Doug Daws, a lifelong resident of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, recalls the days when massive dust storms regularly engulfed the city, forcing residents indoors and suspending all traffic and business. "You could hear the wind coming, and you'd say, 'quick, quick, get inside, the Esperance doctor's coming', and you had to race inside and close all the windows and doors," he said.

Kalgoorlie-Boulder, located 700 kilometres east of Perth, was historically beset by choking dust clouds originating from the treeless plains to the north and mine tailings to the south. One of the earliest documented dust storms occurred in 1894, just two years after the first gold discoveries, with the Coolgardie Miner reporting it as "a dust storm of unexampled severity" that caused an almost total suspension of business for the day.

The Morning Herald also reported on October 17, 1898, that "during some times of the day, all traffic and business were suspended" due to dust storms.

In 1973, Julian Grill arrived in Kalgoorlie-Boulder from Broken Hill and spearheaded a controversial anti-dust initiative. This major idea has since transformed the city’s approach to dust storms, leading to a significant reduction in their impact. Residents now report that dust problems are "so small, it's infinitesimal," a stark contrast to the past when "the dust was very, very bad."

Reflecting the local spirit, one resident said, "Well, we have a saying here … we just get shit done."

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