[2] It was significantly enlarged in a redistribution prior to the 1922 federal election, when the Division of Dampier was abolished and effectively merged into Kalgoorlie.

[3] For most of its history, Kalgoorlie was split between strongly pro-Labor territory in the mining regions and more conservative-leaning farming areas, and from the 1980s Labor also benefited from the support of indigenous voters in the northern parts of the electorate.

Labor lost the electorate only when its support in Western Australia collapsed, such as in the late 1970s due to the regional backlash against the Whitlam government.

He retained the electorate at the 1996 election, but in 1998 was defeated by Liberal Barry Haase, who held the seat until its abolition despite vigorous challenges from Labor.

However, all of the proposed maps would have made it all but impossible to draw O'Connor, the other large country seat in Western Australia, in a way that it would have any rational basis.