Western Australia: Difference between revisions

{{short description|State in Australia}}

| name                           = Western Australia

| settlement_type                 = [[states and territories of Australia|State]]

| image_flag                     = Flag of Western Australia.svg

| flag_size                       = 125px

| flag_link                       = Flag of Western Australia

| image_shield                   = Western Australian Coat of Arms.svg

| shield_size                     = 120px

| shield_link                     = Coat of arms of Western Australia

| nickname                       = The Wildflower State; The Golden State

| image_map                       = Western Australia in Australia.svg

| mapsize                         = 300px

| map_caption                     = Location of Western Australia in Australia

| coordinates                     = {{coord|26|S|121|E|type:adm1st_region:AU-WA|display=inline,title}}

| subdivision_type               = Country

| subdivision_name               = {{flag|Australia}}

| established_title               = Established <small>(as the [[Swan River Colony]])</small>

| established_date               = {{date|2 May 1829}}

| established_title1             = [[Responsible government|Responsible govt.]] <small>as [[Colony of Western Australia]]</small>

| established_date1               = {{date|21 October 1890}}

| established_title2             = [[Federation of Australia|Federation]]

| established_date2               = {{date|1 January 1901}}

| established_title3             = ''[[Australia Act 1986|Australia Act]]''

| established_date3               = {{date|3 March 1986}}

| seat_type                       = [[List of Australian capital cities|Capital]]

| seat                           = [[Perth]]

| seat1_type                      = [[List of cities in Australia by population|Largest city]]

| government_type                 = Parliamentary [[constitutional monarchy]]

| governing_body                 = {{nowrap|[[Government of Western Australia]]}}

| leader_title                   = [[Governor of Western Australia|Governor]]

| leader_name                     = [[Kim Beazley]]

| leader_title1                   = [[Premier of Western Australia|Premier]]

| leader_name1                   = [[Mark McGowan]] ([[Australian Labor Party (Western Australian Branch)|ALP]])

| government_blank1_title         = [[Legislature]]

* [[Lower house]]  

| government_blank1               = [[Parliament of Western Australia]]

| government_blank2_title         = [[Judiciary of Australia|Judiciary]]

| government_blank2               = * [[Supreme Court of Western Australia|Supreme Court of WA]]  

* [[Family Court of Western Australia|Family Court of WA]]

* [[District Court of Western Australia|District Court of WA]]

* [[Magistrates Court of Western Australia|Magistrates Court of WA]]

| government_blank3_title         = Federal representation

| government_blank3               = [[Parliament of Australia]]

| area_total_km2                 = {{#expr: 2527013 + 115740}}

| area_land_km2                   = 2527013

| area_water_km2                 = 115740

| area_rank                       = 1st

| elevation_max_m                 = 1249

| elevation_max_point             = [[Mount Meharry]]

| population_footnotes           = <ref name=ABSPop>{{cite web|url=https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/national-state-and-territory-population/sep-2020|title = National, state and territory population – September 2020|publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics|date=18 March 2021|accessdate=18 March 2021}}</ref>

| population_as_of               = September 2020

| population_total               = 2667130

| population_rank                 = 4th

| population_density_km2         = auto

| population_density_rank         = 7th

| population_demonym             = Western Australian, Sandgroper (colloquial)

| timezone1                       = [[Australian Western Standard Time|AWST]]

| utc_offset1                     = +08:00

| timezone2                       = [[Eucla, Western Australia#TimeZone|ACWST]]

| utc_offset2                     = +08:45

| postal_code_type               = Postal code

| postal_code                     = WA

| iso_code                       = AU-WA

| blank_name_sec1                 = GSP year

| blank_info_sec1                 = 2019–20<ref>{{cite web |title=Western Australian Economic Notes - Gross State Product - 2019-20 |url=https://www.wa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-12/gross-state-product-economic-notes-2019-20.pdf |access-date=19 January 2021}}</ref>

