Geraldton, Western Australia
Encyclopedia
Geraldton is a city and port in Western Australia
located 424 kilometres (263 mi) north of Perth
in the Mid West region. Geraldton has an estimated population at June 2010 of 36,958. Today, the city is an important centre for mining, fishing, wheat, sheep and tourism.
islands 60 kilometres (37.3 mi) west of Geraldton during the 17th and 18th centuries, there is no evidence that any made landfall near the site of the current town. The first European to explore the area was George Grey
in 1839. A decade later, explorer Augustus Gregory
travelled through the area. He discovered lead on the Murchison River
; a mine was subsequently established and was named Geraldine, after the Governor Charles Fitzgerald
. The town of Geraldton was gazetted in 1850.
The construction of the St Francis Xavier Catholic Cathedral started in 1916 but was not completed until 1938. The cathedral was designed by Monsignor John Hawes who was both an architect and a priest. The Moore Point Lighthouse was recently repainted and established as another cultural attraction of Geraldton.
The memorial for the World War II cruiser is located on top of nearby Mount Scott. The memorial recognises the loss of the light cruiser during a mutually destructive fight with the German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran
off Shark Bay
in November 1941, with none of the 645 aboard surviving. A temporary memorial, consisting of a large boulder, a flagpole, and a bronze plaque, was erected in 1998. A permanent memorial (made up of four major elements: a stele
based on the ship's prow, a granite wall listing the ship's company, a bronze statue of a woman looking out to sea and waiting in vain for Sydney to return, and a dome made up of 645 stainless steel seagulls) was dedicated on 18 November 2001, the day before the 60th anniversary of the battle. In May 2009, the memorial was recognised by the Australian government as being of national significance.
Scenic Beaches such as St Georges beach surround Geraldton, and the town foreshore has recently been redeveloped to host a Modern playground complete with water activities, Basketball court and Shaded play areas for different age groups.
Surfing
is a popular activity in and around Geraldton. Popular surf spots include Flat Rocks, Back Beach, Greenough, Glenfield and Sunset Beach. Geraldton is also an internationally renowned windsurfing
location. The most popular spot is Coronation Beach, located just north of the town. "Coro" is a spectacular port tack jumping site, with flat water on the inside and unhindered Indian Ocean rolling swell offshore. In the late afternoon, the wind swings a little more offshore and starboard tack
waveriding becomes possible.
There are several wreck diving
sites off the coast, including the South Tomi, which was sunk in 2004.
Geraldton is also home to a horse racing
industry, which since 1887 hosts the annual Geraldton Gold Cup
. The 2007 Geraldton Gold Cup was won by 8-year-old TapDog. The race was historically significant. TapDog became the first horse to win the race three times, his trainer Clive Lauritsen became the first trainer to win the race 6 times, Roy McKay became the first jockey to win the race three times, and owners Peter Day, Jeannette Day, and Hans Hoiskar equalled the most wins by an owner in three. The race also passed the million dollar mark for the first time in tote turnover.
Geraldton is serviced by most mobile phone companies including Telstra
, Vodafone
and Optus
who all provide 3G network services.
The Greater Geraldton Regional Library is open seven days a week. It provides free access to the internet and is a WiFi hotspot.
One of Geraldton's public high schools, John Willcock College, became the first in Australia to have a laptop programme in 2003, commencing with 60 laptops being provided to Year 8 students. John Willcock College caters for students in Years 8 and 9 with Geraldton Senior College catering for Years 10, 11, and 12. In 1970, Ernie Dingo
came to Geraldton where he boarded at John Frewer Hostel for three years whilst attending Geraldton Senior College. Some of the private schools include: Nagle Catholic College, Geraldton Grammar School and Strathalbyn Christian College.
North of Geraldton is the town of Northampton
, as well as the Hutt River Province, an area which claims to be an independent nation since its self-proclaimed secession
from Western Australia in 1969. The Houtman Abrolhos
islands are 60 kilometres (37.3 mi) west of Geraldton. They are famous for the 1629 wreck of the Dutch ship Batavia
. A stone portico recovered from the wreck has been reconstructed at the local museum
, along with other artefacts. The Walkaway Wind Farm, 25 kilometres (15.5 mi) south of Geraldton, was completed in August 2005. It consists of 54 turbines, each producing 1.8 MW, 80 metres (262.5 ft) high, and with 40 metres (131.2 ft).
