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Coordinates: 28°53′04″S 121°19′51″E / 28.884498°S 121.330812°E / -28.884498; 121.330812 (Leonora)
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[[Image:Leonora.png|thumb|300px|Leonora's location within Western Australia]]
{{Short description|Town in Western Australia}}
{{Use Australian English|date=June 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2014}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| type = town
| name = {{wikidata |property |P1448 }}
| state = wa
| image = Tower Street, Leonora, 2018 (11).jpg
| caption = Tower Street, Leonora
| lga = Shire of Leonora
| local_map = yes
| zoom = 7
| coordinates = {{coord |region:AU-WA_type:city({{wikidata |properties |qualifier |current |P1082}})_dimGideon:{{wikidata |property |qualifier |raw |P625 |P2386 |format=%q}} |name={{wikidata |property |P1448 }} |display=inline,title |format=dms}}{{EditAtWikidata|pid=P625}}
| postcode = 6438
| est = 1897
| pop = <!--leave blank to draw the latest automatically from Wikidata-->
| area = {{cvt |input=P2046}}
| elevation= 376
| maxtemp = 27.9
| mintemp = 13.9
| rainfall = 234.5
| stategov = [[Electoral district of Kalgoorlie|Kalgoorlie]]
| fedgov = [[Division of O'Connor|O'Connor]]
| dist1 = 833
| dir1 = NE
| location1= Perth
| dist2 = 237
| dir2 = N
| location2= [[Kalgoorlie, Western Australia|Kalgoorlie]]
| dist3 = 124
| dir3 = NNW
| location3= [[Leinster, Western Australia|Leinster]]
}}
'''Leonora''' is a town in the [[Goldfields-Esperance]] region of [[Western Australia]], located {{convert|833|km|mi|0}} northeast of the state capital, [[Perth]], and {{convert|237|km|mi|0}} north of the city of [[Kalgoorlie, Western Australia|Kalgoorlie]].


==History==
'''Leonora''' is a town and shire in the [[Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia|Goldfields-Esperance region]] of [[Western Australia]]. The town of Leonora is located at {{coor dm|28|53|S|121|20|E|}}, 833 kilometres north east of [[Perth, Western Australia|Perth]] and 237 kilometres north of [[Kalgoorlie]]. The Shire of Leonora has an area of 31,743 square kilometres, and a population of about 4,200 people. About 1,500 people live in the town of Leonora, and another 1,400 live in Leinster, the only other town in the shire. About a third of the population are of [[Australian Aborigine|Aboriginal]] descent. The area is extremely arid, with a mean annual rainfall of just 230 millimetres (9 inches). It is also quite warm, with mean daily maximum temperatures ranging from 18°C (64°F) in July to 37°C (99°F) in January.
[[Image:Leonora 1899.jpg|thumb|left|Leonora in 1899]]
The first European explorer to visit the area was [[John Forrest]] in 1869.<ref>{{cite book | last1 = Forrest | first1 = John | title = Explorations in Australia | publisher = Sampson Low, Marston, Low, & Searle | year = 1875 | location = London | url = http://www.gutenberg.org/files/9958/9958-h/9958-h.htm | access-date = 2012-05-06}}</ref> On 21 June 1869 Forrest's party made camp near a conspicuous hill, which Forrest named Mount Leonora, after his six-year-old niece Frances (Fanny) Leonora Hardey.<ref>{{cite news|title=Woman Pioneer|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article78748626|access-date=13 January 2016|work=Daily News|date=17 August 1927|location=Perth, WA|page=4}}</ref> In 1895, [[gold]] was discovered in the area by prospector Edward "Doodah" Sullivan at the Johannesburg lease just north of the current townsite. In the following two years a number of rich finds resulted in rapid development of the area. The [[Sons of Gwalia]] gold mine brought Leonora to the attention of the world. By 1897 a residential and business area had been established, and the town was gazetted as Leonora.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leonora.wa.gov.au/brief-history-gwalia-mine.aspx|title=1829-1896 |access-date=26 October 2015|publisher=[[Shire of Leonora]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160107113958/http://www.leonora.wa.gov.au/1829-1896.aspx|archive-date=7 January 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref>


