According to City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder Mayor, Paul Robson, the establishment of the Australian Prospectors and Miners Hall of Fame in Kalgoorlie-Boulder is something of which all residents can be proud. This incredible $21 million complex will ultimately become a magnificent showpiece honouring the mining heroes of both past and present.
The Miners Hall of Fame is considered a major tourism icon for Kalgoorlie-Boulder and the Goldfields, as well as a state of the art educational facility. When fully complete, the Hall of Fame will offer numerous galleries, function centre, a library, 100 seat theatrette and interactive learning tools on hand.
While the majority of the complex is now complete and was officially opened on 30 October 2001, by Deputy Prime Minister, John Anderson, it is still ‘evolving’ with new galleries due to open during 2002 and beyond.
Mayor Robson sees the Hall of Fame as an opportunity to acknowledge the dedicated and passionate prospectors who led the way and the miners whose tenacity brought forth the minerals from the earth which have paved the way for the prosperity of our city, our state and indeed, our nation.
“Having seen it first hand, both in the early construction stage, and now – I can honestly say you will indeed be both ‘inspired’ and ‘educated’ as you take part in the interactive adventure awaiting you at the Miners Hall of Fame,” Mayor Robson said. “As more galleries are completed, this will just get better and better.”
Seventy inductees into the Hall of Fame were announced during the official opening celebrations. Their names were selected by a committee comprising historians Australia wide. Kalgoorlie-Boulder’s resilience and determination is evident in displays including the prospectors’ gallery which incorporates the actual vehicle used by one of the prospectors on his many treks.
The magnificent structure was made possible through Federal and State funding, support from local mining companies and through the committee’s establishment of professional fundraising – for which the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder contributed $200,000.
The City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder believes that this national icon will become a tourism catalyst and a significant landmark of what mining means to the gold capital of Australia. The Miners Hall of Fame is a particularly apt icon to be celebrating in the Year of the Outback.
