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Western Australia (WA) is the largest state in Australia, situated on the west coast of the country. WA has a significant fishing industry, with products including western rock lobsters, prawns, crabs, sharks, and tuna. The state has a rich history, with Indigenous peoples present for tens of thousands of years. Dutch explorers visited Western Australia in the 17th century, and the British claimed the region in 1827. WA has a diverse economy, with a strong mining sector, tourism, and agriculture. The capital, Perth, is known for its serene beaches, parklands, and fresh seafood.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Country | Australia |
| State | Western Australia |
| Abbreviation | WA |
| Capital | Perth |
| Population | 2,043,138 (including Mandurah) as of June 2017 |
| Indigenous Peoples | Present for tens of thousands of years |
| Colonised by | The British in 1827 |
| Gold Rush | Late 19th century |
| Federation | 1 January 1901 |
| Economy | Mining, fishing, tourism, sandalwood industry |
| Attractions | Rottnest Island, Margaret River, Ningaloo Reef, Yardie Creek, Nambung National Park, Cape Range National Park |
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What You'll Learn
Western Australia is the largest state in the country
Western Australia (WA) is the largest state in Australia, occupying the entire western portion of the country. It covers 2,527,013 square kilometres (975,685 sq mi) or about 32.9% of the nation's land area, excluding external territories. WA is also the second-largest subdivision of any country globally, only surpassed by Russia's Sakha Republic.
The state is home to a diverse range of climates and landscapes, from the tropical Kimberley region in the north to the idyllic Rottnest Island and the wine and surf region of Margaret River in the south. The capital, Perth, is known for its serene beaches, parklands, and fresh seafood. It is also home to Optus Stadium, the state's largest stadium, with a capacity of over 60,000 people.
Western Australia has a rich history, with Indigenous peoples present for tens of thousands of years. Dutch explorers, including Dirk Hartog in 1616, were the first Europeans to arrive, and the British claimed the region in 1827. The state was officially established in 1901 when it federated with the other Australian colonies.
Today, WA has a strong economy driven by mining, tourism, and agriculture. The state has a significant fishing industry, and its sandalwood plantations supply about 40% of the international sandalwood oil market. Tourism is a growing sector, with international visitors contributing $9.3 billion to the state's economy and supporting 94,000 jobs.
Western Australia is a vast and diverse state, offering something for everyone, from its dramatic natural landscapes to its vibrant cities and rich cultural heritage.
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The state's capital is Perth
Western Australia (WA) is the largest state in Australia, situated on the west coast of the country. The state's capital is Perth, which is famed for its serene, uncrowded beaches, parklands, and fresh seafood.
Perth was established as the capital of Western Australia in 1829, when the British claimed the state and set up the Swan River Colony. The city is the state's primary population centre, with a population of 2,043,138 as of June 2017, accounting for 79% of the state's population.
Perth has a thriving baseball team, Perth Heat, and is also home to the Perth Basin, a coastal plain separated from the Yilgarn block by the Darling Range. The city is a leading source of news in Western Australia, with publications such as 'The West Australian' providing local and global news on sports, business, lifestyle, and current affairs.
Perth has experienced issues with deepfake technology, with Education Minister Jason Clare urging his state counterparts to address the issue. The city has also witnessed controversial laws and police brutality, with a notable case in 2019 involving a Geraldton police officer who fatally shot an Indigenous woman.
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WA has a significant fishing industry
Western Australia (WA) is the largest state in Australia, situated on the west coast of the country. It is home to the dramatic Kimberley Region, the idyllic Rottnest Island, and the premium wine and surf region of Margaret River. The capital, Perth, is known for its serene, uncrowded beaches, parklands, and fresh seafood.
The majority of Western Australia's fisheries are managed by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. However, the Patagonian Toothfish, Swordfish, and Tuna fisheries are managed by the Commonwealth Government through the Australian Fisheries Management Authority.
Aquaculture is a priority growth area for the state, with pearl fishing in the Kimberley region being a notable example. In addition to its seafood exports, WA also has the world's biggest plantations of Indian and Australian sandalwood, which provide about 40% of the international sandalwood oil market.
The state's mining sector is also a key driver of the economy, and in recent years, tourism has grown in importance, with significant numbers of visitors from the UK, Ireland, other European countries, Singapore, Japan, and Malaysia.
