Kalgoorlie and the Goldfields

The white salt plain of Lake Ballard creates a dramatic setting for the largest outdoor art gallery on Earth. This extraordinary natural landscape was selected by world-renowned artist Antony Gormley to display his Inside Australia exhibit, a collection of 51 individually cast black chromium steel sculptures, stretching across 10 square kilometres.<br/><br/>You can reach Lake Ballard by car in one hour and 45 minutes from Kalgoorlie or in 45 minutes from Menzies. Day Tours are also available from Kalgoorlie.<br/><br/>Each sculpture represents a local resident of Menzies. For a fantastic overview, climb the hill and see the sculptures disappearing into the distance, each connected by the footprints of visitors. <br/><br/>The exhibit forms part of the self-drive Golden Quest Discovery Trail, which takes in eerie gold rush ghost towns, historical gold mining sites and the former home of US President Herbert Hoover in Gwalia.<br/><br/>The best times to visit are early morning or late afternoon, when the sculptures' shadows stretch across Lake Ballard. Allow at least two hours (it will take considerably longer to view all 51 sculptures as they are spaced 500 metres apart), always walk with a friend, and carry water as the heat can be extreme during summer.

Enter the largest outdoor art gallery on Earth - the Inside Australia exhibit created by world-renowned artist Antony Gormley. Here, stretching across 10 square kilometres, a collection of 51 individually cast black chromium steel sculptures stand against the dramatic backdrop of Lake Ballard's white salt plain.<br/><br/>Day tours from Kalgoorlie regularly visit the art installation, or you can drive there in 45 minutes from Menzies, or in one hour and 45 minutes from Kalgoorlie. <br/><br/>Each sculpture represents one of the local residents of Menzies. For a fantastic overview, climb the hill and see the sculptures disappearing into the distance, each connected by the footprints of visitors. <br/><br/>The Inside Australia exhibit forms part of the self-drive Golden Quest Discovery Trail, which takes in eerie gold rush ghost towns, historical gold mining sites and the former home of US President Herbert Hoover in Gwalia.<br/><br/>The best times to visit are early morning or late afternoon, when the sculptures' shadows stretch across the lake. Allow at least two hours, but it will take considerably longer to view all 51 sculptures as they are spaced 500 metres apart. Always walk with a friend and carry water as the heat can be extreme during summer.

The old gold mining town of Menzies is your entry to the largest outdoor gallery on Earth and one of the art world's most extraordinary exhibits, 'Inside Australia'. Created by internationally renowned artist Antony Gormley, the collection of 51 sculptures are dotted over 10 square kilometres of Lake Ballard's stark white salt bed.<br/><br/>Driving north of Kalgoorlie, you'll reach Menzies within one and a half hours. Lake Ballard and the Antony Gormley sculptures lie 55 kilometres to the north-west and day tours from Kalgoorlie regularly visit the art installation.<br/><br/>The Gormley sculptures, created in 2003 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Perth International Arts Festival, represent some of the local residents of Menzies. It's hard to imagine the town was once home to more than 10,000 people during the gold rush sparked by Lesley Robert Menzies, who struck significant reserves in 1894. <br/><br/>Within a decade, the town's population had grown and shrunk back to just a few hundred, although you'll still find the odd gold prospector and fossicker in search of their fortune. If you fancy joining them, you'll need to apply for a permit.<br/><br/>Grand gold rush architecture still stands as a reminder of Menzies' glory days, including the Menzies Town Hall that's famous for standing 'clockless' for 100 years. Local legend says the original clock lies at the bottom of the Indian Ocean, after the ship that brought it from England sank off Rottnest Island. Facing an uncertain future, the town decided not to order another one and so it stood bare until New Year's Eve 2000, when a clock was finally put in place to mark the new millennium.<br/><br/>For more fascinating insights and tourist information, head for the Menzies Visitor Centre, located in the 'Former' Lady Shenton Hotel. Grab some lunch at the local hotel, and if you're making Menzies your base for a few days, book yourself in at the caravan park.

Stand beside Kalgoorlie's Super Pit and gaze open-mouthed into one of the largest open-cut mines on Earth and the biggest gold mine in Australia. <br/><br/>About 900,000 ounces of gold are harvested here each year, making a total of 50 million ounces since it started operating in 1989. The hole is approximately 3.7 kilometres long, 1.5 kilometres wide and around 480 metres deep - big enough to bury Uluru.<br/><br/>The Super Pit is in Boulder along the Golden Mile. <br/><br/>Flights, TransWA trains and extended tours depart daily from Perth, or you can hit the Great Eastern Highway for a seven-hour drive from the city to the outback. <br/><br/>To get your head around how this mining giant operates, pull on a hardhat and take a guided tour. Alternatively, take in the spectacle for free at the Super Pit Lookout, off Mt Monger Road. Access to the Lookout is restricted during blasting times, contact the Kalgoorlie Boulder Visitor Centre for details.<br/><br/>The Super Pit now incorporates the historic Golden Mile, marking the spot where Irishman Paddy Hannan first struck gold and sparked the great gold rush of the late 1800s. You can learn more about his famous discovery and Goldfields history on a visit to this unmissable landmark.

Museum of the Goldfields in Kalgoorlie/Karlkurla offers an immersive journey into the heart of Western Australia's gold rush era. The museum presents curated exhibits, including the state's largest collection of gold bars and nuggets, original mining artefacts, and interactive displays that recount the lives of prospectors and mining families.<br/><br/>The museum's heritage precinct offers a captivating glimpse into Kalgoorlie's golden past, featuring the iconic British Arms Hotel, celebrated as Australia's narrowest pub, alongside De Bernales's recreated boardroom and a charming 1930s miner's cottage. Each space immerses visitors in the authentic atmosphere of life during the gold rush era. For those seeking a broader perspective, the Ivanhoe Headframe viewing platform provides sweeping vistas of the city and surrounding mine sites. Complementing these experiences, the daily "Highlights Tour" invites guests to uncover deeper stories of Aboriginal heritage, pioneering transport, and the transformative development that shaped the Goldfields.<br/><br/>A visit to the museum is an ideal addition to nearby experiences such as the Super Pit lookout, Kalgoorlie Town Hall and the Heritage Tram tour. The Aboriginal Bush Food and Medicine Garden highlights partnerships with Indigenous communities to promote sustainability and cultural education. Housed within historic buildings, the museum preserves Kalgoorlie's pulse, making it a captivating stop for history enthusiasts and curious travelers alike.