Extended Tours 2025

Golden Circle Extended Tour

Merredin, Kalgoorlie, Esperance and Albany

Monday 5th May 2025 to Tuesday 13th May 2025

 Cost: $3285 Single Supplement: $684 for 9 Days

Option 5 Day Tour Home to Kalgoorlie and return on Train on Day 5.  Cost $1790 and Single Supplement $286

Includes: M/A/Tea, Lunches, Accommodation & Entry Fees.

PLEASE REGISTER YOUR INTEREST

Day 1. Monday 5th May 2025

Home — Merredin (L/D) Mundaring Weir is where it all began for CY O’Connor when he dreamt of supplying water to the Kalgoorlie Goldfields. Pump Station #1 gives birth to all 560 km of the ’Golden Pipeline’. An indomitable human spirit was an essential ingredient in the creation of a successful community. Meckering was completely destroyed by WA’s strongest recorded earthquake in 1968. View the Meckering Earth Quake centre & information park. The Cunderdin Museum is housed in the original No 3 Pump Station and contains a collection of local artefacts and displays—military, household, industrial, and agricultural as well as an interactive earthquake house! Merredin named from the Aboriginal word which means ‘The place of Merritt’s’, a locally abundant tree. The trunks of the tree were used for making spears.

Day 2. Tuesday 6th May 2025 

Merredin – Kalgoorlie Merredin is the largest regional centre in the Eastern Wheatbelt and has a population of around 3000. Start with an early morning tour of Merredin. Discover stories of the Golden Pipeline and visit the Military Museum to discover the role Merredin played during the war years. We visit the Nungarin Heritage Machinery & Army Museum. We make our way through to Westonia, Southern Cross and on to Karalee Rock Water Flume, an amazing water hole originally one of Hunts wells and then a watering point for the workers on the Kalgoorlie pipeline and the trains. On to Coolgardie and overnight in Kalgoorlie.

Day 3. Kalgoorlie Wednesday 7th of May 2025

Experience the exciting days of the early gold rush, when men risked their lives to make their fortune in Kalgoorlie. Visit the Super Pit and Mt Charlotte reservoir where the Golden Pipeline delivers its lifesaving water. Also Hannon North Mine and Kalgoorlie Museum . View beautiful Hammond Park with its bird aviaries and wildlife. Then to Hay Street we visit Questa Casa Bordello and discover the history of “the ladies of the night”.

Day 4. Outback Tour Thursday 8th May 2025

Menzies, like many towns in Western Australia, was born and boomed during the gold rush days of the 1890’s. When the limited available resources were reached the people drifted away and the area declined. Despite these changing fortunes, Menzies continued to survive with many old buildings re-stored. Explore Niagara Dam, built in 1897 to provide water for the locomotives that would steam along between Kalgoorlie and Menzies. The London-based firm, Bewick Moreing & Company, sent 23 year-old mining engineer Herbert Hoover to inspect the Sons of Gwalia mine. Hoover recognised its potential and on 17 November 1897 Bewick Moreing purchased the mine. Two months later, the Sons of Gwalia  Company was launched on the London Stock Exchange with Bewick Moreing securing the controlling financial interest and Herbert Hoover appointed the first manager.

Day 5. Kalgoorlie to Esperance Friday 9th May 2025

(Optional 5-day tour departing by the Prospector train to Perth today. Returning home via the Royal Gala Bus)

Depart through Boulder to Hannan’s Lake, named after the famous Paddy Hannan who found the gold in Kalgoorlie in 1889, pass through the mining town of Kambalda to Lake Lefroy, a stunning salt lake standing out from its surrounds due to its pure white illuminating colour and extreme lack of vegetation. It is a large salt pan that rarely contains water. Venture to the Red Hill Lookout for magnificent views of the dry lake and marvel in its vastness. The sun reflects off the salt often causing a mirage. Stopping for morning tea at Widgiemooltha we make our way to have lunch in Norseman. visit the Museum and Horse then we travel on through the small towns of Salmon gums and Grass Patch to Esperance.

Day 6. Esperance Saturday 10th May 2025

We make our way to Cape Le Grande National Park to spectacular coastal scenery and Frenchman’s Peak, Rossiter Bay, Lucky Bay is home to a colony of friendly kangaroos we depart for Stonehenge it is a full-sized replica and was built from 137 locally quarried stones of up to 50 tonnes and is aligned to the summer and winter solstices. BYO lunch in Esperance and then off to the Museum It offers a glimpse into the history of Esperance; Rotary lookout gives you great views of Esperance town-site and district, and take a drive to see the lovely beaches and view Pink Lake. Over-night at Esperance.

Day 7. Esperance to Albany Sunday 11th May 2025

Depart, leaving the pristine beaches of the Recherche Archipelago that is Esperance. Next onto the mineral rich Ravensthorpe, home to a 340 million-dollar nickel mine. After breakfast we depart for Ravensthorpe where we will have morning tea. View the artwork on the wheat silo and a brief stop Kukenarup Memorial, on to Jerramungup. Travel via Boxwood Hill, Wellstead, for afternoon tea at Many Peaks before heading to our overnight stop in Albany.

Day 8. Albany Monday 12th May 2025

Take in the breathtaking views from Mount Clarence and visit The Chainsaw Sculpture. The National Anzac Centre, Australia’s foremost museum honouring the Anzac legend. Step inside the oldest gaol and relive the journey to Australia on board the Brig Amity before heading to Whalers Gallery Café for lunch and a tour of the Whale Station at Whale World. “Thar She Blows” was the cry of the whalers as they set off aboard the Cheynes 1V. Step back in time with a guided tour through the station which ceased operations in November, 1978. After our visit to Whale World make sure you have your cameras ready as we head off to enjoy the lovely views of the Natural Bridge and the Gap before viewing to the Albany Wind Farm. O/N at Dog Rock Motel

Day 9 Tuesday 13th May 2025 Albany—Home

Our last day and we head for home but not before we all enjoy a tour of Albany before we go to Emu Point to hop on board the Kalgan Queen for a tour of Oyster Harbour on the way to the Kalgan River and perhaps meet Percy the dancing Pelican Lunch then we are off to Denmark Good Food Factory (toffee factory). We will have our last afternoon tea together at Walpole then heading towards Manjimup for the trip back to your drop off point. Hope you have had a lovely trip and have created some amazing memories.

Royal Gala Tours pickups from a wide range of points as listed be-low.

Pickup Points.

Manjimup – New Visitor Centre
Bridgetown – Transwa Bus Stop
Greenbushes – Discovery Centre
Balingup – Village Green Forest Street
Mullalyup – Royal Gala Tour Office
Kirup – Transwa Bus Stop
Donnybrook – Transwa Bus Stop
Boyanup – Bus Stop (Hall)
Bunbury – Bunbury Wollaston Train Station
Eaton – Bus Stop Eaton Shopping Ctr
Australind — BP Service Station