Kalgoorlie-Boulder.With a population of over 30,000 people, the twin Cities of Kalgoorlie-Boulder (Kalgoorlie or simply 'Kal' for short) is a dynamic and sophisticated regional centre.
The weather is temperate with average temperatures reaching 32° in summer and 18° in winter and on most days during both winter and summer the sky is clear and the bushland surrounding the City is always lush. There are many ‘hidden’ spots located within a short drive of the city suitable for picnics and camping, if you ask the locals they'll happily tell you where to find them.
Hammond Park is very popular with families, has wild-life on display, a mini Bavarian castle as well as barbecues and playgrounds. Another popular park with families is Kingsbury Park, located centrally in Wilson Street, which provides barbeque and play equipment and is home to the local skate park. Kingsbury Park is the venue of an annual Skate Competition, organised and run by the City’s Youth Council. With a high number of young families residing in Kalgoorlie most streets have a local park within walking distance. A little further out is Karlkurla Park is a natural reserve for locals to enjoy bushwalking and local flora and fauna. The park lies on the boundary of the Hannans subdivision in the north of the city. Centennial Park, on Hannan Street, is the start of the 10,000 Steps Walking Trail, and the "Kokoda" Walking Trail. It is also home to “Sunset at the Soundshell”, the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder’s popular outdoor concert series which is held during February/March each year. Kalgoorlie-Boulder also has a well-maintained cycle path that meanders through the City from Karlkurla Bushland Park in the north to Boulder in the South. Gold was first discovered in Kalgoorlie by an Irishman named Paddy Hannan in 1893, and Kalgoorlie is now the major producer of gold within the whole of Australia.
Goldrush Tours also offer tours around Kalgoorlie-Boulder, as well as many of the other surrounding gold towns. If you would like to see what mining is really about, you should definitely take an underground tour of the Hannans Tourist Mine. Hannans North Tourist Mine is a fascinating historic mining site that operates surface and underground tours revealing miners' methods and machinery. It forms part of the Australian Prospectors and Miners Hall of Fame that houses 5 interactive galleries. Views of a massive modern operation can be seen from Super Pit Lookout off the Eastern Bypass Rd. A 1 hour ride on the 'Rattler' on the Golden Mile Loopline Railway, with commentary, travels along a line that in the 1890s was reputed to be the busiest and best railway in the world.
Since the discovery of gold in 1893 Kalgoorlie-Boulder has developed into a major service hub for Western Australia's active resource industry. Dominated by magnificent historic architecture, Hannan and Burt Streets provide a focus for modern cafés, restaurants and accommodation, hotels, clubs and watering holes. On Burt Street you'll also find the Goldfields War Museum which features armoured vehicles and war memorabilia. Geological specimens of all kinds can be found in the School of Mines Mineral Museum on Cassidy Street while nearby the Goldfields Art Centre holds regular exhibitions. AND what 19th Century mining town would be complete without the very popular "Ladies of the night"? The history of Kalgoorlie's notorious red light district in Hay St is recounted at the Bordello Brothel Museum which is also well worth a visit. The Mount Charlotte Reservoir remains as a tribute to engineer C. Y. O'Connor's ingenious feat and world first. In 1903 he constructed a 563km pipeline to carry water from Perth to the goldfields and the lookout from the top of the reservoir offers excellent sunset views. The Goldfields Oasis is Kalgoorlie-Boulder’s main recreational centre which incorporates a 50-metre pool, children’s pool, multi-purpose indoor courts, outdoor courts and a gymnasium. The Oasis is located centrally in Johnson Street and also has creche facilities and a food kiosk. The Goldfields Oasis also features two unique aquatic leisure facilities, including a toddler water area and playground, and Western Australia’s only FlowRider, as well as a 10m high outdoor water slide and a River Ride. (Just in case you're wondering The FlowRider is a wave technology that offers fun and the excitement of surfing, skateboarding and snowboarding. The FlowRider generates a thin sheet of water that flows over a stationary wave form. The resulting "wave-like" shape permits riders to slide down, carve a turn, and ride up the simulated wave surface. FlowRider offers thrill of surfing, skateboarding, snowboarding in self-contained, compact, flexible safe design all ready for you to enjoy.) The Eastern Goldfields YMCA also has gymnasium facilities available to the public as well as indoor squash courts. Alternatively there is a private health club located on Lionel Street about half way between Kalgoorlie and Boulder. While we're talking about leisure and things to do The Kalgoorlie-Boulder Racing Club and the Golden Mile Trotting Club are both very successful sporting organisations in Kalgoorlie and attract quality fields and regular supporters. The Kalgoorlie-Boulder Race Round, held in September, is a nationally recognised sporting event, as famous for the social occasion as for the horse racing. The Golden Mile Trotting Club season starts in August and concludes with their major meeting on New Year’s Eve, while the Kalgoorlie-Boulder Racing Club season stretches from March to September.
Competitors must race 23 km from the ‘ghost town’ of Kanowna to Centennial Park in Kalgoorlie-Boulder, pushing a ‘barrow. There are various categories including ‘period’ and ‘contemporary’, with the ‘barrows being an indicator of each category. The race reflects the history, sporting fervour, colour, energy and characters throughout history and today. Kalgoorlie International Speedway is another highlight of recreational life in the Goldfields and the speedway attracts many local drivers as well as state, national and international competitors and events. With all this to see and do you really must visit Kalgoorlie-Boulder the next time you're in Western Australia.........enjoy, John.
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The City itself has many grassed parks for the whole family to enjoy, the best of which is probably Hammond Park located at the bottom end of Lyall Street. 
The wonderful historical buildings show the towns heritage and are well worth wandering around and a trip around the Golden Mile, possibly the most productive gold bearing area in the world, is also interesting as you rattle along on the tourist train the 'Rattler'. 
A replica statue of miner Paddy Hannan, situated outside the town hall, provides a novel photo opportunity (the original statue is inside). 
On a different note the Balzano Barrow Race is an institution in the Goldfields. 
