Snapshot: Historic journeys
Journeys of Kalgoorlie, through the eyes of time
In 2010, the PTA commissioned Perth artists Arif Satar and Audrey Fernandes-Satar to create artworks for the Prospector train’s Kalgoorlie dock. The dock houses the Prospector during overnight stops in Kalgoorlie.
Instead of a standard security compound, Transwa decided to make the Prospector’s new dock a work of community art. A Journeys theme emerged, symbolising arrival, departure, movement and settlement, and linking the unfolding stories of Kalgoorlie over time.
The result is a rich history of Kalgoorlie weaving artistically and metaphorically through 24 panels along the station platform.
The panels tell the stories of Kalgoorlie’s past, present and future as seen through the eyes of Indigenous women and elders, and children from East Kalgoorlie Primary School and St Joseph’s Primary School.
Their thoughts, stories and pictures are etched in the designs: a collective tale that honours the indigenous connection and celebrates Kalgoorlie’s contribution to WA’s development.
Historical milestones are featured, such as the Aboriginal connection to the land, the gold rush, the important role women played in the development of the city, the heritage buildings, the trains and contemporary views of Kalgoorlie.
The PTA thanks local aboriginal elders, the WA Heritage Council, the National Trust, Kalgoorlie’s local history museum and all the school students whose efforts created a unique historical image of Kalgoorlie for Transwa and the travelling public.