(ADSCS) is located at Kojarena, inland near Geraldton.
and is connected to Perth with coach services N1, N2 and N3 provided by Transwa
. Skywest Airlines
and Virgin Blue provide services from Geraldton Airport
; the airport is also used for general aviation
.
The programming schedule is mainly the same as the Seven, Nine and Ten stations in Perth, with variations for news bulletins, sport telecasts such as the Australian Football League
and National Rugby League
, childrens' and lifestyle programs and infomercials or paid programming.
Both GWN7 and WIN Western Australia
provide 30-minute regional news programs each weeknight (broadcast from Bunbury
and Perth
respectively) with reporters for both stations based locally, covering the Geraldton area.
Newspapers from Perth including The West Australian
and The Sunday Times
are also available, as well as nationals such as The Australian
and The Australian Financial Review
.
Yamaji News is a fortnightly Geraldton newspaper presenting the issues and stories affecting Indigenous people in Australia.
and a semi-arid climate. In the wintertime, the temperature is rather mild, averaging around 20 degrees with most of the yearly rainfall in this period. This is due to cold fronts from Antarctica moving up and hitting the coast. In the summer months, Geraldton averages 31–32 degrees with some days over 40 degrees. High pressure in the Great Australia Bight sends warm easterly winds to Geraldton and a west coast trough is formed. This is the primary reason for the hot weather often experienced in Geraldton. It generally last for a few days as the trough moves inland and the sea breeze cools things down. The temperature at the coastal suburbs of Geraldton (Tarcoola, Bluff Point, Seacrest) during summer, is generally a couple of degrees cooler than inland suburbs such as Strathalbyn, Woorree and Deepdale.
Geraldton is very windy during the summer. This is attested by its designation as the kite surfing capitol of the world, and the Geraldton Information Centre's tagline "Geraldton, it will blow you away".
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 424 kilometres (263 mi) north of Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
in the Mid West region. Geraldton has an estimated population at June 2010 of 36,958. Today, the city is an important centre for mining, fishing, wheat, sheep and tourism.
History
Though many European maritime explorers encountered or were even wrecked on the Houtman AbrolhosHoutman Abrolhos
The Houtman Abrolhos is a chain of 122 islands, and associated coral reefs, in the Indian Ocean off the west coast of Australia. Nominally located at , it lies about eighty kilometres west of Geraldton, Western Australia...
islands 60 kilometres (37.3 mi) west of Geraldton during the 17th and 18th centuries, there is no evidence that any made landfall near the site of the current town. The first European to explore the area was George Grey
George Edward Grey
Sir George Grey, KCB was a soldier, explorer, Governor of South Australia, twice Governor of New Zealand, Governor of Cape Colony , the 11th Premier of New Zealand and a writer.-Early life and exploration:...
in 1839. A decade later, explorer Augustus Gregory
Augustus Gregory
Sir Augustus Charles Gregory KCMG. was an English-born Australian explorer. Between 1846 and 1858 he undertook four major expeditions.-Early years:...
travelled through the area. He discovered lead on the Murchison River
Murchison River (Western Australia)
The Murchison River is the second longest river in Western Australia. It flows for about from the southern edge of the Robinson Ranges to the Indian Ocean at Kalbarri. It has a mean annual flow of about 200 million cubic metres.-Course:...
; a mine was subsequently established and was named Geraldine, after the Governor Charles Fitzgerald
Charles Fitzgerald
Captain Charles Fitzgerald was the Governor of The Gambia from 1844 until 1847, then Governor of Western Australia from 1848 to 1855....
. The town of Geraldton was gazetted in 1850.
