Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a
state of Australia occupying the western third of the land area of Australia, excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the
Southern Ocean to the south, the
Northern Territory to the north-east, and
South Australia to the south-east. With a total land area of 2,527,013 square kilometres (975,685 sq mi), Western Australia is Australia's largest state as well as the
second-largest subdivision of any country on Earth, surpassed only by the
Sakha Republic in eastern Russia. the state has 2.91 million inhabitants—11 percent of the national total. The vast majority (92 percent) live in the
south-west corner; 79 percent of the population lives in the
Perth area, leaving the remainder of the state sparsely populated.
The first Europeans to visit Western Australia belonged to the Dutch
Dirk Hartog expedition, who visited the Western Australian coast in 1616. The first permanent European colony in what is today Western Australia occurred following the landing by Major
Edmund Lockyer on 26 December 1826 of an expedition on behalf of the
New South Wales colonial government. Lockyer established a convict-supported military garrison at
King George III Sound, at present-day
Albany, and on 21 January 1827 he formally took possession for the British Crown of the western part of the continent that was not already claimed by the Crown. This was followed by the establishment of the
Swan River Colony in 1829, including the site of the present-day capital,
Perth. (Full article...)
Banksia telmatiaea, commonly known as swamp fox
banksia or rarely marsh banksia, is a shrub that grows in marshes and swamps along the lower west coast of Australia. It grows as an upright bush up to 2 metres (6 feet 7 inches) tall, with narrow leaves and a pale brown flower spike, which can produce profuse quantities of nectar. First collected in the 1840s, it was not published as a separate species until 1981; as with several other similar species it was previously included in B. sphaerocarpa (fox banksia).
The shrub grows amongst
scrubland in seasonally wet lowland areas of the coastal sandplain between
Badgingarra and
Serpentine in
Western Australia. A little studied species, not much is known of its
ecology or
conservation biology. Reports suggest that a variety of birds and small mammals pollinate it. Like many members of the series Abietinae, it has not been considered to have much horticultural potential and is rarely cultivated. (Full article...)
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Map of the south-west of Western Australia, with Great Eastern Highway highlighted in red
Great Eastern Highway is a 590-kilometre-long (370 mi) road that links the
Western Australian capital of
Perth with the city of
Kalgoorlie. A key route for road vehicles accessing the eastern
Wheatbelt and the
Goldfields, it is the western portion of the main road link between Perth and the
eastern states of Australia. The highway forms the majority of
National Highway 94, although the alignment through the Perth suburbs of Guildford and Midland, and the eastern section between
Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie are not included. Various segments form parts of other
road routes, including
National Route 1, Alternative National Route 94, and State Route 51.
Banksia violacea, commonly known as violet banksia, is a species of
shrub or tree in the plant genus Banksia (family
Proteaceae). It generally grows as a small shrub to 1.5 m (5 ft) high with fine narrow leaves, and is best known for its unusually coloured dark purple-violet
inflorescences. The colour of the inflorescences, short leaves, and flattened follicles which are sticky when young, help identify this species from others in the field. It is found in low
shrubland in southern regions of
Western Australia from
Esperance in the east to
Narrogin in the west, growing exclusively in sandy soils.
First described in 1927 by the West Australian botanist
Charles Gardner, the species was at one stage considered a
variety of B. sphaerocarpa. Although there are no recognised subspecies or varieties, both
lignotuberous and nonlignotuberous forms exist for Banksia violacea. Wasps, ants and flies have been recorded visiting flower spikes. Banksia violacea is classified as Not Threatened under the
Wildlife Conservation Act of Western Australia. Regarded as of little value to
floriculture, it is rarely cultivated. (Full article...)
Carnaby's black cockatoo (Zanda latirostris), also known as the short-billed black cockatoo, is a large
black cockatoo endemic to
southwest Australia. It was described in 1948 by
naturalistIvan Carnaby. Measuring 53–58 cm (21–23 in) in length, it has a short
crest on the top of its head. Its
plumage is mostly greyish black, and it has prominent white cheek patches and a white tail band. The body feathers are edged with white giving a scalloped appearance.
