Gingin, Western Australia
| Gingin Western Australia | |
|---|---|
|
Water Wheel in Gingin park, from the original flour mill in Gingin | |
  Gingin | |
| Coordinates | 31°20′S 115°55′E / 31.34°S 115.91°ECoordinates: 31°20′S 115°55′E / 31.34°S 115.91°E |
| Population | 531 (2006 Census)[1] |
| Postcode(s) | 6503 |
| Elevation | 96 m (315 ft) |
| Location | |
| LGA(s) | Shire of Gingin |
| State electorate(s) | Moore |
| Federal Division(s) | Pearce |
Gingin is an agricultural town in Western Australia. The town is located 92 kilometres (57 mi) north of Perth along the Brand Highway.
The town is well suited for agriculture with a mild climate and available water sources. The area supports many forms of farming including beef cattle, cereal crops, olives, oranges and mangoes.
The first European to visit the area was the explorer George Fletcher Moore; he arrived in 1836 and recorded the Aboriginal name "Jinjin" on his charts.[2]
The first property to be established in the area by W. L. Brockman in 1841 was named Gingin station. The meaning of the word Gingin is uncertain but is thought to mean "footprint" or "place of many streams".
A townsite, Granville, was established close-by in 1839 but once Gingin was gazetted in 1871 Granville was never developed.[3]
By 1853 an area along Gingin Brook was fenced for horses to rest on the way from Perth to Geraldton and a police station was built nearby.
Construction of the telegraph line between Gingin and Perth was completed in 1886, and the railway line was completed in 1891. Gingin was declared a town in 1883.[4]
In 2003, plans were unveiled to construct the Gravity Discovery Centre near Gingin adjacent to the existing Australian International Gravitational Observatory.[5] A.I.G.O. is part of a worldwide array of observatories, completing the southern arm of the array to obtain three-dimensional measurements of gravitational waves. The public arm of A.I.G.O - The Gravity Discovery Centre includes a 45 m tower that leans at an angle of 15 degrees that allows students to complete free fall experiments.[6]
Located immediately adjacent to the Gravity Discovery Centre is the Southern Cross Cosmos Centre, which houses Australia's biggest public Observatory, the Gingin Observatory[7] that boasts of having the largest telescope for public access. The Gingin Observatory runs in conjunction with the Gravity Discovery Centre to give the public and students a chance to view the sun and also experience stargazing evenings. In 2006 a new million dollar robotic optical telescope, the Zadko telescope was installed into the 'Zadko Dome' just North of the SSCC building. The Zadko telescope is being used for research on a worldwide scale and can be accessed by remote via the internet. The Gingin Observatory have 'Zadko' evenings to allow the general public a chance to see the Zadko telescope and educate the public about its importance to science and astronomy.
The town of Gingin is host to the annual British car rally, which is held on the third Sunday of May.
Internet sensation "Gary the Goat" was purchased here in exchange for a case of beer in 2011.
See also
References
Notes
- ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Gingin (State Suburb)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 2008-09-20.
- ↑ See also usage of the same name in different form in Queensland location Gin Gin, Queensland
- ↑ Western Australian Land Information Authority. "History of country town names". Retrieved 2008-09-20.
- ↑ "Gingin Shire History - The Municipality of Gingin". 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-20.
- ↑ "ABC News - Gravity discovery centre to be built in Gingin". 2003. Retrieved 2008-09-20.
- ↑ "The United Group Leaning Tower of Gingin". 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-07-19. Retrieved 2008-09-20.
- ↑ Gingin Observatory, Western Australia
Further reading
- De Burgh, W J (2003). Neergabby (Where the Brook and River meet): A history of the Moore River and Lower Gingin Brook, 1830 to 1960. Carlisle, WA: Hesperian Press. ISBN 0859053245.