Coolgardie Visitors Centre & Goldfields Exhibition Museum

A local collection housed in the historic old Courthouse or Gold fever, old geezers, heroes and bold pieces.

From a tent town to bricks and mortar, the old Coolgardie Courthouse unpacks the history of the 1890's gold fever and is a treasure trove of items from local collectors. Learn about Coolgardie’s mining history, and the triumphs of its local heroes, such as the divers who rescued trapped miner Modesto 'Charlie' Varischetti. A more recent story is about Scott Properjohn, the founder of the museum. Properjohn made many of the displays in the Museum and other museums in the region. See rare items from cameleer history, including an 'Afghan' beadwork snake, and marvel at the large bottle collection in the old courtroom, or the pharmacy items displayed on the ground floor. Don't forget to visit the quirky, Ben Prior Park, an open-air museum across the road from the museum. The park contains rare mining equipment and celebrates the local heroes like Ernest Giles and his camel.

Address:

62 Bayley St
Coolgardie WA 6429
Australia

Opening Hours

Mon to Fri 8:30am - 4pm; Sat to Sun 10am - 3pm.

From trash to treasure

Frank and May Waghorn lived near Sandstone when they discovered a bottle dump, which led to bottle fever! Frank and May ‘dug from daylight to dark seven days a week’ looking for bottles and travelled...

A mining rescue miracle

On the 19 March 1907, Coolgardie received unprecedented rain, which caused water to rise in the mine at Bonnievale. Modesto Varischetti became trapped and remained below ground for 9 days, when he was...

‘A little dab’l do’

A little dab'l do ya’ was the advertising phrase used by Brylcreem in the 1950s, to put 'life, life, life back into dry hair'. These items are part of the Eddy Grant Collection which contains food and...

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While you're in the area

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Coolgardie Historical Cemetery
Attraction
Coolgardie Historical Cemetery
Reflect on the lives and hardships encountered during the gold rush years...
via Bayley Street, Coolgardie, WA 6429
Warden Finnerty's Residence
Attraction
Warden Finnerty's Residence
Warden Finnerty's House in Coolgardie is a beautiful historic home which...
2 Mckenzie Street, Coolgardie, WA 6429
Coolgardie Bluff Cultural and Heritage Walk Trail
Attraction
Coolgardie Bluff Cultural and Heritage Walk Trail
On the north-east of the Coolgardie townsite, the Bluff Cultural and...
Hunt Street, Coolgardie, WA 6429
Historic Coolgardie Railway Station
Attraction
Historic Coolgardie Railway Station
The Coolgardie Railway Station was opened on 23 March 1896. Traffic in the...
75 Woodward Street, Coolgardie, WA 6429