Northampton, Western Australia

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Northampton
Western Australia

Hampton Street.
Population: 801[1]
Postcode: 6535
Location:
LGA: Shire of Northampton
State District: Greenough
Federal Division: Kalgoorlie

Northampton is a town 52 kilometres (32 mi) north of Geraldton, in the Mid West region of Western Australia. At the 2006 census, the town had a population of 813.[1] It is historic, with an outstanding national trust building. The town lies on the North West Coastal Highway. Formerly named Gwalla after the location's copper mine, it was established by the ex-convict Joseph Horrocks.

The town is known for its many wildflowers, and cave paintings at the Bowes River turnoff show that the region has been inhabited by indigenous Australians.

Contents

[edit] History

Copper and lead ore were found in the 1840s, and by 1877, 4,000 tons of copper and lead were being produced each year.

[edit] Transport

A railway eventually had to be constructed, since moving the materials by wagon to nearby Port Gregory proved to be too difficult. The government railway line from Geraldton to Ajana passed through Northampton, was the first government railway constructed in Western Australia. The line closed on 29 April 1957.

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). Northampton (L) (Urban Centre/Locality). 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved on 2007-12-12.

[edit] Further reading

  • Gibbs, M. 1997 Landscapes of Meaning - Joseph Lucas Horrocks and the Gwalla Estate, Northampton, Western Australia. Historical Traces: Studies in Western Australian History, No. 17. University of Western Australia Press.
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