Goldfields Loop

Difficulty: Difficulty 2/5 Suitable for: 4WD AWD 2WD Caravan Camper Motorhome Bike 
Goldfields Loop Go back to the turbulent days when new towns sprouted soon after a gold find only to turn to ruins after the gold dried up. The trek paints the picture of the gold rush days in WA, the jubilance and hardships faced and the towns that survived.
StartClick to Reverse the Dynamic Map and Driving NotesCoolgardie
FinishKalgoorlie-Boulder
Distance608.41 kmMinimum Days2
Average Speed68 km/hrDriving Time8 hrs 56 mins
Article By: ExplorOz Team | Page Updated: 18 Feb 2012

In this TrekNote

Description
Preparation
Trek Feedback
Interactive Route Map
Camp Sites & Accommodation
Related Travel Journals
Permits
Environment
Related Pages
Things to See & Do
Driving Directions
Related Shop Items

Go to top Description

The goldfields loop heading north from Coolgardie and finishing at Kalgoorlie is probably one of the most interesting routes in this region. Travelling over excellent formed gravel roads, you pass through a region that is filled with history, European and Aboriginal culture and the stunning, yet unbelievably dry and harsh environment that is the Eastern goldfields of outback WA.

The discovery of gold in Coolgardie in 1892 by Arthur Bayley and William Ford, started the gold rush and this was encouraged by further discoveries in Kalgoorlie (East Coolgardie at that time) by Patrick "Paddy" Hannan, Tom Flanagan and Dan Shea in 1893. While some found gold, many only found hardship, sickness and death caused by inadequate housing, lack of fresh water and food, insufficient medical attention and supplies. Stories of hardship occurred at Menzies with a deadly typhoid outbreak and also during the ill-fated Siberia rush where many prospectors suffered from dehydration due to an extreme lack of water in the area. Towns like Kunanalling were bustling at one stage only to turn to ghost towns when the gold dried up. This route has many of these old towns now in ruins with cemeteries and mining relics near its midst. They each have a fascinating story to tell and are worth exploring around. Some of the other sites well worth visiting and exploring are: Lake Ballard with the surreal sculptures by Antony Gormley, Rowles Lagoon Conservation Park, Ularring Rock and definitely Niagara Dam Nature Reserve.

Go to top Interactive Route Map

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Goldfields Loop Help

From: Coolgardie
To: Kalgoorlie-Boulder

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Go to top Permits

No permits are needed for the Goldfields Loop trek note.

Go to top Things to See & Do

Go to top Preparation

Although this trek note is not as remote as say the Cave Hill Woodlines, it is still wise to include carrying sufficient fuel, water, food, supplies, communications and navigation gear such as a GPS and HF radio, safety equipment and first aid, along with emergency backup supplies. It is also handy to check the road conditions for Kalgoorlie-Boulder before you depart.
Click here for Road Conditions.

Fuel Supplies & Usage

Fuel SymbolCoolgardie, Ora Banda, Menzies, Kookynie, Kalgoorlie-Boulder Diesel4cyl 85 litres ULP4cyl 98 litres LPG4cyl 122 litres
6cyl 93 litres6cyl 110 litres6cyl 107 litres
8cyl 93 litres8cyl 101 litres
Usage is averaged from TrekFuel (* specific to trek) submissions and calculated based on trek distance.

