Skip to content
Voykit
Draft data. Times, fares and step counts are desk estimates awaiting field checks. How we verify
Source checked
A source and a date are on record: we read it from an official or published page. Not yet confirmed on the ground.
Field checked
Someone checked it on the ground, with the date shown.
Plan calculated
Worked out by Voykit from its own data (times, distances, budgets). A calculation, not a measurement.

Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify

Major city · Australia

Leonora

Give Leonora one night, two if you want Gwalia at opening: it is a 235 km (146 mi) drive north of Kalgoorlie, so it works as a stop, not a base.

Not yet checkedSourcesWhat these labels mean

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.

basic guide: no trip line yet
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
More ways in
Print / PDF guide
Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
AUD
Best months
Apr–Sep
avoid Dec–Feb (40 °C (104 °F)+ days), school holidays if you need a room
Airports
LNO · PER · KGI
Nights
1–2
Rules in force · 7
  • Oceania ↗Oceania's island states guard their farms and reefs at the border: tick 'yes' on the arrival card for any food, plant, animal product, soil or used outdoor gear, and let the officer decide.
  • Oceania ↗Across the tropical South Pacific, cyclones are possible from November to April: choose insurance that covers weather delays and keep one spare night before a long-haul departure.
  • Australia and New Zealand ↗Both countries drive on the left, with long distances between fuel stops in the outback and on New Zealand's back roads; fatigue causes more visitor crashes than speed.
  • Australia ↗Almost every visitor needs a visa or an electronic authorisation (ETA or eVisitor, depending on passport) before boarding: apply only through the official Department of Home Affairs site or the official AustralianETA app, and check the rules for your passport.
  • Australia ↗Declare all food, plant material, seeds, wood and animal products on your arrival declaration; undeclared items can bring on-the-spot fines or visa cancellation. When unsure, declare it.
  • Australia ↗Drive on the left. An overseas licence in English (or with an official translation or International Driving Permit) is accepted for visitors; check the state rules and your rental contract.
  • Australia ↗Swim between the red and yellow flags on patrolled beaches; rip currents cause most beach drownings.

Entry rules depend on your passport. Full visa guide

Checking your follows…
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Leonora000 ▾

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Leonora, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeA$4–6 (≈ US$3–4)
  • Street or quick mealTakeaway burger or sandwichA$4–10 (≈ US$3–7)
  • Budget bedCaravan park powered site, a night, per personA$25 (≈ US$17)
  • Mid-range bedMotel or hotel double room, a night, per roomA$180 (≈ US$120)
  • High-end bedMotel or hotel double room, a night, per roomA$280 (≈ US$190)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget A$90 (≈ US$60) · Mid A$160 (≈ US$110) · High A$280 (≈ US$190)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Gwalia ghost townGwalia MuseumNorthern Goldfields gold-rush historyGoldfields Highway stop
Airports
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.)

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    Avoid

    37°C (99°F)

  2. Feb

    Avoid

    36°C (97°F)

  3. Mar

    not flagged

    33°C (91°F)

  4. Apr

    Best

    28°C (82°F)

  5. May

    Best

    23°C (73°F)

  6. Jun

    Best

    19°C (66°F)

  7. Jul

    Best

    18°C (64°F)

  8. Aug

    Best

    21°C (70°F)

  9. Sep

    Best

    25°C (77°F)

  10. Oct

    not flagged

    30°C (86°F)

  11. Nov

    not flagged

    33°C (91°F)

  12. Dec

    Avoid

    36°C (97°F)

Best: Apr–Sep. Avoid: Dec–Feb. Month by month →

Warmest Jan (37°C (99°F)), coolest Jul (5°C (41°F) low), wettest Jun (5 rain days), driest Oct (2). Averages, not a forecast.

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Leonora: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

37°C (99°F)

21°C (70°F)

3 rd

Feb

36°C (97°F)

21°C (70°F)

3 rd

Mar

33°C (91°F)

18°C (64°F)

3 rd

Apr

28°C (82°F)

14°C (57°F)

3 rd

May

23°C (73°F)

9°C (48°F)

4 rd

Jun

19°C (66°F)

6°C (43°F)

5 rd

Jul

18°C (64°F)

5°C (41°F)

5 rd

Aug

21°C (70°F)

6°C (43°F)

4 rd

Sep

25°C (77°F)

9°C (48°F)

3 rd

Oct

30°C (86°F)

13°C (55°F)

2 rd

Nov

33°C (91°F)

17°C (63°F)

2 rd

Dec

36°C (97°F)

20°C (68°F)

2 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

You need a car. Gwalia is 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 & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Gwalia ghost town and museum

go

Door to door: About 15 min each way

Drive 3 km (1.9 mi) south of town on the Gwalia road, then walk the site

The reason to come. Go at opening; the site is exposed and hot by midday.

Menziesgo

Door to door: About 1.5 h

Goldfields Highway south-east, about 130 km (81 mi)

Tiny gold-rush town and the turn-off for Lake Ballard.

Kalgoorlie–Bouldergo

Door to door: About 2.5–3 h

Goldfields Highway south, 235 km (146 mi)

The nearest big town for fuel, supermarkets and flights.

Laverton and the northern leases

caution

Door to door: About 2 h to Laverton

Sealed road north-west, then unsealed tracks

No fuel or phone coverage for long stretches; check road conditions first.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

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.

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
A$90–150 (≈ US$60–100) excl. bed
Mid
A$150–250 (≈ US$100–170) excl. bed
High
A$250 (≈ US$170)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Motel or hotel double room1 × 1 night × A$180A$180
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × A$160A$320
Fuel, Kalgoorlie to Leonora and back1 × A$90 · checkA$90
Gwalia museum entry2 × A$10 · checkA$20
eSIM or data top-up2 × A$20 · checkA$40
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeA$65
Trip total≈ A$358 per person per day, bed includedA$715≈ US$500

2026 estimate in Australian dollars; flights and long drives excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

CoffeeA$4–6 (≈ US$3–4)
Counter meal (steak or chicken)A$20–30 (≈ US$14–20)
Takeaway burger or sandwichA$4–10 (≈ US$3–7)
Supermarket basics, one person for a dayA$15–25 (≈ US$10–17)
Fuel, per litreA$1.80–2.20 (≈ US$2) (check)
Caravan park site, per nightA$25–55 (≈ US$17–40) (check)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

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.
  • 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 (104 °F). 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.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
000
From a mobile
112
Leonora Visitor Centre
+61 8 9037 7016

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

LeonoraLeonora

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance000
  • From a mobile112
  • Leonora Visitor Centre+61 8 9037 7016

Embassy

No embassies in Leonora; consulates and embassies are in Perth. US, UK, Canadian and other consulates-general are in Perth (check addresses).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Skippers Perth → Leonora: about A$395 (≈ US$300) one way, about 2 h direct (check)
  • Drive Kalgoorlie → Leonora: 235 km (146 mi), about 2.5–3 h
  • Gwalia museum entry: about A$10 (≈ US$7) (check)

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?

Mobile coverage is Telstra-only and town-only. Carry water and a satellite messenger if you leave the highway.

Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Leonora. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Apr–Sep · avoid Dec–Feb (40 °C+ days), school holidays if you need a room · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for LNO and KGI: Skippers schedule field-checked, drive fallback from Kalgoorlie, overnight rung.
  2. Walking clusters with rescue anchors: Tower Street, the caravan park, the Gwalia site.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Gwalia museum, visitor centre) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Heat and no-coverage fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to Australia

Sources

Ask about Leonora

Loading…