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Western Australia is the largest state in Australia, occupying the western third of the continenet. Due to its sheers size, like Queensland, a journey through Western Australia of a couple of hundred kilometres is considered a short trip when you realise the state is 2600 kilometres (1625 miles) north-south and 1600 kilometres (1000 miles) east-west. Those are straight line map distances, actual road distances are considerably further. There are wilderness areas bigger than some overseas countries.
There are man made lakes in the north that hold 10 times the volume of water found in Sydney Harbour, excellent coasts and spectacular coastal scenery in the south, ghost towns on the goldfields, the primary pearling centre of Australia, the world's largest diamond mine and home of much of Australia's Aboriginal dreamtime legends.
Western Australia has always been home to a significant proportion of Australia's Aboriginal people. Archaeological records confirm Aboriginal settlements over most of the state dating back 30,000 plus years. Today many of the Aboriginals live in the northern areas of the state.
The state experiences considerable climate variations ranging from tropical to mediterranean to desert heat and cold and most things in between. Winter is June - August with temperatures ranging from around around 8°C min. to 15°C max. in the southern coastal regions, 10°C min. to 22°C max. in the central coastal regions and 15°C min. to 30°C max. in the northern coastal regions.
Summer is December - February with temperatures ranging from around around 14°C min. to 24°C max. in the southern coastal regions, 20°C min. to 35°C max. in the central coastal regions and 25°C min. to 35°C max. in the northern coastal regions.
Temperatures in the central desert areas are extreme. Summer maximums typically reach 40°C and winter minimums can drop to around 3-5°C. The northern areas receive most rainfall during the summer "Wet Season". Monsoonal cyclones (hurricanes) occasionally cross the tropical north coast during the summer months, usually in the region of Dampier to Port Hedland. This is not a frequent event and usually results in localised property damage and flooding. The southern areas of the state experience winter rains. The further removed from the coast, the less the rainfall.
There are man made lakes in the north that hold 10 times the volume of water found in Sydney Harbour, excellent coasts and spectacular coastal scenery in the south, ghost towns on the goldfields, the primary pearling centre of Australia, the world's largest diamond mine and home of much of Australia's Aboriginal dreamtime legends.
Western Australia has always been home to a significant proportion of Australia's Aboriginal people. Archaeological records confirm Aboriginal settlements over most of the state dating back 30,000 plus years. Today many of the Aboriginals live in the northern areas of the state.
The state experiences considerable climate variations ranging from tropical to mediterranean to desert heat and cold and most things in between. Winter is June - August with temperatures ranging from around around 8°C min. to 15°C max. in the southern coastal regions, 10°C min. to 22°C max. in the central coastal regions and 15°C min. to 30°C max. in the northern coastal regions.
Summer is December - February with temperatures ranging from around around 14°C min. to 24°C max. in the southern coastal regions, 20°C min. to 35°C max. in the central coastal regions and 25°C min. to 35°C max. in the northern coastal regions.
Temperatures in the central desert areas are extreme. Summer maximums typically reach 40°C and winter minimums can drop to around 3-5°C. The northern areas receive most rainfall during the summer "Wet Season". Monsoonal cyclones (hurricanes) occasionally cross the tropical north coast during the summer months, usually in the region of Dampier to Port Hedland. This is not a frequent event and usually results in localised property damage and flooding. The southern areas of the state experience winter rains. The further removed from the coast, the less the rainfall.
