Yilgarn

The Shire of Yilgarn is known by many as the Gateway to the Wheatbelt and Goldfields, located approximately 400 kilometres east of Perth. The name Yilgarn is Aboriginal for ‘white stone’ or ‘quartz’.

The Shire covers an area of 30,720 square kilometres and its main administrative centre is in the town of Southern Cross.

The main industries within Yilgarn are mining and farming. Gold, gypsum, salt and iron are mined, while grain, wool, sheep, cattle and pigs are the focus of the rural industry. The co-existence of mining and agriculture has provided a balance for the Yilgarn economy, with the two activities supplementing and complementing each other through their respective boom and bust cycles.

The discoveries of Thomas Riseley and Mick Toomey in 1887-88 established the Shire of Yilgarn as an important goldfield. Further discoveries occurred in and around the region (including Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie) and the town’s growth was dramatic.

Pastoralists moved into the region in the mid 1800s but many suffered due to lack of rainfall, inexperience and the great depression. This resulted in abandoned farms and land holdings being taken up by or amalgamated into some of the biggest farms in the state. Today, the Shire of Yilgarn presents itself as a large and prosperous farming and pastoral district.

With limited light pollution, the Shire of Yilgarn is a perfect place for stargazers, with unmatched clear nights allowing spectacular sky views.

Other towns within the Shire of Yilgarn include Bodallin, Bullfinch, Ghooli, Koolyanobbing, Marvel Loch, Moorine Rock and Yellowdine.