Gwalia Historic Precinct

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A ghost town with a mining history

The Gwalia Historic Precinct includes a ghost town and a museum featuring collections from the old Sons of Gwalia Mine and the Leonora district. The museum collection items are housed in the main shed and various original buildings from the Sons of Gwalia mine. Learn about the Aboriginal people and migrant workers who lived in Gwalia, the assay process of separating gold from ore or view the only large timber incline headframe in Australia. This large collection requires some walking. If you get tired you might like to rest your legs and grab a Devonshire tea at Hoover House café between 10am and 3pm, on the very edge of the present-day open cut mine. You can also spend the night in the Hoover House for a unique Goldfields experience!

Visit website

Address:

16A Tower St
Leonora WA 6438
Australia

Tel:

(08) 9037 71220

Email:

museum@gwalia.org.au

Opening Hours

Mon to Sun 9am - 4pm

Gwalia Rifle Club trophy

Marksmanship

Oscar Edward Johnson won the ‘Robert Stuart Cup’ at the Gwalia Rifle Club in October 1910 and was awarded this trophy. Johnson was a miner at the Sons of Gwalia Mine and a member of the Rifle Club for...

Crucible and cupel

Cupellation

These crucibles and cupels were used in the gold testing process, which involves very high temperatures and is called, cupellation. Ore samples with gold are crushed and mixed with other metals to...

Seal and embosser

Approving documents

This is an original seal and embosser from the Sons of Gwalia Mine. Seals and embossers like this were used on official documents to confirm and legitimise them. A stamp similar to the embosser was...

Warden Finnerty’s Residence

A collection in a national trust stone building

The simple grandeur of this stone house sitting atop Montana Hill, overlooking Coolgardie, is impressive. The view from the veranda is amazing, but don't forget the collection inside. The house was...

Nungarin Heritage Machinery and Army Museum

Army and local history, everything including the kitchen sink!

Between 1942 and 1962 Nungarin was a depot for Australian army personnel, supplies and machinery. The Museum is situated in the original Army Vehicle Workshop. When you visit the Museum watch a video...

Shire of Wiluna Canning-Gunbarrel Discovery Centre

A stop on the edge of the desert

Wiluna is the southern gateway to the Canning Stock Route and the western gateway to the Gunbarrel Highway. The Canning-Gunbarrel Discovery Centre is housed inside the old Wiluna District Hospital and...

Bruce Rock Museum and Machinery Museum

From a cabinet of curiosity to a museum.

The old bank has been given a new lease on life, with the Bruce Rock Museum located within its walls. Some of the rooms have been refurbished with items from the early to mid 1900s to tell the history...