Wongan Hills

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For the town, see Wongan Hills, Western Australia.

Wongan Hills is a range of low flat-topped hills in the Avon Wheatbelt biogeographic region of Western Australia. It is located at 30°48′S 116°37′E / -30.8, 116.617,[1] in northern parts of the Avon Wheatbelt biogeographic region.

The range was first recorded in 1836 by Surveyor General of Western Australia John Septimus Roe. The area was settled by the 1900s, and in 1911 the town of Wongan Hills was established and named after the range. "Wongan" is derived from the Indigenous Australian name "wangan-katta", "wankan" and "woongan". "Katta" is known to mean "hill", but the meaning of "wongan" is uncertain. It may be related to "kwongan", an indigenous word for sandplain, or "whispering", in which case "wongan katta" would mean "whispering hills" (katta is a word for hill).[2]

They are biologically significant because they contain the largest remaining single area of natural vegetation in northern parts of the wheatbelt.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Wongan Hills. Gazetteer of Australia online. Geoscience Australia, Australian Government.
  2. ^ Western Australian Land Information Authority. History of country town names - W. Retrieved on 2007-05-25.
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