Following the successful launch of Perth’s #heartofgold Discovery Trail in 2017, the Gold Industry Group are continuing their annual celebration of Australia’s gold industry, with the launch of a reverse option at a free community event at The Perth Mint this Saturday.
“I am delighted that we have been able to leverage off the success of the Heart of Gold Discovery trail a year on, to now provide intrepid trailblazers the flexibility to walk the trail both ways with new interactive content,” said Gold Industry Group Vice Chairperson Kelly Carter.
“It’s fantastic to see the high level of participation from the community including students and teachers, who have been able to take advantage of the curriculum aligned materials, as well as the trail itself,” Ms Carter continued.
Previously, the Perth trail began at the iconic Golden Eagle nugget replica in Elizabeth Quay and finished in the forecourt of The Perth Mint. Trailblazers will now be able to choose their starting point, with the latest release featuring new and exciting interactive content to uncover.
Coinciding with Heritage Perth Weekend, the free community event will bring the city’s heart of gold alive.
Kicking off at The Perth Mint from 10am, a host of fun family-friendly activities will excite and entertain, including: virtual reality, a themed photo booth, music, face painting and golden giveaways, preparing trailblazers before they set off on their gold treasure hunt.
Participants will then unearth the nation’s incredible gold mining story on the self-guided trail, from the early gold rushes to today’s modern operations, with new augmented reality games, fascinating audio-visual tales, fun widgets and timeless photos via the free Heart of Gold Australia app.
Walkers will discover golden gifts along the journey to Elizabeth Quay, while hunting down the ‘gold prospector’. All trailblazers will reap rewards at the finish line and may win a real gold nugget.
Part of a long-term community engagement program aimed at educating the wider public on the importance of Australia's gold industry, the Perth trail is one of two virtual gold adventures now available in Western Australia.
A translated version of the Perth trail is now available in Mandarin when starting at Elizabeth Quay and will include the reverse option next month. Kalgoorlie’s Heart of Gold Discovery Trail was launched in June 2018 and further gold trails are planned for the east coast in 2019 and 2020.