Kimberley
Close to the ground.
The Big Hole & Kimberley Mine Museum
West Circular Rd
053-830-4426
R70
S 28 44.333 E 024 45.293
The Big Hole & Kimberley Mine Museum is a fascinating look into a diamond-mining town of yesteryear. The complex is home to the Big Hole itself, the largest hand-dug excavation in the world, but almost more interesting is the combination of original and replica buildings that come together to recreate the mining town that once flourished around Kimberley's big hole. Though a little like Disneyland, this attraction distinguishes itself by its continued use of historical buildings from the late 1800s. Stay a night at the Australian Arms Hotel built in 1873 or grab a drink at the Occidental Bar. The tour above and around the Big Hole is well worth it and includes a 20-minute movie on the history of the diamond rush, a walk out onto the viewing platform of the Big Hole and a simulated underground mine experience. The last stop is at the De Beers diamond vault within the museum, which houses some of the company's most remarkable finds.