| blank1_name_sec1               = [[List of Australian states and territories by gross state product|GSP]] ($A million)

| blank1_info_sec1               = $292,284 (4th)

| blank2_name_sec1               = GSP per capita

| blank2_info_sec1               = $110,752 (1st)

| website                         = {{URL|www.wa.gov.au}}

| module                         = {{Infobox place symbols| embedded=Yes

| mammal  = [[Numbat]]<br /><small>(''Myrmecobius fasciatus'')</small>

| bird    = [[Black swan]]<br /><small>(''Cygnus atratus'')</small> 

| fish    = [[Whale shark]]<br /><small>(''Rhincodon typus'')</small>

| flower  = [[Anigozanthos manglesii|Red-and-green or Mangles kangaroo paw]]<br /><small>(''Anigozanthos manglesii'')</small>

| fossil = [[Mcnamaraspis kaprios|Gogo fish]]<br /><small>(''Mcnamaraspis kaprios'')</small>

'''Western Australia''' (abbreviated as '''WA''') is a [[States and territories of Australia|state]] occupying the western {{#expr: ( 2527013 / 7688287 * 100.0 ) round 1}} percent of the land area of [[Australia]] excluding external territories.<ref name="ga20" /> It is bounded by the [[Indian Ocean]] to the north and west, and the [[Southern Ocean]] to the south, the [[Northern Territory]] to the north-east, and [[South Australia]] to the south-east. Western Australia is Australia's largest state, with a total land area of {{convert|2527013|km2}},<ref name="ga20" /> and the [[List of country subdivisions by area|second-largest country subdivision]] in the world, surpassed only by [[Russia]]'s [[Sakha|Sakha Republic]]. {{As of|2017|post=,}} the state has about 2.6&nbsp;million inhabitants&nbsp;{{ndash}} around 11 percent of the national total&nbsp;{{ndash}} of whom the vast majority (92 percent) live in the [[South-West Land Division|south-west corner]]; 79 percent of the population lives in the [[Perth]] area,<ref name=ABSCapitalPop/> leaving the remainder of the state sparsely populated.

The first Europeans to visit Western Australia belonged to the Dutch [[Dirk Hartog]] expedition, who visited the Western Australian coast in 1616. The first permanent European settlement of Western Australia occurred following the landing by Major [[Edmund Lockyer]] on {{date|26 December 1826}} of an expedition on behalf of the [[New South Wales]] colonial government,<ref name="Western Australia Foundation">{{cite web |url=https://www.records.nsw.gov.au/agency/king-georges-sound-settlement |title=King George's Sound Settlement |publisher=[[State Records Authority of New South Wales]] |access-date={{date|30 August 2016}}}}</ref> although [[Wiebbe Hayes Stone Fort]]{{em dash}}the oldest surviving European building in Australia{{em dash}}was built {{#expr: floor( ( {{JULIANDAY|1826|12|26}}-{{JULIANDAY|1629|6|4}} ) / 365.25 )}} years prior in 1629 on [[West Wallabi Island]] in Western Australia by survivors of the {{ship||Batavia|1628 ship|6}} shipwreck and massacre. Lockyer established a convict-supported military garrison at [[King George Sound|King George III Sound]], at present-day [[Albany, Western Australia|Albany]], and on {{date|21 January 1827}}<ref name="Western Australia Foundation"/> formally took possession for the British Crown of the western part of the continent that was not already claimed by the British Crown.<ref name="rei08" />{{rp|5}} This was followed by the establishment of the [[Swan River Colony]] in 1829, including the site of the present-day capital, [[Perth]].

