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.

Djamal driver

Afghan, Indian and Pakistani cameleers assisted in the exploration and expansion of pastoralism and mining in Western Australia. This turban and leather shoes belonged to Taj Mohammed, a citizen of...

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 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...

More Golden Outback collections

A prominent place to learn about the Noongar history of Dambarling (Lake Dumbleyung).

This is a great place to stop, enjoy Noongar artworks and other collection items, and find a keepsake at the shop. Anne and Grant Riley run cultural tours around the lake, where you can learn about...

A museum on the Great Australian Bight

Eucla is nestled right up against the South Australian border, near the Great Australian Bight. The Eucla location was chosen for a telegraph station which opened in 1877. However, in the 1970s, Eucla...

A family collection which turned in to a museum

This quirky museum includes several very realistic mannequins, including the friendly bartender from the old Edna May Hotel Bar! The collection was acquired as a donation from the Hood-Penn family...

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...

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
Ben Prior Park - Open Air Museum
Attraction
Ben Prior Park - Open Air Museum
If you are looking for a museum with a difference whilst in Coolgardie...
53 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 Goldfields Exhibition Museum
Attraction
Coolgardie Goldfields Exhibition Museum
The Goldfields Exhibition Museum is housed in the grand historic two...
Bayley Street, Coolgardie, WA 6429