Leonora, three hours drive north of Kalgoorlie, is a very clean and well kept, busy little outback town.
It was discovered and named by John Forrest in 1869. The main thoroughfare of Tower Street is well laid out and attractive. The town has kerosene lamp lights; the footpaths are gravelled and kerbed. There are iron roofed, wooden buildings typical to mining settlements and the hotels and business establishments are impressive brick buildings.
Leonora, with its wide main street and many old buildings (some retaining their original uses, like the two hotels, others remaining vacant or put to alternate use) exhibits some of its past character while providing modern facilities and services. Many of the older buildings are constructed of corrugated iron and hessian, as this was a versatile material and lightweight to transport. Similarly, many of the newer buildings are transportable.
Many of the older buildings are worth a glance; the old police station, the Courthouse, the old fire station and the Post Office – all built in 1903. A good overall view of Leonora can be obtained from the top of Smoodgers Hill.
A double decker steam train runs between the busy towns of Leonora and Gwalia. Established in 1897, the Sons of Gwalia mine closed in 1963. Many pieces of this historic period remain in the Gwalia Historical Museum and complement the little precinct of 20 original old miners' camps, lovingly restored by the local community.
Leonora is a fully serviced town with a motel, caravan park, two hotels, and two roadhouses. Bus and air transport regularly service the area. Many tourists use Leonora as a stop off enroute to Alice Springs or the northern parts of Western Australia.
