View source for Wiluna, Western Australia

{{Short description|Town in Mid West region of Western Australia}}
{{About|the town of Wiluna|the local government area|Shire of Wiluna}}
{{Use Australian English|date=June 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| type                     = town
| name                     = Wiluna
| state                    = wa
| image                    = Wiluna Main Street.JPG
| caption                  = Main Street in Wiluna
| image_alt                = 
| relief                   = 
| local_map   = yes
| zoom        = 7
| coordinates              = {{coord|26|35|42|S|120|13|30|E|display=inline,title}}
| pushpin_label_position   = 
| map_alt                  = 
| pop               = <!--leave blank to draw the latest automatically from Wikidata-->
| poprank                  = 
| density                  = 
| density_footnotes        = 
| established              = 1898
| established_footnotes    = 
| abolished                = 
| gazetted                 = 
| postcode                 = 6646
| elevation                = 521
| elevation_footnotes      = 
| area     = {{wikidata|property|raw|P2046}}
| timezone                 = 
| utc                      = 
| timezone-dst             = 
| utc-dst                  = 
| dist1                    = 947
| dir1                     = NE
| location1                = [[Perth]]
| dist2                    = 182
| dir2                     = E
| location2                = [[Meekatharra, Western Australia|Meekatharra]]
| lga                      = [[Shire of Wiluna]]
| region                   = 
| county                   = 
| stategov                 = [[Electoral district of North West Central|North West Central]]
| fedgov                   = [[Division of O'Connor|O'Connor]]
| url                      = 
| maxtemp                  = 29.2
| maxtemp_footnotes        = 
| mintemp                  = 14.3
| mintemp_footnotes        = 
| rainfall                 = 257.4
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'''Wiluna''' is a small town in the [[Goldfields-Esperance|Goldfields-Esperance region]] (since 2021)<ref>[https://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/McGowan/2021/06/Wiluna-officially-joins-Goldfields-Esperance-region.aspx "Wiluna officially joins Goldfields-Esperance region"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230315065246/https://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/McGowan/2021/06/Wiluna-officially-joins-Goldfields-Esperance-region.aspx |date=15 March 2023 }}, Media Statements, Government of Western Australia, 1 June 2021. Retrieved 15 March 2023.</ref> of [[Western Australia]]. It is situated on the edge of the Western Desert at the gateway to the [[Canning Stock Route]] and [[Gunbarrel Highway]]. It is the service centre of the local area for the local [[Martu people]], the pastoral industry, the [[Wiluna Gold Mine]], and many more people who work on other mines in the area on a "[[Fly-in fly-out|fly-in/fly-out]]" basis. 

Wiluna's climate is hot and dry, with an annual rainfall of {{convert|258|mm|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.farmonlineweather.com.au/climate/station.jsp?lt=site&lc=13012|title=Wiluna climate, averages and extreme weather records - www.farmonlineweather.com.au|website=www.farmonlineweather.com.au}}</ref> Mean maximum temperatures range from {{convert|19|C|F|abbr=on}} in July, to {{convert|38|C|F|abbr=on}} in January.

The closest [[service centre]] is in [[Meekatharra]].

== Overview ==
Wiluna has from 200 to 600 [[Aboriginal Australian|Aboriginal people]] living within its community, depending upon the nature, time and place of the [[Aboriginal Australian ceremony|traditional law ceremonies]] across the Central Desert region. The [[Aboriginal traditional owner|traditional Aboriginal owners]] (a grouping known as the [[Martu people|Martu]]) were "settled" as a consequence of the British colonisation process that began in the 1800s. In the 1950s a church-based group were supported by the government of the day to establish a mission. The traditional people lost their lands through many different processes, including the issuing of [[pastoral lease]]s, the discovery of gold and the influx of non-Aboriginal people onto their lands.

Before and after the atomic nuclear testing near [[Maralinga]] in South Australia in the 1950s, many Aboriginal people from at least three different tribal and language groups were forced to live within the mission site. This created many conflicts and the legacy continues today. Much traditional knowledge and skill exists today amongst the Aboriginal residents and visitors.

The existence of an historical Club Hotel, a dilapidated relic of the town's former heyday, created much conflict with many people opposed to its presence as an operating pub arising from the conflict and trauma associated with alcohol abuse. 

In 2019, a major renovation converted the Club Hotel into the Shire of Wiluna administration buildings. 

The town also has a general store, petrol, caravan park, sports oval, public swimming pool, school, and health clinic.