Adult males have a dark grey
beak and pink eye-rings. Adult females have a bone-coloured beak, grey eye-rings and ear patches that are paler than those of the males.
This cockatoo usually lays a
clutch of one to two eggs. It generally takes 28 to 29 days for the female to
incubate the eggs, and the young
fledge ten to eleven weeks after hatching. The young will stay with the family until the next breeding season, and sometimes even longer. The family leaves the
nesting site after the young fledge until the following year. Carnaby's black cockatoo forms flocks when not breeding, with birds in drier habitats usually being more
migratory than those in wetter ones. It
flies with deep and slow wingbeats, generally high above trees. Seeds of plants of the families
Proteaceae and, to a lesser extent,
Myrtaceae form a large part of its diet. (Full article...)
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Banksia verticillata, commonly known as granite banksia or Albany banksia, is a species of
shrub or (rarely) tree of the genus Banksia in the family
Proteaceae. It is native to the
southwest of
Western Australia and can reach up to 3 m (10 ft) in height. It can grow taller to 5 m (16 ft) in sheltered areas, and much smaller in more exposed areas. This species has elliptic green leaves and large, bright golden yellow
inflorescences or flower spikes, appearing in summer and autumn. The
New Holland honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae) is the most prominent
pollinator, although several other species of
honeyeater, as well as bees, visit the flower spikes.
A declared vulnerable species, it occurs in two
disjunct populations on
granite outcrops along the south coast of
Western Australia, with the main population near
Albany and a smaller population near
Walpole, and is threatened by dieback (Phytophthora cinnamomi) and aerial canker (Zythiostroma). B. verticillata is killed by bushfire and new plants regenerate from seed afterwards. Populations take over a decade to produce seed and fire intervals of greater than twenty years are needed to allow the
canopy seed bank to accumulate. (Full article...)
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Banksia ilicifolia, commonly known as holly-leaved banksia, is a tree in the
familyProteaceae. Endemic to
southwest Western Australia, it belongs to
Banksia subg. Isostylis, a subgenus of three closely related Banksia species with
inflorescences that are dome-shaped heads rather than characteristic Banksia flower spikes. It is generally a tree up to 10 metres (33 ft) tall with a columnar or irregular
habit. Both the scientific and common names arise from the similarity of its foliage to that of the English holly Ilex aquifolium; the glossy green leaves generally have very prickly serrated margins, although some plants lack toothed leaves. The inflorescences are initially yellow but become red-tinged with maturity; this acts as a signal to alert birds that the flowers have opened and nectar is available.
Robert Brown described Banksia ilicifolia in 1810. Although Banksia ilicifolia is variable in growth form, with low coastal shrubby forms on the south coast near
Albany, there are no recognised
varieties as such. Distributed broadly, the species is restricted to sandy soils. Unlike its close relatives which are killed by fire and repopulate from seed, Banksia ilicifolia regenerates after bushfire by regrowing from
epicormic buds under its bark. It is rarely cultivated. (Full article...)
Banksia coccinea, commonly known as the scarlet banksia, waratah banksia or Albany banksia, is an erect shrub or small tree in the
familyProteaceae. Its distribution in the wild is along the
southwest coast of
Western Australia, from
Denmark to the
Stokes National Park, and north to the
Stirling Range, growing on white or grey sand in
shrubland, heath or open woodland. Reaching up to 8 m (26 ft) in height, it is a single-stemmed plant that has oblong leaves, which are 3–9 cm (1.2–3.5 in) long and 2–7 cm (0.8–2.8 in) wide. The prominent red and white flower
spikes appear mainly in the spring. As they age they develop small
follicles that store seeds until opened by fire. Though widely occurring, it is highly sensitive to
dieback and large populations of plants have succumbed to the disease.
