Route 04 · Swing a detector out east

Goldfields Prospecting Run

Perth to Kalgoorlie through the old rushes — ghost towns, open leases and country that still gives up colour. The crew's home turf for prospecting education.

4 Days on the road

595 Touring km

10 Marked stops

Easy tourer Grade

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Day by day

The itinerary

4 days · 595 km

Day 1:Wheatbelt run

Perth Merredin 260 km

Easy bitumen east through the wheatbelt. Stock up here — it gets thinner from now on.

Meckering quake memorialMerredin Peak
Day 2:Into the goldfields

Merredin Coolgardie 295 km

Past Southern Cross, where the rush began. Coolgardie’s main street is a museum that never closed.

Southern CrossKaralee RocksCoolgardie camp
Day 3:Detector day

Coolgardie · out and back 40 km

Pegged leases and common ground around the old workings. Miner’s right sorted? Swing low, dig every target, fill your holes.

Gnarlbine Rockold Londonderry workings
Day 4:The Golden Mile

Coolgardie Kalgoorlie 40 km

The Super Pit lookout at blast time if you’re lucky, then a counter meal on Hannan Street with red dirt still on your boots.

Super Pit lookoutMount Charlotte reservoirHannan Street

Plan it right

Good to know

The route

The line is a straight join between waypoints, not the driving track. Navigate with official maps and road signs on the ground.

1 Perth
2 Merredin
3 Coolgardie
4 Kalgoorlie

Best season

Apr–Oct (cool months)

Grade: Easy tourer

Sealed or well-kept roads. Any vehicle, any experience level.

Leave no trace: pack it in, pack it out, fill your holes. And tell someone your plan before you lose bars.

Before you go

Safety & preparation

This route is editorial guidance, not a substitute for current, official information. Conditions in the outback change fast. Always check the official sources below before you travel, and be ready to change or abandon the plan if the weather, roads or your gear turn against you.

Review date not recorded Treat these notes as indicative and verify everything against official sources.

Official sources to check

Main Roads WA travel map: road conditions & closures
Explore Parks WA alerts: park alerts & closures
Bureau of Meteorology warnings: weather, flood & fire
AMSA beacon registration: register a PLB/EPIRB before remote travel

These point at government landing pages and can move. Confirm you're on the current official site before you rely on any of them.

Plan & pack for it

Permits & access. Some sections cross Aboriginal land, pastoral stations or parks that need a permit or pass. Check requirements and carry them.
Seasonal closures. Apr–Oct (cool months) is the usual window; roads, gorges and campgrounds close outside it and after rain. Never drive past a road-closed sign.
Water, fuel & food. Carry more than you think you need and plan every fuel stop. Remote services are far apart and can be shut without notice.
Comms. Mobile coverage is patchy to none out here. Carry a satellite messenger, sat phone or registered PLB, and leave your route and return time with someone reliable.
Vehicle & recovery. Easy tourer grade. Sealed or well-kept roads. Any vehicle, any experience level. Carry recovery gear and know how to use it.
Water crossings. Assess depth and flow on foot only where it's safe to, watch another vehicle cross first, and turn back if you're unsure. Northern waterways can hold crocodiles. Stay well clear of the water's edge.
Emergency. Call Triple Zero (000) in an emergency; where there's no signal, try 112 from a mobile or activate your PLB / satellite messenger.

Your location & privacy. Saving this route only pins it to your Adventure Passport. It doesn't track or share your location. Earning a region stamp or checking in at a field day is optional and records only that you attended, never your live position. The map above plots the published route only; it never uses your device location.