Wyndham, Western Australia

Wyndham is a town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. It is the most northern town in the state. Wyndham is located on Cambridge Gulf, about 3,315 kilometers northeast of Perth.

Wyndham has a population of 941 as of 2021.[1]

The town was started in 1886 to help with a gold rush at Halls Creek. Today, it is a port and a service center for the East Kimberley area.

Wyndham
Western Australia
Wyndham's Three Mile area, looking south to the King River
Wyndham
Coordinates15°28′57″S 128°7′22″E / 15.48250°S 128.12278°E / -15.48250; 128.12278
Population941 (as of 2021)
Established1886
Elevation11 m (36 ft)
Location
  • 3,315 km (2,060 mi) NNE of Perth
  • 928 km (577 mi) SW of Darwin
  • 101 km (63 mi) NW of Kununurra
  • 911 km (566 mi) ENE of Broome
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall
35.6 °C
96 °F
23.1 °C
74 °F
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History

Wyndham was established in 1886. It was named after Walter George Wyndham. The town began as a port for miners going to the Halls Creek goldfields.

The gold rush ended quickly, and the town became a center for the cattle industry. A meatworks was built in 1919 and was important for Wyndham until it closed in 1985.

Wyndham has also been important for aviation. Early pilots flying between England and Australia used its airstrip. The first Royal Flying Doctor Service was also started in Wyndham in 1935.

Geography

Wyndham is situated at the mouth of five rivers: the Durack, Pentecost, King, Forrest, and Ord rivers. These rivers flow into Cambridge Gulf. The area has a hot, dry climate for most of the year, with a wet season from November to March.

Demographics

Wyndham has a small population. Many people who live there are Aboriginal Australians. The town is part of the Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley.

  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Wyndham (WA)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 30 June 2022.