Regions of Western Australia
Template:Short description Template:Use Australian English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox subdivision type Western Australia (WA) is divided into regions according to a number of systems.
The most common system is the division of the state by the Government of Western Australia in 1993 into regions for economic development purposes, which comprises nine defined regional regions that exclude the Perth metropolitan region. However, there are a number of other systems, including those made for purposes of land management (such as agriculture and conservation), information gathering (such as statistical and meteorological), and election for political office.
The various different systems were defined for different purposes and at different times, and give specific boundaries, but although many of the different systems' regions have similar names, they have different boundaries; the names and boundaries of regions can and do vary between systems.
The Regional Development Commissions Act regions Template:AnchorEdit
The Western Australian system of regional regions defined by the Government of Western Australia for purposes of economic development administration, which excludes the Perth metropolitan region, is a series of nine regional regions.
These nine regions were established by the Regional Development Commissions Act 1993, which defined their extents and established Regional Development Commissions to promote their economic development.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In defining the regions, an attempt was made to capture distinct socio-economic communities. For example, the Goldfields–Esperance region of Western Australia has an economy based heavily on mining, whereas the Wheatbelt region is economically dependent on agriculture.
Inter-regional travel restrictions during COVID-19 pandemicEdit
During the Western Australian government response to the COVID-19 pandemic, travel between regionsTemplate:Sndother than between Perth and PeelTemplate:Sndwas restricted, with police checkpoints set up at the borders. Only essential travel was allowed.<ref name="Waregions">Template:Cite news</ref> At some checkpoints, police were assisted by army and State Emergency Service personnel;<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> the army did not have any authority to prosecute or arrest.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Remote communities and some "biosecurity areas"<ref name=RemoteAborigalCommunities>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> had further travel restrictions<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> due to the lack of medical facilities and number of high risk community members. Some inter-regional restrictions were lifted on 18 May,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=RemoteAborigalCommunities/> and on 5 June all regional restrictions were removed except for remote Aboriginal communities.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
On 31 January 2021, after a quarantine hotel security guard in Perth tested positive, a five-day lockdown, from 6Template:Nbsppm on 31Template:NbspJanuary until 6Template:Nbsppm on 5Template:NbspFebruary was declared. Schools scheduled to resume on 1 February were to remain closed for another week.<ref name="abc-wa-lockdown-31-jan"/> The areas affected were: "the whole Perth metropolitan area, the Peel region and the South West region [...]."<ref name="abc-wa-lockdown-31-jan">Template:Cite news</ref>
Bureau of Meteorology regionsEdit
The same region names as those used by the Regional Development Commissions Act (RDCA) are incorporated into the system used by Bureau of Meteorology (BOM),<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }} – noting the changes in 2012 – http://www.bom.gov.au/NexGenFWS/wa/districts.shtml#new-districts-map</ref> which uses 14 regions, so the boundaries of the two systems do not coincide. In some of the regions, the BOM designates the forecast area regions with a finer level of detail using points of the compass. Regions numbered 8 to 14 are usually known as forecast areas in the South West Land Division; coastal zones for sea forecasts are dealt with in the coastal regions of Western Australia.
| BOM map number |
BOM region name |
RDCA region name |
BOM overlap areas | RDCA overlap areas | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Kimberley | Kimberley | South East Kimberley in BOM "NE Interior" | close fit | |
| 02 | Pilbara | Pilbara | BOM North Interior in RDCA "East Pilbara" | ||
| 03 | Gascoyne | Gascoyne | BOM South and East Gascoyne in RDCA "Mid West" | ||
| 04 | Goldfields | Goldfields–Esperance | |||
| 05 | Eucla | Goldfields–Esperance | |||
| 06 | Northern Interior | ||||
| 07 | Southern Interior | Mid West | |||
| 08 | Central West | Perth, Peel | |||
| 09 | Lower West | South West | |||
| 10 | South West | Great Southern | |||
| 11 | South Coastal | Goldfields–Esperance | |||
| 11 | South East Coastal | Goldfields–Esperance | |||
| 13 | Great Southern | Great Southern | |||
| 14 | Central Wheat Belt | Wheatbelt |
South West Western Australia Fire Weather Forecast AreasEdit
The South West Land Division has 23 fire districts.<ref>http://www.bom.gov.au/wa/forecasts/sw-wa-fire-forecasts.shtml South West Western Australia Fire Weather Forecast Areas</ref>
Political regionsEdit
Under Australia's three-tiered system of government, Western Australia has four political regional schemes:
| Federal | Divisions of the Australian House of Representatives |
| State | Electoral Districts for the Western Australian Legislative Assembly |
| Electoral Regions for the Western Australian Legislative Council | |
| Local government | Local government areas |
State government departmental regionsEdit
Many government departments maintain systems of regional and district breakdowns of the state for their own internal purposes.
