The mining of gold, along with other metals such as nickel, is a major industry in Kalgoorlie and today employs about one-quarter of Kalgoorlie's workforce and generates a significant proportion of its income. The concentrated area of large gold mines is often referred to as the “Golden Mile” and is considered by some to be the richest square mile of earth on the planet.
KALGOORLIE, WA, 6430
Location
Kalgoorlie, known as Kalgoorlie-Boulder, is a town in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia, located 595 kilometres east-northeast of the state capital Perth, at the end of the Great Eastern Highway. The town was founded in 1893 during the Yilgarn-Goldfields gold rush, and is located close to the so-called "Golden Mile".
History
In January 1893, prospectors Patrick (Paddy) Hannan, Tom Flanagan and Dan O'Shea noticed signs of gold in the area. On 17 June 1893, Hannan filed a Reward Claim leading to hundreds of men swarming to the area in search of gold. This saw the birth of the town now known as Kalgoorlie.
The mining of gold, along with other metals such as nickel, is a major industry in Kalgoorlie and today employs about one-quarter of Kalgoorlie's workforce and generates a significant proportion of its income. The concentrated area of large gold mines is often referred to as the “Golden Mile” and is considered by some to be the richest square mile of earth on the planet.
Places famous, or infamous, that Kalgoorlie is noted for include its water pipeline, Hay Street brothels, its two-up school, the goldfields railway loopline, Kalgoorlie Town Hall, the Paddy Hannan statue/drinking fountain, the Super Pit and Mount Charlotte lookout.
Its main street is Hannan Street, named after the town's founder. One of the infamous brothels also serves as a museum and is a major national attraction.
Facilities
There are currently 10 primary schools, four high schools and one university in the Kalgoorlie-Boulder area.
The area also contributes to high levels of participation in Australian Rules football, netball, basketball, rugby league, soccer, hockey and cricket. Other popular sports in Kalgoorlie include tennis, lawn bowls, rugby union and swimming and the town also has an international squash tournament held every year at the YMCA.
Horse racing is also very popular in the city, and Kalgoorlie-Boulder is home to the internationally recognised annual 'Race Round'.
Industry and Employment
Kalgoorlie is home to ‘The Super Pit’, an open-cut gold mine approximately 3.6 kilometres long, 1.6 kilometres wide and 512 metres deep. The mine operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is a main employer of residents - employees must live in Kalgoorlie and the mine is expected to be productive until about 2017.
In the 2006 Census, the most common industries of employment for persons aged 15 years and over usually resident in Kalgoorlie were:
Technicians and Trades Workers- 20.8%
Machinery Operators And Drivers- 16.4%
Professionals- 13.6%
Clerical and Administrative Workers- 12.4%
Labourers- 9.6%
Managers- 9.5%
Sales Workers- 7.9%
Community and Personal Services Workers- 7.7%
Population
According to the 2006 Census, the population of Kalgoorlie was 28,242 people with 52.1 per cent being males and 47.9 per cent females. Of the total population, 7.3 per cent were Indigenous persons, compared with 2.3 per cent Indigenous persons in Australia.
Housing Market
Residex Statistics (updated for Kalgoorlie)
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Houses
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Units
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Current median value
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$308,500
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$235,000
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Current median rent
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$405 p/w
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$370 p/w
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Average capital growth, 10 years
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10.8% p.a
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7.69% p.a
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Rent rate, last year
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5.98% p.a
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6.77% p.a
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Total return, last year
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8.66% p.a
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-2.73% p.a
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August 2011
