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Introduction to Leonora History In 1869 explorer John Forrest and party, in search of the lost Leichardt Expedition, made camp near a hill and named it Mount Leonora. Twenty five years on, prospectors moved through the area and by 1896 mining claims were pegged and gold discovered, leading to the establishment of the twin towns of Leonora and Gwalia, along with the smaller town of Malcolm. A railway link from Kalgoorlie opened in June 1902 and still operates today. Leonora became the largest centre on the North Eastern Goldfields and by 1908 boasted 7 hotels, general stores, chemists, tailors and bakeries. Mining has continued uptil the present day with gold, and now nickel, being produced in large quantities. Leonora The township of Leonora lies 230km north of Kalgoorlie and supports a population of 1500 people. The town consists of some 350 houses, 100 industrial sites, 3 mining type accommodation camps, a shady caravan park, two hotels with a-la-carte dining and one motel. Shopping facilities include a supermarket, butchers, newsagent/liquor/hardware and general store, post office, two roadhouses/service stations (including restaurants), nursery/garden centre, furniture/nicknacks store, cafe, accountant and TAB. A well equipped purpose built modern recreation centre is situated in the CBD and caters for health and fitness requirements, all sporting pursuits and includes two airconditioned squash courts, a gymnasium and an indoor basketball court which doubles for such sports as indoor cricket, volleyball and badminton. The centre also has outdoor tennis and netball courts and a grassed oval and changeroom facility. An 18-hole golf course and clubhouse provides a challenge to all golfers and a go-cart club caters for the motor sport fraternity at its track situated 1km north of Leonora. A vibrant clay target shooting club boasts some of the finest shooting facilities in Australia and includes an annual 'Golden Nugget' shoot. The 'Sport of Kings' (horse racing) attracts large crowds to the dirt track situated 4kms from the town. The club conducts three race meetings each year culminating in the Leonora Cup meeting conducted in September of each year. This event includes some pacing events. The town has a resident doctor, modern hospital and is serviced by a volunteer St Johns Ambulance service. Modern schooling is available in Leonora from pre-school right through to Junior High School. Leinster The township of Leinster lies 368km north of Kalgoorlie and is often described as an oasis in the desert. Residents refer to it as either the 'home of the wedge tail eagle' or 'the jewel of the northern goldfields'. Leinster supports a vibrant lifestyle and a population of 1400 people. Leinster was first established in 1976 as a company town supporting the nickel mine of the Agnew Gold Mining Company. It takes the name from nearby Leinster Downs Station. Prior to mining activities, the land was pastoral. Large stations in the area include Leinster Downs, Pinnacles, Yakabindie, Yeelirrie and Weebo to name a few. Today sheep is the primary stock. Large scale mining in the area began in 1897 when the East Murchison United Company (EMU) began working on alluvial gold deposit in the vicinity of what is now the Emu gold operations. WMC Resources Ltd purchased the operation in 1989, renamed it 'Leinster Nickel Operations' and began recommissioning the operation. The town consists of 283 houses, a caravan park, some 800 single persons quarters and motel services supporting a population of 700 residents and 700 'fly-in-fly-out' personnel. All accommodation has been designed to ensure that comfort is maintained. Air conditioning is a standard feature. Shopping facilities at Leinster include a comprehensive supermarket, beautician, post office, service station, newsagency, coffee shop, hairdressing salon and nursery. The active sporting population is well catered for with an olympic-size swimming pool, health and fitness centre, two air conditioned squash courts, basketball, netball and tennis courts, a grassed oval and a magnificent air conditioned indoor sporting stadium. An 18-hole golf course and race course complete the picture. The Leinster Primary School caters for approximately 130 children up to year 8 with older children having the Distance Education Centre Programme available. For the younger children, there is a pre-primary centre, day-care centre and playgroup. A tavern and 'wet mess' are located in Leinster with the tavern offering 'A-la-carte' and speciality menus on a weekly basis. Live entertainment is regularly brought to Leinster by sporting and community groups. In addition to a resident doctor, the town has a Silver Chain Nursing Post which is staffed by two nurses and is open five days a week. Should emergencies arise, they can be dealt with immediately by the St John's Ambulance sub-centre, operated by volunteers on call 24 hours a day. When Leinster was built, special consideration was given to the natural environment. Built on a sand dune, local and native plants flourish with big stands of shady gum trees giving the town an oasis impression. Leonora Today Leonora continues as the service centre for the mining, exploration and well established pastoral industry. Gwalia is a must see for the visitor as it has been restored to its original condition (as it was in the early 1900's) and boasts one of Australia's finest museums. Malcolm serves today only as a railhead and has a population of zero. Weather Leonora experiences day time temperatures of around 15° celsius in winter to 38° in summer. Rainfall is scarce with the average being around 800mm per year. Travellers are advised to carry ample water when venturing off the main highways. Wildlife The surrounding country side is the home to an abundance of wildlife with kangaroos and emus being the most prolific. Wedge tailed eagles are also in large numbers throughout the area. All can be seen in the wild any time of the year. An abundance of wildflowers can be witnessed in the months July to September. How to Get There Leonora is serviced by a bitumen road from Perth via Kalgoorlie. A bus service operates from Perth on this route. Travel via Great Eastern Highway to Kalgoorlie and then on the Goldfields Highway to Leonora. A public airline also services the Leonora and Leinster townsites. Copyright © Shire of Leonora          Site by GoldenCity Website Design