Best Time To Visit

Closest Climatic Station

Kalgoorlie-Boulder Airport
Distance from Trek Mid Point 14.62km NE
 JanFebMarAprMayJun JulAugSepOctNovDec
Mean Max. °C 33.732.129.525.2 20.717.516.718.6 22.225.829.032.0
Mean Min. °C 18.217.816.112.6 8.76.25.05.5 8.011.014.116.6
Mean Rain mm 23.331.124.121.2 26.328.524.821.3 14.214.717.616.5
    Best time to travel      Ok time to travel      Travel NOT recommended

Services & Supplies

The following locations have various services and supplies: Coolgardie, Ora Banda, Menzies, Kookynie, Kalgoorlie-Boulder

Go to top Camp Sites & Accommodation

Go to top Environment

The tracks are very well graded with excellent formed gravel roads providing a more authentic outback goldfields tour. The tranquil forests comprises of more than a hundred species of eucalyptus including marble-coloured salmon gums, bronze-barked gimlets, and a variety of blackbutts. This provides a superbly unique and fascinating view contrasting against the rich, red earth and the blue skies. There is nowhere else in Australia where there are so many different tall trees in such an arid environment.

There are many bird species that flourish here such as the threatened bilby or rabbit-eared bandicoot, chuditch, mallee fowl, scarlet chested parrot, sandhill dunnart and mulgara. The inhabitants of the area include ornate lizards, emus, echidnas, carpet pythons, honey-eaters, yellow-throated miners, rainbow bee-eaters and budgerigars.

The region is very popular during Spring with the start of the spectacular wildflower season that transforms the normally desolate landscape into a blanket of colour. Flowers such as the emblem of the state - the Kangaroo Paw and wattles, daisies and everlastings are some of the variety of flowers seen for at least five months of the year. Guided wildflower tours are available so please contact the Kalgoorlie-Boulder Tourist Centre for wildflower conditions and tour availability.

The Kalgoorlie Goldfields Visitor Centre

250 Hannan Street, Kalgoorlie and 106 Burt Street, Boulder
Phone: (08) 9021 1966
Email: visitors@kalgoorlie.com


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Go to top Driving Directions

Time
Direction
Distance
Coolgardie to Great Eastern Hwy & Victoria Rock Rd 0.46 km W 260°
Great Eastern Hwy & Victoria Rock Rd to Kunanalling 33.59 km N 344° 24 min
Kunanalling to Kintore 12.86 km NW 334° 13 min
Kintore to Twelve Mile Dam 8.45 km NW 331° 5 min
Twelve Mile Dam to Rowles Lagoon Conservation Park 21.48 km NW 317° 17 min
Rowles Lagoon Conservation Park to Ora Banda 27.07 km E 73° 30 min
Ora Banda to Siberia 21.65 km NW 326° 19 min
Siberia to Davyhurst 41.75 km NW 306° 34 min
Davyhurst to Ularring Rock 26.79 km NW 324° 28 min
Ularring Rock to Mulline 16.48 km N 350° 15 min
Mulline to Lake Ballard 49.75 km N 11° 54 min
Lake Ballard to Ghost Rocks 31.67 km SE 114° 23 min
Ghost Rocks to Mount Owen 21.85 km SE 135° 16 min
Mount Owen to Menzies 2.61 km S 164° 4 min
Menzies to Morapoi 52.04 km NE 46° 40 min
Morapoi to Niagara Dam Nature Reserve 7.83 km E 87° 7 min
Niagara Dam Nature Reserve to Kookynie 13.49 km NE 40° 13 min
Kookynie to Yerilla Ruins 38.03 km SE 116° 32 min
Yerilla Ruins to Kookynie Yarri Rd & Cranky Jack Rd 12.47 km SE 133° 9 min
Kookynie Yarri Rd & Cranky Jack Rd to Yarri Rd & Porphry Access 39.96 km S 176° 30 min
Yarri Rd & Porphry Access to Gindalbie 50.29 km S 200° 37 min
Gindalbie to Four Mile Hill 38.46 km S 199° 32 min
Four Mile Hill to Kanowna 6.21 km SW 227° 5 min
Kanowna to Kalgoorlie-Boulder 33.16 km SW 219° 28 min
Coolgardie to Kalgoorlie-Boulder 608.41 km     8 hr 56 min
Distance is GPS recorded driving distance (not straight line), Direction is straight line from start to end, Time is calculated from actual GPS driving data.
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