[[York, Western Australia|York]] was the first inland settlement in Western Australia. Situated {{convert|97|km|mi|0|abbr=off}} east of Perth, it was settled on {{date|16 September 1831}}.<ref name=knibbs>{{cite book | last1 = Knibbs | first1 = G.H. | author-link1 = George Handley Knibbs | title = Official Year Book of the Commonwealth of Australia | chapter = The Creation of the Several Colonies | volume = 4 | publisher = Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics | year = 1911 | location = Melbourne | page = 16 }}</ref> Western Australia achieved [[responsible government]] in 1890 and [[Federation of Australia|federated]] with the other British colonies in Australia in 1901. Today, its [[Economy of Western Australia|economy]] mainly relies on mining, oil and gas, services and construction. The state produces 46 per cent of Australia's exports.<ref name=wsj>{{cite news | first = Enda | last = Curran | title = Western Australia Plans Sovereign Wealth Fund | date = 21 February 2012 |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970203358704577236780148058626 | work = The Wall Street Journal | access-date = 15 March 2012}}</ref> Western Australia is the largest [[iron ore]] producer in the world.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/iron_ore/mcs-2015-feore.pdf|title=US Geological Survey|date=2014|website=Minerals.usgs.gov|access-date=11 June 2016}}</ref> Its motto is "Cygnis Insignis" ("Bearing the Sign of the Swan"). Its nickname is "The Wildflower State".<ref>{{Cite web|last=Thomas|first=Abbie|date=2002-08-02|title=Western Australian wildflowers bloom|url=https://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2002/08/02/2588185.htm|access-date=2020-11-03|website=www.abc.net.au|language=en-AU}}</ref>

[[File:Thevenot - Hollandia Nova detecta 1644.png |thumb |left |[[Melchisédech Thévenot]]'s ''Hollandia Nova—Terre Australe'' in his travel anthology ({{lang-fr|Relations de divers voyages curieux}}) published in 1664,<ref name="the64" /> and which seems to be a copy of ''Archipelagus Orientalis sive Asiaticus'' by [[Joan Blaeu]] in the ''Atlas of the Great Elector'' ({{lang-de|Atlas des Großen Kurfürsten}}) from 1659.<ref name="bla59" /> The latitude staff depicted by Thévenot falls along the ''Zaragoza antimeridian'' from the [[Treaty of Zaragoza]] of 1529 between [[Crown of Castile|Castile]] and [[Portugal]], and which complemented the ''Tordesillas meridian'' from the [[Treaty of Tordesillas]] of 1494.]]

In 1829 the [[Swan River Colony]] was established on the Swan River by Captain [[James Stirling (Australian governor)|James Stirling]]. By 1832, the British settler population of the colony had reached around 1,500, and the official name of the colony was changed to Western Australia on 6 February that year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://poi-australia.com.au/swan-river-colony-proclaimed/|title=Swan River Colony Proclaimed|publisher=POI Australia|language=English|accessdate=13 February 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://statelibrarynsw.tumblr.com/post/156855938896/on-this-day-6th-february-1832-the-swan-river|title=On this day, 6th February 1832|newspaper=State Library of New South Wales|language=English|accessdate=13 February 2021}}</ref> The two separate townsites of the colony developed slowly into the port city of [[Fremantle]] and the state's capital, Perth. [[York, Western Australia|York]] was the first inland settlement in Western Australia, situated {{convert|97|km}} east of Perth and settled on 16 September 1831. York was the staging point for early explorers who discovered the rich gold reserves of Kalgoorlie.

In 1896, the [[Western Australian Parliament]] authorised the raising of a loan to construct a [[Pipeline transport|pipeline]] to transport {{convert|5|e6impgal|ML|order=flip|abbr=off}} of water per day to the Goldfields of Western Australia. The pipeline, known as the [[Goldfields Water Supply Scheme]], was completed in 1903. [[C. Y. O'Connor|{{thinspace|C. Y.}} O'Connor]], Western Australia's first engineer-in-chief, designed and oversaw the construction of the pipeline. It carries water {{convert|530|km|mi|abbr=on}} from Perth to [[Kalgoorlie]], and is attributed by historians as an important factor driving the state's population and economic growth.<ref>{{cite book |url=http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A110059b.htm |title=''O'Connor, Charles Yelverton (1843–1902)'' |author=Tauman, Merab Harris  |publisher=[[Melbourne University Press|MUP]] |year=1988 |pages=51–54 |access-date=12 July 2008}}</ref>

Following a campaign led by Forrest, residents of the colony of Western Australia (still informally called the Swan River Colony) voted in favour of [[Federation of Australia|federation]], resulting in Western Australia officially becoming a state on 1 January 1901.

