Top 50 Ghost Towns In Australia (2026)

Posted on Author Barry Philips

Australia’s ghost towns are haunting remnants of once-thriving mining booms, railway hubs, and remote settlements that were eventually abandoned due to economic collapse, harsh environments, or resource depletion. Today, they offer a fascinating glimpse into the country’s frontier history.

Below are the Top 50 Ghost Towns in Australia.

Top 50 Ghost Towns In Australia

1. Wittenoom, Western Australia

Wittenoom is one of Australia’s most notorious ghost towns due to its asbestos mining legacy. Once a thriving mining settlement in the Pilbara region, it became known for blue asbestos exposure, which caused severe health risks among workers and residents.

The government eventually shut down the town and removed it from official maps. Today, Wittenoom is largely abandoned, with only scattered ruins remaining. Access is restricted in many areas due to ongoing contamination risks, making it one of the most dangerous ghost towns in the country.

2. Farina, South Australia

Farina was established as a railway and pastoral town in the late 19th century. At its peak, it had hotels, bakeries, and a growing community supporting travellers and livestock traders in the outback.

However, repeated droughts and unreliable rainfall made agriculture unsustainable. By the early 20th century, the population rapidly declined, leaving behind abandoned stone buildings and underground structures. Today, volunteer groups help preserve parts of the town, including its historic bakery.

3. Cook, South Australia

Cook is one of the most isolated settlements in Australia, located along the Trans-Australian Railway. It was originally built as a railway maintenance hub and refuelling station for trains crossing the Nullarbor Plain.

As rail technology improved and fewer stops were needed, the town’s importance declined. Today, Cook has only a very small population, with many abandoned buildings and infrastructure that reflect its former role as a critical railway stop.

4. Arltunga, Northern Territory

Arltunga was the first official gold mining town in Central Australia. It attracted miners during the gold rush era in the late 1800s and quickly developed into a small but busy settlement.

At its peak, it had a police station, shops, and mining operations. However, as gold deposits diminished and mining became less profitable, residents moved away. Today, only stone ruins and mining remnants remain in the harsh desert landscape.

5. Shay Gap, Western Australia

Shay Gap was a modern mining town built in the Pilbara region to support iron ore extraction. Unlike older settlements, it was carefully planned and constructed with housing and facilities for workers.

When mining operations ceased, the town was completely dismantled. Buildings were removed or relocated, leaving very little physical evidence that a settlement once existed there. It is now one of the most “erased” ghost towns in Australia.

6. Walhalla, Victoria

Walhalla was a booming gold rush town in the 1800s, nestled in a narrow valley in Victoria. It once had thousands of residents, multiple mines, hotels, and a railway connection.

As gold reserves dwindled, the population declined sharply. However, unlike many ghost towns, Walhalla has been partially preserved and now operates as a heritage tourism site. A small permanent population still remains.

7. Poimena, Tasmania

Poimena was a tin mining settlement located on Tasmania’s Blue Tier Plateau. During its peak, it supported mining families, schools, and small businesses.

When tin mining declined, residents gradually left the area. Over time, nature reclaimed the land, and today it is mostly open forest and grassland with very few visible remains of the original town.

8. Pillinger, Tasmania

Pillinger was once a small port town used for exporting mined resources from nearby regions. It played an important role in supporting mining logistics in Tasmania’s remote southwest.

After mining activity decreased, the port was abandoned. The harsh environment and dense forest have since overtaken the site, leaving only scattered remnants such as old rail tracks and structural foundations.

9. Kuridala, Queensland

Kuridala was a copper mining town that grew rapidly during the early 20th century. It had smelting facilities, housing, and a population of over 1,000 residents at its peak.

When copper prices dropped and mining became unprofitable, the town declined. Most residents left, and today only smelter ruins, cemetery remains, and scattered infrastructure can be found.

10. Goldsworthy Region Settlements, Western Australia

The Goldsworthy region includes several former mining settlements built to support iron ore extraction in Western Australia’s Pilbara region.

These company towns were often temporary, designed to serve mining operations. When mines closed or shifted location, the settlements were dismantled or abandoned, leaving minimal physical traces behind.

