Tom Price, Western Australia

Tom Price is a town in the state of Western Australia. It is in the Pilbara region. It is the highest town above sea level in Western Australia. The town is located about 1,600 kilometers (994 miles) north of Perth. It is close to Karijini National Park.

Tom Price
Western Australia
Aerial View of Tom Price
Tom Price
Coordinates22°41′38″S 117°47′42″E / 22.69389°S 117.79500°E / -22.69389; 117.79500
Population3,005 (as of 2016)[1]
Established1960s
Postcode(s)6751
Elevation747 m (2,451 ft)
Location
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall
31.3 °C
88 °F
15.6 °C
60 °F
404.8 mm
15.9 in

History

The town was named after a man named Thomas Moore Price. He worked for an American company and helped start the mining of iron ore in the area. The town was built in the 1960s to support the big mine nearby.

Work

The main industry in Tom Price is mining. The town was built to serve the Mount Tom Price iron ore mine. The mine is one of the world's biggest open-cut iron ore mines. Many people who live there work for the mining company Rio Tinto.

Population and climate

About 3,005 people live in Tom Price as of 2016. The weather is very hot and dry in the summer. It can get up to 45°C (113°F). The winters are mild and pleasant. The town gets most of its rain during the summer months. The hottest and coldest temperatures have ranged from 45.0 °C (113.0 °F) on 27 December to −1.0 °C (30.2 °F) on 14 July 2002 respectively.[2]

  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Tom Price (State Suburb)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  2. "Tom Price Climate (1942-2024)". FarmOnline Weather. Retrieved September 26, 2024.