Collected and described by
Robert Brown in the early 19th century, Banksia coccinea appears to be most closely related to Banksia speciosa and B. baxteri. Banksia coccinea plants are killed by
bushfire, and regenerate from seed. The flowers attract nectar- and insect-feeding birds, particularly
honeyeaters, and a variety of insects. Widely considered one of the most attractive Banksia species, B. coccinea is a popular garden plant and one of the most important Banksia species for the
cut flower industry; it is grown commercially in several countries including Australia, South Africa, Canada, the United States, New Zealand and Israel. In cultivation, B. coccinea grows well in a sunny location on well-drained soil, but it cannot survive in areas with humid or wet summers. (Full article...)
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Banksia lemanniana, the yellow lantern banksia or Lemann's banksia, is a
species of
flowering plant in the
familyProteaceae, native to
Western Australia. It generally grows as an open woody shrub or small tree to 5 m (16 ft) high, with stiff serrated leaves and unusual hanging
inflorescences. Flowering occurs over summer, the greenish buds developing into oval flower spikes before turning grey and developing the characteristic large woody
follicles. It occurs within and just east of the
Fitzgerald River National Park on the southern coast of the state. B. lemanniana is killed by bushfire and regenerates from seed.
Described by Swiss botanist
Carl Meissner in 1856, Banksia lemanniana was named in honour of English botanist
Charles Morgan Lemann. It is one of three or four related species all with
pendent inflorescences, which is an unusual feature of
banksias. No subspecies are recognised. Banksia lemanniana is classified as Not Threatened under the
Wildlife Conservation Act of Western Australia. Unlike many Western Australian banksias, it appears to have some resistance to dieback from the soil-borne
water mouldPhytophthora cinnamomi, and is one of the easier Western Australian species to grow in cultivation. (Full article...)
Planning for the Kwinana Freeway began in the 1950s, and the first segment in
South Perth was constructed between 1956 and 1959. The route has been progressively widened and extended south since then. During the 1980s, the freeway was extended to
South Street in
Murdoch, and in June 2001, it reached
Safety Bay Road in
Baldivis. The final extension began as the New Perth Bunbury Highway project, constructed between December 2006 and September 2009. In early 2009, the section north of Pinjarra Road was named as part of the Kwinana Freeway, with the remainder named Forrest Highway. The freeway has been adapted to cater for public transport, with the introduction of bus priority measures in 1987, and the 2007 opening of the
Mandurah railway line, constructed in the freeway median strip. (Full article...)
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The tammar wallaby (Notamacropus eugenii), also known as the dama wallaby or darma wallaby, is a small
macropod native to
South and
Western Australia. Though its geographical range has been severely reduced since European colonisation, the tammar wallaby remains common within its reduced range and is listed as "
Least Concern" by the
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It has been introduced to New Zealand and reintroduced to some areas of Australia where it had been previously extirpated. Skull variations differentiate between tammar wallabies from Western Australia,
Kangaroo Island, and mainland South Australia, making them distinct population groups.
The tammar wallaby is among the smallest of the
wallabies in the genus Notamacropus. Its coat colour is largely grey. The tammar wallaby has several notable adaptations, including the ability to retain energy while hopping,
colour vision, and the ability to drink
seawater. A nocturnal species, it spends the nighttime in
grassland habitat and the daytime in
shrubland. It is also very gregarious and has a
seasonal, promiscuous mating pattern. A female tammar wallaby can nurse a
joey in her pouch while keeping an embryo in her uterus. The tammar wallaby is a model species for research on
marsupials, and on
mammals in general. Its
genome was sequenced in 2011. (Full article...)
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The western yellow robin (Eopsaltria griseogularis) is a species of
bird in the Australasian robin family,
Petroicidae, native to
Australia.
Described by
John Gould in 1838, the western yellow robin and its Australian relatives are not closely related to either the
European or
American robins, but they appear to be an early offshoot of the
Passerida group of
songbirds. Ranging between 13.5 and 15.5 cm (5+1⁄4 and 6 in) long, it has grey upperparts, and a grey breast and head, broken by whitish streaks near the bill and below the eye, with a conspicuous yellow belly. The sexes are similar in appearance. Two subspecies are recognized: subspecies griseogularis, which has a yellow rump, and subspecies rosinae with an olive-green rump.
