Boddington, Western Australia
Encyclopedia
Boddington is a town and shire
in the Peel region of Western Australia
, located 120 kilometres (75 mi) south-east of Perth. The town sits on the road from Pinjarra
to Williams
on the Hotham River
. At the 2006 census
, Boddington had a population of 926.
. His name became associated with a pool in the Hotham River at which he frequently camped. The original settled locality was called Hotham, 2 km west of the town at what is now the end of Farmers Avenue, named for the Farmer family, and a post office and school were established.
When the Hotham Valley Railway was being constructed in 1912 to meet demand created by the local timber industry, a townsite was chosen adjacent to the town, and subsequently gazetted. The town was built in the 1920s, with a school, hospital, council offices, post office, shops and agricultural hall. A railway bridge was built over the upper reaches of the Murray River in 1949, then known as "Asquith Bridge", and was used for carting railway timber to the Banksiadale Sawmill.
The area declined slowly over time, and the Dwellingup fires of 1961
devastated the local timber industry. By 1969, the railway had been closed and Boddington became a typical small service area for the surrounding district. However, the establishment of bauxite
mining in 1979 to service Western Australia's alumina production at Worsley, Kwinana and Wagerup, and the opening of the Boddington Gold Mine in 1987 created a thriving mining town.
and 123 kilometres (76 mi) southeast of Perth in the Darling Scarp
. It has a population of about 1,000 and is the centre of a sheep and timber district as well as a service centre for the nearby bauxite and gold mines. It contains a TAFE centre, and each year on the first weekend of November hosts a 3 day Rodeo. In addition, a district high school (1920), National Australia bank, shopping facilities, accommodation (hotel, motel, caravan park), council offices and a telecentre
are located within the town.
named Quency Dilyan who helped explorers Alexander Forrest
and H.S. Ranford during their expeditions in the area. Several scenic drives and bushwalking tracks have been set up by the shire council through state forests and wildflower
country.
is home to Newmont Mining
owned Newmont Boddington Gold. The mine will be the largest gold mine in Australia upon completion.
Due to its mining activities, the town is undergoing a significant growth phase. The Peel Development Commission predicts the population of Boddington will double by 2012 and up to 400 new residences will be required.
The Boddington Shire have approved several land developments ranging from larger lifestyle lots to smaller lot residential developments. Developments include Huntley Rise Estate, Forrest Hill Estate and Banksia Private Estate.
Shire of Boddington
The Shire of Boddington is a Local Government Area in the Peel region of Western Australia, about south-east of the state capital, Perth. The Shire covers an area of , and its seat of government is the town of Boddington.-History:...
in the Peel region of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, located 120 kilometres (75 mi) south-east of Perth. The town sits on the road from Pinjarra
Pinjarra, Western Australia
Pinjarra is a town in the Peel region of Western Australia along the South Western Highway, from the state capital, Perth and south-east of the coastal city of Mandurah. Its local government area is the Shire of Murray. At the 2006 census, Pinjarra had a population of 3,279.Pinjarra is an area...
to Williams
Williams, Western Australia
Williams is a town located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, south-southeast of the state capital, Perth along Albany Highway and 32 kilometres west of Narrogin. The Williams River passes through the town. At the 2006 census, Williams had a population of 338.-History:Williams is...
on the Hotham River
Hotham River
The Hotham River is one of the major tributaries of the Murray River in Western Australia. It is about 160km long in total with its upper reaches being the Hotham River North, which begins in the Dutarning Range and joins the Hotham at its crossing of the Great Southern Highway near Popanyinning...
. At the 2006 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, Boddington had a population of 926.
History
The town owes its name to an early settler, Henry Boddington, who was a farmer and shepherd in the 1860s and 1870s and leased land in the area in 1875, later moving to WaginWagin, Western Australia
Wagin is a town and shire in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, approximately 225 km south-east of Perth on the Great Southern Highway between Narrogin and Katanning. It is also on State Route 107. The main industries are wheat and sheep farming.-History:The name of the town is...
. His name became associated with a pool in the Hotham River at which he frequently camped. The original settled locality was called Hotham, 2 km west of the town at what is now the end of Farmers Avenue, named for the Farmer family, and a post office and school were established.
