Coolgardie, Australia

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into ruin. Tourism has given a fresh lease of life to what had become an almost dead town. Coolgardie now has a population of just under 1000.

Coolgardie lies 560km east of Perth in a semi-arid plain. In the early days of the settlement life in this hot, dry region was inconceivably hard, and many died of disease.

There is an exhibition on the history of the goldfields in the largest building in the town, an imposing stone structure in Bayley Street erected by the government in 1898, with shady arcades, balconies and stucco decoration (open daily; tourist office).

Warden Finnerty's House (Lot 2048, off Hunt Street), built in 1895 as the residence of the mine inspector, with a wide overhanging roof and a verandah running round the house, has been restored by the National Trust. The handsome railroad station (1896) is now a museum.