The Gold Industry Group will launch its Heart of Gold Discovery Trail at a free event in Elizabeth Quay this Saturday.
Start of the #heartofgold Discovery trail by the Golden Eagle nugget replica
The virtual trail is the first self-guided tour of its kind giving members of the community and visitors to the State an interactive ‘gold’ experience via the Heart of Gold Australia app.
Greg Cooke, Exhibition Supervisor at The Perth Mint is one of the stars on the #heartofgold Discovery Trail
“The trail will entertain people of all ages who visit the city, while learning the remarkable story of gold and how its changed the cityscape and secured the financial future of Western Australia and our nation,” said Richard Hayes, Gold Industry Group Chairman and The Perth Mint Chief Executive Officer.
Starting at Elizabeth Quay and ending at The Perth Mint, the gold treasure trail will take visitors on a journey of discovery – from today back to the early gold rushes as it signals 12 locations of significance throughout the city.
You could win a Ramelius Resources gold nugget!
“Featuring compelling audio stories and visuals, interactive games and more, the app will engage residents and tourists alike as it tells the tale of a city built on gold,” continued Mr Hayes.
Trailblazers will receive a Heart of Gold commemorative medallion on completion of the trail at The Perth Mint, and will go into the draw to win a real gold nugget from Ramelius Resources. During the launch month of October, participants will also receive a 25% discount on admission to The Perth Mint gold exhibition.
See inside a gold mine with virtual reality thanks to Mining Educations Australia!
“To mark the opening and the commencement of the trail, a traditional Welcome to Country will be performed in honour of the traditional land owners before the Member for Perth, John Carey MLA, unveils a replica of the famous Golden Eagle nugget in Elizabeth Quay at 10am,” said Mr Hayes.
Elizabeth Quay will be a hub of golden activity throughout the day, with trail participants having the chance to win an array of prizes including real gold nuggets from Ramelius Resources when they pan for gold with The Perth Mint.
Mining Education Australia and the WA School of Mines have also joined together to give visitors the opportunity to see inside a gold mine using virtual reality.
To further enhance the gold-themed day, other attractions will include a virtual scavenger hunt, gold face painting and #heartofgold social media competitions.
“Western Australians should be proud of the State’s golden story as WA has a heart of gold. With more than 40 operating gold mines in WA, including 11 of the world's largest, the gold mining industry in the West alone directly employs more than 20,000 people.
“Australia is the 2nd largest producer of gold in the world, with 70% of total production here in the West,” said Mr Hayes.
The Heart of Gold Discovery Trail offers a fun and educational experience, so in addition to the trail, lesson plans linked to the trail and Australian Curriculum are available for Year 5 and Year 9 students in all WA schools.
Perth’s gold trail will be the first of many digital journeys coming to Australia. In 2018, a trail in Kalgoorlie-Boulder is set to celebrate the anniversary of Paddy Hannan, Thomas Flanagan and Dan O’Shea finding gold at the base of Mt Charlotte 125 years ago.