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Strike gold (literally and figuratively) with this guide to The Perth Mint!
When we say The Perth Mint has a golden story, we’re not just spinning yarns. This historic place has been refining and selling gold since 1899, which, if you’re not a math whiz, means it has been in the shiny biz for over 124 years.
These days, it’s more of a museum than an old refinery your great-grandad probably sold a ring to. In other words, it’s a literal treasure trove—think the globe’s largest gold coin, gold pouring demos, and ginormous silver specimens.
How do we know? We toured the entire place. If you want the highlights and deets of that trip, we dropped golden moments below.
Things to Know
Address: 310 Hay St, East Perth
Contact Details: +61 8 9421 7222
Operating Hours: Daily – 9 am to 5 pm
Travel Time from the Perth CBD: 8 min (1.3 km)
Website
How to Get There
By Bus: You can make your way to The Perth Mint from the Perth CBD by taking lines 220, 38, 960, and 51, as well as the free Yellow CAT and Red CAT bus services.
They stop at Wellington St, Hill St, which is just a 3-minute walk from The Perth Mint.
By Car: There are plenty of parking spots near The Perth Mint, including those in Goderich St ($5 for 2 hours), Hay St East ($5 for 2 hours), and Carlton Centre (free for 2 hours). If those are taken, 391-393 Hay St ($14 for 2 hours) is the closest alternative.
By Taxi: If you need a general guide on Perth’s taxi rates, our fare breakdown below can help you calculate costs. The info is updated as of June 2025.
| Tariff 1 – 6 am to 5:59 pm | |||
| Flagfall | Distance Rate | Booking Fee | Waiting Time |
| $5.10 | 2.04/km | $1.80 | $58/hr |
| Tariff 2 – 6 pm to 5:59 am (including all day Saturday and Sunday) | |||
| Flagfall | Distance Rate | Booking Fee | Waiting Time |
| $7.30 | 2.04/km | $1.80 | $58/hr |
| Ultra Peak (12 am to 02:59 am on Friday and Saturday only) | |||
| Flagfall | Distance Rate | Booking Fee | Waiting Time |
| $7.30 + $4.30 | 2.04/km | $1.80 | $58/hr |
Things to Do
Go on a tour
From theperthmintaustralia
Prices:
- Adult – $25
- Child (5-15 years) – $15
- Concession(Australian only) – $22
- Small group (2 adults/2 children) – $68
- Infant (0-4 years) – Free
The signature Perth Mint tour ended with our team planning more return trips. If you can’t take our word for it, ask the 83,000 visitors who rocked by between 2023 and 2024 if they have the same thoughts.
You see, this 1-hour guided walk digs deep into the Mint’s history. Madelyn, our tour guide, talked about historic events like the first time gold was struck in 1899 and the royal visit of the Duke of Cornwall in 1901, all without being dull.
Of course, we heard some spooky stuff; the place is over a century old! The Deputy Master’s 1938 death is one of the scariest examples, as the incident led to rumoured nightly hauntings and even an exorcism performed by the city’s archbishop.
Too spine-tingling for you? Understandable. Fortunately, there’s a ghost-free 2.5-hour Bells and Gold Package that bounces between the Mint and the equally historic Bell Tower.
You can even opt for a free virtual tour that doubles as a game and an augmented reality journey. Just nab the Heart of Gold Australia app and you’re golden.
See the world’s largest gold coin
From mygold
Ask anyone on the team what their fave part of the Mint is, and more than half will likely say ‘the flipping 1,000-kg coin.’ Yup, we’re talking about the Australian Kangaroo One Tonne Gold Coin, the beast that booted Canada’s 100-kg coin off the top spot (sorry, crodies).
Its 80-cm diameter alone is mindblowing, but the 12-cm thickness further ups the ante. That said, this feat trumps them all: it’s made of 99.9% gold, with a whopping 32,000 ounces of precious metals.
Dr. Stewart Devlin and Ian Rank’s artistry also propels the coin’s value. The legendary goldsmith, once Queen Elizabeth II’s jeweller, engraved fine touches on the piece, including the kangaroo, while the British sculptor designed the Queen’s portrait.
Beyond the blingy and symbolic parts, the coin is a must-see for its engineering feat. Hey, refining, casting, and polishing a 1-tonne piece requires technical mastery, and that’s why the coin was valued to be around $58 million the last time we visited.
Watch a live demonstration of gold pouring
From theperthmintaustralia
For me, the Mint’s live gold pouring is our visit’s ‘time-travel’ moment.
Watching the melter in a heavy-duty kit turn about 900 grams of solid bar into molten gold was a jaw-dropper. It basically offered us a glimpse into the establishment’s heyday, somewhere between 1899 and 1990, when automated tech wasn’t full-blown yet.
I also learnt a couple of interesting facts about crucibles, those clay-graphite containers that look like large pots. Exhibit A: Did you know they last for only two weeks due to the heat, and after that, the refinery recovers around 9 grams of gold from them?
Engrave a personalised message on a medallion
From theperthmintaustralia
Might not be the go-to for folks without a loaded bank account, but if you have some bucks to splash, the personalised engraving offer is pretty tempting.
The inscriptions and the medallions themselves often work for any milestone or event, although they’re mostly nabbed for graduations, corporate events, and anniversaries.
Price-wise, it really comes down to the design, material, and case (this one is optional). A teammate, for example, gifted his fiancée a 40-mm gold-plated silver piece for around $125.
Unsurprisingly, the simpler stuff, like the aluminium bronze medallions, is cheaper. Most kick off at $39, with both sides up for engraving.
Peruse their gems and collectors’ coins
From theperthmintaustralia
If medallions don’t activate your splurging impulses, the Mint has an eye-catching range of other pieces that might. Not all of them are crafted with gold either.
Rocking by at their jewellery store will prove that. In our case, we browsed through rings, bands, bracelets, and necklaces decorated with gemstones like pink diamonds and opals.
For those who want something quirkier or more detailed, the gold, silver, and platinum collectors’ coins are your best bets for that. They flaunt various themes and finishes, so bringing home a silver token with Leonardo from TMNT isn’t a far-fetched score.
Check out gold and silver specimens
From theperthmintaustralia
Ever heard of the Karratha Queen and King Henry specimens? Odds are, you have. After all, they’re considered some of this planet’s most precious treasures—and both are sitting at the Mint.
The majestic 145-kg Karratha Queen is a silver specimen extracted from Elizabeth Hill, way back in 2000. Around 3,530 ounces of silver encrust it, which isn’t a shocker considering it measures a staggering 85 x 38 x 47 cm.
Meanwhile, King Henry is a gold specimen and a Beta Hunt discovery, found roughly 500 m below the surface. It’s lighter at 93 kg but still pulls in crowds with its 1,400 ounces of gold.
Buy or sell gold
From theperthmintaustralia
While I don’t have a stash of gold collecting dust at home, those who have might find this info useful: the Mint’s trading room buys and sells precious metals.
You can’t just waltz in, though. You need to open an account first, which means valid IDs, proof of a bank account, and evidence of a residential address are non-negotiable.
As for the prices, we suggest reading the Mint’s guide, especially if you’re new to gold buying, selling, or investing.