When the Hotham Valley Railway was being constructed in 1912 to meet demand created by the local timber industry, a townsite was chosen adjacent to the town, and subsequently gazetted. The town was built in the 1920s, with a school, hospital, council offices, post office, shops and agricultural hall. A railway bridge was built over the upper reaches of the Murray River in 1949, then known as "Asquith Bridge", and was used for carting railway timber to the Banksiadale Sawmill.
The area declined slowly over time, and the Dwellingup fires of 1961
Dwellingup fires of 1961
In early 1961, a series of bushfires burned in the southwest of Western Australia. The devastating fires burned large areas of forest in and around Dwellingup from 20 to 24 January, at Pemberton and in the Shannon River region between 11 and 15 February, and in the Augusta-Margaret River area in...
devastated the local timber industry. By 1969, the railway had been closed and Boddington became a typical small service area for the surrounding district. However, the establishment of bauxite
Bauxite
Bauxite is an aluminium ore and is the main source of aluminium. This form of rock consists mostly of the minerals gibbsite Al3, boehmite γ-AlO, and diaspore α-AlO, in a mixture with the two iron oxides goethite and hematite, the clay mineral kaolinite, and small amounts of anatase TiO2...
mining in 1979 to service Western Australia's alumina production at Worsley, Kwinana and Wagerup, and the opening of the Boddington Gold Mine in 1987 created a thriving mining town.
Present day
Boddington is located 11 kilometres (7 mi) off Albany HighwayAlbany Highway
Albany Highway is a generally northwest-southeast highway in the south of Western Australia which links the state's capital Perth with its oldest settlement, Albany. The highway is approximately in length, is designated State Route 30 and separates Western Australia's Great Southern region from...
and 123 kilometres (76 mi) southeast of Perth in the Darling Scarp
Darling Scarp
The Darling Scarp, also referred to as the Darling Range or Darling Ranges, is a low escarpment running north-south to the east of the Swan Coastal Plain and Perth, Western Australia...
. It has a population of about 1,000 and is the centre of a sheep and timber district as well as a service centre for the nearby bauxite and gold mines. It contains a TAFE centre, and each year on the first weekend of November hosts a 3 day Rodeo. In addition, a district high school (1920), National Australia bank, shopping facilities, accommodation (hotel, motel, caravan park), council offices and a telecentre
Telecentre
A telecentre is a public place where people can access computers, the Internet, and other digital technologies that enable them to gather information, create, learn, and communicate with others while they develop essential digital skills...
are located within the town.
District
A Royal Historical Society plaque near the town marks the grave of a local AboriginalIndigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
named Quency Dilyan who helped explorers Alexander Forrest
Alexander Forrest
Alexander Forrest CMG, was an explorer and surveyor of Western Australia, as well as a politician.-Early life:Forrest was born at Picton, near Bunbury in Western Australia, the son of William and Margaret Forrest...
and H.S. Ranford during their expeditions in the area. Several scenic drives and bushwalking tracks have been set up by the shire council through state forests and wildflower
Wildflower
A wildflower is a flower that grows wild, meaning it was not intentionally seeded or planted. Yet "wildflower" meadows of a few mixed species are sold in seed packets. The term "wildflower" has been made vague by commercial seedsmen who are interested in selling more flowers or seeds more...
country.
Economy
The town’s economy is supported by mining and agriculture. The Shire of BoddingtonShire of Boddington
The Shire of Boddington is a Local Government Area in the Peel region of Western Australia, about south-east of the state capital, Perth. The Shire covers an area of , and its seat of government is the town of Boddington.-History:...
is home to Newmont Mining
Newmont Mining
Newmont Mining Corporation , based in Denver, Colorado, USA, is one of the world's largest producers of gold, with active mines in Nevada, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Ghana and Peru. Holdings include Santa Fe Gold, Battle Mountain Gold, Normandy Mining, Franco-Nevada Corp and Fronteer Gold...
owned Newmont Boddington Gold. The mine will be the largest gold mine in Australia upon completion.
Due to its mining activities, the town is undergoing a significant growth phase. The Peel Development Commission predicts the population of Boddington will double by 2012 and up to 400 new residences will be required.
The Boddington Shire have approved several land developments ranging from larger lifestyle lots to smaller lot residential developments. Developments include Huntley Rise Estate, Forrest Hill Estate and Banksia Private Estate.