Comprehensive List

No. Ghost Town State/Territory Main Industry Reason for Abandonment Current Condition
1 Wittenoom WA Asbestos mining Toxic contamination Restricted, largely abandoned
2 Farina SA Railway & agriculture Drought Ruins with restoration
3 Cook SA Railway Automation & isolation Tiny population remains
4 Arltunga NT Gold mining Resource depletion Historic ruins
5 Shay Gap WA Iron ore mining Town dismantled No visible remains
6 Walhalla VIC Gold mining Mine exhaustion Heritage town
7 Poimena TAS Tin mining Industry collapse Grassland remains
8 Pillinger TAS Port/logistics Mining decline Forest ruins
9 Kuridala QLD Copper mining Price collapse Smelter ruins
10 Goldsworthy WA Iron ore Mine relocation Minimal remains
11 Gwalia WA Gold mining Economic decline Preserved ghost town
12 Silverton NSW Silver mining Mining decline Tourist town
13 Ravenswood QLD Gold mining Industry downturn Semi-abandoned
14 Mary Kathleen QLD Uranium mining Mine closure Ruins remain
15 Hill End NSW Gold mining Resource depletion Heritage site
16 Cossack WA Port/pearling Cyclones & decline Historic ruins
17 Pine Creek outskirts camps NT Gold mining Decline in mining Partial remains
18 Dundas WA Gold mining Isolation Ruins
19 Kanowna WA Gold mining Mine collapse Archaeological site
20 Coolgardie outskirts camps WA Gold mining Water shortages Semi-abandoned
21 Yerranderie NSW Silver mining Mine closure Preserved ruins
22 Kiandra NSW Gold mining Harsh climate Ruins
23 Burra Burra Mine camps SA Copper mining Industry decline Historic remnants
24 Terowie outskirts SA Railway Transport changes Semi-abandoned
25 Newcastle Waters NT Pastoral/transport Route changes Near ghost town
26 Waukaringa SA Gold mining Economic collapse Ruins
27 Tibooburra outskirts camps NSW Gold mining Decline Sparse remains
28 Mount Browne NSW Gold mining Isolation Ruins
29 Linda TAS Mining Mine closure Near-abandoned
30 Queenstown outskirts camps TAS Mining Industrial decline Ruins
31 Zeehan outskirts TAS Mining Economic downturn Partial remains
32 St Bathans NZ (historically linked settlers, AU context often referenced) Gold mining Resource depletion Heritage village
33 Croydon outskirts camps QLD Gold mining Decline Ruins
34 Clermont (old town site) QLD Gold mining Flood destruction Relocated town
35 Adelong (old mining areas) NSW Gold mining Mine closure Ruins
36 Cassilis (mining ruins) VIC Gold mining Decline Ruins
37 Steiglitz VIC Gold mining Resource depletion Preserved ruins
38 Halls Creek (old town site) WA Gold mining Relocation Ruins
39 Tambaroora NSW Gold mining Decline Archaeological remains
40 Ophir NSW Gold mining Resource depletion Historic site
41 Yorketown outskirts camps SA Mining/agriculture Economic decline Sparse remains
42 Beltana SA Railway Route changes Semi-ghost town
43 Far Northern railway sidings SA Rail Automation Abandoned structures
44 Mungana QLD Mining Economic collapse Ruins
45 Chillagoe mining camps QLD Mining Industry decline Partial ruins
46 Mount Shamrock QLD Gold mining Isolation Ruins
47 Torrington (mining remnants) NSW Tin mining Decline Sparse remains
48 Emmaville outskirts NSW Mining Industry decline Partial remains
49 Delegate River camps NSW Timber/mining Decline Ruins
50 Big Bell WA Gold mining Economic downturn Well-preserved ghost town

Comparison Table: Top Ghost Towns in Australia

Ghost Town State Main Industry Reason for Abandonment Current Condition
Wittenoom WA Asbestos mining Health hazards & contamination Nearly abandoned
Farina SA Railway & agriculture Drought & decline Ruins + restoration
Cook SA Railway hub Reduced railway use Small population
Arltunga NT Gold mining Resource depletion Historic ruins
Shay Gap WA Iron ore mining Town dismantled No remains
Walhalla VIC Gold mining Mine exhaustion Heritage town
Poimena TAS Tin mining Industry decline Reclaimed by nature
Pillinger TAS Port/logistics Mining decline Forest ruins
Kuridala QLD Copper mining Price collapse Mining ruins
Goldsworthy region WA Iron ore Mine relocation Minimal remains

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Conclusion

Australia’s ghost towns reveal a powerful story of boom and bust cycles shaped by mining, agriculture, and transportation history. While some like Walhalla survive as heritage sites, others like Shay Gap have almost completely disappeared.

From toxic Wittenoom to remote Arltunga and forest-covered Pillinger, these abandoned places remind us how quickly human settlements can rise and fall in response to economic and environmental forces.

They remain important historical landmarks and intriguing destinations for those interested in Australia’s forgotten past.