Leonora is the terminus of the [[Kalgoorlie to Leonora railway line]], which opened in 1903.<ref name=Pta >{{cite web |title=Public Transport Authority: Railway System: April 2019 |url=https://pta.wa.gov.au/Portals/15/AA_DOCUMENTS/Our_system/Freight%20network/PTA%20Rail%20Network%20Map_2019.pdf |website=Public Transport Authority |access-date=13 August 2024}}</ref><ref name=Map >{{cite web |title=Railway map of Western Australia, 1952 |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-256867901/view |website=Trove |access-date=13 August 2024}}</ref><ref name=Arc >{{cite web|url=https://www.arcinfra.com/ARCInfrastructure/media/documents/Network%20Specifications/20221129_Arc_Map_Network.pdf|title=Arc Map Network|access-date=13 August 2024}}</ref>
Leonora is primarily a [[mining]] town. There are a number of major [[gold]] mines in the Shire, and the Murrin Murrin laterite [[nickel]] project is located in the shire. The area is too arid to support [[agriculture]], but there is a substantial pastoral industry.


Leonora had a single track passenger tramway linking the town and nearby [[Gwalia, Western Australia|Gwalia]], from 1901 to 1921. Initially steam driven, the service was electric from November 1908, and petrol powered from 1915.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article233199929 |title=The Gwalia Tram. |newspaper=[[The Mt. Leonora Miner]] |volume=2 |issue=95 |location=Western Australia |date=11 May 1901 |accessdate=15 August 2022 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article210179470 |title=Leonora-Gwalia Tram. |newspaper=[[The Leonora Miner]] |issue=1042 |location=Western Australia |date=1 June 1918 |accessdate=15 August 2022 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
The Leonora area was first explored by [[John Forrest, 1st Baron Forrest of Bunbury|John Forrest]], who visited the area in [[1869]]. Forrest's party made camp near a hill, which Forrest named Mount Leonora, after a lady friend of his, Miss Phylis Leonora Hardey. In [[1894]], [[gold]] was discovered in the area by a prospector named Morrisey, and in the following two years a number of rich finds resulted in rapid development of the area. The [[Gwalia]] and [[Sons of Gwalia]] gold mines brought Leonora to the attention of the world. By [[1897]] a residential and business area had been established, and the town was gazetted as Leonora in [[1898]].

A [[Reverse osmosis plant|reverse osmosis desalination treatment plant]] was opened in October 2005 to improve the quality of the town's water supply from the Station Creek wellfield by reducing the naturally occurring high levels of salinity, nitrate and hardness. It was designed to supply {{convert|2.5|e6L|e3USgal|abbr=off}} of treated water per day.<ref>{{Cite news|url = http://www.abc.net.au/news/2003-06-02/work-to-start-on-leonora-desalination-plant/1863484|title = Work to start on Leonora desalination plant|date = 2003-06-02|access-date = 2015-01-12|publisher = ABC}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=Leonora Water Reserve drinking water source protection plan: Leonora-Gwalia town water supply.|journal=Water Resource Protection Series|date=June 2010|volume=113|url=https://www.water.wa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/4882/93551.pdf|access-date=20 March 2018|publisher=Government of Western Australia Department of Water|location=Perth, WA|issn=1835-3924}}</ref>
In 2010, the [[First Rudd government|Rudd government]] relocated [[asylum seekers]] from [[Christmas Island]] to the "Leonora Alternative Place of Detention", an [[Australian immigration detention facilities|immigration detention centre]], previously used as a mine workers hostel, in Leonora. The [[Abbott government]] closed the facility in February 2014.<ref>{{cite news|title=Asylum seekers to be sent to WA mining camp|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/01/2915054.htm|access-date=1 June 2010|work=ABC News|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=1 June 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-01-14/the-shire-of-leonora-is-disappointed-over-the-federal-governmen/5199580 | title=Shire of Leonora disappointed over Government decision to close immigration detention centre | work=ABC News | publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation | date=14 January 2014 | access-date=7 April 2014 }}</ref>