Local water holes are much damaged and overused after years of cattle use.

During the [[wet season]], large lakes may form that attract an array of wildlife. The region has snakes, [[kangaroo]]s, [[Sand goanna|bungarras]] (large lizard/goanna), [[Australian bustard|bush turkey]]s, [[Feral donkeys in Australia|donkeys]], horses, [[Australian feral camel|camels]] and [[dingo]]es.

Willuna is home to VMW, a marine weather transmitter operated by the [[Bureau of Meteorology]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bom.gov.au/marine/radio-sat/vmw-technical-guide.shtml|title=Wiluna (VMW) Specifications|publisher=[[Bureau of Meteorology]]|access-date=26 August 2013}}</ref>

Parts of the unsealed and flood-prone road between Wiluna and Meekatharra are {{as of|lc=yes|July 2020}} being sealed, as part of a pilot program in which the [[Government of Western Australia]] provided {{AUD|1 million}} for road work contractors in collaboration with the Martu-ku Yiwarra Training Centre.<ref>{{cite web | title=Roadworkers sealing Western Australia's last dirt highway unite remote outback community |first1=Rhiannon |last1=Stevens |first2=Isabel|last2= Moussalli | website=ABC News|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation | date=19 July 2020 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-20/last-dirt-highway-aboriginal-employment-opportunity/12455580 | access-date=22 July 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Remote WA town of Wiluna turns its TAFE campus around, with remarkable results |first1=Rhiannon |last1=Stevens| website=ABC News|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation| date=3 October 2019 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-03/how-remote-town-of-wiluna-turned-around-its-tafe-facility/11456002 | access-date=22 July 2020}}</ref>

===Mines===
[[File:Mining Wiluna Leinster map.jpg|180px|thumb|left|Mining in the Wiluna-Leinster area.]]

The Wiluna area was explored by [[Lawrence Wells]] in 1892. [[Gold]] was discovered in the area in 1896, and within a few months over 300 prospectors were in the area. The town of Wiluna was gazetted in 1898, the name ''Wiluna'' being the [[Wati languages|Wati (Aboriginal language)]] name for the area. By the 1930s, the town had a population of over 9,000 people, but [[World War II]] severely affected the gold mining industry, and many mines were shut down. By 1963 the population had fallen to less than 100. Gold mining resumed in the area in 1981.<ref>Heydon, P. ''Wiluna: Edge of the Desert'' {{ISBN|0-85905-216-8}}</ref>

The closest mine site to town is the [[Wiluna Gold Mine]], approximately {{convert|3|km|abbr=on}} south of Wiluna. The mine is operated by Wiluna Mining Corporation and currently produces gold from re-processing of legacy mine tailings.

Yeleeri site, located {{convert|100|km|abbr=on}} south has [[uranium ore]], and the region boasts much mineral wealth.

The Paroo Station lead carbonate open pit mine is located {{convert|30|km|abbr=on}} west of Wiluna.<ref>{{cite web|title=Paroo Station Mine|url=http://mininglink.com.au/mine/paroo-station-mine|website=mininglink.com.au}}</ref> As of January 2015 it was being placed into care and maintenance due to low global prices for lead.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2015-01-19/lead-mine-ivernia-wa-wiluna-into-care-maintenance/6025858|title=World's largest lead mine, in central Western Australia, placed into care and maintenance|date=19 January 2015|newspaper=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]}}</ref>

Wiluna and the Mid-West region are the site of Western Australia's most advanced [[uranium mining]] projects. Three projects are{{when|date=July 2020}} in the approval process, with the [[Lake Maitland mine|Lake Maitland uranium project]] and the [[Lake Way mine|Lake Way uranium project]] both owned by Toro Energy Ltd, and the [[Yeelirrie uranium project]] which [[BHP|BHP Billiton]] sold to [[Cameco]]. All three are located within {{convert|100|km|abbr=on}} of Wiluna. All three projects were opposed by environmental groups and some local people. Yeelirrie is most fiercely opposed, with over 40 years of clear opposition from [[traditional owners]].

