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| Northam Western Australia |
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| Population: | 6,009 (2006 Census) | ||||||
| Established: | 1833 | ||||||
| Postcode: | 6401 | ||||||
| Elevation: | 170 m (558 ft) | ||||||
| Location: | 96 km (60 mi) from Perth | ||||||
| LGA: | Shire of Northam | ||||||
| State District: | Central Wheatbelt | ||||||
| Federal Division: | Pearce | ||||||
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Northam is a town in Western Australia, situated at the confluence of the Avon and Mortlock Rivers, about 97 kilometres (60 mi) north-east of Perth in the Avon Valley. With a population of slightly over 6,000, Northam is the largest town in the Avon region. It is also the largest inland town in the state not founded on mining.
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History
The area around Northam was first explored in 1830 by a party of colonists led by Ensign Robert Dale, and subsequently founded in 1833. It was named by Governor Stirling, probably after a village of the same name in Devon, England. Almost immediately it became a point of departure for explorers and settlers who were interested in the lands which lay to the east.
This initial importance declined with the growing importance of the other nearby towns of York and Beverley, but the arrival of the railway made Northam the major departure point for fossickers and miners who headed east towards the goldfields.
A notable scandal occurred in 1933 when the town's entire Aboriginal population were rounded up by police and dumped in the Moore River Native Settlement. The Northam Shire Council said they had scabies and were a health risk.1
During the 1940s and 1950s in Northam there were extensive camps for displaced European refugees and immigrants.
Steve Fossett became the first person to fly around the world alone, non-stop, in a balloon when he launched from Northam on 19 June 2002, and returned to Australia on 3 July, landing in Queensland.
Government
Northam consists of the Town of Northam and Shire of Northam. After 53 years of debates and attempts, these two councils merged on 1 July 2007 to form one new council called the Shire of Northam.
Railways
Northam is a major railway junction, and serves as the commercial centre for much of the western Wheatbelt. The dual gauge Eastern Railway terminates here and becomes the standard gauge Eastern Goldfields Railway. Narrow gauge radiates both south of the town to York and beyond (Great Southern Railway), and north to Goomalling, another rural railway junction.
The Northam railway station is used for the Prospector and Avonlink rural train services. The original station on Fitzgerald Street was opened in 1900 and closed in 1966 when the new Eastern Railway route became operational.2
The Australian Railroad Group have a large railway yard named Avon Yard west of the town.
| Preceding station | Transwa Trains network | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
towards East Perth
|
Avonlink
East Perth - Merredin
|
towards Merredin
|
||
|
towards Midland
|
Avonlink
Midland - Northam
|
Terminus | ||
|
towards East Perth
|
Prospector |
towards Kalgoorlie
|
||
| Preceding station | Great Southern Railway | Following station | ||
|
towards East Perth
|
Indian Pacific |
towards Sydney
|
||
Sport
Northam has some very committed sporting teams. Australian rules football is an obsession with many of the people of Western Australia. Northam has two teams that play in the Avon Football Association competition, the Federals and Railways.
Field and indoor hockey, cricket, and netball also attract significant numbers of players and spectators. Individual sports such as tennis and cycling including BMX are also popular.
The BMX State Championships were held in Northam in 2003 with 3,000 competitors and spectators attending the event for over a week with Northam competitors showing their dominance in the sport in the state. Three local riders who participated in this event (Dale Reynolds - then ranked 3WA for 18 Men's, Chris Marris - then ranked 1WA for 18 Men's, and Kyle Martin - then ranked 4WA for 18 Men's) have subsequently completed cross country rides from Adelaide to Perth demonstrating the interest in cycling in Northam.
Northam also maintains an active running club.
Events in Northam
The Avon Descent is held every year starting in Northam.
The Northam Flying 50's, a historic car racing event, is held each year in early April and attracts around 5,000 spectators each year.
The Northam Agricultural Show is also a yearly attraction which is held over a Friday a Saturday in mid September.
Notable people
Northam is the birthplace of:
- Kim Beazley Snr. Australian politician 3
- Shirley Strickland Olympic Gold Medallist 4
- Frederick Henry Piesse Businessman and politician
- Carmen Lawrence Premier of Western Australia 5
- Darren Glass West Coast Eagles premiership player and All-Australian defender 6
See also
References
- ^ Northam The Sydney Morning Herald, 8 February 2004. Retrieved 17 September 2006.
- ^ Breath of life for old railway station Avon Valley Advocate Retrieved 1 January 2007.
- ^ "The Guardian - Obituaries - Kim Beazley Snr." (2008). Retrieved on 2008-06-03.
- ^ "ABC 7.30 Report - Shirley Strickland dies aged 78" (2008). Retrieved on 2008-06-03.
- ^ "John Curtin Centre - Carmen Lawrence - Member for Fremantle" (2008). Retrieved on 2008-06-03.
- ^ "West Coast Eagles Football Club - Player Profile - Darren Glass" (2008). Retrieved on 2008-06-03.
- Peters, Nonja, and Fiona Bush and Jenny Gregory The Holden Immigration Camp, Northam / [Nedlands, W.A.]: Centre for Western Australian History; [East Perth, W.A: distributed by the Heritage Council], 1993.
External links
- History of Northam www.westaustralianvista.com. Retrieved 17 September 2006.
- Official Northam town website Retrieved 17 September 2006.