Western Australia is bounded to the east by longitude 129°E, the meridian 129 degrees east of Greenwich, which defines the border with South Australia and the [[Northern Territory]], and bounded by the Indian Ocean to the west and north. The [[International Hydrographic Organization]] (IHO) designates the [[Australia and the Southern Ocean|body of water south of the continent]] as part of the Indian Ocean; in Australia it is officially gazetted as the [[Southern Ocean]].{{ref label|Note1|b|b}}<ref name="SouthernOcean">{{cite web|url=http://www.iho.shom.fr/publicat/free/files/S23_1953.pdf|title=Limits of Oceans and Seas (Special Publication No 23)|publisher=International Hydrographic Organization|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091007114205/http://www.iho.shom.fr/publicat/free/files/S23_1953.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 October 2009|year=1953|access-date=17 February 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/canberra-all-at-sea-over-position-of-southern-ocean-20031222-gdwzeb.html|title=Canberra all at sea over position of Southern Ocean|date=22 December 2003|newspaper=[[The Age]]|access-date=17 February 2019}}</ref>

The [[Southwest corner of Western Australia|southwest coastal area]] has a [[Mediterranean climate]]. It was originally heavily forested, including large stands of [[karri]], one of the [[List of tallest trees|tallest trees]] in the world.<ref>{{cite web | title = Climate of Western Australia | publisher=Bureau of Meteorology |url=http://www.bom.gov.au/lam/climate/levelthree/ausclim/ausclimwa.htm | access-date =6 December 2009|archive-url=http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/96122/20090317-1643/www.bom.gov.au/lam/climate/levelthree/ausclim/ausclimwa.html|archive-date=17 March 2009}} {{Dead link |date=December 2016}}</ref> This agricultural region is one of the nine most bio-diverse terrestrial habitats, with a higher proportion of [[endemic species]] than most other equivalent regions. Thanks to the offshore [[Leeuwin Current]], the area is one of the top six regions for marine biodiversity and contains the most southerly [[coral reef]]s in the world.

The highest observed maximum temperature of 50.5&nbsp;°C (122.9&nbsp;°F) was recorded at [[Mardie Station]] on 19 February 1998. The lowest minimum temperature recorded was −7.2&nbsp;°C (19.0&nbsp;°F) at [[Eyre Bird Observatory]] on 17 August 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/extreme/records/national.pdf|title=Rainfall and Temperature Records: National|publisher=[[Bureau of Meteorology]]|access-date=14 November 2009}}</ref>

Western Australia is home to around [[List of Western Australian birds|540 species of birds]] (depending on the taxonomy used). Of these around 15 are [[endemic species|endemic]] to the state. The best areas for birds are the southwestern corner of the state and the area around Broome and the Kimberley.

The [[Flora of Western Australia]] comprises 10,162 published native [[vascular plant]] species, along with a further 1,196 species currently recognised but unpublished. They occur within 1,543 [[genus|genera]] from 211 [[Family (biology)|families]]; there are also 1,276 naturalised alien or invasive plant species, more commonly known as weeds.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/statistics/|title=2016 Vascular Flora Statistics|publisher=Flora Base|access-date=3 June 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/articles/sequence/sequence|title=New linear systematic sequence for vascular plants|publisher=Flora Base|access-date=3 June 2017|archive-date=15 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170215190326/https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/articles/sequence/sequence|url-status=dead}}</ref> In the southwest region are some of the largest numbers of plant species for its area in the world. Western Australia's [[ecoregion]]s include the sandstone gorges of [[Kimberley tropical savanna|The Kimberley]] on the northern coast, and below that the drier [[Victoria Plains tropical savanna]] inland, and the semi-desert [[Pilbara shrublands]], [[Carnarvon xeric shrublands]], and [[Western Australian mulga shrublands]] to the southwest. Southwards along the coast are the [[Southwest Australia savanna]] and the [[Swan Coastal Plain]] around Perth, with the [[Warren (biogeographic region)|Jarrah-Karri forest and shrublands]] on the southwest corner of the coast around the [[Margaret River]] wine-growing area.

