Gwalia sprang up almost overnight after gold was discovered in 1896, attracting prospectors from around the world. Corrugated iron, hessian and timber were used to create a rough but thriving mining settlement.
At the heart of the town was the Sons of Gwalia gold mine. The operation changed from underground mining to open-cut and eventually back to underground mining. Today, mining extends more than 1,800 metres underground, making it Australia’s deepest underground gold mine.
The historic headframe and winder engine provide a fascinating insight into early mining. The cages carried miners and even draft horses underground. Some horses reportedly spent up to 15 years below ground, before eventually being replaced by small electric trains in the 1950s.
Gwalia also has a surprising connection to American history. Herbert Hoover, who later became the 31st President of the United States, worked as the mine manager and superintendent in 1898. His former residence, Hoover House, is still preserved.
The township itself flourished with hotels, shops, a school, workers’ homes and sly grog establishments. The Gwalia State Hotel, opened in 1903, was Western Australia’s first government-owned hotel, established partly to bring some control to the local sly grog trade.
Today, visitors can explore the old lock-up, assay office, mining offices, shops and tiny corrugated-iron homes. Places such as Little Pink Camp reveal just how basic — and challenging — life was for mining families in the Goldfields.
Then, in December 1963, everything changed. The mine closed suddenly and the town’s population of around 1,200 people disappeared within weeks. Many residents moved to Kalgoorlie for work, leaving Gwalia almost frozen in time.
What makes Gwalia so fascinating is the contrast between the old and the new. Historic buildings and machinery sit beside a modern, active gold mine, with FIFO aircraft still bringing workers into the region.
More than 60 years after the township closed, Gwalia remains a remarkable window into Western Australia’s gold-mining past — a place where you can walk through the buildings, see how people lived and imagine the bustling community that once stood here.
Gwalia may be a ghost town today, but its goldfields story is still very much alive.
** Tip: For the best viewing experience, click the YouTube link in the bottom left corner of the video to watch in higher clarity
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