The species inhabits open
eucalypt jungle,
woodland, and
scrub, generally favouring habitats with significant
understory. Its range comprises the
Southwest of Western Australia and the state's southern coastline, as well as the
Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. It breeds in a cup-shaped nest in a tree. Predominantly
insectivorous, the western yellow robin pounces on prey from a low branch or forages on the ground. Although it is rated as
least concern on the
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)'s
Red List of Threatened Species, it has declined in parts of its range. (Full article...)
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Adenanthos cuneatus, also known as coastal jugflower, flame bush, bridle bush and sweat bush, is a shrub of the family
Proteaceae, native to the
south coast of Western Australia. The French naturalist
Jacques Labillardière originally described it in 1805. Within the genus Adenanthos, it lies in the
sectionAdenanthos and is most closely related to A. stictus. A. cuneatus has hybridized with four other species of Adenanthos. Growing to 2 m (6 ft 7 in) high and wide, it is erect to prostrate in
habit, with wedge-shaped lobed leaves covered in fine silvery hair. The single red flowers are insignificant, and appear all year, though especially in late spring. The reddish new growth occurs over the summer.
It is sensitive to Phytophthora cinnamomidieback, hence requiring a sandy soil and good drainage to grow in cultivation, its natural habitat of sandy soils in
heathland being an example. Its pollinators include bees,
honey possum,
silvereye and
honeyeaters, particularly the
western spinebill. A. cuneatus is grown in gardens in Australia and the western United States, and a dwarf and prostrate form are commercially available. (Full article...)
Banksia sessilis, commonly known as parrot bush, is a
species of
shrub or
tree in the
plantgenusBanksia of the family
Proteaceae. It had been known as Dryandra sessilis until 2007, when the genus Dryandra was sunk into Banksia. The
Noongar peoples know the plant as budjan or butyak. Widespread throughout
southwestWestern Australia, it is found on sandy soils over
laterite or
limestone, often as an
understorey plant in open forest, woodland or shrubland. Encountered as a shrub or small tree up to 6 m (20 ft) in height, it has prickly dark green leaves and dome-shaped cream-yellow
flowerheads. Flowering from winter through to late spring, it provides a key source of food—both the nectar and the insects it attracts—for
honeyeaters in the cooler months, and
species diversity is reduced in areas where there is little or no parrot bush occurring. Several species of honeyeater, some species of native bee, and the
European honey bee seek out and consume the nectar, while the
long-billed black cockatoo and
Australian ringneck eat the seed. The life cycle of Banksia sessilis is adapted to regular bushfires. Killed by fire and regenerating by seed afterwards, each shrub generally produces many flowerheads and a massive amount of seed. It can recolonise disturbed areas, and may grow in thickets.
Banksia sessilis has a somewhat complicated
taxonomic history. It was collected from
King George Sound in 1801 and described by
Robert Brown in 1810 as Dryandra floribunda, a name by which it was known for many years. However,
Joseph Knight had published the name Josephia sessilis in 1809, which had precedence due to its earlier date, and the specific name was formalised in 1924. Four
varieties are recognised. It is a prickly plant with little apparent
horticultural potential; none of the varieties are commonly seen in cultivation. A profuse producer of nectar, B. sessilis is valuable to the
beekeeping industry. (Full article...)
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Banksia caleyi, commonly known as Caley's banksia or red lantern banksia, is a species of woody
shrub of the family
Proteaceae native to
Western Australia. It generally grows as a dense shrub up to 2 m (7 ft) tall, has
serrated leaves and red,
pendent (hanging)
inflorescences which are generally hidden in the foliage. First
described by Scottish naturalist
Robert Brown in 1830, Banksia caleyi was named in honour of the English botanist
George Caley. No subspecies are recognised. It is one of three or four related species with hanging inflorescences, which is an unusual feature within the genus.