Going east along the Southern Ocean coast is the [[Goldfields-Esperance]] region, including the [[Esperance mallee]] and the [[Coolgardie (biogeographic region)|Coolgardie woodlands]] inland around town of [[Coolgardie]]. Deserts occupy the interior, including the [[Great Sandy-Tanami desert]], [[Gibson Desert]], [[Great Victoria Desert]], and [[Nullarbor Plain]].

In 1831 Scottish botanist [[Robert Brown (botanist, born 1773)|Robert Brown]] produced a scientific paper, ''[[General view of the botany of the vicinity of Swan River]]''. It discusses the vegetation of the [[Swan River Colony]].<ref>{{cite book | author = Diels, Ludwig; Carr, D. J. (translator) | year = 1981 | chapter = Extra-tropical Western Australia | pages = 47–78 | editor = Carr, D. J.; Carr, S. G. M. | title = People and plants in Australia | publisher = Academic Press Australia | isbn = 978-0-12-160720-3}}</ref>

At the {{CensusAU|2016}}, 55.5% of respondents identified as [[Christianity|Christian]] and 32.5% as having [[irreligion|no religion]]. 10.3% chose not to state a religion. The most commonly nominated responses were [[Roman Catholic|Catholicism]] (21.4%) and [[Anglican Church of Australia|Anglicanism]] (14.3%).<ref name="censusdata.abs.gov.au"/><ref name="quickstats">{{Census 2016 AUS|id=5 |name=Western Australia |access-date=26 June 2019 |quick=on}}</ref>

* Western Australia contributes an estimated 58% of Australia's Mineral and Energy Exports,<ref name="Department of Mines and Petroleum">{{cite web|url=http://www.dmp.wa.gov.au/7846.aspx|title=Department of Mines and Petroleum|publisher=WA Department of Mines and Petroleum|date=9 November 2011<!-- 2011-->|access-date=9 November 2011}}</ref> potentially earning up to 4.64% of Australia's total GDP.<ref name="Australian Bureau of Statistics">{{cite web|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/[email protected]/Lookup/1301.0Chapter18012009%E2%80%9310|title=Australian Bureau of Statistics|publisher=WA Australian Bureau of Statistics|date=9 November 2011<!-- 2011-->|access-date=9 November 2011}}</ref>

Resource sector growth in recent years has resulted in significant labour and skills shortages, leading to recent efforts by the state government to encourage interstate and overseas immigration.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gowestnow.com|title=Go West Now|publisher=Government of Western Australia|year=2008|access-date=16 September 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111121040603/http://www.gowestnow.com/|archive-date=21 November 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> According to the 2006 census,<ref name="2006CensusQuickStats">{{cite web|url=http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/ABSNavigation/prenav/ViewData?&action=401&tabname=Summary&areacode=5&issue=2006&producttype=QuickStats&textversion=true&navmapdisplayed=true&&breadcrumb=PLD& |title=2006 Census QuickStats: Western Australia, October 2007 |website=Censusdata.abs.gov.au |access-date=14 June 2010}}</ref> the median individual income was A$500 per week in Western Australia (compared to A$466 in Australia as a whole). The median family income was A$1246 per week (compared to A$1171 for Australia). Recent growth has also contributed to significant rises in average property values in 2006, although values plateaued in 2007. Perth property prices are still the second highest in Australia behind Sydney, and high rental prices continue to be a problem.

