Outback Coast Holidays Destinations Western Australia WA
Geraldton
Geraldton
was
proclaimed
a
city
during
Her
Majesty
Queen
Elizabeth
II's
visit
in
April
1988.
Referred
to
as
"Sun
City",
it
is
climatically
attractive
in
that
it
has
an
average
of
8
hours
sunlight
every
day.
The
Abrolhos
islands
60km
off
the
coast
has
been
the
cause
of
many
shipwrecks
and
relics
can
be
found
in
the
Maritime
Display
Building
at
the
Museum.
The area
has
excellent
fishing
and
is
particularly
known
for
its
export
crayfish.
Northhampton
Only
a
few
years
separate
the
dates
of
the
settlement
of
the
Swan
River
colony
and
the
area
now
known
as
the
Shire
of
Northampton.
Deserted
mines,
a
disused
railway
line
and
convict
ruins
stand
testament
to
the
hardships
and
varied
fortunes
of
its pioneering
ancestors.
The
town
of
Northampton
was
awarded
historical
town
status
by
the
National
Trust
of
Australia.in
1993.
Kalbarri
This
ideally
situated
town
is
one
of
Western
Australia's
most
popular
holiday
resorts,
famous
for
its
fishing
as
well
as
its
beautiful
scenery. Sited
where
the
Murchison
River
flows
into
the
Indian
Ocean,
it
has
the
benefits
of
the
calm
waters
of
the
estuary
for
swimming
and
water
skiing.
The
river
mouth
is
kept
open
to
allow
access
for
fishing
and
pleasure
boats.
Anglers
can
enjoy
rod, deep
sea
and
estuary
fishing.
One
of
the
amazing
natural
wonders
of
the
world
is
to
be
found
at
Shark
Bay
World
Heritage
and
Marine
Park.
The
friendly
dolphins
of
Monkey
Mia
have
put
Shark
Bay
on
the
map
as
a
holiday
destination.
The
Shark
Bay
World
Heritage
area is
home
to
one
of
the
World's
last
surviving
great
herds
of
Dugong.
They,
along
with
whales,
turtles,
manta
rays
and
large
sharks
are
regularly
sighted
when
cruising
Shark
Bay's
seagrass
banks
and
sheltered
inlets.
Shark
Bay
supports
a
varied
and
prolific
bird
population, from
the
giant
Wedge-Tail
Eagle
to
the
Dirk
Hartog
Island
Wren,
making
the
bay
a
bird
watchers
dream.
Monkey
Mia
Shark
Bay's
most
popular
tourist
attraction,
where
the
dolphins
come
into
shore.
These
are
not
trained
animals
performing
tricks,
but
wild
dolphins
who,
after
years
of
love
and
understanding,
come
to
be
fed
of
their
own
accord.
Carnarvon
The
town
of
Carnarvon
is
situated
at
the
mouth
of
the
Gascoyne
River.
This
coastal
town
has
an
important
fishing
industry
which
supplies
fresh
seafood
year
round.
For
those
who
prefer
to
catch
their
own,
the
choice
of
fish
is
wide,
and
crabs
are plentiful
in
the
estuaries
and
tidal
flats. Since
it
is
situated
just
below
the
Tropic
of
Capricorn,
Carnarvon
is
sunny
all
year
round.
As
a
result
numerous
plantations
have
been
established.
Many
welcome
visitors
and
sell
their
fruit
locally
Green
Head
&
Leeman
The
township
of
Leeman
was
named
by
Dutchman
Abraham
Leeman
van
Santwits.
He
was
navigator
on
the
ship
Waeckende-
Boey,
which
was
sent
in
an
attempt
to
rescue
survivors
from
the
Vergulde
Draeck
(Gilt
Dragon)
which
was
wrecked
off
the
Western
Australian
coast
in 1656.
Nearby
Green
Head
was
originally
a
fishing
and
crayfishing
settlement.
Wiluna
Wiluna
is
an
old
gold
mining
town
where
'boom
and-bust'
has
been
a
way
of
life
since
the
early
prospecting
days.
Remains
of
the
once
large
mines
and
fine
buildings
recall
past
prosperity.
The
old
Weeloona
Hotel
(demolished
in
the
mid
1970s)
was
reputed to
have
the
world's
longest
bar.
At
the
peak,
of
the
mining
boom,
the
Wiluna
Gold
Mine
was
the
largest
in
the
southern
hemisphere
and
the
town
had
four
hotels
serving
a
population
of
9000.
The
old
hospital
has
been
restored
and
now
serves
as
the
Shire
Offices.
Murchison
Murchison
is
the
only
Shire
in
Australia
without
a
town.
The
settlement
was
proclaimed
in
July
1988
and
houses
the
Shire.
Office,
Museum
and
a
single
business,
the
Murchisan
Roadhouse
and
Caravan
Park.
Meekatharra
The
name
Meekatharra
is
popularly
believed
to
be
an
old
Aboriginal
word
meaning
place
of
little
water. The
Royal
Flying
Doctor
Service
and
School
of
the
Air
Networks
cover
a
wide
area
and
many
government
departments
have
their
regional
bases
in
Meekatharra.
Sandstone
In
1895
gold
was
first
discovered
in
the
area.
By
1907
it
boasted
four
hotels,
many
cafes,
four
butchers
and
several
other
large
stores. Prospectors
moved
into
the
areas
around
Sandstone
and
many
smaller
'gold
rush'
towns
were
established.
Today
it
relies
on
the
pastoral
and
re-emerging
gold
mining
industries
for
its
existence.
Mount
Magnet
Mount
Magnet
was
first
discovered
by
Surveyor
Robert
Austin
in
1854.
Austin
named
Mount
Magnet
alter
a
prominent
nearby
hill
which
contained
magnetic
rocks.
Major
development
did
not
take
place
until
the
1890s
when
gold
was
found
in
the
area.
Today,
gold
is
still
mined
at
the
famous
Hill
50
gold
mine.
The
area
is
renowned
for
its
spring
wildflowers.
Mingenew
The
name
Mingenew
is
either
derived
from
"Mininoo"
meaning
"place
of
many
waters"
or
"Minyanoo",
meaning
"place
of
many
ants".
The
area
was
first
discovered
in
1840
when
the
Gregory
brothers
arrived.
As
a
result
of
their
glowing
report
and
the
presence
of
freshwater
springs,
the
settlers
came.
Coorow
In
1862
the
first
settlers,
William
and
Sara
Long
came
into
the
area.
The
site
of
their
homestead
is
just
adjacent
to
the
present
townsite.
The
Nidland
railway
line
was
completed
in
1884
and
provided
the
first
employment
for
residents
in
town.
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