==Economy==
Leonora is primarily a [[mining]] town. There are a number of major [[gold]] mines in the shire, as well as the [[Murrin Murrin Joint Venture|Murrin Murrin laterite nickel project]]. The area supports a significant pastoral industry.

==Demographics==
At the [[2016 Australian census|2016 census]], Leonora had a population of 556, 27.6% of whom were of [[Aboriginal Australians|Aboriginal]] descent.<ref name=Census2016Y>{{Census 2016 AUS|id=UCL521035|name=Leonora (L) (Urban Centre/Locality) |accessdate=17 March 2018|quick=on}}</ref>

==Climate==
The area has an [[arid climate]] (''BWh''), with very hot summers and cool winters. [[Frost]] may occur occasionally on some winter mornings. Rainfall is very sparse.

{{Weather box
|location = Leonora
|metric first = Yes
|single line = Yes
|Jan record high C = 49.0
|Feb record high C = 46.7
|Mar record high C = 45.2
|Apr record high C = 41.7
|May record high C = 35.6
|Jun record high C = 30.2
|Jul record high C = 28.9
|Aug record high C = 33.0
|Sep record high C = 37.7
|Oct record high C = 40.8
|Nov record high C = 44.4
|Dec record high C = 47.8
|year record high C = 49.0
|Jan high C = 37.0
|Feb high C = 35.3
|Mar high C = 32.6
|Apr high C = 27.9
|May high C = 22.8
|Jun high C = 19.0
|Jul high C = 18.4
|Aug high C = 20.7
|Sep high C = 24.9
|Oct high C = 28.9
|Nov high C = 32.3
|Dec high C = 35.3
|year high C = 27.9
|Jan low C = 21.8
|Feb low C = 20.9
|Mar low C = 18.6
|Apr low C = 14.8
|May low C = 10.2
|Jun low C = 7.3
|Jul low C = 6.1
|Aug low C = 7.0
|Sep low C = 10.0
|Oct low C = 13.7
|Nov low C = 17.0
|Dec low C = 20.0
|year low C = 14.0
|Jan record low C = 12.6
|Feb record low C = 10.6
|Mar record low C =8.4
|Apr record low C = 3.1
|May record low C = 0.7
|Jun record low C = -2.8
|Jul record low C = -1.7
|Aug record low C = 0.3
|Sep record low C = 1.8
|Oct record low C = 3.6
|Nov record low C = 4.0
|Dec record low C = 9.5
|year record low C = -2.8
|Jan precipitation mm =26.3
|Feb precipitation mm = 31.2
|Mar precipitation mm = 29.0
|Apr precipitation mm = 20.4
|May precipitation mm = 23.9
|Jun precipitation mm = 25.0
|Jul precipitation mm = 18.8
|Aug precipitation mm = 15.9
|Sep precipitation mm = 9.0
|Oct precipitation mm = 9.5
|Nov precipitation mm = 12.4
|Dec precipitation mm = 16.8
|year precipitation mm = 236.4
|Jan precipitation days =3.4
|Feb precipitation days = 3.6
|Mar precipitation days =3.9
|Apr precipitation days = 3.5
|May precipitation days = 4.3
|Jun precipitation days =5.4
|Jul precipitation days = 5.2
|Aug precipitation days = 3.9
|Sep precipitation days = 2.6
|Oct precipitation days = 2.5
|Nov precipitation days = 2.9
|Dec precipitation days = 3.2
|year precipitation days =44.4
|Jan humidity = 21
|Feb humidity = 27
|Mar humidity = 28
|Apr humidity = 34
|May humidity = 39
|Jun humidity = 45
|Jul humidity = 43
|Aug humidity = 36
|Sep humidity = 28
|Oct humidity = 22
|Nov humidity = 21
|Dec humidity = 20
|year humidity = 30
|source 1 = <ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_012046_All.shtml
| publisher = Bureau of Meteorology |title = Climate statistics for Leonora |access-date = 27 July 2018}}</ref>
|date= 27 July 2018
}}