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The state has a rich history, with Indigenous Australians present for tens of thousands of years
Western Australia (WA) is the largest Australian state and is situated on the west coast of the country. The state has a rich history, with Indigenous Australians present for tens of thousands of years.
The first European explorers to make landfall in Western Australia were Dutch, dating back to Dirk Hartog's expedition in 1616. For the rest of the 17th century, other Dutch and British navigators encountered the coast, usually unintentionally, as demonstrated by the many shipwrecks along the coast of ships that deviated from the Brouwer Route. By the late 18th century, British and French sailors had begun to explore the Western Australian coast. The Baudin expedition of 1800–03 included the coast of Western Australia and resulted in the Freycinet Map of 1811, the first published map featuring the full outline of Australia. The British claimed Western Australia in 1827 and established the Swan River Colony with Perth as its capital in 1829.
The early history of Western Australia is marked by the colonisation of the region by Europeans, under James Stirling, which created a generation of colony-born men who engaged in hostilities and imprisonment of Indigenous Australians. This colonisation involved the expropriation of land, the exploitation of cheap labour, and the quashing of Indigenous resistance. The preservation of Indigenous history through oral traditions and stories has been increasingly recognised, with Indigenous Australians in Western Australia preserving stories about extinct Australian megafauna, rising sea levels, and the loss of lands offshore due to the sea level rise of the Flandrian transgression at the end of the Pleistocene Ice Age.
In the late 19th century, the Western Australian gold rushes resulted in a significant population influx. In 1896, the Western Australian Parliament authorised the raising of a loan to construct a pipeline to transport water to the burgeoning population on the goldfields. The Goldfields Water Supply Scheme was completed in 1903 and is attributed to driving the state's population and economic growth. Western Australia was the last of the Australian colonies to become self-governing, achieving this status in 1890, and it federated with the other colonies in 1901.
In recent times, there have been efforts to address past injustices against Indigenous Australians. In 1992, the Australian Supreme Court ruled for the first time that Indigenous people have legal rights to land in Australia, rejecting the legal ruling of terra nullius. In 1997, the "Bringing Them Home Report" was presented to the Federal Government, confirming that Aboriginal people from 1910 until the 1970s saw the removal of between one in three to one in ten Aboriginal children, constituting "gross violation of their human rights" and "an act of genocide". In 2017, more than 100 Indigenous leaders in Perth threw their support behind calls for a treaty between Aboriginal people and the Federal Government, citing a lack of proper representation in Parliament.
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Gold was discovered in WA in the 19th century, leading to a population influx
Western Australia (WA) is the largest state in Australia and is situated on the west coast of the country. The state was originally a British colony, established in 1829 as the Swan River Colony.
In the 19th century, gold was discovered in Western Australia, leading to a significant population influx. This period, known as the Western Australian gold rush, occurred in the 1890s, with discoveries of gold in Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie. The gold rush brought many immigrants to the state, similar to the gold rushes that occurred in other parts of the world during this time, such as in the United States and South Africa.
The discovery of gold in Western Australia had a significant impact on the colony's political and economic development. To support the growing population, the Western Australian government invested in infrastructure projects, such as the Goldfields Water Supply Scheme, a pipeline constructed to provide water to the goldfields. This pipeline, completed in 1903, carried water 530 kilometres from Perth to Kalgoorlie and was a crucial factor in the state's population and economic growth.
The gold rush also contributed to the development of other industries in Western Australia. For example, the state's mining sector became a key driver of the economy, and the increase in population led to the growth of cities like Perth, which became known for its serene, uncrowded beaches, parklands, and fresh seafood.
Today, Western Australia continues to be a thriving state, with a diverse range of industries, including mining, fishing, and tourism. The state offers a variety of attractions, such as the dramatic Kimberley Region, the idyllic Rottnest Island, and the wine and surf region of Margaret River.
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Frequently asked questions
A: WA is the abbreviation for Western Australia.
A: Perth is the capital of Western Australia.
A: Perth and its metropolitan area (including Mandurah) had an estimated population of 2,043,138 in June 2017, comprising 79% of the state's population.
A: Western Australia has several notable places, including the Kimberley Region, Rottnest Island, Margaret River, the Goldfields, and the Ningaloo Reef.
A: Western Australia's economy is driven by its mining sector, fishing industry, sandalwood plantations, and tourism.
