Now you might be thinking…Kalgoorlie? Why on Earth would I want to go to Kalgoorlie? But I’m here to tell you that Kalgoorlie is actually well worth the visit. ESPECIALLY for families.
Shock!
I know!
I was surprised too.
But I’ve found out that Kalgoorlie is both great to visit and live.
And in this post, I’ll show you absolutely everything you need to know and convince you to put Kalgoorlie on your list of “must-visit” places in Western Australia (or at least your “might visit” list haha).
But beware, Kalgoorlie has a way of sucking people in. I’ve known many backpackers who’ve come to Kalgoorlie and 10 years later, they’re still here, wondering how their travels came to a halt in the outback, middle of nowhere like Kalgoorlie. Even my parents had a five year plan before supposedly moving back to New Zealand…and here we are, 15 years later, still here.
About Kalgoorlie and what it’s known for
Now, if you don’t know anything about Kalgoorlie, it’s a remote city (although it’s long been debated whether the title of city should be stripped from Kalgoorlie as it’s population fluctuates regularly, often dropping below the population of 30,000 people required for the title of city), situated in the Goldfields of Western Australia.
People flock from all over the country (and world) to work and live in Kalgoorlie. I’ve never lived in such a multi-cultural place in my life, personally.
Kalgoorlie is about 600kms (~370 miles) inland from Perth and is considered a desert in the outback. The vivid hues of red and orange coming through in the soil are unlike anywhere else on this Earth.
Kalgoorlie is known for its mining industry, pubs, skimpies (scantily dressed barmaids-there was a time where they used to be completely naked) and brothels.
It’s only one of two places in Australia where prostitution still is legal and rumour has it, the record held by one of the workers at Questa Casa, the oldest brothel in all of Australia, will shock you.
Try a pub crawl along it’s main street, Hannans Street. It’ll have you slurring in no time, there are that many pubs here.
Life in Kalgoorlie
Living in Kalgoorlie is what you make of it. I’ve known many to have loved it and also many who have hated it. The thing to have made the difference, as with many things is the people you make connections with.
People in Kalgoorlie, as they’ve generally come from all over the world, are usually quite sociable. Most people flock to Kalgoorlie for the money, so as can be expected, most people in Kalgoorlie work hard, saving their well earned cash for their next holiday (Usually Bali, Esperance or Perth)
In the last decade or so, the council has really put a lot of money into the town too. Doing the roads up a lot nicer, adding drainage so the floods don’t carry cars down the road when it rains slightly, making the playgrounds and green spaces a lot nicer.
Weather in Kalgoorlie
Kalgoorlie is pretty predictable for the most part with its weather.
In summer it’s hot, in winter it’s cold.
Pretty simple.
But in the summer it can reach temperatures as high as 46C and in the winter, get as low as -5C. The main issue in Kalgoorlie is that it is so dry. The heat is super drying and the cold actually hurts sometimes, it’s that cold. Remember to drink plenty of water if you’re not used to such a dry environment ESPECIALLY in summer, obviously.
Also, people often find when they move to Kalgoorlie, they sometimes develop hay fever and due to the dry nature of Kalgoorlie and the chlorinated water, sometimes eczema develops (according to local doctors I’ve spoken to).
How to get to Kalgoorlie
There are three ways to get to Kalgoorlie (generally from Perth):
1. Fly
It’s about an hour flight from Perth. It generally costs a bit more than you’d expect from a one-hour flight thanks to other factors but, if you’re a Kalgoorlie local you can actually get it a little cheaper.
The Kalgoorlie Airport is such a quaint place. There’s a small shop with refreshments available, good toilet facilities and even a little playground for the kids.
2. Train
The prospector is the passenger train that travels between Perth and Kalgoorlie. It’s much cheaper than flying, however takes the Prospector about 6h 45m to reach Kalgoorlie.
You can book either online, over the phone or in person at one of their ticketing agents. They also offer discounts in many instances. The prospector is wheelchair accessible, has toilets, food available to purchase and other great facilities.
The Kalgoorlie train is a great, cheap option.
3. Drive
The road between Perth and Kalgoorlie is a long, straight and boring one. I, personally, enjoy it as I love driving. It’s pretty therapeutic to me (not with children, however haha), but it’s not for everyone. It takes about 6 hours without stopping and requires at least a full tank of gas in most cases.
If you plan your drive, it can also be a nice, enjoyable drive too.
Where to stay in Kalgoorlie
Kalgoorlie has a number of great accommodation options available. AirBnB’s, hotels, backpackers, caravan parks and free camping spots. Just don’t expect to find many (or any) options during Kalgoorlie’s biggest event, Diggers and Dealers.
One of the better hotels in Kalgoorlie is Rydges. Hands down one of the nicer hotels, opposite the movie theatre and has great facilities on site, however it is a bit further away from town. It makes it a perfect option if you have a car.
