Westonia, Western Australia
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| Westonia Western Australia |
|
| Population: | ~100 |
| Established: | 1910 |
| Postcode: | 6423 |
| Location: | |
| LGA: | Shire of Westonia |
| State District: | Merredin |
| Federal Division: | Kalgoorlie |
Westonia (; post code: 6423) is a town located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, 10 km north of the Great Eastern Highway. It is the main town in the Shire of Westonia
The area is fairly arid, with a mean annual rainfall of just 300 mm (12 inches). It is also quite warm, with mean daily maximum temperatures ranging from 16 °C (60 °F) in July to 33 °C (92 °F) in January.
Westonia came into existence with the discovery in 1910 of gold in the area, by a sandalwood cutter named Alfred Westons. Initially the area was known as Weston's Reward and later as Westons. By 1915 there were two major mines in the area, and the population was in excess of 500. By 1917 the area, by then known as Westonia, had a population of more than 2,000. In 1919, low gold prices forced the closure of the mines, and the many people left the area. Westonia was gazetted as a town in February 1926. In 1935 one of the mines reopened, but closed again in 1948, only to be reopened in 1985.
