Australian Prospectors & Miners' Hall of Fame facts for kids

The Australian Prospectors & Miners' Hall of Fame was a special place that celebrated important people in Australia's mining history. It started in 2001 near Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, on the Goldfields Highway. The Hall of Fame closed in 2011 because of money problems. Now, it mostly exists as a website where you can learn about these mining heroes.

What is the Hall of Fame?

More than 100 people have been honored in the Mining Hall of Fame. The idea for this special place began in Kalgoorlie in 1995. In 1997, there was a contest to design the building. By 1999, it joined with the Hannans North Tourist Mine, which is a place where visitors can learn about mining.

Groups were set up across Australia to raise money for the project. With help from the government and mining companies, a huge amount of money, A$25 million, was raised. The Hall of Fame officially opened its doors in October 2001.

Over time, new people were added to the Hall of Fame. It also collected old and special items from mining history.

Why Did It Close?

In November 2011, the Hall of Fame had to close because it ran out of money. It was started by mining companies, not the Western Australian Government. In 2009, it had money problems, owing A$600,000.

When Andrew Cook became the director, he made tickets much cheaper, from A$25 to just A$3. This helped them pay off their debt. But even with this help and some money from the government, it couldn't stay open because it kept losing money.

People hoped it would open again in late 2012. However, the buildings are now rented out. The tourist mine is run by KGCM (Hannans North Tourist Mine), but the main Hall of Fame building is closed to visitors.

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