The Plaza hotel is also a nice hotel and is close to town.
If you want a very cheap option that doesn’t EVER get mentioned though, the Grand Hotel is worth a try. It has older facilities, but it’s in the heart of Kalgoorlie with plenty of things around to keep yourself busy.
Best caravan park is discovery park in Boulder. Great facilities, nice cabins and affordable. There’s also a Big4 Caravan Park in Kalgoorlie too, which is worth a mention. It’s a popular spot with good facilities and affordable compared to some other Big4 Caravan Parks too.
If you’re looking for free caravan parks, your best bet is Centennial park which allows free overnight parking and a dump point. Otherwise, just outside of Kalgoorlie by about 5-10 minutes is a free camping spot out at Lake Douglas. It’s not a sealed road, but it’s also not a rough one. Completely capable of a 2WD to drive the track.
AirBnB’s are obviously great if you wanted a more homely stay OR to have a local present to give you ideas on what to do in Kalgoorlie. There aren’t a huge amount to choose from, but it is still an option.
We have a favourite up in Hannans in Kalgoorlie, but she has since become a friend…so I may be a bit biased.
What is there to do in Kalgoorlie
There are a bunch of things to do in Kalgoorlie.
Personally, with 5 kids, I prefer all the free things rather than the paid things to do in Kalgoorlie and thanks to the strong community, there are often free community events planned in the weekends. For example, over the summer, there is an outdoor cinema often run at centennial park or free weekend concerts, winter festivals, kids festival, multicultural festivals and many others.
I recommend doing activities that are unique to Kalgoorlie such as a brothel tour, super pit tour or cultural tour! If you’re staying a little longer, you could try one of these great day trips from Kalgoorlie! Otherwise, this is an ongoing list of absolutely everything there is to do in Kalgoorlie.
Or if you’re strapped for time, try a good one or two day itinerary
Is Kalgoorlie dangerous?
This is a very subjective topic so it’s a hard one to answer.
Kalgoorlie is like most places. Yes, dangers exist but as long as you keep your wits about you and don’t put yourself in dangerous situations, you’ll be completely fine. And even if you don’t keep your wits about you, chances still are that you’ll be completely fine.
I think the TV show, ‘Kalgoorlie Cops’ gave people the wrong perception of Kalgoorlie and it isn’t always like that.
There are sometimes a very large number of break-ins and since I’ve lived here (for 15 years), we’ve been broken into about six times that I can remember, had a motorbike stolen and a car stolen and burnt out.
Work in Kalgoorlie
Mining is the reason Kalgoorlie even exists. Out and about, you’ll see so many people driving work utes, walking around in work high-vis clothing and free work boots galore. There are many possibilities for mining work especially in Kalgoorlie.
If mining isn’t appealing to you, there are so many other options for work in Kalgoorlie. I’ve actually seen a sign that read something along the lines of ‘Got two arms? Got two legs? Got a heart beat? We want you!’ Quite literally there are jobs almost being thrown at people around here.
The abundance of work opportunities is often what draws people to Kalgoorlie and the thing that keeps people here.
Great pay is available if you’re willing, a variety of rosters…but be careful. Kalgoorlie has a way of sucking you in for good…which hasn’t been such a bad thing in my case.
Kalgoorlie has been great to me and my family
School in Kalgoorlie
For such a small place, Kalgoorlie has a good variety of schools to choose from. There are many public primary schools and depending on where you live, that would determine what school you’d be allocated to.
There is only one public High School in Kalgoorlie and although it has a bad wrap, it has a lot of great supports and variety of subjects available. The High School has been split into two schools due to previous issues. The first High School completes year levels seven to ten, then the kids complete years eleven and twelve and the upper High School.
Further education options are also available: Central Regional TAFE, Curtin, Western Australian School of Mines, The Rural Clinical School.
Nightlife
There are a huge number of pubs to choose from. Take your pick. I couldn’t recommend one because they all have a different vibe. And my vibe may not be your vibe.
We don’t have night clubs.
The closest thing to a nightclub in town though is Goldbar. It’s the only place licenced in town to be open until the wee hours of the morning so everyone congregates and eventually ends up there…Unless you’re one of the sensible few who go home by midnight.
Choose that option.
Sport
There are a wide variety of sport offered in Kalgoorlie. Not just your usual netball, basketball, footy, volleyball, softball, soccer or teeball but also BMX, go-karting, karate, belly dancing and shooting.
There are things to keep people of all ages busy and happy, which makes it so great for families. Ask around to find a sport that you may enjoy
All in all, Kalgoorlie is a great place if you choose it to be. There are a lot of opportunities for work or even holding fort to save money to better your future. I think that’s why people end up staying for so long, unintentionally. The money is great, the community is lovely and it’s a comfortable place to live. Comment below if there’s anything you’d like to know about this great town!
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