Sustainable Economic Growth for Regional AustraliaConference location 2009
Kalgoorlie-Boulder
The City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder is the hub of the Western Australian Goldfields region. Located approximately 600 km east-northeast of Perth, Kalgoorlie-Boulder has a population of over 30000 people. The city is a dynamic and sophisticated regional centre, rich in culture and history, with a cosmopolitan lifestyle and modern facilities and services The city has remained resilient through many "boom and bust" periods, synonymous with the mining industry, demonstrating that this historic gold rush town has grown to be a sustainable regional city of the future.
Mining is the main industry as well as the largest industry for employment on the gold fields. It is estimated that the Western Australian mining industry is worth more than $30 billion to the State and the Eastern Goldfields is a major contributor to this wealth. The Gross Regional Product of the region in 2004/05 was put at $5.38 billion. Major players include Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines and Placer Dome Asia Pacific. Manufacturing, driven by the mineral processing generates income estimates at $968.7 m, followed by commercial centres with a retail turnover in 2004/05 estimated at $518.9 m. There is a well established agricultural sector in the south of the region. The value of agricultural production in 2003/04 was $466.5 million, consisting principally of cereals, wool and livestock disposals.
Kalgoorlie-Boulder has a history as a wild, west pioneering, gold-mining town, which continues to resonate today in the heritage buildings, the wide streets, the prevalent of the gold and nickel mining industries and a community made up of people from many cultures all over the world. The city features some of the finest examples of heritage mining town architecture in the world including the Kalgoorlie and Boulder Town Halls. The City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder also has an active arts culture that has continually grown during its 110 year mining history.
There are first class amenities and facilities located within the city including extensive retail opportunities, quality education facilities, a progressive cultural lifestyle and an abundance of parks and leisure facilities. Kalgoorlie-Boulder is well serviced with 31 flights coming into and departing the city weekly as well as the legendary Indian Pacific from Sydney to Kalgoorlie. Direct flights to Kalgoorlie depart from Perth daily.
For more ideas on how to maximise your Kalgoorlie-Boulder experience please visit Kalgoorlie Tourism.
Goldfields-Esperance Region
The Goldfields-Esperance region is characterised by a number of paradoxes. It is huge. A land area of 771,276 km2 makes the region over three times the size of the State of Victoria, and just under a third of Western Australia’s total land mass. It is the largest region in Western Australia and yet has a population base of just 58,074. The region’s Gross Regional Product (GRP) for 2007-08 was a significant $6.7 billion or 4.6% of the State’s total. In 2007-08, it was estimated that the mining sector was responsible for 63.1% of the region’s GRP (data released by the Department of Local Government and Regional Development, 2009).
The Goldfields-Esperance region is located in the South Eastern corner of Western Australia and incorporates nine local government areas – the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder and the Shires of Coolgardie, Dundas, Esperance, Laverton, Leonora, Menzies, Ngaanyatjarraku and Ravensthorpe. It is bounded geographically by the Sandy and Gibson deserts to the North; the Wheatbelt region to the West; the Great Australian Bight to the South; and the South Australian and Northern Territory borders to the East.
The Region is showing strong resilience in light of the economic down turn with gold and the agricultural sector helping maintain economic growth while other industries re-adjust to new market conditions.
Courtesy of Goldfields Esperance Development Commission