===Meteors===
In October 1960, two station workers named Fred Vincenti and Frank Quadrio were opening a fence gate on the [[Millbillillie]]-Jundee track {{convert|11|km|abbr=on}} from Wiluna when they witnessed a bright fireball falling into [[Triodia (plant genus)|spinifex (''Triodia'') grassland]] to the north. The debris from this meteor became known as the [[Millbillillie (meteorite)|Millbillillie meteorite]] and is understood to be pieces of the [[asteroid]] [[4 Vesta|Vesta]] that had at some point been knocked off by a collision in the [[asteroid belt]]. Although no official specimens were recovered until 1970 it is understood that members of the [[Indigenous Australians|local Aboriginal community]] had collected pieces.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.meteorites.com.au/favourite/june2004.html|title = Monthly Favourite Meteorite (Millbillillie) - Meteorites Australia}}</ref>

Another [[meteorite fall]] was recorded near Wiluna on 2 September 1967. This meteorite was a [[H chondrite|H5]]-class object; specimens were collected and housed in the [[Western Australian Museum]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historicmeteorites.com/W-Wiluna.html|title=Wilune Meteorite|year=2012|access-date=19 December 2013|publisher=Historic Meteorites}}</ref>

== Education ==
Wiluna Remote Community School is a school that provides education for students from year 1–12, currently having a student population of between 85 and 115 students.{{clarify|date=December 2020}}

The school provides a bus as transport to and from the school for the students. The indigenous language of the area is [[Martu Wangka dialect]], however most students speak [[Australian Aboriginal English|Aboriginal English]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=School Overview Wiluna Remote Community School|url=https://www.det.wa.edu.au/schoolsonline/overview.do?schoolID=5478&pageID=SO01|access-date=2020-07-12|website=www.det.wa.edu.au}}</ref>

==Origin of name==
An early mining settlement of Lake Way Gold, named after the dry [[Lake Way]] south of Wiluna, established around 1896, was called ''Weeloona'', derived from an Aboriginal word meaning ''Place of wind'' or ''Windy place''.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38399869 |title=Have Faith in the Golden West |newspaper=[[Western Mail (Western Australia)|Western Mail]] |location=Perth, Western Australia |date=30 May 1935 |access-date=7 October 2013 |page=41 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> However, the name is also sometimes claimed to come from the cry of the [[curlew]], which is frequent in the area.<ref>Garrick Moore: ''Mining Towns of Western Australia'', page: 91-93, accessed: 10 January 2010</ref>

==Geography==

===Climate===
Wiluna experiences a [[desert climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''BWh''), though like most of inland Western Australia it has seen its rainfall [[climate change in Australia|increase by around 40 percent since 1967]]. The heaviest rainfall, however, was associated with the [[1900 Western Australian floods|April 1900 floods]] when the town received {{convert|527.1|mm|in|abbr=on}}, two-and-half-times its normal annual rainfall.

{{Weather box
|location = Wiluna (1901–2019); 521 m AMSL; 26° 35′ 29.04″ S
|metric first = Yes
|single line = Yes
|unit precipitation days = 0.2 mm
|Jan record high C = 48.0
|Feb record high C = 46.8
|Mar record high C = 44.0
|Apr record high C = 40.0
|May record high C = 37.2
|Jun record high C = 32.2
|Jul record high C = 29.7
|Aug record high C = 33.4
|Sep record high C = 37.5
|Oct record high C = 42.9
|Nov record high C = 43.3
|Dec record high C = 47.0
|year record high C = 
|Jan high C = 38.0
|Feb high C = 36.6
|Mar high C = 34.0
|Apr high C = 29.3
|May high C = 23.9
|Jun high C = 19.9
|Jul high C = 19.5
|Aug high C = 22.0
|Sep high C = 26.4
|Oct high C = 30.5
|Nov high C = 34.0
|Dec high C = 36.9
|year high C = 
|Jan low C = 23.0
|Feb low C = 22.2
|Mar low C = 19.7
|Apr low C = 15.2
|May low C = 10.0
|Jun low C = 6.7
|Jul low C = 5.4
|Aug low C = 6.8
|Sep low C = 10.0
|Oct low C = 13.9
|Nov low C = 17.9
|Dec low C = 21.1
|year low C = 
|Jan record low C = 8.3
|Feb record low C = 12.1
|Mar record low C = 9.4
|Apr record low C = 3.9
|May record low C = -0.6
|Jun record low C = -2.0
|Jul record low C = -2.2
|Aug record low C = -2.3
|Sep record low C = 1.2
|Oct record low C = 4.2
|Nov record low C = 4.4
|Dec record low C = 8.3
|year record low C = 
|precipitation colour=green
|Jan precipitation mm = 37.2
|Feb precipitation mm = 38.7
|Mar precipitation mm = 36.0
|Apr precipitation mm = 28.6
|May precipitation mm = 25.1
|Jun precipitation mm = 23.6
|Jul precipitation mm = 14.7
|Aug precipitation mm = 9.9
|Sep precipitation mm = 5.0
|Oct precipitation mm = 7.3
|Nov precipitation mm = 12.1
|Dec precipitation mm = 22.1
|year precipitation mm = 
|Jan precipitation days = 4.5
|Feb precipitation days = 4.3
|Mar precipitation days = 4.7
|Apr precipitation days = 3.8
|May precipitation days = 4.0
|Jun precipitation days = 4.8
|Jul precipitation days = 3.9
|Aug precipitation days = 2.8
|Sep precipitation days = 1.6
|Oct precipitation days = 1.8
|Nov precipitation days = 2.8
|Dec precipitation days = 3.5
|year precipitation days = 
|source 1 = [[Australian Bureau of Meteorology]]<ref name="abm" >{{cite web
| url = http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_013012_All.shtml | title = Climate statistics for Wiluna | access-date = 11 April 2013
| publisher = Australian Bureau of Meteorology }}</ref>
|date=April 2013
}}

