked Leonora and Gwalia. Two years later this small service was linked to Menzies and thus to the main railway line to Perth. (more…)

Kambalda

Kambalda
Kambalda is situated 635 kilometres East of Perth. Kambalda is the third major town in the triangle. The birthplace of Australia’s nickel mining industry, it is still an important town in the region.

Norseman

Norseman
The town named after a horse. Gold, the magic metal, put Norseman on the map in 1894 when prospector Laurie Sinclair stopped off to visit his brother on his way to Esperance. He tethered his horse “Hardy Norseman� overnight and in the morning was amazed to discover that it had pawed up a gold nugget. A rich gold reef was discovered on the already proclaimed Dundas Field and thousands flocked to make their fortune. Today gold remains of major importance to Norseman which still has a population of some 1,800 people, most of whom still depend on the mining industry. Central Norseman still mines the richest quartz reef in Australia and the historic hayburner “Hardy Norseman� has not been forgotten as there is now a striking statue erected in his honour. The Historical Collection housed in the old School of Mines reflects on days gone by. A trip down the Heritage Trail will give you an insight into the life of the mining community’s past and present.

Kalgoorlie

Kalgoorlie
Kalgoorlie is located 40 kilometres east of Coolgardie, 595 kilometres east of Perth and 200 kilometres north of Norseman. The traditional landowners of the Kalgoorlie area are the Maduwangka people and the name Kalgoorlie is said to mean “Silky Pear Bush� in the local aboriginal language.
European settlement of Kalgoorlie began in June 1893 with the discovery of rich alluvial gold deposits near Mount Charlotte. The three Irish gold prospectors credited with the discovery were Paddy Hannan, Dan Shea and Tom Flanagan. Paddy Hannan later reported discovering 8 pounds of gold nuggets to the mining warden in Coolgardie, and within a matter of days 700 gold diggers were frantically pegging out mining claims around Kalgoorlie. Kalgoorlie’s gold rush had begun and by 1903 the town boasted a population of 30,000, along with 93 hotels and 8 breweries. (more…)

Coolgardie

Coolgardie
Coolgardie is located 550 kilometres east of Perth, approximately 40 kilometres west of Kalgoorlie, and 187 kilometres north of Norseman. The name Coolgardie is said to be derived from the aboriginal word “Coolcaby�, and is said to be a reference to the area’s mulga vegetation and gnamma waterholes.
Coolgardie owes its existence to the discovery of gold at nearby Fly Flat in September 1892. According to all accounts the 2 prospectors credited with the discovery were Arthur Bayley and William Ford. Reports of the time indicate that on 17 September 1892 Bayley hastily reported the discovery of 554 ounces of gold to J.M. Finnerty, the then resident mining warden at Southern Cross. At the time 554 ounces of gold was worth the stupendous sum of 2200 pounds and in accordance with Western Australian mining regulations, Bailey was offered a “reward claimâ€? covering 20 acres of land at Fly Flat. Bayley’s reward claim proved to be a very profitable one indeed, and was continually worked until 1963. During the 70 years of its existence this mining claim recovered over 500,000 ounces of the precious yellow metal. (more…)