Located south of Perth, the heavy industrial area of [[City of Kwinana|Kwinana]] has the [[Kwinana Oil Refinery|nation's largest oil refinery]] with a capacity of 146,000 barrels of oil per day, producing most of the state's petrol and diesel.<ref>{{cite web|title=Refining |url=http://www.bp.com/en_au/australia/about-us/what-we-do/refining.html|website=Bp.com|access-date=30 August 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=McKinnon|first1=Stuart|title=BP sticks by Kwinana despite Qld closure|url=https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/22323082/bp-sticks-by-kwinana-despite-qld-closure/#page1|access-date=27 October 2014|newspaper=[[The West Australian]]|date=3 April 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aip.com.au/pdf/Downstream_Petroleum_2007_Report.pdf|title=Downstream_Petroleum 2007 Report|publisher=Australian Institute of Petroleum|date=15 July 2008|access-date=12 September 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081001041851/http://www.aip.com.au/pdf/Downstream_Petroleum_2007_Report.pdf|archive-date=1 October 2008|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Kwinana also hosts alumina and nickel processing plants, port facilities for grain and other bulk exports, and support industries for mining and petroleum such as heavy and light engineering, and metal fabrication. Shipbuilding (e.g. [[Austal Ships]]) and associated support industries are found at nearby [[Henderson, Western Australia|Henderson]], just north of Kwinana. Significant secondary industries include cement and building product manufacturing, flour milling, food processing, animal feed production, automotive body building and printing.

[[File:Parliament House, Perth, Western Australia.jpg|alt=|thumb|[[Parliament House, Perth|Parliament House]]]]

Education in Western Australia consists of one year of pre-school at age 4 or 5, followed by six years of primary education for all students as of 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://det.wa.edu.au/schoolsandyou/detcms/schoolsandyou/schools-and-you/pre-primary-and-year-7/year-7.en?cat-id=12742035|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140717005600/http://det.wa.edu.au/schoolsandyou/detcms/schoolsandyou/schools-and-you/pre-primary-and-year-7/year-7.en?cat-id=12742035|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 July 2014|title=Year 7 students move to secondary school – School education – The Department of Education|date=17 July 2014|access-date=17 February 2019}}</ref> At age 12 or 13, students begin six years of secondary education. Students are required to attend school up until they are 16 years old. Sixteen and 17 year olds are required to be enrolled in school or a training organisation, be employed or be in a combination of school/training/employment.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.education.wa.edu.au/enrolling-in-school|title=Enrolling in school – The Department of Education|website=Education.wa.edu.au|language=en-AU|access-date=2018-05-31}}</ref> Students have the option to study at a [[Technical and further education|TAFE]] college after Year 10,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.northmetrotafe.wa.edu.au/sites/default/files/uploads/TAFE%20Admissions%20guide%20for%20entry%20to%20full-time%20courses%20FINAL.pdf|title=TAFE Admissions guide for entry to full time courses|website=Northmetrotafe.wa.edu.au|access-date=31 May 2018|archive-date=16 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180516224421/http://www.northmetrotafe.wa.edu.au/sites/default/files/uploads/TAFE%20Admissions%20guide%20for%20entry%20to%20full-time%20courses%20FINAL.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> or continue through to Year 12 with vocational courses or a university entrance courses.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scsa.wa.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/438192/WACE-Manual-2018-January-2018.pdf|title=Western Australian Certificate of Education: WACE Manual: General information for senior secondary schooling 2018|date=31 May 2018|publisher=School Curriculum and Standards Authority}}</ref>

There are five universities in Western Australia. They consist of four [[Perth]]-based [[public university|public universities]]; the [[University of Western Australia]], [[Curtin University]], [[Edith Cowan University]] and [[Murdoch University]]; and one [[Fremantle]]-based [[private university|private Roman Catholic university]], the [[University of Notre Dame Australia]]. The [[University of Notre Dame Australia|University of Notre Dame]] is also one of only two [[private university|private universities]] in Australia, along with [[Bond University]], a not-for-profit private education provider based in [[Gold Coast, Queensland]].