Attractions
German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran
The German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran was a Kriegsmarine merchant raider of World War II. Originally the merchant vessel Steiermark, the ship was acquired by the Kriegsmarine following the outbreak of war for conversion into a raider...
off Shark Bay
Shark Bay, Western Australia
Shark Bay is a World Heritage Site in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia. It is an area centred approximately on , 800 kilometres north of Perth, on the westernmost point of Australia. An expedition led by Dirk Hartog happened upon the area in 1616, becoming the second group of Europeans...
in November 1941, with none of the 645 aboard surviving. A temporary memorial, consisting of a large boulder, a flagpole, and a bronze plaque, was erected in 1998. A permanent memorial (made up of four major elements: a stele
Stele
A stele , also stela , is a stone or wooden slab, generally taller than it is wide, erected for funerals or commemorative purposes, most usually decorated with the names and titles of the deceased or living — inscribed, carved in relief , or painted onto the slab...
based on the ship's prow, a granite wall listing the ship's company, a bronze statue of a woman looking out to sea and waiting in vain for Sydney to return, and a dome made up of 645 stainless steel seagulls) was dedicated on 18 November 2001, the day before the 60th anniversary of the battle. In May 2009, the memorial was recognised by the Australian government as being of national significance.
Scenic Beaches such as St Georges beach surround Geraldton, and the town foreshore has recently been redeveloped to host a Modern playground complete with water activities, Basketball court and Shaded play areas for different age groups.
Surfing
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
is a popular activity in and around Geraldton. Popular surf spots include Flat Rocks, Back Beach, Greenough, Glenfield and Sunset Beach. Geraldton is also an internationally renowned windsurfing
Windsurfing
Windsurfing or sailboarding is a surface water sport that combines elements of surfing and sailing. It consists of a board usually two to four metres long, powered by the orthogonal effect of the wind on a sail. The rig is connected to the board by a free-rotating universal joint and comprises a...
location. The most popular spot is Coronation Beach, located just north of the town. "Coro" is a spectacular port tack jumping site, with flat water on the inside and unhindered Indian Ocean rolling swell offshore. In the late afternoon, the wind swings a little more offshore and starboard tack
Tack
Tack may refer to:* A type of cut nail, used in upholstery, shoe making and saddle manufacture* Horse tack, harness and equipment to allow horse-back riding* Tack , quick, temporary stitching intended to be removed...
waveriding becomes possible.
There are several wreck diving
Wreck diving
Wreck diving is a type of recreational diving where shipwrecks are explored. Although most wreck dive sites are at shipwrecks, there is an increasing trend to scuttle retired ships to create artificial reef sites...
sites off the coast, including the South Tomi, which was sunk in 2004.
Geraldton is also home to a horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
industry, which since 1887 hosts the annual Geraldton Gold Cup
Geraldton Gold Cup
The Geraldton Cup is an unlisted Thoroughbred horse race, which was first run on 8 December 1887 with a winner's purse of £300. The race, staged over 3,200 metres, was won by Baron Necktar, a full brother to Dunlop, the Melbourne Cup winner of the same year...
. The 2007 Geraldton Gold Cup was won by 8-year-old TapDog. The race was historically significant. TapDog became the first horse to win the race three times, his trainer Clive Lauritsen became the first trainer to win the race 6 times, Roy McKay became the first jockey to win the race three times, and owners Peter Day, Jeannette Day, and Hans Hoiskar equalled the most wins by an owner in three. The race also passed the million dollar mark for the first time in tote turnover.
Facilities
The original port has been dredged to a depth of 9.4 metres (30.8 ft) at the berths, which is suitable for ships of . In 2009, the Western Australian Government gave the go-ahead for a new deepwater port at Oakajee, about 25 kilometres (15.5 mi) north of Geraldton. This port will serve the mining industry, especially iron ore.Geraldton is serviced by most mobile phone companies including Telstra
Telstra
Telstra Corporation Limited is an Australian telecommunications and media company, building and operating telecommunications networks and marketing voice, mobile, internet access and pay television products and services....
, Vodafone
Vodafone
Vodafone Group Plc is a global telecommunications company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest mobile telecommunications company measured by revenues and the world's second-largest measured by subscribers , with around 341 million proportionate subscribers as of...
and Optus
Optus
SingTel Optus Pty Limited is the second largest telecommunications company in Australia, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore Telecommunications...
who all provide 3G network services.
The Greater Geraldton Regional Library is open seven days a week. It provides free access to the internet and is a WiFi hotspot.
