The hotel at Big Bell supposedly had the longest bar in Australia during its heyday
Julia detours her road trip to experience some of Western Australia’s spookiest stopovers.
There’s more to Western Australia’s remote regions than visiting exotic hotspots featured in glossy mags or spamming social feeds with wanderlust. I’m talking about the state’s spooky side, the places that went from prosperous to ditched in a matter of decades — if that.
Let’s rewind a bit to better understand how WA’s good times became a pain point. In the early 20th century, the state experienced an influx of people from around the world seeking their fortunes in Kalgoorlie and the Northern Goldfields, despite enduring harsh conditions in the outback. Nearby towns such as Gwalia, Ora Banda and Leonora were established as gold fever spread across the state. And it wasn’t just gold that many had their sights on; pearls found in the north were deemed a hot commodity worldwide.
But as the rush eventually subsided, population numbers in the outback dwindled. And although the so-called Golden State’s gold rush and the demands for pearls may have died down years ago, traces of their former heyday endure. Several 20th century towns are still standing — some just, some now turned to rust — across WA’s unforgiving outback.
Once boom gold mining towns are now ghosts of WA’s golden age. Wandering through these once-affluent areas feels like being in a living museum, many of which are now desolate, while others are populated with decrepit original buildings, frayed furniture, eroded cars, and timeworn gear.
No ticket is required to experience these ghost rides. Ready for an eerie adventure?
A couple reading a sign at Granite Creek, near Leonora (Image Tourism, WA)
Leonora
Once you have experienced the allure of WA’s endearing gold rush town, Kalgoorlie, head 235km north along Goldfields Highway to Leonora.
The town dates to 1869 when explorer John Forrest camped near a hill, naming it Mount Leonora after the wife of the Governor of Western Australia, Lady Eleonora. Two decades later, prospectors arrived and explored the area for gold. They were successful in their discovery of riches and, by the turn of the 20th century, Leonora was established alongside the nearby town, Gwalia.
The Leonora Goldfields (Image Tourism WA)
The main street of Leonora (Image Tourism, WA)
Leonora soon became the commercial hub of the Northern Goldfields region, a status it retains to this day. By 1908, Leonora had seven hotels, general stores, a pharmacy, bakeries and a railway link to Kalgoorlie.
While Leonora still operates for gold and nickel mining, it is a shell of its former glory days. To appreciate what it was like in its prime, follow the town’s Heritage Trail, which features 30 historic buildings dating back to 1896. There are also two self-drive trails, the Darlot Loop (345km) and the Agnew Loop (300km), which feature 15 interpretive sites that expand on the region’s rich history, located roughly every 15–30km. Allow yourself a day to complete each trail.
Nearby caravan park:
Leonora Village & Caravan Park
P: 0488 068 483
E: enquiries@leovillage.com.au
Gwalia
One of Western Australia’s eeriest ghost towns is Gwalia, located 2.5km south of Leonora.
Gwalia’s untimely demise was due to the sudden closure of the nearby Sons of Gwalia mine in 1963. These days the remote outback town stands abandoned, as if frozen in time, forever stuck in a bygone era. It is a great example of Instagrammable ‘wanderrust’ with small cottages, corroding cars, timeworn furniture and abandoned household items peppered throughout the old township’s ochre sands, making it a curious place to roam on foot. A rusted windmill towers over Gwalia and, unnervingly, is the only thing that moves.
The rusted windmill is the only thing in town that moves
The Gwalia Museum (Image Australia’s Golden Outback)
Thankfully, many of Gwalia’s 31 buildings have been preserved. Its heritage is best interpreted at Gwalia Museum. Extraordinarily, this small town also has a significant connection to the United States. The beautifully well-maintained Hoover House was named after Gwalia’s first mine manager, Herbert Hoover, who later became the 31st President of the United States. Even though Hoover never lived in his namesake house, the hilltop residence now operates as a bed and breakfast. The inn’s unique selling point? The accommodation overlooks an open-pit gold mine and the ghosts of Gwalia. Perhaps the only view of its kind in Australia — if not the world.
Nearby caravan-friendly accommodation:
P: 08 9037 7122
E: gwalia@leonora.wa.gov.au
This free RV site is right outside the Gwalia Museum gates. Vehicles must be registered before 4pm. All visitors must have an approved, sealed grey water container.
Cue
Kalgoorlie’s northern gold rush rival was Cue. Founded in 1893, Cue became the heart of the Murchison Goldfields region, with the town bestowed the nickname ‘Queen of the Murchison’ and deservingly so.
