Kalgoorlie

Kalgoorlie-Boulder is located 597 km east of Perth and 360 m above sea level.

Kalgoorlie came into existence in 1893 after Paddy Hannan, Tom Flanagan and Daniel Shea discovered gold near Mount Charlotte less than 40 km from the Coolgardie Goldfields.

On 17 June 1893 Paddy Hannan (in the early days the town was simply named Hannan's or Hannan's Find) registered his claim and within three days an estimated 700 men were prospecting in the area. This was the gold rush to beat all gold rushes. In comparison to what would eventually become known as 'the richest goldfield in the world' all other Western Australian finds paled in comparison.

By 1897 the population in the area had grown so rapidly that two towns had been established.

Kalgoorlie (it probably comes from the Aboriginal word 'kulgoolah' meaning 'silky pear' - the pear was common along the Boulder ridge) and Boulder which came into existence in August 1897 when miner's shacks and tents were moved to be closer to their workplace.

Today Kalgoorlie-Boulder is home of the country’s biggest gold producer, the region is the largest in Western Australia. It is one of Australia’s most thriving and bustling inland cities with more than 30,000 people and with facilities and services the envy of many.

MAP OF KALGOORLIE

Kalgoorlie has a dry climate with hot summers and cool winters. January is the hottest month with an average maximum temperature of 33°C, but temperature above 40°C occur nearly once a week when hot, dry, north to north-easterly winds arrive. Such high temperatures are usually followed by a cool change from the south and occasionally with a thunderstorm. Winters are cool, with July ranges between 16°C to 4°C. 

POPULATION

The Goldfields-Esperance region had an estimated resident population of 58,391 in June 1998. The region’s population currently makes up 11.7 % of the population of regional Western Australia and 3.2 % of the State’s population.

Between 1991 and 1997 the region’s population increased by an average of 1.5 % per annum while the State’s growth also averaged 1.5 % per annum and regional Western Australia averaged growth of 1.1% per annum.

Population growth in the Goldfields-Esperance region is principally driven by employment, especially in the Goldfields sub-region.

Population projections for the region by the Ministry of Planning indicate a growth rate 1.62 % per annum from 2001 to 2026. This growth rate is projected to give the region a population of 62,700 by 2001 increasing to 74,300 by 2011 and increasing further to 91,500 in 2026.

The City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder is the region’s principal economic centre and in 1998 had a population of 31,191 or 53 % of the region’s total population. Esperance is the region’s major sub-regional centre with a 1998 population of 12,831, being 21.9 % of the total population of the region.

It was gold that first saw the rushes to Kalgoorlie-Boulder and the goldfields of WA more than a century ago and it is still the glamour metal that continues to attract miners, prospectors and speculators to the region. Unlike early this century when gold was the sole attraction, today there are a number of minerals other than gold that keep the region ticking, among them nickel. Australia is ranked as the world’s third biggest nickel producer and most of it comes from deposits in this region in a corridor 800km long and about 100km wide, from Norseman in the south to Mt Keith in the north. The region is a base for hundreds of mining and mineral exploration companies.

Almost all the population growth occurring in the region is from increases in the number of people who are of working age. This suggests that the population increased are basically employment driven.

Workers in the region tend to work long hours. In 1991, 60.5% of all the workers in the region worked for 40 hours or more per week and 28.5 % of all workers worked 49 hours or more per week. The occupation profile of the region is dominated by the mining industry. The three highest occupation categories of tradespersons, plant and machine operators and labourers, demonstrate the strength of the mining industry as the principal employer in the region.

TRAVEL FROM PERTH

Self-drive from Perth there are a variety of routes, the most common being the 600km Great Eastern Hwy.

Airlink: Phone 13 1313  or check their website http://www.qantas.com.au

Skywest: 131300 for latest prices. Student prices are available.  www.ansett.com.au

Westrail bus service Ph: 13 1053. Students need a WAGR student card to get a concession. Obtain from University student services. Check their website or phone for latest prices. http://www.wagr.wa.gov.au/timetble/index.1.htm#RoadCoaches

McCafferty's/Greyhound: Ph 13 1499. Check their website or phone for latest prices. http://www.mccaffertys.com.au