High Schools
| School | Year Range | Funding |
|---|---|---|
| Geraldton Senior College Geraldton Senior College Geraldton Senior College is a comprehensive public high school located in Geraldton, a regional centre north west of Perth, Western Australia.The school was established in 1939 as Geraldton Senior High School and catered for students from Year 8 to 12... |
10–12 | Public |
| John Willcock College John Willcock College John Willcock College is a comprehensive public middle school located in Geraldton, a regional centre north west of Perth, Western Australia.... |
8–9 | Public |
| Nagle Catholic College | 7–12 | Private |
| Geraldton Grammar School | Kindergarten – 12 | Private |
| Strathalbyn Christian College Strathalbyn Christian College Strathalbyn Christian College is a Christian college located in Geraldton, Western Australia.-External links:*... |
Kindergarten – 12 | Private |
One of Geraldton's public high schools, John Willcock College, became the first in Australia to have a laptop programme in 2003, commencing with 60 laptops being provided to Year 8 students. John Willcock College caters for students in Years 8 and 9 with Geraldton Senior College catering for Years 10, 11, and 12. In 1970, Ernie Dingo
Ernie Dingo
Ernie Dingo AM is an Indigenous Australian actor and television presenter originating from the Yamatji people of the Murchison region of Western Australia.-Background:...
came to Geraldton where he boarded at John Frewer Hostel for three years whilst attending Geraldton Senior College. Some of the private schools include: Nagle Catholic College, Geraldton Grammar School and Strathalbyn Christian College.
Nearby
Northampton, Western Australia
Northampton is a town north of Geraldton, in the Mid West region of Western Australia. At the 2006 census, the town had a population of 813. It is historic, with an outstanding National Trust building. The town lies on the North West Coastal Highway. Formerly named Gwalla after the location's...
, as well as the Hutt River Province, an area which claims to be an independent nation since its self-proclaimed secession
Secession
Secession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity. Threats of secession also can be a strategy for achieving more limited goals.-Secession theory:...
from Western Australia in 1969. The Houtman Abrolhos
Houtman Abrolhos
The Houtman Abrolhos is a chain of 122 islands, and associated coral reefs, in the Indian Ocean off the west coast of Australia. Nominally located at , it lies about eighty kilometres west of Geraldton, Western Australia...
islands are 60 kilometres (37.3 mi) west of Geraldton. They are famous for the 1629 wreck of the Dutch ship Batavia
Batavia (ship)
Batavia was a ship of the Dutch East India Company . It was built in Amsterdam in 1628, and armed with 24 cast iron cannons and a number of bronze guns. Batavia was shipwrecked on her maiden voyage, and was made famous by the subsequent mutiny and massacre that took place among the survivors...
. A stone portico recovered from the wreck has been reconstructed at the local museum
Western Australian Museum
The Western Australian Museum is the state museum for Western Australia.The Western Australian Museum has seven main sites: two in Perth within the Perth Cultural Centre, two in Fremantle , and one each in Albany, Geraldton, and Kalgoorlie-Boulder...
, along with other artefacts. The Walkaway Wind Farm, 25 kilometres (15.5 mi) south of Geraldton, was completed in August 2005. It consists of 54 turbines, each producing 1.8 MW, 80 metres (262.5 ft) high, and with 40 metres (131.2 ft).
Australian Defence Satellite Communications Station
The Australian Defence Satellite Communications StationAustralian Defence Satellite Communications Station
The Australian Defence Satellite Communications Station is located at Kojarena, 30 km east of Geraldton, Western Australia. The ADSCS is part of the US signals intelligence and analysis network ECHELON...
(ADSCS) is located at Kojarena, inland near Geraldton.
Transport
Geraldton has a public bus service run by TransGeraldtonTransGeraldton
TransGeraldton, formerly known as Geraldton Bus Service, is a public transport company operating a number of buses in Geraldton in the Mid West region of Western Australia. Formerly a privately owned business providing contract services to the Public Transport Authority, it was sold to the...
and is connected to Perth with coach services N1, N2 and N3 provided by Transwa
Transwa
Transwa is Western Australia's regional public transport provider, linking 275 destinations within Western Australia, from Kalbarri in the north to Augusta in the south to Esperance in the east along with the regional centres of Bunbury, Kalgoorlie, Northam, Geraldton and Albany.Transwa is...
