Perth to Kalgoorlie – it’s a road trip with the same feel as San Fran to Las Vegas, and the iconic Route 66, in that it opens you up the heartland of this vast “Down Under” country.

In fact, the Perth to Kalgoorlie road trip is good for both the heart and the soul, because it gets you away from the rush of everyday life, cuts you off from digital signals for tracts of the journey – and it’s an adventure.

Kalgoorlie itself is important in Australian history, as it formed part of the fabled gold rush and remains important to Western Australia’s mining sector today. It’s home to the Super Pit, an open pit mining operation that covers 26,000 hectares. At 1.5km wide, it’s visible from space, or from a plane tour.

(On a side note, did you know that Kalgoorlie is the third largest city in the world? Well, technically in terms of area. It covers over 95 thousand square kilometres of space. Now, that's a big lawn to mow.)

So are you ready to take on the Great Eastern Highway from WA's capital to Kalgoorlie. The wide, expansive landscape of the Wild West is spellbinding. Unveil the true Australian Outback on our itinerary from Perth to Kalgoorlie. 

PERTH 

Don't leave just yet! It's a whole city with a world of opportunities – including the Bell Tower, The Aquarium, Fremantle Markets, The Perth Mint and the new stadium (walking on the very cool Matagarup suspension bridge crossing the Swan River). If you love the cosmopolitan lifestyle, shop ‘til you drop at Mount Lawley or tend to your coffee addiction at one of the many cafes in the city. After a cuppa of the finest blend, start your morning with a walk around Kings Park; treat yourself to stunning views as far as the eye can see. Get your lunch eats on at Toastface Grillah - the best name for a lunch spot with the tastiest grilled sangas. 

PERTH TO HYDEN

Put Perth behind you after lunch and set off for the drive, venturing out into wheatbelt country on your Prth to Kalgoorlie roadtrip of a lifetime. The landscape will get more parched as you driveAbout four hours from the city, Hyden is famous for the Wave Rock formation and Hippos Yawn. The natural phenomenon of Wave Rock is a psychedelic-looking giant wave, but made out of rock. Lonely Planet has good information about both on this page.  It's also an important cultural spot for the local Aboriginal community. Have dinner in the town at the Wave Rock Hotel or the Terra Vista olive farm, and call it a night. 

HYDEN TO KALGOORLIE  

Journey through tiny ghost towns. While driving through Narembeen (which has a Grain Discovery Centre, wildlife sanctuary and a ski lake), take a bit of a sidestep to visit Rabbit Proof Fence. Stop in Meckering for the "Big Camera":  a museum of photography where the front door is a lens! Further on from Meckering, you'll reach the former gold mining town of Coolgardie. Once a prosperous and lively corner for gold prospectors, now only 800 people live there - a ghost town (spooky!). Tour through the Goldfields Exhibition Museum for indigenous, gold prospecting, and other pioneer history.  

As a piece of trivia, the Coolgardie Safe was invented in Coolgardie (funny that!). Before fridges came into existence, cool water trickled down hessian sacks on each side of the “safe”, to keep food and drink cold in the blistering heat.

KALGOORLIE 

So maybe you could only tick off a few things on the drive to Hyden, but were just excited to get to the real destination through the red dirt. The main attraction, the Super Pit is one of the largest open-pit gold mines in the country. From there, Hammond Park offers a beautiful setting for a family outing. Meet the local wildlife - emus and peacocks live in the animal sanctuary, and a number of birds live around the pond. Conveniently, the park has a few BBQ spots. End your evening with a family dinner at the gazebo. 

The architecture of Kalgoorlie, especially Hay Street, is a throwback to gold rush architecture. According to Tourism Kalgoorlie, one of the most famous buildings in town is – wait for it -  one of the world's oldest working brothels. Questa Casa, which means Pink House, has been in operation for over 120 years. There’s a guided tour which takes place in the afternoon and naturally you have to be over 18 to take part in it. The focus is on the history of the establishment.

The best part of this drive is timing. From August to December, the Golden Outback is dazzling with wildflowers. Pink, yellow, and white paint the fields and make for an extraordinary display.  

And on the road into Kalgoorlie you will see an amazing variety of eucalyptus trees.

Staying around? Visit Lake Ballard. An amazing sight with Australia's largest outdoor gallery. Award-winning artist Antony Gormley has set his sculptures around the lake and is considered one of the best artistic installations in the country. 

Happy travels, ramblers!