Kookynie
WA 6431 • Western Australia
About Kookynie
Kookynie is a historic ghost town in the Eastern Goldfields region of Western Australia, situated within the Shire of Menzies approximately 796 kilometres north-east of Perth. Located between the towns of Menzies (58 km south-west) and Leonora (53 km north-east), the locality covers an expansive 12,574 square kilometres of arid goldfields country. With a population of just 99 at the 2021 Census, it is a shadow of its 1907 peak when over 3,500 residents called it home during the gold rush era.
Gold was discovered at Kookynie in 1895, and by 1903 the township boasted more than 400 buildings including hotels, banks, a brewery, a racecourse, and even the region's first swimming pool. Today, visitors are drawn to the atmospheric ruins of the Cosmopolitan Hotel, the historic cemetery, and the restored Cumberland Street shops. The nearby Niagara Dam, built during the gold rush to supply water to the mines, remains a point of interest for travellers exploring the Goldfields Heritage Trail.
Kookynie falls under postcode 6431 and is governed by the local council Council (LGA). For state elections, residents vote in the North West Central (Mining and Pastoral) electorate.
Location
Transport & Commute
Bus Services
- No regular bus service — N/A N/A
Commute to Perth CBD
🛣️ Accessed via Goldfields Highway and Kookynie Road; sealed road. Nearest regional centre is Kalgoorlie-Boulder (approx. 160 km south).
Extremely remote ghost town with no shops or services; a car is essential for all travel
Supermarkets Nearby
No major supermarkets listed for this suburb.
Schools
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PMB 243 Alice Springs NT 0872
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PMB 72 Kalgoorlie WA 6430