Department of EducationEdit
Template:See also The Department of Education defines the following:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Div col
- Goldfields
- Kimberley
- Midwest
- North Metro
- Pilbara
- South Metro
- Southwest
- Wheatbelt
Department of Agriculture and FoodEdit
The Department of Agriculture and Food defines the following:<ref>http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/PC_93310.html?s=2048819175 Template:Dead link</ref> Template:Div col
- Northern Agricultural Region
- Rangelands Region
- Southern Agricultural Region
- Central Agricultural Region
- South West Agricultural
Main Roads Western AustraliaEdit
Main Roads Western Australia defines the following:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Div col
- Kimberley
- Pilbara
- Mid West–Gascoyne
- Goldfields–Esperance
- Wheatbelt
- Metropolitan
- Great Southern
- South West
Department of WaterEdit
The Department of Water defines the following:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Div col
- North West
- Mid West Gascoyne
- Swan Avon
- Kwinana Peel
- South West
- South Coast
Department of FisheriesEdit
Template:Further The Department of Fisheries tends to separate the state into four main regions for the purpose of regulating recreational fishing:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>Template:Full citation needed Template:Div col
- North Coast – Pilbara–Kimberley
- Gascoyne Coast
- West Coast
- South Coast.
Department of Mines and PetroleumEdit
Template:See also The Department of Mines and Petroleum produces statistical data based on the Regional Development Commissions Act regionalisation schema.
Since the creation of the Department of Industry and Resources some rationalisation of mines administration has occurred, however the mineral fields and boundaries remain the same as when established.<ref>(1981) Map of Western Australia showing Administrative Divisions and Principal mines and operators</ref>
Department of Planning, Lands and HeritageEdit
For the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage / Western Australian Planning Commission there are three regions with regional planning schemes, covering only a small part of the state:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Div col
- Metropolitan Region Scheme (Perth)
- Peel Region Scheme
- Greater Bunbury Region Scheme
Department of Fire and Emergency ServicesEdit
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services defines the following:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Div col
- Kimberley
- Pilbara
- Mid West–Gascoyne
- Goldfields
- Great Southern
- Kwinana–Peel
- South West
- Lower South West
- Metropolitan
Department of HealthEdit
The Department of Health defines the following:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>Template:Full citation needed<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>Template:Full citation needed Template:Div col
- Kimberley
- Pilbara
- Midwest
- Goldfields
- Wheatbelt
- South West
- Great Southern
- North Metropolitan
- South Metropolitan
- East Metropolitan
Natural and land managementEdit
See also Category:Biogeography of Western Australia
There are a number of regionalisations that attempt to provide a regionalisation based on natural features. The best known of these are the Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA) regions, and the World Wildlife Fund's Ecoregions in Australia, and the "natural regions" of John Stanley Beard, all of which are based on biogeography. Other natural regionalisations included the drainage basins and catchments of river systems, and highly specialised regionalisations dealing with such matters as geology and soil systems.
Administrative regionalisations include Landcare Districts and the Department of Agriculture's "Land-use Zones". However the Department of Agriculture publications – Technical Bulletins<ref>http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/PC_93285.html?s=1392304539 Template:Dead link</ref> – usually titled An inventory and condition report/survey... of a particular region are very specifically focused upon land systems that are based on natural features.
