Planning an epic West Aussie road trip? Why not head to the glorious Goldfields, in Australia’s Golden Outback, for a completely different family experience! The Goldfields region, found about 6 hours drive east from Perth, is an area rich in history and culture. There’s so much to see and do in Kalgoorlie and The Goldfields with kids. Here’s just some ideas to explore the Goldfields with your little adventurers.
Kalgoorlie Attractions
It’s said that the immense Super Pit can be seen from space! Australia’s largest gold producing mine is right on the edge of town, making it very accessible to visit the viewing platform, or book a tour of the pit. Kids will love seeing the massive mining machinery.
It’s easy to spot the WA Museum of the Goldfields with the bright red headframe looming above the Hannans Street buildings. Here, families can explore WA’s largest display of gold bars and nuggets and delve into the history and hardships of the gold rush. Kids will love climbing the headframe for epic views of Kalgoorlie.
A trip to the Hannans North Tourist Mine is an absolute must when visiting Kalgoorlie. The whole family will enjoy experiencing a mix of gold rush history and modern-day mining. Kids can climb a giant haul truck, stand in the shovel of a loader, listen to prospector Paddy Hannan tell his tale of gold discovery, and pan for nuggets.
Enjoy a Kalgoorlie audio walking tour to discover the town on foot. Love vibrant street art? The HeArt Walk trail is brimming with colourful murals.
Take a Tram Tour around Kal! To see the sights and attractions of this historic town in style, hop on the tram at the Kalgoorlie Boulder Visitor Centre.
Playtime for Kids
Take a picnic to the lovely Hammond Park. Kalgoorlie’s main park is a leafy oasis featuring a playground, miniature Bavarian Castle, and even a bird, fish and animal collection! Kids will love the animal sanctuary, where they can get up close to kangaroos, emus and peacocks.
Cool off at Goldfields Oasis! The aquatic complex facilities include indoor heated pools, lazy river, water slides and more. The outdoor splash playground, with many fun water features, is the perfect way to cool off in the desert heat. Older kids will love surfing an artificial wave on the FlowRider.
Coolgardie’s Ben Prior Park is a free open-air museum. The park contains old machinery and curios, as well as a playground.
Fun Further Afield in the Goldfields
There are many self-drive routes within the Goldfields region. Lake Ballard (about 40 minutes drive from Menzies) is one of the highlights of the Golden Quest Discovery Trail. Kids will love running around the huge salt lake to find the 51 quirky steel sculptures. This is also a great camping spot.
The historic “ghost town” of Gwalia and Hoover House are both found near Leonora, north of Kalgoorlie Boulder. Take a self-guided tour of the museum, old miner’s cottages and the open cut mine.
The Broad Arrow Tavern is a very special Aussie country pub to stop at for a bite to eat. Located about 30 minutes drive north of Kalgoorlie, the scrawls on its walls make it a truly unique place for lunch. Its burgers are top-notch, big kids can shoot some pool and there is a playground for little ones.
There’s so much nature and stargazing to discover in the Goldfields. The Karlkurla Bushland Park has a 4km walking trail, perfect for a stroll, or even better, a bike or scooter ride!
Be sure to plan a trip to Kalgoorlie and The Goldfields with kids soon, for a fun, family-friendly holiday full of unique memories! Click here for more information about heading to Kalgoorlie and The Goldfields with kids in tow.
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Amanda Carlin has her own food and travel blog. Established in 2013, “The Chef, His Wife and Their Perth-fect Life” has enjoyed an exciting name change in 2021, as “The Chef’s Ex-wife” embarks on new adventures with Simply PERTHfect. Amanda loves getting out and about in Perth and WA, as well as brunching, tapas or something a little fancy in equal measures. With her son “Little Chef” in tow, Amanda always has plenty of family friendly eating options to recommend too! Be sure to check out Simply PERTHfect.