==See also==
* [[Leonora Airport]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category-inline}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070901162422/http://www.wannerooshs.det.wa.edu.au/PARSONSS/Pages/Leonora.htm Leonora tramway history]

{{Towns Goldfields-Esperance WA}}

{{authority control}}


[[Category:Local Government Areas of Western Australia]]
[[Category:Towns in Western Australia]]
[[Category:Towns in Western Australia]]
[[Category:Mining towns in Western Australia]]
[[Category:Shire of Leonora]]

Latest revision as of 14:53, 2 December 2024

Leonora
Western Australia
Tower Street, Leonora
Leonora is located in Western Australia
Leonora
Leonora
Map
Coordinates28°53′04″S 121°19′51″E / 28.884498°S 121.330812°E / -28.884498; 121.330812 (Leonora) Edit this at Wikidata
Population567 (UCL 2021)[1]
Established1897
Postcode(s)6438
Elevation376 m (1,234 ft)
Area11,072.4 km2 (4,275.1 sq mi)
Location
LGA(s)Shire of Leonora
State electorate(s)Kalgoorlie
Federal division(s)O'Connor
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall
27.9 °C
82 °F		 13.9 °C
57 °F		 234.5 mm
9.2 in

Leonora is a town in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia, located 833 kilometres (518 mi) northeast of the state capital, Perth, and 237 kilometres (147 mi) north of the city of Kalgoorlie.

History

[edit]
Leonora in 1899

The first European explorer to visit the area was John Forrest in 1869.[2] On 21 June 1869 Forrest's party made camp near a conspicuous hill, which Forrest named Mount Leonora, after his six-year-old niece Frances (Fanny) Leonora Hardey.[3] In 1895, gold was discovered in the area by prospector Edward "Doodah" Sullivan at the Johannesburg lease just north of the current townsite. In the following two years a number of rich finds resulted in rapid development of the area. The Sons of Gwalia gold mine brought Leonora to the attention of the world. By 1897 a residential and business area had been established, and the town was gazetted as Leonora.[4]

Leonora is the terminus of the Kalgoorlie to Leonora railway line, which opened in 1903.[5][6][7]

Leonora had a single track passenger tramway linking the town and nearby Gwalia, from 1901 to 1921. Initially steam driven, the service was electric from November 1908, and petrol powered from 1915.[8][9]

A reverse osmosis desalination treatment plant was opened in October 2005 to improve the quality of the town's water supply from the Station Creek wellfield by reducing the naturally occurring high levels of salinity, nitrate and hardness. It was designed to supply 2.5 million litres (660 thousand US gallons) of treated water per day.[10][11]

In 2010, the Rudd government relocated asylum seekers from Christmas Island to the "Leonora Alternative Place of Detention", an immigration detention centre, previously used as a mine workers hostel, in Leonora. The Abbott government closed the facility in February 2014.[12][13]

Economy

[edit]

Leonora is primarily a mining town. There are a number of major gold mines in the shire, as well as the Murrin Murrin laterite nickel project. The area supports a significant pastoral industry.

Demographics

[edit]

At the 2016 census, Leonora had a population of 556, 27.6% of whom were of Aboriginal descent.[14]

Climate

[edit]

The area has an arid climate (BWh), with very hot summers and cool winters. Frost may occur occasionally on some winter mornings. Rainfall is very sparse.

