Goldfields WA

What a hole!

Actually it’s a 3.5km long, 1.5km wide and 600m deep open cut mine known as the Kalgoorlie Super Pit. It’s enormous - roughly equivalent to the length of 6 soccer fields and can be seen from space!

From our vantage point at the lookout even the largest dump trucks, measuring a giant 20.6m long, 8.16m high and 9.87m wide, looked like tiny matchbox cars driving up and down the tiers of the Super Pit. Fascinating to watch.

Interestingly the Super Pit was only created in 1989 which is why I have no recollection of it from my previous visit to Kalgoorlie in 1987 - that and the fact we arrived in the middle of the night and only spent an hour or so here (a pit stop for the Indian Pacific). And with a life expectancy of just 11 more years it probably won’t be a thing if I ever return again either!

Disappointingly the Hannans North Tourist Mine was closed today. The site of the original Golden Mile, this was something that had been highly recommended and we were keen to explore. Who would have guessed Saturday would be the only day it’s not open 😬

Alternatively we checked out the Museum of the Goldfields, recommended to us by fellow travellers at last night’s meet and greet ‘happy hour’. It was actually very interesting with some great history of the area.

We also drove up to the Mt Charlotte Reservoir for some of the best views of Kalgoorlie-Boulder. The reservoir is the end of a 563 km epic pipeline from Mundaring Weir in the Perth Hills which has brought water to the Goldfields since 1903. ‘The Golden Pipeline’ as it’s known is recognised as one of Australia’s most amazing engineering feats.

Fun Fact: Each truck on site at the Super Pit will use approximately $8 million of fuel and $3 million worth of tyres. Truck tyres can weigh up to five tonnes and it takes two people 45 minutes to change one!

Kalgoorlie is much bigger than we expected, laying claim to one of Australia’s largest inland cities. It’s got some new housing estates and arguably a better Coles than Kellyville - but you still couldn’t pay us to live here!Read more