Photo credit:
Sean Mack The Pinnacles Desert is an area of unique limestone formations within the
Nambung National Park in
Western Australia. The desert contains many thousands of pillars, which rise up to five metres, with shape and texture having been defined by calcification processes and erosion. Since The Pinnacles was incorporated into the national park in the 1960s, the area has become significant tourist attraction.
Warnbro railway station is a
commuter railway station in
Warnbro, a suburb of
Perth, Western Australia. It is on the
Mandurah line, which is part of the
Transperth commuter rail network, and is located immediately south-east of the interchange of
Safety Bay Road and
Ennis Avenue. It has two
side platforms, linked by a pedestrian overpass accessed by stairs, a lift, and escalators. Services run every 10 minutes during peak, and every 15 minutes between peak. The journey to
Perth Underground station is 47.5 kilometres (29.5 mi), and takes 38 minutes. The journey to
Mandurah station is 23.3 kilometres (14.5 mi), and takes 13 minutes. The station has a bus interchange with seven bus stands and 12 regular bus routes.
Known as Waikiki station during planning, the station was included in the South West Metropolitan Railway Master Plan, released in 1999. Originally, there was only going to be a single track railway south of Waikiki station, making the station the terminus for the majority of trains on the line. This was revised later to the entire Mandurah line being dual tracked. The station was designed by Jones Coulter Young Architects and Taylor Robinson Architects. Construction on the station by Doric Constructions and Brierty Contractors began in August 2005. The cost of the station was $15 million. Construction was completed in March 2007, and the station opened, along with the rest of the Mandurah line, on 23 December 2007. (Full article...)
The station was included within early plans for the Joondalup line in the 1980s, but the final plan for the Joondalup line, which opened in December 1992, did not include the construction of Greenwood station. After several promises by the state government during the 1990s to build the station, a
A$6.8million contract was awarded to
John Holland Group in February 2004 to construct the station. Construction began in March 2004, and the station opened on 29 January 2005, relieving pressure on the car parks at
Warwick and
Whitfords stations. (Full article...)
The Australian ringneck (Barnardius zonarius) is a
parrot native to
Australia. Except for extreme
tropical and highland areas, the species has adapted to all conditions. Treatments of genus Barnardius have previously recognised two species, the
Port Lincoln parrot (Barnardius zonarius) and the
mallee ringneck (Barnardius barnardi), but due to these readily interbreeding at the contact zone they are usually regarded as a single species B. zonarius with subspecific descriptions. Currently, four
subspecies are recognised, each with a distinct
range.
In
Western Australia, the ringneck competes for nesting space with the
rainbow lorikeet, an
introduced species. To protect the ringneck, culls of the lorikeet are sanctioned by authorities in this region. Overall, though, the ringneck is not a threatened species. (Full article...)
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Aubin Grove bus station entrance in April 2017
Aubin Grove railway station is a
suburban railway station serving
Atwell,
Aubin Grove,
Hammond Park and
Success, which are suburbs of
Perth, Western Australia. It is on the
Mandurah line, which is part of the
Transperth network, and is located immediately north of Russell Road in the median of the
Kwinana Freeway. It has two platform faces on a singular
island platform, which is linked to either side of the freeway by a pedestrian overpass. Services run every 10 minutes during peak and every 15 minutes between peak. The journey to
Perth station is 23.8 kilometres (14.8 mi) and takes 21 minutes. The station has a bus interchange with four bus stands and seven regular bus routes.
Construction of the station was promised by both major political parties ahead of the
2013 Western Australian state election. A tender was released for the station's construction in July 2014, with a projected cost of
A$80 million for the whole project, including the purchase of two
Transperth B-series trains. The design contract was awarded in February 2015 to a joint venture between Coniglio Ainsworth Architects and M. P. S. Architects. The scope of the project was broadened in April 2015 to include the widening of the Russell Road bridge over the freeway, which increased the project budget to $105 million. Construction on the station began in March 2016, and it was opened on 23 April 2017, with the final cost being $125 million. (Full article...)
