Laverton is located 120 kilometres east of Leonora and about 400 km north of Kalgoorlie. Established as a gold mining town more than a century ago, the remote town has seen ebbs and flows with each new discovery.

Although inhabited for centuries the first European explorers documented the area at the western edge of the Great Victoria Desert the middle of the 19th century. On one of these journeys future Premier of Western Australia, John Forrest, traversed the desert in search of Ludwig Leichhardt and his expedition. Some of these courageous expeditions have been honoured in Laverton at The Great Beyond Explorers Hall of Fame.

Originally titled ‘British Flag’ after the nearby mine, it was not until 1900 that the town was gazetted ‘Laverton’. This honour was bestowed to honour the local doctor, Dr Charles Laver, for his hard and earnest work in town as well as his memorable bike ride from Coolgardie to the region in 1896.

As all remote communities Laverton relied heavily on mining for its survival. When the train-line closed in 1957 many of the mines followed. But this decline was short lived as the 1960’s brought the next life-giving ore.

Approximately 28km northwest Windarra was the site of the Poseidon venture. The discovery by Ken Shirley and subsequent mining by WMC resources saw the share price sky-rocket from 80 cents to $280 in five months. The town then thrived for 30 years on the back of nickel mining.

Although another slump occurred in the early 1990’s the town has still managed to survive. Currently there are three major mines in the area mining gold and nickel-cobalt. Even more recent has been an interest in the Windarra site and possibilities are ripe for another burst of energy from the remote Great Victoria Desert.

Ghost towns in the area provide another attraction for travellers in the Western Desert. All that remains in Burtville is the arch entrance to the old pub and the cemetery. Rumour has it that only one of the bodies in that cemetery died of natural causes: a six-month old baby. Euro mine rides high on a hill over-looking the region while Childe Harold rests precariously on the edge of a larger excavation from a more recent mining operation. The Beria township contains nothing more than a cricket pitch in the shadows of the Lancefield mine and Mount Morgan has well preserved architecture in the form of its Council Chambers

With accommodation at the local caravan park, pub and motel Laverton remains the essential stop for any traveller on the Outback Highway. It is also developing a reputation as a destination in its own right. Like all good country towns Laverton is a small community whose friendly appearance and never give up attitude will ensure that tourists will remember their stop forever.