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Voykit pocket guide · Australia
Leonora
Give Leonora one night, two if you want Gwalia at opening: it is a 235 km drive north of Kalgoorlie, so it works as a stop, not a base.
Leonora is the largest town in the Northern Goldfields and a service stop on the Goldfields Highway, 235 km north of Kalgoorlie. Its reason to exist for travellers is Gwalia, the abandoned gold-rush town 3 km out of town, plus the sealed road north towards Menzies and the Laverton track. Sights are few, fuel and food are limited, and mobile coverage stops at the town edge. Most trips use it for a single night between Kalgoorlie and the northern Goldfields.
- Country
- Australia
- Best months
- Apr–Sep
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (40 °C (104 °F)+ days), school holidays if you need a roomDec–Feb (104 °F (40 °C)+ days), school holidays if you need a room
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- AUD
- Money
- Currency is the Australian dollar (AUD, A$). Contactless cards and phones are accepted almost everywhere, including public transport in the big cities; some small cafes are card-only.
- Daily spend
- Budget A$90–150 excl. bed · Mid A$150–250 excl. bed · High A$250+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telstra has the widest outback coverage; Optus and Vodafone (TPG) are cheaper and fine in cities and along highways.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 000 · From a mobile 112 · Leonora Visitor Centre +61 8 9037 7016
- Plugs
- Types I · 230 V · 50 Hz · Angled two- or three-pin Type I, shared with NZ, Fiji and China; sockets have their own switch — turn it on.
- Tipping
- Cafés and casual meals: Nothing; a tip jar is optional.; Restaurants: Not expected; 10% for very good service in a nice restaurant if you wish.; Taxi / rideshare: Round up or nothing.; Tours and guides: Optional; A$10–20 for a great day guide.; Surcharges: Weekend and public-holiday surcharges of 10–15% are legal if shown on the menu.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in cities and towns; in remote places use signed drinking taps. Carry plenty on any outback drive or walk.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets in parks, beaches, shopping centres and petrol stations (servos); the National Public Toilet Map app lists them.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | A$4–6 |
| Counter meal (steak or chicken) | A$20–30 |
| Takeaway burger or sandwich | A$4–10 |
| Supermarket basics, one person for a day | A$15–25 |
| Fuel, per litre | A$1.80–2.20 (check) |
| Caravan park site, per night | A$25–55 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- LNO · Leonora Airport
- Skippers runs direct Perth flights on some weekdays and via Laverton on others; about 2 h direct. Confirm the 2026 schedule and fare with the operator.
- PER · Perth Airport
- Skippers departs from its own terminal in the general aviation area, not the main domestic terminal.
- KGI · Kalgoorlie–Boulder Airport
- Fly here, then drive 235 km (146 mi) north on the Goldfields Highway.Fly here, then drive 146 mi (235 km) north on the Goldfields Highway.
Typical fares
- Skippers Perth → Leonora
- about A$395 one way, about 2 h direct (check)
- Drive Kalgoorlie → Leonora
- 235 km (146 mi), about 2.5–3 h146 mi (235 km), about 2.5–3 h
- Gwalia museum entry
- about A$10 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
You need a car. Gwalia is 3 km (1.9 mi) from the town centre and there is no public transport. The Goldfields Highway is sealed to Kalgoorlie; roads beyond Leonora towards Laverton and the northern leases are partly unsealed and can close after rain. Fuel up in Kalgoorlie or Leonora before heading further north.You need a car. Gwalia is 1.9 mi (3 km) from the town centre and there is no public transport. The Goldfields Highway is sealed to Kalgoorlie; roads beyond Leonora towards Laverton and the northern leases are partly unsealed and can close after rain. Fuel up in Kalgoorlie or Leonora before heading further north.
See and do
Known for
- Gwalia ghost town
- Gwalia Museum
- Northern Goldfields gold-rush history
- Goldfields Highway stop
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Gwalia ghost town and museum | Drive 3 km (1.9 mi) south of town on the Gwalia road, then walk the siteDrive 1.9 mi (3 km) south of town on the Gwalia road, then walk the site | About 15 min each way |
| Menzies | Goldfields Highway south-east, about 130 km (81 mi)Goldfields Highway south-east, about 81 mi (130 km) | About 1.5 h |
| Kalgoorlie–Boulder | Goldfields Highway south, 235 km (146 mi)Goldfields Highway south, 146 mi (235 km) | About 2.5–3 h |
| Laverton and the northern leases | Sealed road north-west, then unsealed tracks | About 2 h to Laverton |
Sleep
- Tower Street and the town centre
- Hotels, the supermarket and the visitor centre sit on or near Tower Street; walkable, and the only real choice in town.
- Leonora Caravan Park, Rochester Street
- Grass sites and clean showers; the practical base if you are self-driving with a tent or van.
- Gwalia end of town
- Staying near the Gwalia turn-off shortens the morning run to the museum gate.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| How far to the next fuel? | How far to the next fuel? |
| Is the road sealed? | Is the road sealed? |
| Is there phone coverage out there? | Is there phone coverage out there? |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake or 'G'day' / 'How are you going?'; first names from the start; avoid: Formal titles; long answers to 'how are you'
- Rounds: Buy your round ('shout') when drinking in a group; avoid: Leaving before your shout
- Queues: Queue patiently; sitting in the front seat of a taxi when alone is common; avoid: Pushing in — it is noticed
- Country: Listen to Welcomes and Acknowledgements; use local place names when offered; avoid: Touching artefacts or photographing ceremonies without permission
- Beach: Swim between the flags; respect lifesavers' instructions; avoid: Swimming at unpatrolled beaches alone
- Humour: Expect teasing and understatement; laugh along; avoid: Taking dry sarcasm literally or boasting
- Walking and driving: Keep left on footpaths and escalators; wave thanks to drivers who let you in; avoid: Stopping on the road to photograph kangaroos
Scams and watch-outs
- Mobile coverage is limited to the Telstra network and only inside town; it fades to nothing a short way out. Other networks do not work here.
- Carry water and a satellite messenger or satellite phone if you leave the highway; there is no reliable signal on the back roads.
- Summer days regularly pass 40 °C. Do Gwalia and any walking before 10:00 and stay in the shade after lunch.
- Fuel, food and opening hours are limited: the supermarket closes Saturday afternoon and there is no late-night option.
- Unsealed roads north and east can be closed by rain; check road conditions before you commit.
A small, quiet town and safe for tourists. The real risks are heat, distance and no phone signal: carry water, tell someone your route, and do not rely on a mobile outside town.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Leonora yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Gwalia ghost town
- Gwalia Museum
- Northern Goldfields gold-rush history
- Goldfields Highway stop
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Shire of Leonora: www.leonora.wa.gov.au/
- Skippers Aviation: www.skippers.com.au/
- Wikivoyage: Leonora, revision 5038002 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5038002
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Leonora
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance000
- From a mobile112
- Leonora Visitor Centre+61 8 9037 7016
No embassies in Leonora; consulates and embassies are in Perth. US, UK, Canadian and other consulates-general are in Perth (check addresses).
Mobile coverage is Telstra-only and town-only. Carry water and a satellite messenger if you leave the highway.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/leonora). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.