Planning for the route began in the 1950s, but the first segment between
Wattle Grove and
Cloverdale was not opened until 1980. Over the next five years, the highway was extended north to Great Eastern Highway and south to Albany Highway, and a discontinuous section was constructed north of the
Swan River. In 1988 the
Redcliffe Bridge linked these sections, and three years later, Reid Highway became the northern terminus. The next major works on the highway, between 2003 and 2005, extended the highway south to Thomas Road. (Full article...)
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Cyclone Bobby nearing
landfall on 24 February 1995
Severe Tropical Cyclone Bobby set numerous monthly rainfall records in parts of the
Goldfields-Esperance regions of
Western Australia, dropping up to 400 mm (16 in) of rain in February 1995. The fourth named storm of the
1994–95 Australian region cyclone season, Bobby developed as a
tropical low embedded within a
monsoon trough situated north of the
Northern Territory coastline on 19 February. The storm gradually drifted southwestward and later southward under low
wind shear, strengthening enough to be assigned the name Bobby by the
Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM). The storm rapidly deepened as it approached the coast of Western Australia, and attained its peak intensity of 925
mbar (
hPa; 27.32
inHg) at 0900
UTC on 24 February with 10-minute
maximum sustained winds of 195 km/h (120 mph). After making landfall as a somewhat weaker cyclone near
Onslow, the remnants of Bobby drifted southeastward, gradually weakening, before dissipating over the southern reaches of Western Australia.
Bobby inflicted minor damage throughout Western Australia, dropping copious rainfall and forcing the closure of many facilities and roads. The storm's destruction was most severe in Onslow, where 20 residences suffered damage. Elsewhere, Bobby knocked out power and water supplies, unroofed houses, tore off rain gutters, toppled fences, and smashed windows. The flooding of a 17 km (11 mi) stretch of the
Eyre Highway stranded approximately 1000 vehicles, although the backup was later cleared more than a week later. Flooding disrupted mining and drilling operations throughout southwestern Australia, costing the industry upwards of $50 million (1995
AUD; $38.7 million
USD). Numerous
Australian Army and
State Emergency Service (SES) personnel were involved in cleanup and recovery efforts after the cyclone's passage, while power and water service was restored to those cut off during the storm. Overall, the cyclone caused eight deaths and $11 million (1995 AUD; $8.5 million USD) in damage along its course across Western Australia. (Full article...)
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Rosita near peak intensity prior to landfall on 19 April
Severe Tropical Cyclone Rosita was a
tropical cyclone that affected northern Australia from 15 April through 21 April 2000. Rosita was one of the most intense tropical cyclones to hit the west
Kimberley coast in the last century. Crossing the coast as a Category 5 about 40 kilometres (25 mi) south of
Broome on 20 April, Rosita caused severe damage in the Eco Beach resort and the vegetation around Broome. Its region of very destructive winds (gusts exceeding 170 km/h) passed south of Broome by only 15 kilometres (9.3 mi). Cyclone Rosita was the first cyclone to directly hit Broome since
Cyclone Lindsay in March
1985. (Full article...)
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Map of Western Australia with Great Northern Highway highlighted in red
Great Northern Highway is an Australian highway that links
Western Australia's capital city
Perth with its northernmost port,
Wyndham. With a length of almost 3,200 kilometres (2,000 mi), it is the longest highway in Australia, with the majority included as part of the Perth Darwin
National Highway. The highway, which travels through remote areas of the state, is constructed as a
sealed, predominantly two-lane single carriageway, but with some single-lane bridges in the
Kimberley. Economically, it provides vital access through the
Wheatbelt and
Mid West to the resource-rich regions of the
Pilbara and Kimberley. In these areas, the key industries of mining, agriculture and pastoral
stations, and tourism are all dependent on the highway.
