Drive yourself wild with the Golden Quest Discovery Trail. A true Australian outback adventure. Purchase the Golden Quest Discovery Trail Guidebook to plan your itinerary, and along the way, discover ghost towns, explore rugged landscapes, meet local characters and visit the famous Antony Gormley sculptures.
Day 1: Coolgardie – Kookynie
(350 kilometres/4 hours)
Your adventure begins in Coolgardie, the start of the Golden Quest Discovery Trail. Visit the town’s gold rush museums before heading north east along the trail, passing through Ora Banda and Goongarrie to Menzies. Stop for lunch at the Menzies hotel, then drive to Lake Ballard and the remarkable Antony Gormley sculptures. Continue north, stopping at Niagara Dam before arriving in Kookynie, where you can try your hand at fossicking for gold.
Accommodation options: Outback Pub or caravan park.
Day 2: Kookynie – Leonora
(67 kilometres/1 hour)
Before departing Kookynie, spend some time checking out the artworks on display at Old Miners’ Cottage Craft. For a real adventure, take the unsealed road to Leonora and the gold rush ghost town of Gwalia. Visit Gwalia Museum and the site of historic Hoover House, once home to the former American President, Herbert Hoover, who managed the local mine.
Accommodation options: Stay overnight at Hoover House, or Leonora where there are hotels, motels and caravan parks.
Day 3: Leonora – Kalgoorlie-Boulder
(235 kilometres/2.5 hours)
Take the western trail through stunning outback landscapes and seasonal wildflowers to the mining hub of Kalgoorlie-Boulder. After a day on the road enjoy a cold drink on the wide verandah of one of the many hotels in Kalgoorlie-Boulder.
Accommodation options: Hotels, resorts, motels, backpacker lodges and caravan parks.
To ensure you enjoy a safe and well-planned journey, take a look at Travel times and distances, Road safety and Important travel tips. If you have your camping gear or caravan in tow, check out the range of caravan parks and camping sites available in Australia’s Golden Outback.
Driving times and distances intended as a guide only and may vary depending on exact route taken. Accommodation options are indicative as to what is available in the area.
Above map not to scale and intended as a guide only. It is highly recommended before heading out on your journey, you purchase a detailed Western Australian road and track map available from the RAC, petrol stations or where good maps of Western Australia are sold.
Looking for other road trips once you have done the Golden Quest Discovery Trail? Find out more information about other road trips around Australia’s Golden Outback.