Boulder

Last time the Bazflyers dropped into Kalgoorlie-Boulder Airport a seriously threatening weather system brewing off the South West corner of the Continent precipitated an overnight stay only that was followed early the next morning with a precautionary departure heading East. Just as well; that system moved rapidly unleashing its fury with snow dumps across the South Eastern States and a few days later it bestowed similar treatment upon New Zealand. Fortunately, the Bazflyers managed to stay ahead of that weather system all the way home to the Baz Base, Lake Taupo, New Zealand.

Esperance to Kalgoorlie-Boulder

An opportunity to do the Kalgoorlie sightseeing missed on the previous visit was eagerly anticipated. Furthermore, this time there were no ominous weather systems anywhere on the horizon.

Spectacular landscapes on the way to Kalgoorlie 

Kalgoorlie came into existence following a discovery by three prospectors back in 1893 of nearly 100 ounces of gold. It didn’t take long before the lode was occupied by thousands of miners when Kalgoorlie became the richest gold deposit in the world.

In the day there was a hotel on every corner and several more in between.

Evidence that copious sums of money flowed freely can been seen today in the grand architecture of that time. An excellent example being the Town Halls respectively build in the adjoining rival settlements of Kalgoorlie and Boulder. 

Seating in the Kalgoorlie Town Hall where opera singer Dame Melba would perform to a packed house.

Not to be outdone the municipality of Boulder commissioned Philip Goatcher, the world’s highest paid scene painter of that period, to paint a drop curtain for the stage. This curtain is thought to be the world’s only remaining example of Goatcher’s scene paintings...and it is in Boulder!