Outback History & 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 Aboriginal history and heritage, the Golden Outback is the birthplace 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.