The Causeway is an arterial traffic crossing in
Perth, Western Australia, linking the inner-city suburbs of
East Perth and
Victoria Park. It is carried over the
Swan River at the eastern end of
Perth Water by two bridges on either side of
Heirisson Island. The current Causeway is the third structure to have been built across the river at this point.
Originally the site of
mudflats which restricted river navigation, the Colony Government constructed a causeway and bridge across the site. The project was first planned in 1834 and opened in 1843. When floods in 1862 almost destroyed it, the structure was rebuilt using
convict labour, and raised to better withstand future floods.
GovernorJohn Hampton officially opened the new Causeway on 12 November 1867. Over the following decades, the three bridges making up this second Causeway were widened several times, and they were eventually replaced in 1952. (Full article...)
Before European settlement, the area was inhabited by the
Mooro group of the
WhadjukNoongar people. The first major developments for the suburb occurred in the 1920s, when the extension of
Beaufort Street and its associated tram service into the area triggered housing construction. Bedford Park was gazetted as a townsite in 1937, and major growth occurred following World War II, due to developments by the State Housing Commission. Today, Bedford is fully suburbanised. (Full article...)
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Location of the electoral district of Perth (dark green) in the Perth metropolitan area
The electoral district of Perth is a
Legislative Assemblyelectorate in the
state of
Western Australia. Perth is named for the capital city of Western Australia whose central business district falls within its borders. It is one of the oldest electorates in Western Australia, with its first member having been elected in the inaugural
1890 elections of the Legislative Assembly.
Cyclone Herbie approaching Western Australia on 20 May
Tropical Cyclone Herbie was the only known tropical system to impact
Western Australia during the month of May on record. The final cyclone of the
1987–88 Australian region cyclone season, Herbie was first identified northwest of the
Cocos Islands on 17 May. The following day, the system was classified as a tropical low by the
Australian Bureau of Meteorology and intensified into a Category 1 cyclone later that day. Several hours after this upgrade, the storm attained its initial peak intensity with winds of 75 km/h (45 mph 10-minute sustained). Around the same time, the
Joint Typhoon Warning Center classified Herbie as Tropical Storm 21S.
On 19 May, the cyclone formed a new
low-pressure center and relocated roughly 300 km (190 mi) south. Shortly thereafter, the storm began to accelerate towards the southeast and started to undergo an
extratropical transition. Early on 21 May, Herbie made
landfall in
Shark Bay before losing its identity the following day over the
Great Australian Bight. Although a weak storm, Herbie brought flooding rains and severe dust storms to portions of Western Australia. Additionally, a 30,000 ton freighter broke in half amidst rough seas produced by the storm. Total losses from the storm reached A$20 million (US$15.6 million). Due to the significant damage wrought by Herbie, the name was
retired following its use. (Full article...)
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Eucalyptus wandoo, commonly known as wandoo, dooto, warrnt or wornt and sometimes as white gum, is a small to medium-sized tree that is
endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It has smooth bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of nine to seventeen, white flowers and conical to cylindrical fruit. It is one of a number of similar Eucalyptus species known as wandoo.
Avondale is situated on land where the
Dale River joins the
Avon River 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) northwest of
Beverley. It is located on land originally granted to the first
Governor of Western Australia, Captain (later Admiral Sir)
James Stirling and Captain
Mark CurrieRN in 1836. These grants were combined in 1849 and with additional land purchases they became known as Avondale Estate, expanding to in excess of 13,330 acres (53.9 km2). (Full article...)
... that Bill Dunn, an
Indigenous Australian pastoralist approaching retirement, sold his station at half-price to the
Jigalong community despite receiving full-price offers from non-Indigenous people?
... that Mertome Village in Bayswater, Western Australia was the first aged care complex to be built by a local government in Australia?
...that the original Victoria Dam, constructed in 1891, was the first
dam in
Western Australia, and it stood for almost 100 years before being replaced with the current dam?
...that
AnglicanbishopKay Goldsworthy was consecrated as the first woman bishop of any Australian church on 22 May 2008?