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Wheatbelt (Western Australia)

{{Short description|Region of Western Australia}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}

{{Use Australian English|date=May 2013}}

{{Infobox Australian place

| name = Wheatbelt

| state = wa

| type = region

| image = {{maplink

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|from=Western Australian region - Wheatbelt.map

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| caption = Extent of Wheatbelt region

| coordinates = {{coord|-32|118|display=inline,title}}

| lga = {{Collapsible list|

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| stategov = Central Wheatbelt

| stategov2 = Moore

| stategov3 = Roe

| fedgov = Durack

| fedgov2 = O'Connor

| fedgov3 = Pearce

}}

File:WA Wheatbelt A4.jpg

Image:Yealering grain receival and storage.JPG

Image:Wheatbelt Versalzungsschaden.JPG caused by excessive clearing with resulting salinity, near Babakin]]

Image:Bencubbin-Kellerberrin Road, 2014(2).JPG

The Wheatbelt is one of nine regions of Western Australia defined as administrative areas for the state's regional development, and a vernacular term for the area converted to agriculture during colonisation.{{efn|Some early twentieth century references have "wheat belt" as two separate words.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27788738 |title=THE WHEAT BELT. |newspaper=The West Australian |location=Perth |date=13 October 1920 |access-date=11 September 2015 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article87202648 |title=The New Agricultural Commissioner for Western Australia's Wheat Belt. |newspaper=Bunbury Herald |location=WA |date=27 April 1911 |access-date=11 September 2015 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}}} It partially surrounds the Perth metropolitan area, extending north from Perth to the Mid West region, and east to the Goldfields–Esperance region. It is bordered to the south by the South West and Great Southern regions, and to the west by the Indian Ocean, the Perth metropolitan area, and the Peel region. Altogether, it has an area of {{convert|154862|km2|sqmi|0}} (including islands).

The region has 42 local government authorities, with an estimated population of 75,000 residents. The Wheatbelt accounts for approximately three per cent of Western Australia's population.{{Cite web|url=http://www.drd.wa.gov.au/Publications/Documents/A_region_in_profile_2014_Wheatbelt.pdf#search=2014%20wheatbelt|title=Government of Western Australia Department of Regional Development|date=2014|work=Wheatbelt: a region in profile 2014|access-date=17 May 2016|archive-date=19 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019101857/http://www.drd.wa.gov.au/Publications/Documents/A_region_in_profile_2014_Wheatbelt.pdf#search=2014%20wheatbelt|url-status=dead}}

Ecosystems

The area, once a diverse ecosystem, reduced when clearing began in the 1890s with the removal of plant species such as eucalypt woodlands and mallee, is now home to around 11% of Australia's critically endangered plants.{{cite journal|last1=Silcock|first1=Jen|title=Hanging on: What does it mean to be Red Hot?: Australia's most imperilled plants and their recovery|journal=Wildlife Australia|date=1 September 2016|volume=53|issue=3|url=http://search.informit.com.au/fullText;dn=360043347847795;res=IELAPA|language=en}}

A number of nationally threatened birds reside in the Wheatbelt, including the endangered Carnaby's black cockatoo and the vulnerable malleefowl.[https://www.environment.gov.au/resource/nationally-threatened-birds-western-wheatbelt Nationally threatened birds of the Western wheatbelt] Australian government, Environment Australia 2000, accessed 7 May 2019

The Wheatbelt encompasses a range of ecosystems and, as a result, there are a range of industries operating in the region.{{clarify|date=October 2018}}

In the Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia there are a number of subdivisions such as the Avon Wheatbelt (AVW), and a further breakdown of Avon Wheatbelt P1 (AW1) and Avon Wheatbelt P2 (AW2), Jarrah Forest, Geraldton Sandplains and Mallee regions.

Industry and economy

Near the coast, the region receives relatively high rainfall and mild temperatures, and its {{convert|150|km|mi|0}} of coastline is a significant tourist area. In contrast, the eastern fringe is very arid, and is mainly used for pastoral farming of sheep. Mining of gold, nickel and iron ore also occurs. The remainder of the region is highly suited to agriculture, and is the source of nearly two thirds of the state's wheat production, half of its wool production, and the majority of its lamb and mutton, oranges, honey, cut flowers and a range of other agricultural and pastoral products.

Change

With a range of climate and economic changes in the region, considerable effort is made by government at all levels to cope with the decline of some communities, and create opportunities for ventures that keep population in the region.{{Cite web|url=http://www.wheatbelt.wa.gov.au/ |title=Wheatbelt Development Commission|access-date=7 April 2024}}

Cultural change with population changes in many localities has been identified by local museums and historical societies, including online documentation.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wheatbelttourism.com/heritage-the-arts/museums-in-the-wheatbelt/|title=Museums in the wheatbelt|access-date=7 April 2024}}

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  • Bruce Rock
  • Corrigin
  • Cunderdin
  • Dowerin
  • Goomalling
  • Hyden
  • Kellerberrin
  • Koorda
  • Kulin
  • Lake Grace
  • Meckering
  • Merredin
  • Narrembeen
  • Newdegate
  • Nungarin
  • Southern Cross
  • Westonia
  • Wyalkatchem
  • Yelbeni

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Also the literary tradition of writers including the wheatbelt in their writing included:{{Citation | author1=Hughes-d'Aeth, Tony | author2=ProQuest (Firm) | title=Like nothing on this earth : [a literary history of the wheatbelt] | publication-date=2017 | publisher=UWA Publishing | isbn=978-1-76080-163-2}}

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Lesser known writers also have the wheatbelt environment in their writing such as Lilian Wooster Greaves.

