Mount Magnet, Western Australia

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Mount Magnet
Western Australia

Location of Mount Magnet in Western Australia (red)

Population:

887^[1]

Postcode:

6638

Elevation:

426 m (1,398 ft)

Location:

573 km (356 mi) NE of Perth
341 km (212 mi) ENE of Geraldton

LGA:

Shire of Mount Magnet

State District:

Murchison-Eyre

Federal Division:

Kalgoorlie

Mean Max Temp	Mean Min Temp	Rainfall
28.6 °C ^{83 °F}	14.2 °C ^{58 °F}	239.2 mm ^{9.4 in}

Mount Magnet is an old Western Australian gold rush town. The name was chosen during exploration of the region due to an isolated hill 5km north west of the town current townsite. This hill has an extremely high iron content and affected the compasses of explorers. At the 2001 census, Mount Magnet had a population of 887.^[1]

It is located 573 kilometres (356 mi) northeast of Perth via the Great Northern Highway. Only a few mines are still worked, including Hill 50 which started operations in the 1890s. The area once had three separate townsites - Mt Magnet, Boogardie, and Lennonville. Boogardie has since been swallowed up into the open cut mining operations at Hill 50. Lennonville was abandoned at the start of World War I, and the foundations of the bank and train station can still be seen.

Unusual for such a large mining community, Mt Magnet has never had a public battery. The nearest battery was built 5km west, in Boogardie. However its gold-rush heyday can be seen in its very wide main street with three hotels, a race course and a golf course complete with oiled greens.

Surrounding the town are remnants of old mining operations, and to the north east are significant Aboriginal sites being preserved jointly by the local community and the West Australian Museum. Today Mt Magnet is primarily a service town for the surrounding pastoral district which supports very large sheep stations.

During spring (September to November) the area attracts tourist viewing the natural display of everlastings that can stretch for kilometres in all directions. Being 6 hours drive from Perth makes it a comfortable day's journey for vehicles heading further north to places like Mt Augustus and Port Hedland.

During the lifetime of the Northern Railway to Meeketharra Mount Magnet was an important railway station and yard.

Mount Magnet is served by Mount Magnet Airport, where Skippers Aviation has services to and from Meekatharra and Perth.