About the Golden Outback

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Outback history and culture

The wild outback history of Western Australia played a highly important role in shaping the future of the entire state. As well as a rich Indigenous history and heritage, the Golden Outback is the birth place of Western Australia’s gold rush era, and where the early pastoral pioneers laid the foundations for today’s agricultural industry.

Take an incredible journey of discovery through the outback history of Western Australia and experience the unique history and ancient cultures of the Golden Outback’s Indigenous communities.

Learn how the lure of gold brought thousands of fortune seekers to the Kalgoorlie and Murchison goldfields in the late 1800s. Many of the towns you see today began life as gold rush settlements and still retain their old-world charm. Others have long been abandoned and all that remains are eerie ghost towns and ruins.

The region’s agricultural history is just as colourful, and you can follow in the footsteps of the hardy pioneers who ventured deep into the outback and developed the untamed land for pastoral farming.

Why not visit some of the Golden Outback’s many historical sites, museums and heritage trails that offer amazing insights into the lives of the brave and courageous who shaped the outback history of Western Australia.

Aboriginal art gallery in the Goldfields

Indigenous history and culture

The Indigenous history and culture of Western Australia’s Golden Outback was shaped by the ancient tribes that have inhabited the region for many thousands of years – these included the Wongi, Yamatji and Noongar people. View more

Try your luck at gold prospecting in Western Australia's gold rush towns

Gold rush history

The Western Australian gold rush began with the first discovery of gold in the 1890s - fortune-seekers arrived in their thousands and set up gold rush towns in the dusty landscapes of the Goldfields. View more

Moora pastoral scene

Agricultural history

The agricultural history of Western Australia’s Golden Outback begins in the late 1800s with fascinating stories of brave characters who ventured into the remote plains and laid the foundations for WA’s agricultural and pastoral industries. View more


Aboriginal rock art at Walga Rock

Aboriginal rock art at Walga Rock

Paddy Hannan statue
Paddy Hannan statue, Kalgoorlie-Boulder