The Art of Exploration

Public Lecture | Updated 1 decade ago

A large crowd gathered in the streets of Kalgoorlie
Crowd in Hannan Street. Date unknown – occasion believed to be the 1901 Federation or the 1913 federal election
Image copyright of WA Museum

Presented by David Nixon, Senior Exploration Geologist at KCGM

Since the discovery of the Golden Mile in 1893, explorers have been charting the Kalgoorlie-Boulder landscape in the ongoing quest for gold. David Nixon, Senior Exploration Geologist at KCGM, has prospected the archives, museums and libraries of the district re-discovering the lost maps from ‘The Mile’.

David describes exploration as more of an art than a science as it relies on the gut feel, imagination and intuition of the prospector to interpret the landscape and geology. The maps made by early explorers not only describe the distribution of gold but are an art form in their own right. In a night of exploration and rediscovery, David will present a selection of maps from the early days of exploration through to modern mining, along with a suite of mineral specimens from the Golden Mile.

Cost: Entry to this lecture is by donation
Bookings: Recommended on phone: 9021 8533; email: eomog@museum.wa.gov.au