The one-dimensional mesoporous alumina nanofibers were prepared in larger scale by an improved electrospinning method and a subsequent calcination treatment. The existence of abundant interconnected mesopores on the obtained alumina nanofibers was observed and proved by the FE-SEM and TEM characterization. The formation of mesopores was attributed to the solvent evaporation induced surfactant assembly (SEISA) occurred during the process of electrospinning. Nitrogen adsorption-desorption analysis showed the mesoporous alumina nanofibers possessed large specific surface area up to 264 m(2)/g and the average pore size of 6.1 nm with a narrow distribution. After a treatment with HAuCl4 center dot 3H(2)O, it turned to a mesoporous Au/Al2O3 nanofiber material. This material was used as a heterogeneous catalyst in a model reaction to catalyze the oxidation of benzyl alcohol with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The catalyst test exhibited a high catalytic activity, and the turn over frequency value of this model reaction was calculated up to 879.