Transport

{{see also|Major roads in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia}}

The Wheatbelt once had an extensive railway system, which transported bulk wheat grain. It has been reduced in part, while the main lines are being supported. Grain is transported on those lines to ports for export from the CBH grain receival points (grain silos), which are primarily located in the Wheatbelt region.

Six main highways radiating out from Perth serve the Wheatbelt: Brand Highway (north-west to {{WAcity|Geraldton}}), Great Northern Highway (north-east to {{WAcity|Wyndham}}), Great Eastern Highway (east to {{WAcity|Kalgoorlie}}), Great Southern Highway (east to {{WAcity|York}}, then south to {{WAcity|Cranbrook}}), Brookton Highway (east-south-east to {{WAcity|Brookton}}), and Albany Highway (south-east to {{WAcity|Albany}}). A network of main roads connects towns within the Wheatbelt to each other, the highways, and neighbouring regions, with local roads providing additional links and access to smaller townsites. Roads are often named after the towns they connect.{{cite MRWA map|WB-ISA|access-date=5 October 2013}}{{cite MRWA map|WN|access-date=5 October 2013}}{{cite MRWA map|WS|access-date=5 October 2013}}

Local government areas

The following list is the shires listed in the Wheatbelt as designated by the Wheatbelt Development Commission.http://wheatbelt.wa.gov.au/Maps – the most helpful maps being the "Wheatbelt Development Commission Map" Some shires in adjoining regions are traditionally considered part of the Wheatbelt – there are shires in the Great Southern, Goldfields-Esperance and Mid West regions that are dominantly grain growing areas.

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|File:Wheatbelt panorama-2.JPG

|Wheat growing north-east of Northam

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{{Clear}}

Sub-regions within the Wheatbelt

There are numerous subdivisions of the Wheatbelt, and in most cases the separation is by local government areas.

=Wheatbelt Development Commission=

The Wheatbelt Development Commission{{cite web|url=http://wheatbelt.wa.gov.au|title=Wheatbelt Development Commission|access-date=2 October 2013}} (WDC) breaks the region up into five sub-regions with four offices:

==Avon==

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==Central Coast==

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==Central Midlands==

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==Central East==

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==Wheatbelt South==

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=Tourism regions=

Most of the Wheatbelt is included in the larger Australia's Golden Outback.{{Citation | author1=Western Australian Visitor Centre | title=Western Australia's golden outback self drive guide : Gascoyne & Murchison, Wheatbelt, Esperance & Fitzgerald Coast, Kalgoorlie & Goldfields | date=2020 | publisher=Australia's Golden Outback| url=https://www.australiasgoldenoutback.com/ | access-date=28 October 2020 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.australiasgoldenoutback.com/region/wheatbelt-wave-rock|publisher=Australia's Golden Outback|access-date=28 October 2020|title=Western Australia's Wheatbelt Holiday Destination | Australia's Golden Outback}}{{Citation | author1=Western Australian Visitor Centre | title=Australia's golden outback, Western Australia : holiday planner | date=2020 | publisher=Western Australian Visitor Centre | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/33420634 | access-date=10 February 2019 }}

Due to their proximity to Perth, however, the following shires are instead promoted as part of the Destination Perth region. The tourist precincts are included:{{cite web |title=Conditions of Membership |url=https://www.destinationperth.com.au/page/conditions-membership |website=Destination Perth |access-date=4 September 2022}}

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Finally, the northwestern Shire of Dandaragan is promoted as part of Australia's Coral Coast region due to the presence of the larger seaside towns of Cervantes and Jurien Bay, which developed independently of wheat-growing.{{cite web |title=The Coral Coast Highway |url=https://www.australiascoralcoast.com/plan-your-visit/driving-routes-and-maps |website=Australia's Coral Coast |access-date=4 September 2022}}

=Other regional designations=

The Wheatbelt is separated into other designations at various times as well:

  • Wheatbelt North East{{Citation | author1=True, Denise | author2=Western Australia. Department of Agriculture | title=North-east wheatbelt remnant vegetation survey. Volume A, Koorda : prepared for WA Department of Agriculture | date=1995 | publisher=The Dept | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/21246115 | access-date=11 February 2019 }}
  • Wheatbelt Central{{Citation | author1=Wooller, Susan J | author2=Moore, Susan A | author3=Australian Heritage Commission | author4=Western Australian Natural Environment Evaluation Panel | title=Regional assessment of the wheatbelt of Western Australia : Central Wheatbelt | date=2000 | publisher=Murdoch University | isbn=978-0-86905-746-9 }}
  • The Open Wheatbelt{{Citation | author1=Promaco Geodraft | title=The Open Wheatbelt | date=2013 | publisher=[Mount Hawthorn, Western Australia] Promaco Geodraft | edition=5th edition, January 2013 | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/200182202 | access-date=11 February 2019 }}

See also

Notes

{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

References

{{reflist}}

Further reading

{{refbegin}}

  • {{cite book |last1=Hughes-d'Aeth |first1=Tony |title=Like Nothing on this Earth: A Literary History of the Wheatbelt |date=2017 |publisher=UWA Publishing |location=Crawley, WA |isbn=9781742589244}}

{{refend}}

External links

  • [http://www.wheatbelt.wa.gov.au/ Wheatbelt Development Commission]

{{subject bar |auto=y |portal1=Western Australia |portal2=Geography }}

{{Western Australian regions}}

{{Towns Wheatbelt South WA}}

Category:Regions of Western Australia