Meckering, Western Australia

Meckering
Western Australia
Meckering
Population: 116 (2006 Census) [1]
Established: 1895
Postcode: 6405
Elevation: 203 m (666 ft)
Location:
LGA: Shire of Cunderdin
State District: Central Wheatbelt
Federal Division: Durack

Meckering is a town 130 km east of Perth, Western Australia along the Great Eastern Highway. Meckering is located within the Shire of Cunderdin.

A railway line was completed in the area in 1895 and Meckering was selected as a station site. The first name chosen for the townsite was Beebering, the Aboriginal name for the hills just north of the town.

The townsite of Beebering was gazetted in 1895.[2] The name of the town was changed to Meckering in 1897 to agree with the station name and the name for the town that was used locally. Meckering is an Aboriginal word thought to mean "moon on the water" or "good hunting".

Contents

Earthquake

At 10:59 am on 14 October 1968, a 40-second earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter Scale destroyed the town, and had effect on a considerable area in the south western region of Western Australia.[3] Surface faulting was up to 3 metres high, and almost 40 km long [4] As it was a public holiday, the risk of casualties was reduced. Buildings in the metropolitan area of Perth were damaged as a result of the earthquake, and tremors were felt as far away as Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Esperance, and Albany.[3] The building codes and various structural issues for Western Australia were modified as a result of the earthquake and further development of earthquake engineering.[5][6] The memory and significance of the event is commemorated by the local and wider community in a number of ways.[7][8][9][10]

A later earthquake at Cadoux in 1979 was on a par with the Meckering event in some people's memories, although less damage occurred in Perth.

Meckering is a main stopping point for freight trucks on the way to the eastern states.

Preceding station   Transwa Trains network   Following station
towards East Perth
 Avonlink
East Perth - Merredin
towards Merredin

See also

Earthquakes in Western Australia

References

  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Meckering (State Suburb)". 2006 Census QuickStats. http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/ABSNavigation/prenav/LocationSearch?collection=Census&period=2006&areacode=SSC54676&producttype=QuickStats&breadcrumb=PL&action=401. Retrieved 2008-09-16. 
  2. ^ Western Australian Land Information Authority. "History of country town names". http://www.landgate.wa.gov.au/corporate.nsf/web/History+of+country+town+names. Retrieved 2008-09-16. 
  3. ^ a b "Quake Havoc: 20 Hurt in Country Towns" (JPG). The West Australian (Perth, W.A.). 15 October 1968. Archived from the original on 2008-07-31. http://web.archive.org/web/20080731003036/http://www.thewest.com.au/multimedia/WAN+ONLINE/mm1/Galleries/175-ed6/October-15-1968.jpg. Retrieved 2008-07-18. 
  4. ^ http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/25962/20040718-0000/www.seismicity.segs.uwa.edu.au/seismicity_of_western_australia/wa_historical.html
  5. ^ Everingham, I.B. and P.J. Gregson "Meckering earthquake intensities and notes on earthquake risk for Western Australia", Earthquake Engineering Symposium, Melbourne, 16–18 October 1969. Melbourne, Vic: Institution of Engineers, Australia, Victoria Division, Structural Branch, The Institution of Engineers, Australia, Victoria Division Structural Branch, in association with the Australian Institute of Physics, Geophysics Group
  6. ^ McCue, K.F. (1973) Report on the seismicity of Western Australia. Melbourne, Vic: Commonwealth of Australia, Dept. of Works
  7. ^ "Meckering 18 years after the earthquake", The West Australian, 29 November 1986, p. 37
  8. ^ Souvenir booklet 1988: Meckering earthquake - 14 October 1968, Meckering Agricultural Society (Inc.) compiled by Peter and Joy Kelly [et al.] for the Meckering Agricultural Society (Inc.)
  9. ^ Gale, Allen "Remembering Meckering...30 years ago". Recounts the earthquake at Meckering. Remembrance activities included an SES operational exercise and display of capabilities. Western alert, Summer 1998/1999, p. 33, p. 35
  10. ^ Laud, Peter "Miracle of Meckering. 30 years after the town's biggest earthquake - locals reminisce and talk about changes to Meckering" Sunday Times (Perth, W.A.), 13 September 1998, Sunday section, p. 6-7

Further reading

External links