Golden Quest Discovery Trail - Start Here
Rich in history, dripping with charisma
Set off on an adventure along the Golden Quest Discovery Trail to discover the unique prospecting heritage of the Goldfields. Learn about times gone by and the early pioneers of the gold rush era and their discoveries while meeting local outback characters, discovering ghost towns, visiting charming pubs, exploring wide open spaces, incredible starry night skies, and so much more. Get back to nature and explore the red, rugged earth of the Goldfields region like you’ve never seen it before along this historic 965km self-drive adventure.
This bucket-list journey takes you through 25 interpretive sites where you’ll learn the history and significance of each location along the way.
From ghost towns to massive outdoor art installations - taking you on a loop from Coolgardie to Laverton and back, passing exquisite gold rush era towns and finishing in one of Australia’s greatest outback cities, Kalgoorlie-Boulder.
The Golden Quest Discovery Trail Itinerary
Check out our full itinerary, including accommodation options, food and drink recommendations, what you’ll see along the way and travel distances, so you can further plan your travels and get ready to set out on this epic adventure. The self-drive can be done in 3, 4 or 5 days depending on how many sites you want to visit, but of course we recommend seeing them all!
Outback Tours
Circle H Helicopters
The Goldfields is known for its vast, rugged beauty, and there is no better way to see it than from the sky. From above, you'll be able to witness…
Thunderstruck Goldfields Trike Tours
Embark on an exclusive journey with Thunderstruck Trike Tours, showcasing the captivating Goldfields area's hidden gems and legendary landmarks.…
Goldrush Tours
Goldrush Tours commenced operation in 1973 and over the past four decades has grown to become a large privately owned luxury coach company in Western…
Hannans North Tourist Mine
No visit to Kalgoorlie is complete without a visit to Hannans North Tourist Mine, where you will experience a vibrant mix of gold rush history and…
Museum of the Goldfields
The Museum of the Goldfields showcases the rich history of the Eastern Goldfields and the city’s mining heritage.Discover the unique role the town…
Accommodation
The View On Hannans
In the heart of Kalgoorlie, experience the best in self-contained, hotel and motel accommodation in the Goldfields. The View On Hannans is the ideal…
Allora House Kalgoorlie
Allora House is a heritage-listed building that has been lovingly restored as a guest house. Allora is the Italian word for affection and fittingly…
Rydges Kalgoorlie Resort and Spa
Rydges Kalgoorlie Resort and Spa is conveniently located close to the Kalgoorlie town centre in the heart of the historic Western Australian…
Hospitality Kalgoorlie, SureStay Collection by Best Western
After a day of exploring the local attractions and superb sites in Kalgoorlie, why not kick back and relax at Hospitality Kalgoorlie? Ideally located…
Leonora Lodge
Previously a mining village for fly-in fly-out workers, they have expanded their offering to include spacious Studio suites with amenities that all…
Hoover House Bed and Breakfast
Historic Hoover House was once home to Herbert Hoover, who went on to become the thirty-first president of the United States of America. The building…
Quality Inn Railway Motel
At the Quality Inn Railway Motel & Function Centre, we pride ourselves on offering Quality facilities with service to match. We are located 650…
The Plaza Hotel
The Plaza Hotel is a premium hotel with a boutique approach, embracing classic hotel values of rest, comfort and enjoyment.The Plaza Hotel is the…
Acclaim Prospector Holiday Park
Prospector Holiday Park in Kalgoorlie is conveniently located at the centre of the action, on the corner of the Great Eastern Highway. The…
Leonora Caravan Park
Leonora Caravan Park is conveniently located right in the centre of town. They offer comfortable facilities and a warm welcome to all their guests.…
What to See & Do
Hannans North Tourist Mine
No visit to Kalgoorlie is complete without a visit to Hannans North Tourist Mine, where you will experience a vibrant mix of gold rush history and…
Lake Ballard
The white salt plain of Lake Ballard creates a dramatic setting for the largest outdoor art gallery on Earth. This extraordinary natural landscape…
Explore the Hall of Fame in Laverton
Laverton's Explorer's Hall of Fame is not just a visitor centre, it’s a museum to learn the history and heritage of the area, as well as a café to…
Museum of the Goldfields
The Museum of the Goldfields showcases the rich history of the Eastern Goldfields and the city’s mining heritage.Discover the unique role the town…
Laverton Aboriginal Art Gallery
The Laverton Aboriginal Art Gallery is a not-for-profit organisation established to display, promote and sell authentic Aboriginal art on behalf of…
Hoover House
Historic Hoover House was once home to Herbert Hoover, who went on to become the thirty-first president of the United States of America. Today it’s a…
Gold Panning In WA
Strike gold on your own terms; Australia's Golden Outback has plenty of lucky spots to seek gold. Follow our guide on where to go gold panning in WA…
Gold prospecting and fossicking
Gold prospecting and fossicking opportunities in Australia’s Golden Outback draw people from far and wide.