Land tenureEdit
Template:Further Western Australia is divided into approximately 90 land districts for cadastral purposes. There are five land divisions in Western Australia, as specified in Schedule 1 of the Land Administration Act 1997. Template:Div col
- Eastern Land Division
- Eucla Land Division
- Kimberley Land Division
- North-West Land Division
- South-West Land Division
Wine regionsEdit
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Western Australia covers the western third of the continent, although the winemaking regions are almost entirely situated in the south-western tip of the state. It has nine regions, and five nominated subregions for wine under the geographical indications legislation as determined by the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation.<ref name="Sotheby">T. Stevenson "The Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia" pg 589 Dorling Kindersley 2005 Template:ISBN</ref><ref name="western australian wine">Australian Wine and Brandy corporation – Western Australia Template:Webarchive</ref><ref name=ocw-wa>winepros.com.au, The Oxford Companion to Wine pg 765 Western Australia Template:Webarchive</ref> Wine regions include:<ref name="Western Australia">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Tree list
- Greater Perth
- South Western Australia
Coastal regionsEdit
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Western Australia has the longest coastline of any state in Australia, at Template:Convert.<ref>Short, Andrew D (2005)Beaches of the Western Australian Coast: Eucla to Roeback Bay Template:ISBN. page 1</ref>Template:Full citation needed The regions can be determined by the underlying geology, and in the case of the Bureau of Meteorology – features such as points and capes are useful indicators of coastal water forecasts.<ref>Western Australian Forecast Areas Map Template:Webarchive</ref>
Landgate publishes touring maps that include coastal zones including: Template:Div col
- Batavia Coast (incorporating the area of Dongara, Geraldton, and Kalbarri)<ref>"'StreetSmart Touring Map – Batavia Coast Western Australia Template:ISBN</ref>Template:Full citation needed
- Coral Coast (at the northern end of the Gascoyne Coast)
- Gascoyne Coast (Carnarvon, Coral Bay, Denham, Exmouth and the Coral Coast)
- Turquoise Coast north of sunset Coast and south of Batavia coast
- Sunset Coast (Perth Metropolitan beachside suburbs from Cottesloe to Yanchep)
Census and Australian Bureau of StatisticsEdit
For the purposes of statistical geography, the Australian Bureau of Statistics uses the Australian Standard Geographical Classification, a hierarchical regionalisation that divides Western Australia into statistical divisions, then statistical subdivisions, statistical local areas, and finally, census collection districts.
Statistical divisions include:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Div col
- SD 505 – Perth
- SD 510 – South West
- SD 515 – Lower Great Southern
- SD 520 – Upper Great Southern
- SD 525 – Midlands
- SD 530 – South Eastern
- SD 535 – Central
- SD 540 – Pilbara
- SD 545 – Kimberley
The ABS produces regional profiles for the nine ABS statistical divisions, and the ten Development CommissionTemplate:Clarify regions.
Cross-regional terminologyEdit
In some cases, regions have been grouped into larger areas, to describe a larger area in a single term: Template:Div col
- Arid Western Australia tends to be synonymous with the Eremaean province biological region relating to plants and dry conditions
- Remote Western AustraliaTemplate:Sndalso synonymous with Outback Western AustraliaTemplate:Sndis determined by the distance and separation from the more heavily populated south west region surrounding Perth and its adjacent hinterland, and the subsequent scattered and low density populated areas towards the central east of Western Australia.
- North West Australia similarly crosses the usual regional definitions to designate an area.
- Southwest Australia may also ignore usual regional definitions.
- NullarborTemplate:Snda term with multiple meaningsTemplate:Snd covers between south east Western Australia, and far west South Australia.
See alsoEdit
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
Further readingEdit
- Regions Western Australia. Perth, W.A. : Dept. of Commerce and Trade. Issue 1 (Mar./June 1998)-issue 11 (February 2002)
- Regional futures: challenges and opportunities for Western Australia's regions: a discussion paper prepared by the Regional Development Council and the Department of Commerce and Trade. Perth, W.A. : The Council, Rev. June 1996.
- Western Australia: a statistical snapshot of the regions prepared by the Department of Commerce and Trade for the Regional Development Council. Perth: The Department., 1995.
- Western Australia tomorrow: population projections for the statistical divisions, planning regions and local government areas of Western Australia. Perth, W.A. : Western Australian Planning Commission, 2000. Population report (Western Australian Planning Commission); no. 4. Template:ISBN
MapsEdit
- Streetsmart Travellers Atlas of Western Australia (2006) Department of Land Information and West Australian Newspapers,9th ed. Template:ISBN
- Quality Publishing Australia.(2007) Roads & tracks Western Australia: campsites directory, roads and tracks, all in one Jolimont, W.A., Quality Publishing Australia, 5th ed Template:ISBN
- UBD Western Australia country road atlas (2005) Macquarie Park, N.S.W.UBD, a division of Universal Publishers, 11th ed Template:ISBN