WANDER OUT YONDER - MERREDIN & KALGOORLIE

MERREDIN & KALGOORLIE

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

COVID ADVENTURES 2020

The Kalgoorlie Race Round is an annual event which sees scores of punters flock to the Goldfields for a great day out. With the WA Government continuing to encourage WA residents to "Wander Out Yonder", our brood of six adults departed Perth just after lunch on Friday afternoon and headed east.

Our first stop was Merredin in the heart of the WA's wheatbelt. Located half way between Perth and Kalgoorlie, the town serves as the middle stop for the Goldfields Prospector train. Merredin is a thriving business centre and boasts many historic buildings, walks and other attractions. The town is also part of the FORM Public Silo Trail where famous street artists paint giant murals on grain silos.

We stayed at a local Airbnb and had dinner at the highly recommended Jimmy's Merredin Palace Chinese Restaurant. 

Pioneer Park, Merredin

Merredin Train Station

Cummins Theatre opened in 1928 & boasts one
of the best collections of Australian performers in the State

Reaching Kalgoorlie in time for the first race, we had been warned that due to a new Covid plan being implemented and lack of hospitality staff, wait times for drinks and betting may be affected. This was an understatement, however it didn't dampen the fun we had. 8'000 people gathered at the track, half of who weren't quite dressed for the freezing wind that whipped across the racecourse. We had organised an umbrella package, which included six chairs, table and umbrella in a VIP area. BYO picnic or organise catering through KBRC. Sorry, you can't book the weather!

We had dinner at Paddy's in the Exchange Hotel, Kalgoorlie. 

KBRC Umbrella Package

The Goldfields Oasis Recreation Centre is a great place to burn some excess calories and entertain kids (if travelling as a family). Its open early so the late starters in your brood won't know you've been and come back!

Kalgoorlie Boulder is the largest settlement for many hundreds of kilometres and first came to prominence as a mining town in 1893 when Paddy Hannan first discovered gold. Walking around the town, many historical buildings and hotels are still standing. A great way to learn about the history of Kalgoorlie and Boulder is by taking a self-guided audio walking tour. Headsets can be hired from the Kalgoorlie Boulder Visitor Centre. The tour takes you past 50 different sites including the Goldfields Museum and Super Pit Lookout. 

Kalgoorlie Boulder Visitor Centre
located in the Town Hall

Statue of Paddy Hannan

Kalgoorlie Super Pit

Boulder is just 5km south of Kalgoorlie and not to be overlooked. The historical buildings of the Recreational Hotel and Boulder Town Hall are fine examples of 'Federation Free Classical' architectural styles. 

The Beaten Track Brewery is located in Boulders industrial estate. It is a microbrewery oasis serving great burgers and beer. What more could you want for a Sunday lunch?

In 2010 we visited Kalgoorlie with our children and panned for gold at the Hannan's North Tourist Mine. We also took a scenic flight and realised that the Kalgoorlie Golf Course was the greenest patch of land for miles around. The Kalgoorlie Golf Course is one of Australia's finest and definitely worth playing when visiting Kalgoorlie. 

We had dinner at Yada Thai on Hannan Street after golf. The food was exceptional, some of the best Thai we have ever had in WA. Make sure you book as there are few tables.

Heading home to Perth, we didn't have time to follow the Wheatbelt Way, however we did download the phone app so we could listen to the stories related to some of the towns we did drive through. We have added it to our bucket list for future travels. 

Starting in Merredin and ending in Perth (or visa-versa) the Pioneers' Pathway self-drive route traverses the Wheatbelt following the trail many prospectors once took on their way to the Yilgarn and Kalgoorlie Goldfields. Although it adds a couple of hours to the trip home, it is much prettier than following the Great Eastern Highway and a great way to see just a little bit more of WA. 

 

Don't forget to stop in and see Rusty the Tin Dog in Dowerin. Rusty was born in 2004 as a project initiative by the students at Dowerin District High School. Tin Dog Creek runs through the town and was once a popular watering hole for travellers on their way to the goldfield. Tinned food or 'tin dog' was a popular lunch and the empty tins were often left behind. Rusty is a tribute to Dowerin's history. 

Last stop on our itinerary was a walk and lunch at the newly renovated Victoria Hotel, Toodyay just over an hour from Perth.