Feature by Dianne Bortoletto
Revered art, dramatic landscapes, living ghost towns and a pub with a resident horse are just some of the astonishing finds when travelling around Lake Ballard, deep in Western Australia’s Golden Outback.
It’s easy to imagine that the term ‘standing at the edge of forever’ might have been coined by someone who has planted themselves at the outer reaches of Lake Ballard to take it all in. Some 4900 hectares of flat, salt-crusted landscape, this sparse expanse sits in stunning solitude within the Golden Outback, close to nine hours’ drive from Perth.
While the allure of a visit here is standing in blissful isolation, far from the madding crowds and technology of modern life, you still can’t completely escape the feeling of being watched. That’s because Lake Ballard’s near 360-degree views of the horizon made it the perfect pick to host one of the biggest outdoor exhibitions in the world.
Inside Australia was installed by British artist Antony Gormley in 2003, with permission from Wangkatha Aboriginal Elder Paddy Walker. Before Gormley initiated his art project at the sacred site, Walker told him a dreamtime story of seven sisters who came to the lake to play; the biggest mound in the lake is said to be the eldest sister.
Antony Gormley Sculptures at Lake Ballard
Outback inspiration
The closest outpost to Lake Ballard is Menzies, a historic gold mining town that once had a population of 5000 but has dwindled to just over 100 in past years. It was here that Gormley drew inspiration for his work: the 51 life-sized sculptures that make up Inside Australia are based on the anatomy of Menzies residents. A full body scanner, the type used in Hollywood for animation, was shipped to the remote town and volunteers lined up. Each body scan was fashioned into an abstract black steel figure by the Turner Prize-winning artist.
From a distance, the sculptures appear ghostly, almost like mirages on the horizon, but upon approach the statues come to life, standing tall and proud. Set 500 metres apart and scattered across 10 square kilometres, the only way to get up close to the sculptures is to walk. In the summer, the saline surface is dry, cracked and white, a stunning contrast to the endless blue sky above; winter brings rain, turning the surface into a thick sludge that is best traversed barefoot.
It takes a couple of hours to walk between a few of the figures, and preparation is key – take water, sunscreen, hats and food. Self-sufficient campers can admire Gormley’s statues and the continuously changing colours of the lake throughout the day – from pastel hues at first light to vibrant orange skies at twilight – with a stay at the Lake Ballard campground.
Lake Ballard, near Menzies
Make time for Menzies
A visit to the lake should be extended to take in some of its remote surrounding towns, starting with Menzies. Fifty kilometres northwest of Lake Ballard, the one-street town is full of character, with its centrepiece colonial town hall and clock tower built in 1896, two years after American explorer Robert Menzies discovered gold there. Other fine examples of 19th-century architecture include the visitors’ centre, originally the Lady Shenton Hotel, the butcher-shop-cum-tea rooms that recently opened Donna’s Cafe, and The Menzies Hotel, which has rooms and meals. The other accommodation options in town are at the caravan park, which has modern amenities for RVs and campers and a couple of onsite cabins.
The cute Achievable Outback Cafe, named so as to remind travellers that this area is an accessible getaway option, makes milkshakes, toasties and has the best coffee for miles. Opposite is a now closed petrol station with vintage bowsers and a 30-metre-long wall adorned with hundreds of numberplates from around the world that makes for a great Instagram backdrop.
Menzies Town Hall, Menzies
Ghosts of the past
Phone storage fills quickly in Gwalia, situated on the outskirts of Leonora, an hour’s drive north of Menzies. A ghost town frozen in time, the Gwalia Ghost Town & Museum depicts life here during the mining boom until 1963 when the gold mine was shuttered and a mass exodus ensued. Wandering through abandoned buildings and houses and past yards scattered with rusted vintage cars and farm equipment feels like the set of an old western.
There is still life in Hoover House though, which was commissioned by then mine manager Herbert Hoover in 1898, before he headed back to the US and eventually became the country’s 31st President. Now a B&B not far from Gwalia, the historic house has three opulent rooms, as well as lush gardens and a sweeping verandah that makes for a lovely spot for lunch, Devonshire tea or their speciality, Hoover Gold, a cake based on Hoover’s favourite flavours – sweet potato, bourbon, caramel and marshmallow.
A two-hour drive east of Menzies is Kookynie, known as a living ghost town that caters to travellers, prospectors, mining companies, pastoralists and a local population of just 13. Or 14 if you count Willie the horse, who roams freely until he’s hungry; every day for the past decade Willie has walked right into The Grand Hotel for a feed, becoming an attraction in his own right. The classic outback pub also houses an excellent collection of gold rush relics to browse.
Gwalia Ghost Town, Gwalia
Big and bold
The earth reddens and the vegetation changes to samphire bush, eucalypt, mulga scrubs and wattle woodlands on the 130-kilometre drive south from Menzies to Kalgoorlie-Boulder. Greenery surrounds Australia’s largest outback city, population 30,000, where the Great Western Woodlands lay claim to being the largest unfragmented temperate woodlands left in the world, measuring in at twice the size of Tasmania.
Remnants of the gold rush era are everywhere. The grand buildings and colonial streetscapes act as a living history, operating as hotels, pubs, bars, cafes and shops, but there also the bustle of an airport, supermarkets and supply stores that seem alien after days spent in the smalls towns that radiate from Lake Ballard.
Being surrounded by the infinite space of WA’s Golden Outback clears the mind and heightens the senses. And, from the energy of the ancient Wangkatha Country to the rich European history, the striking Gormley statues and quintessential Australian experiences, exploring its reaches is a gold-standard experience.
Museum of the Goldfields, Kalgoorlie-Boulder
Published August 2022.