Southern Cross, Western Australia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Southern Cross Western Australia |
|||||||
Southern Cross townsite. |
|||||||
Population: | 708[1] | ||||||
Established: | 1890 | ||||||
Postcode: | 6426 | ||||||
Elevation: | 355 m (1,165 ft) | ||||||
Location: |
|
||||||
LGA: | Shire of Yilgarn | ||||||
State District: | Murchison-Eyre | ||||||
Federal Division: | Kalgoorlie | ||||||
|
Southern Cross is a town in Western Australia, 371 kilometres east of Perth on the Great Eastern Highway. It was founded by gold prospectors in 1888, and gazetted in 1890.[2] It is the major town and administrative centre of the Shire of Yilgarn.[3] At the 2006 census, Southern Cross had a population of 708.[1]
The town of Southern Cross is one of the many towns which run along the Mundaring to Kalgoorlie Goldfields Water Supply Scheme engineered by C. Y. O'Connor.[4]
A succession of gold rushes in the Yilgarn region near Southern Cross in 1887, at Coolgardie in 1892, and at Kalgoorlie in 1893 caused a population explosion in the barren and dry desert centre of Western Australia.
It is named after the Southern Cross constellation,[2] and the town's most significant streets are named after stars.
Southern Cross also serves as a stop on the Prospector and Indian Pacific train services.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). Southern Cross (State Suburb). 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved on 2007-10-18.
- ^ a b Western Australian Land Information Authority. History of country town names - S. Retrieved on 2008-02-18.
- ^ Shire of Yilgarn, Western Australia. Shire of Yilgarn. Retrieved on 2008-02-18.
- ^ Southern Cross. Heritage Australia. Retrieved on 2008-02-18.
Preceding station | Transwa Trains network | Following station | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
towards East Perth
|
Prospector |
towards Kalgoorlie
|
||
Preceding station | Great Southern Railway | Following station | ||
towards East Perth
|
Indian Pacific |
towards Sydney
|