. Skywest Airlines
Skywest Airlines
Skywest Airlines Pty Ltd is a regional airline company based in Perth, Western Australia, Australia; servicing key towns in the state of Western Australia, Darwin, Northern Territory and Melbourne, Victoria; as well as charter flights to Bali, Indonesia....
and Virgin Blue provide services from Geraldton Airport
Geraldton Airport
Geraldton Airport is an airport located east of Geraldton, Western Australia, along the Geraldton-Mount Magnet Road. Approximately 60,000 passengers use the airport annually.- Background :...
; the airport is also used for general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
.
Radio
Radio services available in Geraldton:- 6 TTT (97.3FM) – (Community Access Radio Station)
- ABC Midwest & WheatbeltABC Midwest & WheatbeltABC Midwest & Wheatbelt is an ABC Local Radio station based in Geraldton. The station broadcasts to the Mid West and Wheatbelt regions of Western Australia. This includes the towns of Meekatharra Northam and Dalwallinu....
(6GN 828 AM ) – Part of the ABC Local RadioABC Local RadioABC Local Radio is a network of publicly owned radio stations in Australia, operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.ABC Local Radio stations broadcast across the continent using terrestrial transmitters and satellites...
Network. - ABC Radio National – (6ABCRN 99.7 FM) – Speciality talk and music.
- Triple JTriple Jtriple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
– (6JJJ 98.9 FM ) – Alternative music - ABC News RadioABC News RadioABC News Radio is the radio service of ABC News, a division of the ABC Television Network. Formerly known as ABC Radio News, ABC News Radio feeds, through Cumulus Media Networks, newscasts on the hour to its more than 2,000 affiliates...
– (6PNN 101.3 FM) – Rolling News bulletins, news magazine programs and LIVE coverage from Federal Parliament House of Representatives. - ABC Classic FMABC Classic FMABC Classic FM is a classical music radio station available in Australia, and internationally online. It is operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation . It was established in 1976 as "ABC-FM", and later for a short time was known as "ABC Fine Music" , before adopting its current name...
– (6ABCFM 94.9 FM) – Classical and Jazz Music. - WAFM (96.5FM) – Top 40 Music
- The Spirit NetworkThe Spirit NetworkThe Spirit Network is a Commercial Radio Network covering the Remote Areas of Western Australia. Formerly known as North West Radio, Spirit targets the 35+ Listeners with its Adult Contemporary format...
(Radio 6BAY FM 98.1 \ 1512 AM ) – Classic Hits / Adult Contemporary Music format aimed at 35 years + audience. - Radio Mama- 100.5FM- Indigenous Community station
Television
Television services available in Geraldton:- The Australian Broadcasting CorporationAustralian Broadcasting CorporationThe Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
(ABC) – ABC1, ABC2, ABC3, ABC News 24 (digital channels) - The Special Broadcasting ServiceSpecial Broadcasting ServiceThe Special Broadcasting Service is a hybrid-funded Australian public broadcasting radio and television network. The stated purpose of SBS is "to provide multilingual and multicultural radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflect...
(SBS) – SBS One, SBS Two, SBS HD (digital channels) - WIN TelevisionWIN TelevisionWIN Television is an Australian television network owned by the WIN Corporation that is based in Wollongong, New South Wales. WIN commenced transmissions on 18 March 1962 as a single Wollongong-only station, and has since expanded to 24 owned-and-operated stations with transmissions covering a...
, a dual affiliate of both the Nine NetworkNine NetworkThe Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
and Network TenNetwork TenNetwork Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
. - GWN7 (Golden West Network), an affiliate of the Seven NetworkSeven NetworkThe Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
. Previously GTW-11 based on Fifth Street at Wonthella.
The programming schedule is mainly the same as the Seven, Nine and Ten stations in Perth, with variations for news bulletins, sport telecasts such as the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
and National Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
, childrens' and lifestyle programs and infomercials or paid programming.
