Southern Cross, Western Australia

Town in Western Australia

Southern Cross
Western Australia

Southern Cross Community Centre

Southern Cross

Coordinates| 31°13′50″S 119°19′40″E﻿ / ﻿31.23056°S 119.32778°E﻿ / -31.23056; 119.32778
Population| 523 (UCL 2021)[1]
Established| 1890
Postcode(s)| 6426
Elevation| 355 m (1,165 ft)
Area| 555.2 km2 (214.4 sq mi)
Location|

* 371 km (231 mi) E of Perth
* 225 km (140 mi) W of Kalgoorlie
* 110 km (68 mi) E of Merredin

LGA(s)| Shire of Yilgarn
State electorate(s)| Central Wheatbelt
Federal division(s)| O'Connor
| Mean max temp | Mean min temp | Annual rainfall

|
|

25.5 °C
78 °F | 10.7 °C
51 °F | 294.9 mm
11.6 in

Southern Cross is a town in Western Australia, 371 kilometres (230.5 miles) east of state capital Perth on the Great Eastern Highway. It was founded in 1888 after gold prospectors Richard Greaves and Ted Paine during their October 1887 expedition successfully found gold,[2][3] and gazetted in 1890.[4] It is the major town and administrative centre of the Shire of Yilgarn.[5] At the 2016 census, Southern Cross had a population of 680.[6]

The town of Southern Cross is one of the many towns that run along the Goldfields Water Supply Scheme pipeline from Mundaring to Kalgoorlie, engineered by C. Y. O'Connor,[7] and as a consequence is an important location on the Golden Pipeline Heritage Trail.

A succession of gold rushes in the Yilgarn region near Southern Cross in 1887, at Coolgardie in 1892, and at Kalgoorlie in 1893 caused a population explosion in the barren and dry desert centre of Western Australia.

It is named after the Southern Cross constellation, and the town's streets are named after constellations and stars.[8][9][10]

The surrounding areas produce wheat and other cereal crops. The town is a receival site for Cooperative Bulk Handling.[11]

Southern Cross is in the Federal electorate of O'Connor.[12]

## Climate

[edit]

Climate data for Southern Cross Airfield (1996-2023)

Month  | Jan  | Feb  | Mar  | Apr  | May  | Jun  | Jul  | Aug  | Sep  | Oct  | Nov  | Dec  | Year
Record high °C (°F)  | 46.3
(115.3)  | 46.7
(116.1)  | 42.6
(108.7)  | 39.0
(102.2)  | 34.0
(93.2)  | 28.6
(83.5)  | 26.0
(78.8)  | 31.3
(88.3)  | 36.8
(98.2)  | 40.3
(104.5)  | 44.6
(112.3)  | 45.7
(114.3)  | 46.7
(116.1)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)  | 34.8
(94.6)  | 34.0
(93.2)  | 30.6
(87.1)  | 26.2
(79.2)  | 21.4
(70.5)  | 17.9
(64.2)  | 16.8
(62.2)  | 18.6
(65.5)  | 22.0
(71.6)  | 26.6
(79.9)  | 30.0
(86.0)  | 33.1
(91.6)  | 26.0
(78.8)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)  | 17.9
(64.2)  | 17.9
(64.2)  | 15.5
(59.9)  | 11.8
(53.2)  | 7.3
(45.1)  | 4.6
(40.3)  | 3.7
(38.7)  | 4.0
(39.2)  | 5.7
(42.3)  | 9.5
(49.1)  | 13.2
(55.8)  | 15.8
(60.4)  | 10.6
(51.0)
Record low °C (°F)  | 8.5
(47.3)  | 7.5
(45.5)  | 1.8
(35.2)  | 1.4
(34.5)  | −3.4
(25.9)  | −5.0
(23.0)  | −4.8
(23.4)  | −3.8
(25.2)  | −3.2
(26.2)  | −1.7
(28.9)  | 0.7
(33.3)  | 5.8
(42.4)  | −5.0
(23.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches)  | 27.5
(1.08)  | 26.2
(1.03)  | 34.5
(1.36)  | 23.6
(0.93)  | 27.1
(1.07)  | 26.7
(1.05)  | 34.1
(1.34)  | 31.8
(1.25)  | 19.7
(0.78)  | 17.8
(0.70)  | 17.3
(0.68)  | 13.9
(0.55)  | 300.2
(11.82)
Average rainy days (≥ 1 mm) | 2.4  | 2.5  | 3.3  | 3  | 4.1  | 5.1  | 6.5  | 5.6  | 4  | 2.9  | 2.8  | 2.1  | 44.3
Average afternoon relative humidity (%) (at 3 pm) | 33.2  | 32.3  | 29.2  | 25  | 20.6  | 16.9  | 15.6  | 17.2  | 20.1  | 24.8  | 31  | 24.5  | 24.2
Average dew point °C (°F)  | 5.8
(42.4)  | 8.0
(46.4)  | 7.1
(44.8)  | 7.3
(45.1)  | 6.6
(43.9)  | 5.1
(41.2)  | 4.9
(40.8)  | 4.1
(39.4)  | 3.9
(39.0)  | 2.4
(36.3)  | 2.5
(36.5)  | 5.1
(41.2)  | 5.2
(41.4)
Source: [13] (humidity and dew point at 3pm 1996-2010[14])

