The Shire takes its name from its seat of government, which, in turn, is named after Alfred David Weston (17 May 1876 – 26 September 1924), a sandalwood cutter and part-time prospector who discovered gold in the area, near Bodallin Soak, in 1910.[3][4]
Geography
Overview
Located 312km (194mi) east of the state capital, Perth,[1] and 306km (190mi) west of Kalgoorlie,[1] the Shire extends approximately 150km (93mi) north to south and 40km (25mi) west to east.[5]:5
The Clearing Line, which marks the eastern limit of wheat cropping in Western Australia,[6] passes through the Shire.[5]:5 At its southern end, the Shire is traversed by the Great Eastern Highway.[5]:5
The Shire's main industries are farming of wheat and sheep, and gold mining.[5]:5
Climate
The Shire has a warm Mediterranean climate, with dry summers and rainy winters.[5]:6 Maximum summer temperatures in the Shire range from 28°C (82°F) to 42°C (108°F), with an average of about 33°C (91°F) Winter maximum temperatures range from 12°C (54°F) to 21°C (70°F), with an average of about 20°C (68°F).[5]:6
As of 2023[update], the Shire's annual average rainfall was 331mm (13.0in), mostly during winter. Rainfall has declined substantially since 1975.[5]:6
About half the Shire had been declared bushfire prone as of 2019[update]. The prone areas occur throughout the Shire, with larger expanses in its more vegetated northern half. Much of the landscape surrounding and within the Westonia town site had been identified as bushfire prone.[5]:8
Flora and fauna
Approximately 40%, or 130,985ha (323,670 acres), of the Shire contains protected remnant native vegetation. Individual rare or threatened plants are similarly protected.[5]:6
The Westonia Common, which surrounds the Westonia townsite, is home to numerous stands of protected native vegetation. Additionally, a 2015 survey of 1,658km (1,030mi) of the Shire’s roadsides indicated that its roadside vegetation was of good quality compared to other Wheatbelt shires. That vegetation provides linkages between areas of remnant bushland.[5]:7
The Shire also has two protected but threatened ecological communities (TECs): ‘Eucalypt Woodlands of the Western Australian Wheatbelt’; and ‘Granite Pool Invertebrate Assemblages’. The woodlands are dominated by a complex mix of eucalypts of two types, above a complex and varied understorey. This type of woodlands was originally the most commpn type found in the Wheatbelt, and the proportion of original woodlands remaining here is high compared to elsewhere in the Wheatbelt.[5]:7 Further remnant vegetation continues to grow on private landholdings, including many farms that retain vegetation strips.[5]:6–7
The Shire is also home to 12 protected species of fauna.[5]:8
Geology and landform
The surface terrain of the Shire is laterite, clay, and sand, underlain by the Yilgarn Block. The Shire's major mineral is gold.[5]:6
Landscape
The streetscape of the Westonia townsite has replicas of pioneer buildings, with sculpture parks in closed-off streets. Surrounding the townsite is extensive bushland. A dramatic landscape peculiarity just north of the townsite is the Edna May open cut gold mine.[5]:8
History
The Westonia Road District was established on 30 June 1916. On 1 July 1961, it became the Shire of Westonia under the Local Government Act 1960, which reformed all remaining road districts into shires.[7]
In April 2012, residents of the Shire rejected a proposed merger with the neighbouring larger Shire of Yilgarn, with 82 percent of voters opposing the merger.[8]
Wards
The Shire initially had a ward system with two elected members representing the north, south, west and town wards (for a total of eight members). However, following the 2009 local government elections the Shire of Westonia's ward system was abolished and the number of elected members was dropped to six.
^* This LGA holds city status under the Local Government Act 1995, ^† This LGA holds town status under the Local Government Act 1995, ^# Western Australian law applies to the Indian Ocean Territories under the Territories Law Reform Act 1992
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