Kalgoorlie


In June 1893 three Irishmen, Thomas Flanagan, Dan Shea and 'Paddy' Hannan, found 3 kg of gold near Mt. Charlotte. It were alluvial gold nuggets which they discovered when they were forced to camp out unexpectedly after their horse lost a shoe. A gold rush started and within a few months 1,400 prospectors camped at the site. At this time the place was called Hannan's Find.

Larry Cammilleri, a Canadian miner, discovered the lode matter which contains the gold. The lode eroded at the surface and the gold was replaced to the north by rivers. That's why this kind of gold is called alluvial gold. The source of the gold is composed of ironstone with small quartz veins, greenstone, diorite and porphyry. The large deposits are located 5 km to the south, which soon became the world-famous Golden Mile.

Today this place is called Kalgoorlie-Boulder, a twin town with a population of 26,000. The name Kalgoorlie probably comes from the Aboriginal word karlkurlah meaning silky pear which was a common plant along the Boulder ridge. Boulder was named after the Great Boulder Mine. The miners moved to this place right at the mine, when it was clear that the gold deposits are really here.

This region is still one of the worlds most important gold producers as modern mining methods are used to reach the deeper deposits. The so called Super Pit Mine produces 20 tons of gold every year.

The town has numerous sight connected with the gold mining. Beneath the mines decribed on other pages, there are also the WA Museum, the Eastern Goldfields Heritage Trail and the School of Mines Rock and Mineral Museum.


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