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| OVERLOOKING PERTH FROM KINGS PARK |
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ABOUT WESTERN AUSTRALIA
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Western Australia and has a population of 2,270,300 (30/12/2009), and an area of
2,525,500 square kilometres. The majority live in the capital,
Perth, in the south western corner of the state at Lat. 31 degrees 57' south
and Long. 115 degrees 51' east. Straddling the Swan River and situated on the
golden beaches of the Indian Ocean, Perth is a spacious, modern and easy-going
city and claims to be the world's most remote capital city, Adelaide is 2,200
kilometres east. Perth was the venue for the America's Cup Challenge in the
mid 1980's after local businessman Alan Bond won it from America for the first
time in its history.
Early world exploration saw Dirk Hartog land on its coastline in 1616.
Western Australia was settled at Perth in 1829 and the early settlers faced
harsh times. Floods and droughts were common and it was not until the 1850's
when convict labour was introduced to the colony that an infrastructure of bridges
and roads began to develop in earnest.
Off the coast of Perth is Rottnest Island, a 2,000 hectare island accessed
by plane or ferry from Perth or Fremantle.
Western Australia has a varied and interesting geography. The fertile south
west corner is a rich rural and agricultural centre producing most crops and
dairy products, and the wineries around the Margaret River are among Australia's
finest.
The far north east, near the Northern Teritory border around Kununnurra,
was developed some 25 years ago as a vast irrigation area using the dammed lake
for the production of rice crops and other agricultural products. The scheme
didn't work at the time, but new interest is being generated and the project
looks like being successful in the near future.
The north west contains vast mineral wealth and the iron deposits there
are among the worlds largest. Commercial diamonds are being mined at the Argyle
Diamond mine, and the North West Shelf off the coast has vast oil and gas reserves
which are now recognised as Australia's largest. Gold is still mined at Kalgoorlie
in the east of the state and many major mining companies have investments in
the state.
Some pearling is still carried out from Broome on the northern coastline
and the rest of the state is made up of vast cattle stations which provide
much of the nations beef, sparesly inhabited desert areas, and aboriginal lands
providing for the indigenous population.
Western Australia is remote from the rest of the country but its capital
is recognised as the most beautiful in Australia and it works hard at competing
with the eastern states with much success.
The international airport in Perth is a popular entry point for visitors
to Australia and the state is a good starting point for your Australian holiday.
The state emblem is a Black Swan and its floral emblem is the Kangaroo Paw.
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SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT WESTERN AUSTRALIA
- Karri trees are found in the south west corner of West Australia
and are among Australia's largest.
- Marble Bar in the state's north holds the world record for
consecutive days of over 100 degrees F (37.8C) of 160 days.
- The hottest place in Australia is Wyndham with an annual mean temperature
of 29.1 degrees C
- Western Australia is three and a half times as big as Texas, and the
British Isles would fit into it 6 times.
- The highest temperature recorded in the state was 50.7 C at Eucla in
the east and the lowest, -7 C at Dwellingup.
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