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On the edge of the Great Sandy Desert, four hours drive from Kununurra, lies the historical town of Halls Creek. The site of Western Australias first payable gold discovery, Halls Creek now hosts the closest airport to Purnululu Bungle Bungle National Park. Halls Creek is a busy service town for surrounding pastoralists, Aboriginal communities and the travellers exploring the Kimberley.
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On Christmas Day in 1885, Charlie Hall the town was named for him found a 28-ounce gold nugget.
News of the discovery drew hoards of men to Halls Creek to try their luck searching for gold. Many perished in the harsh outback conditions, the graves of some can be found in the towns tiny cemetery. The gold rush lasted for a mere three months and soon the gold diggers left for the more lucrative southern goldfields of Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie.
Halls Creek eventually became a centre of trade for the cattle stations, local Aboriginal communities and miners exploring the area. In 1948, an airfield was built and the town of Halls Creek gradually moved closer to this, 15km to the west. The major road, the Great Northern Highway was re-routed which also forced the movement of the town as its livelihood depended greatly on the passing travellers and massive road trains that service the outback.
The Old Halls Creek was eventually abandoned into a ghost town by 1954. Its worth a visit to see the remains of the historic mud brick Post Office, mineshafts and pioneer cemetery. Both towns are full of gold rush stories and relics. One of the more famous stories is of Russian Jack, a man who carried his injured mate in a wheelbarrow for over 300 kms to get medical attention. A statue is dedicated to his amazing feat outside the Shire Office.
About 10km from Halls Creek, is a lovely swimming hole, Caroline Pool, which makes for a great picnic and bathing. Further along is Palm Springs, a great place for relaxing whilst exploring, fishing or swimming. In between the old and new towns is the China Wall.
A natural rocky quartz vein that has intruded into fissures of the soft sandstone. This chunky, natural wall meanders over the scrubby hillside reminiscent of the Great Wall of China.
South of Halls Creek is the Wolf Creek Crater National Park. Wolf Creek is the site of a 850m-wide and 50m-deep meteorite crater that struck the Kimberley long before Australia took its present shape. The crater is the second biggest meteorite crater in the world.
Central Halls Creek Kimberley WA - Western Australia
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Western Australia - Map of Halls Creek Australia
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