Western Australia has two daily newspapers: the [[Seven West Media]]-owned tabloid ''[[The West Australian]]'' and ''[[The Kalgoorlie Miner]]''. Also published is one weekend paper, ''The Weekend West'', and one Sunday tabloid newspaper, which is also owned by Seven West Media after purchase from [[News Corporation (1980–2013)|News Corporation]]'s ''[[The Sunday Times (Western Australia)|The Sunday Times]]''. There are also 17 weekly ''[[Community paper|Community Newspapers]]'' with distribution from [[Yanchep]] in the north to [[Mandurah]] in the south. There are two major weekly rural papers in the state, ''Countryman'' and the [[Rural Press]]-owned ''Farm Weekly''. The interstate broadsheet publication ''[[The Australian]]'' is also available, although with sales per capita lagging far behind those in other states.

 

* [[Ten HD]] (Carried by [[NEW (TV station)|NEW]] and affiliate)

Perth has many radio stations on both AM and FM frequencies. ABC stations include [[ABC NewsRadio]] ([[6PB]] 585&nbsp;am), [[720 ABC Perth]] ([[6WF]] 720&nbsp;am), [[ABC Radio National]] ([[6RN]] 810&nbsp;am), [[ABC Classic FM]] (6ABC 97.7FM) and [[Triple J]] ([[6JJJ]] 99.3FM). The six commercial stations are: FM 92.9 ([[6PPM]]), Nova 93.7 ([[6PER]]), Mix 94.5 ([[6MIX]]), 96fm ([[6NOW]]), and AM 882 ([[6PR]]), AM 1080 ([[6IX]]) and AM 1116 ([[6MM]])

[[File:His Majesty's Theatre at Dusk exterior image by Robert Garvey.jpg|thumb|[[His Majesty's Theatre, Perth]]]]

 

The [[West Australian Symphony Orchestra]] (WASO) is based at the [[Perth Concert Hall, Western Australia|Perth Concert Hall]]. Other concert, performance and indoor sporting venues in Western Australia include [[His Majesty's Theatre, Western Australia|His Majesty's Theatre]], the [[State Theatre Centre of Western Australia]], the [[Crown Perth|Crown Theatre]] and [[Perth Arena]], which opened in 2012.

[[File:AFL WCE VS COLLINGWOOD.JPG|thumb|right|2014 AFL premiership match between [[West Coast Eagles]] and [[Collingwood Football Club|Collingwood]] being played at [[Patersons Stadium]], Subiaco]]

* [[Australian rules football]]: The [[West Coast Eagles]] and the [[Fremantle Dockers]] compete in the [[Australian Football League]] (AFL). The Fremantle Dockers also have a women's team of the same name playing in the [[AFL Women's]] league, founded in September 2016. The West Coast Eagles also received an AFLW team in 2020. The [[West Australian Football League]] (WAFL) is the main local football competition, but other [[Australian rules football in Western Australia|local and amateur football leagues]] exist across the state.