Climate data for Leonora
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 49.0
(120.2) 		46.7
(116.1) 		45.2
(113.4) 		41.7
(107.1) 		35.6
(96.1) 		30.2
(86.4) 		28.9
(84.0) 		33.0
(91.4) 		37.7
(99.9) 		40.8
(105.4) 		44.4
(111.9) 		47.8
(118.0) 		49.0
(120.2)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 37.0
(98.6) 		35.3
(95.5) 		32.6
(90.7) 		27.9
(82.2) 		22.8
(73.0) 		19.0
(66.2) 		18.4
(65.1) 		20.7
(69.3) 		24.9
(76.8) 		28.9
(84.0) 		32.3
(90.1) 		35.3
(95.5) 		27.9
(82.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 21.8
(71.2) 		20.9
(69.6) 		18.6
(65.5) 		14.8
(58.6) 		10.2
(50.4) 		7.3
(45.1) 		6.1
(43.0) 		7.0
(44.6) 		10.0
(50.0) 		13.7
(56.7) 		17.0
(62.6) 		20.0
(68.0) 		14.0
(57.2)
Record low °C (°F) 12.6
(54.7) 		10.6
(51.1) 		8.4
(47.1) 		3.1
(37.6) 		0.7
(33.3) 		−2.8
(27.0) 		−1.7
(28.9) 		0.3
(32.5) 		1.8
(35.2) 		3.6
(38.5) 		4.0
(39.2) 		9.5
(49.1) 		−2.8
(27.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 26.3
(1.04) 		31.2
(1.23) 		29.0
(1.14) 		20.4
(0.80) 		23.9
(0.94) 		25.0
(0.98) 		18.8
(0.74) 		15.9
(0.63) 		9.0
(0.35) 		9.5
(0.37) 		12.4
(0.49) 		16.8
(0.66) 		236.4
(9.31)
Average precipitation days 3.4 3.6 3.9 3.5 4.3 5.4 5.2 3.9 2.6 2.5 2.9 3.2 44.4
Average relative humidity (%) 21 27 28 34 39 45 43 36 28 22 21 20 30
Source: [15]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Leonora (urban centre and locality)". Australian Census 2021. Edit this at Wikidata
  2. ^ Forrest, John (1875). Explorations in Australia. London: Sampson Low, Marston, Low, & Searle. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  3. ^ "Woman Pioneer". Daily News. Perth, WA. 17 August 1927. p. 4. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
  4. ^ "1829-1896". Shire of Leonora. Archived from the original on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  5. ^ "Public Transport Authority: Railway System: April 2019" (PDF). Public Transport Authority. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
  6. ^ "Railway map of Western Australia, 1952". Trove. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
  7. ^ "Arc Map Network" (PDF). Retrieved 13 August 2024.
  8. ^ "The Gwalia Tram". The Mt. Leonora Miner. Vol. 2, no. 95. Western Australia. 11 May 1901. p. 3. Retrieved 15 August 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "Leonora-Gwalia Tram". The Leonora Miner. No. 1042. Western Australia. 1 June 1918. p. 2. Retrieved 15 August 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ "Work to start on Leonora desalination plant". ABC. 2 June 2003. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  11. ^ "Leonora Water Reserve drinking water source protection plan: Leonora-Gwalia town water supply" (PDF). Water Resource Protection Series. 113. Perth, WA: Government of Western Australia Department of Water. June 2010. ISSN 1835-3924. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
  12. ^ "Asylum seekers to be sent to WA mining camp". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 1 June 2010. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  13. ^ "Shire of Leonora disappointed over Government decision to close immigration detention centre". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 14 January 2014. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
  14. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Leonora (L) (Urban Centre/Locality)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 17 March 2018. Edit this at Wikidata
  15. ^ "Climate statistics for Leonora". Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
[edit]

Media related to Leonora, Western Australia at Wikimedia Commons

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