The town’s main strip, Austin Street, is aligned with heritage buildings exuding outback opulence, particularly its two-storey Old Gentleman’s Club and government buildings, both made from stone. Decades-old signs and advertisements are still in place, even though some offerings are no longer valid. A Victorian-style rotunda sits in the median strip of the main drag.
The Cue Police Station occupies one of the town’s heritage buildings
The Mason Lodge at Cue is said to be haunted
While Cue appears frozen in time, technically, the town isn’t dead. The town’s population is a living ghost town, with a population of around 200, a far cry from its peak of 10,000.
To view Cue’s most unnerving site, head to the 1899-built Masonic Lodge. Located on Dowley Street, the building is made of wood and iron and is said to be haunted. It is also believed to be the southern hemisphere’s largest standalone, two-storey corrugated iron structure.
Nearby caravan park:
P: 08 9963 1107
E: touristpark@cue.wa.gov.au
Big Bell
Ringing out after less than two decades in existence is Big Bell.
Located in the Gascoyne-Murchison region, 31km northwest of Cue, the town was founded in 1936 to support the Big Bell Mine, operated by Premier Gold Mining Company.
The new town had a promising start, boasting a theatre, two schools, three churches, a police station, a recreational park and various shops. At its peak, it had 850 residents. By 1955, the Big Bell Mine called time on its operations, and the town was swiftly dismantled, deserted and left to decay.
The ruins of the Big Bell Hotel
Not much stands of the forever young town. Its biggest window to its short life is the two-storey Big Bell Hotel at the town’s entrance. In its heyday, the Art Deco hotel allegedly had Australia’s longest bar top. Today, Big Bell’s half-demolished red-brick landmark is a shell of its former self, with the bar top, glass windows, furniture and decor all removed. Graffiti covers its walls, and bricks are strewn across the floor.
The old town’s site is littered with remnants on its red sands. Twisted metals move with the wind, rolling past concrete slabs where houses once stood, plaques commemorating their former existence. Big Bell’s other landmark — a church — barely stands. It is roofless, its windows without glass. A crucifix hangs over the altar area, an unsettling place of worship.
The old church in Big Bell
The crucifix still hangs inside the church
Despite the town being almost bare, there is still a chance to experience what it was like to live in Big Bell. The town’s former nurse quarters had been moved to Cue and repurposed as budget accommodation in Cue Tourist Park.
Nearby caravan park:
Apart from Cue Tourist Park, an alternative in the area is staying at Melangata Station Stay, open from mid-April to November.
P: 08 9963 7777
E: joclews889@gmail.com
Cossack
Discover coastal ghosts heading north to Cossack, 51km west of Karratha.
The Pilbara town was established in 1863 and was a major centre for Australia’s pearling industry. The construction of the nearby Point Samson Jetty in 1902–1903 signalled the end of the once-flourishing town, which dissolved in 1910 and, 40 years later, was finally abandoned.
To view what remains of the heritage-protected town, follow the Cossack Heritage Trail to see the ghosts that loom large in the Pilbara and their impact on local Indigenous communities. Explore its gorgeous bluestone buildings, which sit empty, including the Cossack courthouse and police station. It’s also worthwhile to check out the nearby Tien Tsin Lookout, which overlooks the village and Butcher Inlet.
Cossack from the air (Image Australia’s North West)
The old bluestone Cossack Court House (Image Australia’s North West)
Please note, facilities in this ghost town — including the campsite, museum, gift shop and award-winning gallery — were closed in early 2024, and while you can visit the heritage buildings, they will all be locked.
Nearby caravan park:
Discovery Parks – Pilbara Karratha
P: 08 9185 1855
E: karratha@discoveryparks.com.au
Ora Banda
Let’s circle back to the goldfields with a town edging towards ghost town status: Ora Banda, 67km northwest of Kalgoorlie.
Life is on hold for the town’s Ora Banda Historical Inn. The pub was once the epitome of an outback pub, its rusted tin roof brazen with a Hollywood-sign-like ‘Ora Banda’ that could be seen from far away. While the pub is currently closed as it rebuilds its stone walls devastated by a fire in 2019, you can still glimpse the mining town’s former glory days, walking around its wooden buildings and homesteads, forsaken after mining operations ceased over 50 years ago.
The ghost town of Ora Banda (Image Tourism WA)
Nearby caravan park:
BIG4 Acclaim Prospector Holiday Park
P: 08 9021 2524
E: prospector@acclaimparks.com.au
Plan your own WA ghost town adventure
If you’re looking for a rewarding way to explore WA’s ghost towns, the Golden Quest Discovery Trail offers a scenic route through remote settlements and historic sites. It’s a great starting point for history buffs who want to explore some of WA's most fascinating and eerie towns.
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