Western Australia’s largest region, the Goldfields, is big in size and even bigger in opportunity, with a proud history of growth and prosperity.
Home to 38 public schools and with 8,085 students located across the region, the Goldfields is well connected with airport, road and rail links to Perth – and is the start of some of the great Australian road trips.
Located in the south-east of Western Australia, the region covers from the Southern Ocean coastline to the Great Sandy Desert along the Northern Territory and South Australian borders.
The Goldfields has a diverse and multicultural heritage with interstate and international migration from the gold rush era and a rich Aboriginal history with traditional ownership of the land being shared among several Aboriginal groups.
Spread across over 955,000 square kilometres - an area nearly four times the size of the United Kingdom - the Goldfields is sparsely populated with a majority of the region’s 57,000 people living in the major centres of Kalgoorlie and Esperance. The remaining population is found in towns and Aboriginal communities spread throughout the region.
Find out what it's like to live and work in the Goldfields.
Schools in the Goldfields are as diverse as the landscape, catering to students from a range of cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. Teaching in a Goldfields school is an opportunity to build meaningful collaborative relationships with students, their families and communities to support student learning.
Outside of Esperance and Kalgoorlie, schools have multi-aged classes with smaller student numbers and prioritise working closely with surrounding Aboriginal communities to create welcoming and supportive learning environments.
Teachers need to be flexible, resilient with a solution-based approach, and proficient in literacy strategies. Teaching loads and roles are likely to change in response to the needs of diverse student population, which fluctuates throughout the school year.
Teamwork, collaboration, good interpersonal skills and a positive outlook are required for school teams to work together effectively. Schools are often a mix of experienced staff and those new to teaching or leadership positions. They are passionate about meeting the education needs of their students, providing high levels of enthusiasm and support.
Offering well-established communities, many large towns have access to a multitude of services including family and children’s amenities, modern health facilities and a bounty of cultural and sporting activities, the Goldfields is the place to create meaningful community connections and lifelong friendships.
The region is known for gold and nickel mining, being the premier gold producer for the state. Along the coast agriculture, fishing and tourism are the main industries, providing a broad range of employment and business opportunities to residents.
Services and accessibility vary in each location, most small towns will have at least a supermarket or store and a health centre or nursing post with locum staffing. Towns are supplied by regular road transport and the Royal Flying Doctor provides emergency medical treatment.
Housing is provided through the Government Regional Officers Housing (GROH) program with generous allowances and additional benefits. Houses are air-conditioned and subsidies are offered to help with the additional costs of living in the region.
The Goldfields enjoys mostly hot, dry summers and cool, dry winters throughout most of the region with the south experiencing a more Mediterranean-type climate through the year. People are socially oriented, enjoying community and sporting events as well as exploring the region’s many natural and historical features.
The Goldfields is an ideal gateway to exploring WA and beyond with access to the Great Eastern Highway, Central Highway, Nullarbor Plain and more. Kalgoorlie is a 7-hour car or train trip and a 1-hour flight to Perth. Esperance is an 8-hour drive and a 1.5-hour flight to Perth.
Encompassing a large geographic area, the Goldfields region offers a rich cultural heritage and striking landscapes, filled with destinations to explore.
The region has a diverse nature offering with pristine white sand beaches and endless diving, camping and fishing destinations along the coastline, picturesque national parks covering desert, granite and bushland terrains, through to the authentic Australian Outback, all with walking and driving trails available throughout.
In addition to nature adventures, the region has a rich whaling, prospecting and Aboriginal history to immerse yourself in with guided experiences, museums and galleries capturing the fascinating and unique heritage of the Goldfields.
Encompassing a large geographic area, the Goldfields region offers a rich cultural heritage and striking landscapes, filled with destinations to explore.
