The district includes not only the town of Kalgoorlie, but significant parts of the outback in central and eastern Western Australia.

Labor lost the seat in 2001 when Liberal candidate Matt Birney defeated incumbent MP Megan Anwyl at the 2001 state election.

Upon Birney's retirement, the seat was won by independent candidate and former Labor MLA John Bowler, the former member for Murchison-Eyre.

A redistribution ahead of the 2008 state election saw a significant expansion of the seat to include remote areas to the north and north-east of the town.

So whilst most of its population is based in the town of Kalgoorlie, the district also includes remote communities such as Eucla, Laverton, Leinster, Leonora and Menzies.