Episode: Absolute Gold Special
Broadcast: 13th November 2015
Presenter: Christina Morrissy

Chrissy visits Laverton, the remote outback mining town on the edge of the Great Victoria Desert.

• The town got its name from a mad keen cyclist by the name of Dr Charles Laver, who made the journey out to the area on his pushbike – from Coolgardie – at the start of the gold rush. The locals knew him as Mr. Doctor.
• A lot of the old buildings remain, such as the old police look up which would have been hell for those locked up during the middle of summer.
• Before the Gold Rush, the first Europeans to visit this area were the explorers; all of their stories can be discovered at the state of the art “Hall of Fame”. These explorers include Ernest Giles who walked from places like South Australia in the late 1800’s and even our state’s first premiere, John Forrest, with his Aboriginal tracker, Tommy Windich.
• The indigenous history is really strong and it’s easy to find someone willing to share the traditional culture. The whole landscape is a tapesty of important spiritual sites and the local Wongi women have set up an art gallery in town, showcasing their stories and traditions.