Western Australia
Western Australia (WA) is Australia's largest state in area,
covering the entire western third of the mainland, it is bordered
by South Australia and the Northern Territory. It has 2.1
million inhabitants (10% of the national total), 85% living in the
south-west corner of the state.
Perth City, the capital of WA offers an easygoing lifestyle -
the beautiful Swan River and inner-city parks like Kings Park add
to the relaxed, natural feel. There is much to see and do in
this part of the State, from swimming in crystal clear ocean waters
to enjoying a sunny afternoon sipping a cold beer at an open-air
pub.
The people of Western Australia, West Australians or Western
Australians, are colloquially known as 'sandgropers'
because of the insect found on sand dunes around Perth.
Weather and Climate
The southwest coastal region of Western Australia is temperate
and was originally heavily forested, including large stands of the
karri, one of the tallest trees in the world. The climate is
generally dry.
In Perth, the summer is generally hot and dry, lasting from late
December to late March, with February being the hottest month of
the year. Summer is not completely devoid of rain with
sporadic rainfall in the form of short-lived thunderstorms, weak
cold fronts and on very rare occasions decaying tropical cyclones
which can bring significant falls.
History
The first inhabitants of Australia arrived from the north
approximately 40,000 to 60,000 years ago. Over thousands of
years they eventually spread across the whole landmass. These
Indigenous Australians were well established throughout Western
Australia by the time European ships started accidentally arriving
en-route to Batavia (now Jakarta) in the early seventeenth
century.
The first European to visit Western Australia was Dutch
explorer Dirk Hartog who landed at Cape Inscription, Dirk Hartog
Island in 1616. The origins of the present state began with
the establishment of a British settlement at King George Sound in
1826 (later named Albany in 1832).
Population growth was slow until the discovery of gold was made
in the 1890s around Kalgoorlie. Western Australia became a
State of Australia on 1 January 1901.
Perth
Perth is the capital and largest city of Western
Australia. In December 2006 Perth had an estimated population
of 1,507,900. The metropolitan area is located in the south
west of the continent between the Indian Ocean and a low coastal
escarpment known as the Darling Range. The central business
district and suburbs of Perth are situated on the Swan River.
Sources: About Australia, Wikipedia: Western Australia, Wikipedia: Perth