Both GWN7 and WIN Western Australia
WOW (TV station)
WOW is an Australian television station licensed to WIN Television, serving regional and remote Western Australia. The station officially commenced transmissions on 26 March 1999 as the second commercial regional broadcaster in Western Australia, alongside former monopoly, Golden West Network...
provide 30-minute regional news programs each weeknight (broadcast from Bunbury
Bunbury
- Places :* Bunbury, Cheshire, England* Bunbury, Western Australia, the third largest city in the state** City of Bunbury, the local government area covering Bunbury's central and southern suburbs...
and Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
respectively) with reporters for both stations based locally, covering the Geraldton area.
Newspapers
The Geraldton Guardian is a local newspaper for Geraldton and the wider Mid West \ Wheatbelt region. The Geraldton Guardian is issued on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The Midwest Times is published on Thursday and is issued free to residents and businesses in the Geraldton and the Midwest.Newspapers from Perth including The West Australian
The West Australian
The West Australian is the only locally-edited daily newspaper published in Perth, Western Australia, and is owned by ASX-listed Seven West Media . The West is published in tabloid format, as is the state's other major newspaper, The Sunday Times, a News Limited publication...
and The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times (Western Australia)
The Sunday Times, owned by News Limited, is a tabloid Sunday newspaper printed in Perth and distributed throughout Western Australia.-History:...
are also available, as well as nationals such as The Australian
The Australian
The Australian is a broadsheet newspaper published in Australia from Monday to Saturday each week since 14 July 1964. The editor in chief is Chris Mitchell, the editor is Clive Mathieson and the 'editor-at-large' is Paul Kelly....
and The Australian Financial Review
The Australian Financial Review
The Australian Financial Review is a leading business and finance newspaper in Australia.Fairfax Media publishes it in a compact format six days a week, Monday to Saturday....
.
Magazines
JAM Magazine is a free monthly Midwest lifestyle magazine available in Geraldton and its surrounds.Yamaji News is a fortnightly Geraldton newspaper presenting the issues and stories affecting Indigenous people in Australia.
Notable residents
- Edith CowanEdith CowanEdith Dircksey Cowan , MBE was an Australian politician, social campaigner and the first woman elected to an Australian parliament....
: First woman elected to the Australian Parliament - Randolph StowRandolph StowJulian Randolph Stow was an Australian writer.-Life:Born in Geraldton, Western Australia, Randolph Stow attended Guildford Grammar School and the University of Western Australia. He lectured in English Literature at the University of Adelaide, the University of Western Australia and the...
: Novelist, whose novel The Merry-Go-Round in the Sea was set in the Geraldton area in the 1940s - Chris MainwaringChris MainwaringChris Douglas Mainwaring was an Australian rules footballer. He played for the West Coast Eagles in the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League and East Fremantle in the West Australian Football League...
: AFL Footballer with the West Coast Eagles - Tasma WaltonTasma WaltonTasma Walton is an Australian television and film actress.-Acting career:Walton joined local radio station 6GE and trained as a production assistant and copy writer in her home town...
: Actress and wife of talk show host Rove McManusRove McManusJohn Henry Michael "Rove" McManus is an Australian comedian, television presenter, producer and media personality. He was the host of the self-titled variety show Rove, and is the owner of the production company Roving Enterprises...
Climate
Geraldton lies in the transition stages between a MediterraneanMediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
and a semi-arid climate. In the wintertime, the temperature is rather mild, averaging around 20 degrees with most of the yearly rainfall in this period. This is due to cold fronts from Antarctica moving up and hitting the coast. In the summer months, Geraldton averages 31–32 degrees with some days over 40 degrees. High pressure in the Great Australia Bight sends warm easterly winds to Geraldton and a west coast trough is formed. This is the primary reason for the hot weather often experienced in Geraldton. It generally last for a few days as the trough moves inland and the sea breeze cools things down. The temperature at the coastal suburbs of Geraldton (Tarcoola, Bluff Point, Seacrest) during summer, is generally a couple of degrees cooler than inland suburbs such as Strathalbyn, Woorree and Deepdale.
Geraldton is very windy during the summer. This is attested by its designation as the kite surfing capitol of the world, and the Geraldton Information Centre's tagline "Geraldton, it will blow you away".