23 Facts About Western Australia

Western Australia is a state of Australia occupying the western 33 percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories.

Western Australia is Australia's largest state, with a total land area of 2, 527, 013 square kilometres.

The first permanent European colony of Western Australia occurred following the landing by Major Edmund Lockyer on 26 December 1826 of an expedition on behalf of the New South Wales colonial government.

Western Australia formally took possession for the British Crown of the western part of the continent that was not already claimed by the British Crown.

Western Australia achieved responsible government in 1890 and federated with the other British colonies in Australia in 1901.

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York was the first inland settlement in Western Australia, situated 97 kilometres east of Perth and settled on 16 September 1831.

Western Australia is bounded to the east by longitude 129°E, the meridian 129 degrees east of Greenwich, which defines the border with South Australia and the Northern Territory, and bounded by the Indian Ocean to the west and north.

Western Australia did not receive significant flows of immigrants from Britain, Ireland or elsewhere in the British Empire until the early 20th century.

Western Australia—particularly Perth—has the highest proportion of British-born of any state: 10.

Western Australia's economy is largely driven by extraction and processing of a diverse range of mineral and petroleum commodities.

Western Australia has the world's biggest plantations of both Indian sandalwood and Australian sandalwood, which are used to produce sandalwood oil and incense.

Western Australia was granted self-government in 1890 with a bicameral Parliament located in Perth, consisting of the Legislative Assembly, which has 59 members; and the Legislative Council, which has 36 members.

Whilst the sovereign of Western Australia is the King of Australia and executive power is nominally vested in his state representative, the Governor, executive power rests with the premier and ministers drawn from the party or coalition of parties holding a majority of seats in the Legislative Assembly.

Western Australia was the most reluctant participant in the Commonwealth of Australia.

Western Australia did not participate in the earliest federation conference.

Longer-term residents of Western Australia were generally opposed to federation; however, the discovery of gold brought many immigrants from other parts of Australia.

Western Australia is divided into 139 Local Government Areas, including Christmas Island and the Cocos Islands.

Western Australia has two daily newspapers: the Seven West Media-owned tabloid The West Australian and the Kalgoorlie Miner.

Notable musicians and bands to have been born in or lived in Western Australia include Adam Brand, Ammonia, Karnivool, Birds of Tokyo, Bon Scott, Eskimo Joe, Johnny Young, Gyroscope, the John Butler Trio, Tame Impala, Kevin Mitchell, Tim Minchin, Troye Sivan, The Kill Devil Hills, Pendulum, The Pigram Brothers, Rolf Harris, Stella Donnelly and The Triffids.

Notable actors and television personalities from Western Australia include Heath Ledger, Sam Worthington, Ernie Dingo, Jessica Marais, Megan Gale, Rove McManus, Isla Fisher, and Melissa George.

Films and television series filmed or partly filmed in Western Australia include Rabbit-Proof Fence, The Heights, Mystery Road, These Final Hours, Cloudstreet, Jasper Jones, Australia, Bran Nu Dae, Red Dog, ABBA: the Movie and Last Train to Freo.

Western Australia has served as the setting for a number of works of Australian literature.

International sporting events hosted in the past in Western Australia include the Tom Hoad Cup, the Perth International, the 2006 Gravity Games, the 2002 Women's Hockey World Cup, the 1991 FINA World Aquatics Championships, the World Rally Championships and the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games.