The Great Beyond Explorer’s Hall of Fame and Visitor Centre

Celebrating at the crossroads of early explorers

The Great Beyond highlights the early explorers to come through the region. Begin your journey with a miniature hologram of John Forrest the explorer, and Tommy Windich (Yinel), Aboriginal guide. Be prepared for the booming voices as John Forrest talks to John Septimus Roe or Tommy Windich in his own trek team. The collection contains an intimate display of Edith Laver’s personal items. Edith was married to Dr Charles Laver, after whom the town of Laverton is named. Learn more about how the doctor got gold fever and journeyed to British Flag, close to the current townsite of Laverton. The Visitor Centre is also the perfect place to grab a quick drink or bite to eat before you ‘hit the road’ and continue making your own exploration of WA, or heading out east along the Grand Central Road.

Visit website

Address:

5 Augusta Street
Laverton WA 6440
Australia

Tel:

(08) 9031 1361

Email:

greatbeyond@laverton.wa.gov.au

Opening Hours

Mon to Fri 9am - 4:30pm; Sat, Sun & Public Holidays 9am - 1pm

Perfume bottle

Luxury on the goldfields

This perfume bottle belonged to Edith Laver (nee Atwell). It is on display amongst other personal items received as wedding gifts, including a silver cigarette lighter and button hooks with mother-of...

Camel bell

Camel drivers

Early life on the Goldfields would not have been possible without camels. An estimated 1,500 camels were imported into Australia between 1850 and 1910. Early explorers and those chasing gold in desert...

Carved kangaroo

Wooden marlu

This marlu (kangaroo) has been carved with a rasp. The burnt markings are called ‘poker work’ designs, which became common to this area in the early 1900s. The technique was adopted by Aboriginal...

Dead Finish Museum

Beers and bodies: a former pub and morgue now houses a museum

You can almost smell the beer flowing, and the conversation of sandalwood cutters and haulers in this museum, which is named after the old hotel in which it is housed. The hotel was affectionately...

Old Newcastle Gaol

Harsh realities of early prison life on show at Newcastle Gaol Museum

Enter Newcastle Gaol Museum and find yourself hurtling back in time to imagine life as a prisoner here from 1865 to the early 1900s. The tiny cells are most disturbing, particularly the Aboriginal...

The Heritage Wheatbin Museum

A local farming collection in heritage listed Wheatbin

The collection provides a 'Who’s Who' of the region, and a 'what’s what of wheat'. It is housed in a 1939 bulk wheatbin designed and built by Cooperative Bulk Handling and a Machinery Shed and Railway...

The Windmills Shed

A farmer's love of windmills

A collection not to be missed! The extremely rare Steel Wings windmill at the entrance to Wimera Farm signal that this is a special visitor experience. The windmill collection, developed by local...