Explore Cue • Australia's Golden Outback
Big Bell
Historic Townsite

Explore the remains of one of the Murchison's great mining towns and discover a remarkable chapter of Western Australia's goldfields history.

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Big Bell WA • Murchison Goldfields

Walk through a town left behind

Beyond Cue lies Big Bell, one of Western Australia's fascinating gold mining ghost towns. Established in 1936 to support the Big Bell Gold Mine, the town became a substantial community in the heart of the Murchison goldfields.

Big Bell was much more than a mining camp. Homes, businesses, churches, sporting organisations and community facilities grew around the mine, creating a remote but active outback town. A railway connection with Cue further linked Big Bell with the wider Murchison.

Today the streets are quiet, but the remains of the town still tell its story. Explore the former townsite, see the ruins that remain standing and imagine the community that once lived and worked here.

Big Bell at a glance
1936
Big Bell townsite established
Around 850 residents
lived in Big Bell during its historic mining era.
Railway connection
linked Big Bell with Cue and the wider Murchison.
Historic ruins
remain across the former townsite today.
A town frozen in time

The ruins of Big Bell

Aerial view of the Big Bell Hotel ruins near Cue Western Australia
Big Bell • Western Australia
From above, the rooms and corridors of the old hotel still reveal the scale of Big Bell's past.
A striking survivor

The Big Bell Hotel

Among Big Bell's most striking surviving structures are the remains of its substantial hotel. Even without its roof, the building's rooms, corridors, verandas and brickwork give visitors a sense of the scale of the former town.

Against the red Murchison landscape, the ruins have become one of the most recognisable reminders of Big Bell's mining past.

Big Bell Hotel ruins near Cue in Western Australia's Murchison
Hidden artwork amongst the ruins of Big Bell near Cue Western Australia
Look closely

Hidden in the ruins

Big Bell still has a few surprises waiting for visitors who take the time to explore.

Among the weathered walls and crumbling brickwork, unexpected pieces of artwork have become part of the modern story of the abandoned townsite.

Keep your eyes open as you wander — some of Big Bell's most memorable details aren't the ones marked on a map.

Look a little closer

Details left behind

Big Bell's history isn't only found in its large ruins. Small objects and fragments remain throughout the landscape, reminders that this was once somebody's home, workplace and community.

Weathered metal and everyday objects have become part of the landscape, quietly recording the passage of time long after the town's residents moved on.

Historic metal bucket at Big Bell townsite near Cue Western Australia
Historic metal tin remaining at Big Bell townsite near Cue Western Australia
From boom town to ghost town

The story of Big Bell

Development of the Big Bell Gold Mine gathered momentum during the 1930s, and a purpose-built town was established to house workers and their families.

The settlement grew into a genuine outback community. The connection with Cue helped provide transport and supplies, while residents created the sporting, social and community life expected of a permanent town.

When the original mining operation closed in the 1950s the town declined rapidly. Many buildings disappeared, leaving behind foundations, walls and several substantial ruins that today make Big Bell one of the Murchison's most intriguing historic places.

Explore the townsite

What you'll discover

The old town

Follow the traces of former streets and buildings and imagine the homes, shops and services that once occupied this remote mining settlement.

Historic ruins

Substantial surviving structures provide a striking reminder of the scale and ambition of Big Bell during its mining heyday.

Hidden details

Look beyond the major ruins for old objects, unexpected artwork and smaller traces of life that make exploring Big Bell such an unusual outback experience.

Before you go

Visiting Big Bell

Big Bell is a remote historic townsite reached from Cue via Big Bell Road. Allow plenty of time to explore the area and take in the surviving ruins.

Outback road conditions can change. Check current road conditions before travelling, carry adequate drinking water and supplies, and respect all signs, barriers and historic structures.

Please help protect Big Bell.
Do not remove historic objects or disturb structures. Leave the site as you found it for the next visitor.

Open Big Bell in Google Maps  →
Discover more of Cue

Make Big Bell part of your Cue adventure

Stay in Cue and explore Big Bell alongside Day Dawn, Cue's heritage buildings, goldfields history and the wider landscapes of Australia's Golden Outback.

Explore Day Dawn  →
Follow the Heritage Trail  →
Stay at Cue Tourist Park  →