Winemaking regions are concentrated in the cooler climate of the [[West Australian wine#South Western Australia|south-western portion]] of the state. Western Australia produces less than 5% of the country's wine output, but in quality terms is considered to be very much near the top.<ref>{{cite book|title= The World Atlas of Wine; 6th Revised edition |publisher=Mitchell Beazley| year=2007|isbn=978-1-84533-414-7|author=Hugh Johnson & Jancis Robinson}}</ref><ref name="Sotheby">T. Stevenson ''"The Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia"'' pg 589 Dorling Kindersley 2005 {{ISBN|0-7566-1324-8}}</ref><ref name="western australian wine">{{cite web|url=http://www.wineaustralia.com/Australia/Default.aspx?tabid=179|title=Wine Australia|website=Wineaustralia.com|access-date=16 September 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080722023419/http://www.wineaustralia.com/Australia/Default.aspx?tabid=179|archive-date=22 July 2008|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name=ocw-wa>winepros.com.au, ''The Oxford Companion to Wine'' pg 765 [https://web.archive.org/web/20010507220252/http://www.winepros.com.au/jsp/cda/reference/oxford_entry.jsp?entry_id=3564 Western Australia]</ref> Major wine producing regions include: [[Margaret River (wine region)|Margaret River]], [[Great Southern Wine Region|The Great Southern]], [[Swan Valley (Western Australia)|Swan Valley]] as well as smaller districts including [[Blackwood Valley]], [[Manjimup, Western Australia|Manjimup]], [[Pemberton, Western Australia|Pemberton]], [[Peel (Western Australia)|Peel]], Chittering Valley, [[Perth Hills]], and [[Geographe Bay|Geographe]].<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web |url=http://www.wineaustralia.com/Australia/Default.aspx?tabid=179 |title=Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation – Western Australian Wine |website=Wineaustralia.com |access-date=14 June 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080722023419/http://www.wineaustralia.com/Australia/Default.aspx?tabid=179 |archive-date=22 July 2008 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

Western Australia has four sister states:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dca.wa.gov.au/DevelopingArtsandCulture/international/inter-government-networks/|title=Sister State Relationships ~ DCA|first=Department of Culture and|last=Arts|website=Dca.wa.gov.au|access-date=17 February 2019|archive-date=18 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190218021306/http://www.dca.wa.gov.au/DevelopingArtsandCulture/international/inter-government-networks/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

* [[Tuscany|Tuscany Region]], [[Italy]]

Following the [[Great Hanshin earthquake]] that devastated southern Hyōgo in January 1995, Western Australian groups and businesses raised funds and provided materials, whilst individuals travelled to Hyōgo to help with emergency relief and the subsequent reconstruction process.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ajswa.com.au/about-the-ajswa.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130409085909/http://www.ajswa.com.au/about-the-ajswa.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=9 April 2013 |title=About Us |publisher= Australia Japan Society of WA |access-date= 14 April 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.perth.wa.gov.au/newsroom/featured-news/memorial-service-pays-tribute-japanese-earthquake-victims |title=Memorial service pays tribute to Japanese earthquake victims |publisher=City of Perth |date=January 2016 |access-date=14 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160508145208/http://www.perth.wa.gov.au/newsroom/featured-news/memorial-service-pays-tribute-japanese-earthquake-victims |archive-date=8 May 2016 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/hansard/hans35.nsf/c02fad1ff7f00ecbc82572e4002d0af9/8137df1a3b82a563482565ff001aa60f?OpenDocument |title=Hansard, Western Australian Legislative Assembly |date=21 October 1997 |publisher=Parliament of Western Australia |access-date=14 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422141344/http://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/hansard/hans35.nsf/c02fad1ff7f00ecbc82572e4002d0af9/8137df1a3b82a563482565ff001aa60f?OpenDocument |archive-date=22 April 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The two governments signed a [[memorandum of understanding]] on the 20th anniversary in 2001 that aimed to improve the economic relationship between the two states.<ref name=Hyogo/>

{{Portal|Geography|Oceania|Australia|Western Australia}}

{{note label|Note1|b|b}} In Australia, the [[Southern Ocean|body of water south of the continent]] is officially gazetted as the [[Southern Ocean]], whereas the [[International Hydrographic Organization]] (IHO) designates it as part of the Indian Ocean.<ref>[http://www.iho.int/iho_pubs/standard/S-23/S23_1953.pdf] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121202030545/http://www.iho.int/iho_pubs/standard/S-23/S23_1953.pdf|date=2 December 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/12/21/1071941610556.html |title=Canberra all at sea over position of Southern Ocean |website=Theage.com.au |date=22 December 2003 |access-date=2 November 2012}}</ref>