Wiluna, Western Australia

Infobox Australian Place | type = town
name = Wiluna
state = wa

---

caption = Main Street in Wiluna
lga = Shire of Wiluna
postcode = 6646
est = 1898
pop = 681 (2006) [Census 2006 AUS|id=SSC55991|name=Wiluna (State Suburb)|quick=on|accessdate=2008-05-18]
elevation= 521
maxtemp = 29.1
mintemp = 14.2
rainfall = 257.6
stategov = Kalgoorlie
fedgov = Kalgoorlie
dist1 = 947
dir1 = NE
location1= Perth
dist2 = 182
dir2 = E
location2= Meekatharracoord|-26.595|120.225|type:city(202)_region:AU-WA_scale:100000|format=dms|display=title

Wiluna is a town in the Mid West region of Western Australia. It is situated on the edge of the desert at the gateway to the Canning Stock Route and Gunbarrel Highway. It is the centre of an area primarily dedicated to mining, and many more people work on mines in the area on a "fly-in/fly-out" basis. Wiluna's climate is hot and dry, with an annual rainfall of just 254 mm (10 in). Mean maximum temperatures range from 19°C (66°F) in July, to 38°C (100°F) in January.

Overview

The closest mine site to town is the Wiluna Gold Mine, approximately 3 km south of Wiluna. It is currently under care and maintenance, but is still an active mine site and not open to visitors. [ [http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/06/20/1956750.htm Wiluna gold mine sold - again] , Australian Broadcasting Corporation, June 20, 2007]

The Wiluna area was first explored by Lawrence Wells in 1892. Gold was discovered in the area in 1896, and within a few months there were over 300 prospectors in the area. The town of Wiluna was gazetted in 1898, the name "Wiluna" being the Indigenous Australian name for the area. By the 1930s, the town had a population of over 9,000 people, but World War II severely affected the gold mining industry, and many mines were shut down. By 1963 the population had fallen to less than 100. Gold mining resumed in the area in 1981. [ Heydon, P. "Wiluna: Edge of the Desert" ISBN 0859052168 ]

In October 1960, two station workers named F. Vicenti and F. Quadrio were opening a fence gate on the Millbillillie-Jundee track 11 kilometres from Wiluna when they witnessed a bright fireball falling into spinifex ("Triodia") grassland to the north of their location. The debris from this meteor became known as the Millbillillie meteorite and is understood to be actual pieces of the asteroid Vesta that had at some point been knocked off by a collision in the asteroid belt. Although no official specimens were recovered until 1970 it is understood that members of the local Aboriginal community had collected pieces. [http://www.meteorites.com.au/favourite/june2004.html]

Railways

Wiluna was the furthest away from Perth that the narrow gauge Western Australian Government Railways system reached. The Wiluna branch was connected to the main Northern Railway at Meekatharra. The branch opened to Wiluna on 2 November, 1932. The line was closed on 5 August, 1957 ["Rails to Wiluna" Milne, Rod Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, September, 1996 pp270-278] .

With the emergence of iron ore traffic, this railway may be rebuilt in whole or in part, possibly as standard gauge.

People from Wiluna

The former Governor-General of Australia, Major General Michael Jeffery was born in Wiluna on 12 December 1937. A new primary school was constructed in Wiluna after Jeffery visited the town in 2006 and criticised the condition of the existing school. [ [http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2006/06/02/1653767.htm New school for Wiluna after G-G's blast] ,Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 2 June 2006] [ [http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200605/s1645902.htm G-G shocked by Wiluna school] , Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 24 May 2006]

See also

* Martu (Indigenous Australian)
* Wiluna Airport

References

External links

* [http://www.wiluna.wa.gov.au/ Shire of Wiluna homepage]
* [http://www.fallingrain.com/world/AS/8/Wiluna.html FallingRain Map - elevation = 596 m (Red dots are (closed) railways)]