Gwalia Historic Precinct

Creative Spaces worked with Hocking Heritage + Architecture to redesign interpretation across the Gwalia Historic Precinct, a former mining town that offers a rare snapshot of Western Australia’s mining history. Established in the late 1890s around the Sons of Gwalia Mine, the town experienced dramatic change when the mine closed, leaving much of the settlement abandoned and a ghost town in its wake.

The brief was to create interpretation that could help visitors understand both the physical remains of the town and the lives of the people who lived and worked there. Interpretation applied across multiple buildings and outdoor spaces, while supporting exploration of a large and open site.

Creative Spaces delivered new exhibitions for the Mine Office, Assay Office and Vehicle Shed, alongside updated interpretive and directional signage across the precinct. An augmented reality experience, developed in collaboration with EyeJack, adds a digital layer to the visitor experience.

The renewed interpretation supports deeper engagement with Gwalia’s history and landscape. It allows visitors to move through the site with a clearer understanding of how industry, community and place are closely connected.