Kookynie
Kookynie attracts people for miles around because of its unique character. It is virtually a ghost town, but Australian and overseas tourists just…
Rowles Lagoon Camp at Rowles Lagoon National Park
Located approximately 70 kilometres north of Coolgardie, Rowles Lagoon is a set of semi-permanent lakes measuring almost 2-kilometres across,…
Niagara Dam
An oasis in the wilderness of the northern Goldfields, Niagara Dam is a top rest stop on the Golden Quest Discovery Trail - perfect for a picnic, a…
Inside Australia - Antony Gormley Sculptures
Enter the largest outdoor art gallery on Earth - the Inside Australia exhibit created by world-renowned artist Antony Gormley. Here, stretching…
Warden Finnerty's Residence
Warden Finnerty's House in Coolgardie is a beautiful historic home that has been faithfully restored to its original 1895 grandeur. Commonly known as…
Victoria Rock
Victoria Rock is located 76 kilometres south of Coolgardie and is one of the most spectacular granite outcrops of the Great Western Woodlands. Well…
Super Pit Lookout
Stand beside Kalgoorlie's Super Pit and gaze open-mouthed into one of the largest open-cut mines on Earth and the biggest gold mine in Australia.…
Signpost Racing Museum
This is the perfect place to research local horse racing history. The Museum began after the Palace Hotel was renovated and a diverse collection of…
Kookynie Ruins
Kookynie Ruins - in 1903 Kookynie was a thriving Goldfields township with more than 400 buildings and approximately 2,500 people. Today, with its…
Gwalia Historical Museum
The Gwalia Historical Museum is located in the old mine offices of the original Sons of Gwalia Gold Mine. It is well worth a visit before wandering…
Coolgardie Goldfields Exhibition Museum
The Goldfields Exhibition Museum is housed in the grand historic two-storey former Wardens Court Building which was erected in 1898. Wander through…
Coolgardie Bluff Cultural and Heritage Walk Trail
On the north-east of the Coolgardie townsite, the Bluff Cultural and Heritage Walk Trail includes heritage signage and explains the cultural…
Prospecting on The Golden Quest Discovery Trail
With the gold price hitting new highs ($1,720 USD per ounce as at March 2021), and the recent popularity of the Discovery channel show Aussie Gold…
Trail Towns
Coolgardie & Kambalda
Coolgardie is world-famous for two major events in Western Australia’s mining history. It’s the birthplace of the great gold rush of 1892 and the…
Menzies
Menzies is small historic mining town north of Kalgoorlie in the Western Australian Goldfields. To the west, theAntony Gormley Sculptures stand…
Laverton
Laverton, with over 100 years of fascinating gold rush history, is the starting point of the Outback Way which links Kalgoorlie and the Northern…
Leonora & Gwalia
A real gem from the gold mining era is Gwalia Museum, one of the most fascinating places in the Western Australian Northern Goldfields.
Kalgoorlie-Boulder
Kalgoorlie-Boulder, or Kalgoorlie as it is more commonly known, is the hub of the Western Australian Goldfields and the largest city in the…
GOLDEN QUEST DISCOVERY TRAIL APP & GUIDEBOOK
Download the Free Golden Quest Discovery Trail app and be guided through some of the historic and remote regions of the Western Australian Goldfields. The app is functional off-line allowing you to use it while you're out on the road. It features real time GPS to show where you are on the trail, notes describing the road journey between each site, stories at each site, services available along the way and so much more.
If you prefer a hard copy, the The Golden Quest Discovery Trail Guidebook is available to purchase as your own official guide, enhancing your trail adventure. The guide is available via e-book, audio tracks, and hardcopy.
Plan your Adventure
So now you're inspired, but you want even more detailed information about the many sights to see, then towns you'll stop at, best times to visit, road conditions and the fascinating history behind it all. Head to the website dedicated to providing all the information you need for a fantastic adventure in the Goldfields.
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