== Railways ==
Wiluna was the furthest away from Perth that the [[narrow gauge]] [[Western Australian Government Railways]] system reached. The Wiluna branch was connected to the main [[Northern Railway (Western Australia)|Northern Railway]] at [[Meekatharra, Western Australia|Meekatharra]]. The branch opened to Wiluna on 2 November 1932. The line was closed on 5 August 1957.<ref>'''''Rails to Wiluna''''' Milne, Rod [[Australian Railway History|Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin]], September 1996 pp270-278</ref>

== People from Wiluna ==
The Indigenous people who have always lived in the region come from different tribal groups. Accomplished hunters, crafts people, pastoralists, bush mechanics and people with many other skills exist today within the community.

The former [[Governor-General of Australia]], [[Major General]] [[Michael Jeffery (Australian Army officer)|Michael Jeffery]] was born in Wiluna on 12 December 1937. A new primary school was constructed in Wiluna after Jeffery visited the town in 2006 and criticised the condition of the existing school.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110216154142/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2006/06/02/1653767.htm New school for Wiluna after G-G's blast], [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]], 2 June 2006</ref><ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200605/s1645902.htm G-G shocked by Wiluna school], Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 24 May 2006</ref>

[[Warri and Yatungka]] were a famous Aboriginal couple who died in Wiluna in 1979. They were the last of the Mandildjara people to leave their country and the hunter-gatherer lifestyle. Their [[Romeo and Juliet]]-like story was recorded in the best-selling book ''The Last of the Nomads'' by Dr W J Peasley. This story is recounted as Peasley, organising the expedition, although it was Stan Gratte of Geraldton (OAM) who organised this party to recover them when urged by Warri's brother Moodjeren, who was concerned, due to old age and the lack of young people who would normally assist the elderly, they would not survive the extended drought which was now gripping Central Australia. Emaciated and likely close to death, the couple were brought to Wiluna where they were forgiven by their people for breaking the Mandildjara marriage laws decades before. They died in 1979 within four weeks of each other.

== See also ==
* [[Wiluna Airport]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

===Citations===
{{Reflist|20em}}

==Sources==
{{refbegin|30em}}
*{{Cite journal | title = The Decline of the Kuwarra People of Australia's Western Desert: A Case Study of Legally Secured Domination
 | last = Liberman | first = Kenneth
 | journal = Ethnohistory
 | volume = 27 | issue = 2 | pages = 119–133
 | date = Spring 1980
 | doi = 10.2307/481223 | jstor = 481223
}}
{{refend}}

==Further reading==
* Garrick Moore: ''Mining Towns of Western Australia'' ({{ISBN|1-875449-34-5}}), published: 1996
* Phil R. Heydon: ''Wiluna: Edge of the Desert'' ({{ISBN|0-85905-216-8}}), published: 1996, publisher: Hesperian Press
* White F. Miner with a Heart of Gold: biography of a mineral science and engineering educator. Friesen Press, Victoria. 2020. ISBN 978-1-5255-7765-9 (Hardcover) 978-1-5255-7766-6 (Paperback) 978-1-5255-7767-3 (eBook)

== External links ==
{{commons category-inline}}
* [http://www.wiluna.wa.gov.au/ Shire of Wiluna homepage]

{{Towns Goldfields-Esperance WA}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Wiluna, Western Australia| ]]
[[Category:Mining towns in Western Australia]]
[[Category:Towns in Western Australia]]
[[Category:Canning Stock Route]]