## Railway

[edit]

### Narrow gauge route

[edit]

The former narrow gauge route of the Eastern Goldfields Railway reached Southern Cross on 1 July 1894,[15][16][17] and the Southern Cross to Coolgardie narrow gauge railway (via Boorabbin) was closed 29 November 1971.[18]

The Wyalkatchem to Southern Cross railway line, initially to Bullfinch from 1911, was opened in its full length in 1929.[19] In 1933, the Southern Cross Southwards Railway Act 1933 authorised the construction of 45 kilometres (28 mi) of railway line south of Southern Cross, which would have taken the railway into the area of Marvel Loch, which was surveyed but not constructed.[20]

In 1932 the Wheat Pool of Western Australia announced that the town would have two grain elevators, each fitted with an engine, installed at the railway siding.[21]

The Railways (Cue-Big Bell and other Railways) Discontinuance Act 1960, assented to on 12 December 1960, authorised the official closure of 13 railway lines in Western Australia, among them the Southern Cross to Mukinbudin section of the railway to Wyalkatchem.[22]

### Standard gauge route

[edit]

Southern Cross railway station is on the standard gauge railway from Perth to Kalgoorlie. The construction and opening of the line from Perth was completed on 1 May 1967, and the connection to Kalgoorlie via Koolyanobbing was completed by 4 November 1968.[23] The Prospector and Indian Pacific passenger trains service the town.

## See also

[edit]

* Western Australia portal

* Goldfields-Esperance
* Helena River
* John Forrest
* Mundaring Weir
* Cody Fern

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Southern Cross (urban centre and locality)". Australian Census 2021.
2. ^ "WHO DISCOVERED GOLD AT SOUTHERN CROSS?". Western Mail. Vol. XXI, no. 1, 048. Western Australia. 27 January 1906. p. 45. Retrieved 22 January 2024 - via National Library of Australia.
3. ^ "A PIONEER PROSPECTOR". The West Australian. Vol. XXXII, no. 4, 356. Western Australia. 18 March 1916. p. 8. Retrieved 22 January 2024 - via National Library of Australia.
4. ^ "History of country town names – S". Western Australian Land Information Authority. Archived from the original on 14 March 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2008.
5. ^ "Shire of Yilgarn, Western Australia". Shire of Yilgarn. Retrieved 18 February 2008.
6. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Southern Cross (State Suburb)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
7. ^ "Southern Cross". Heritage Australia. Retrieved 18 February 2008.
8. ^ "History of country town names – S". Western Australian Land Information Authority. Archived from the original on 14 March 2022. Retrieved 15 February 2008.
9. ^ "YAS – Information Southern Cross". yilgarn.com.au. 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
10. ^ "Southern Cross". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 February 2004. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
11. ^ "CBH receival sites" (PDF). 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
12. ^ "Australian Electoral Commission website". Australian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
13. ^ "Summary statistics SOUTHERN CROSS AIRFIELD (Site number: 012320)". Climate statistics for Australian locations. Commonwealth of Australia, Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
14. ^ "Summary statistics SOUTHERN CROSS AIRFIELD (Site number: 012320)" (CSV). Commonwealth of Australia, Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
15. ^ Milne, Rod Wheat, Gold and Humming Birds: Southern Cross in Diesel Days Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, December, 2001 pp443-449
16. ^ Searle, M. J (January 1983). "The Eastern and Eastern Goldfields Railways [Series of parts] Part 1: construction and opening". RIM: Western Australian Railways Institute Magazine. 80 (Jan 1983): 3–8. Retrieved 12 November 2012.3-8&rft.date=1983-01&rft.au=Searle,+M.+J&rft_id=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/39203147&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Southern+Cross,+Western+Australia" class="Z3988">
17. ^ Searle, M. J (February 1983). "The Eastern and Eastern Goldfields Railways [Series of parts] Part 2. – Constructions of extensions-". RIM: Western Australian Railways Institute Magazine. 80 (Feb 1983): 2–3, 5–6. Retrieved 12 November 2012.2-3,+5-6&rft.date=1983-02&rft.au=Searle,+M.+J&rft_id=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/39202250&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Southern+Cross,+Western+Australia" class="Z3988">
18. ^ page 67 Quinlan, Howard; Newland, John R; Australian Railway Historical Society. New South Wales Division (2000). Australian railway routes 1854 to 2000. Australian Railway Historical Society – New South Wales Division. ISBN 978-0-909650-49-0.
19. ^ Gunzburg, Adrian; Austin, Jeff; Rail Heritage WA; Gunzburg, Adrian (2008), Rails through the bush : timber and firewood tramways and railway contractors of Western Australia (2nd ed.), Rail Heritage WA, ISBN 978-0-9803922-2-7
20. ^ "Southern Cross Southwards Railway Act 1933". www.legislation.wa.gov.au. Government of Western Australia. 24 November 1933. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
21. ^ "Country elevators". The West Australian. Perth: National Library of Australia. 6 July 1932. p. 10. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
22. ^ "Railways (Cue-Big Bell and other Railways) Discontinuance Act 1960". www.legislation.wa.gov.au. Government of Western Australia. 12 December 1960. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
23. ^ Quinlan, Howard; Newland, John R; Australian Railway Historical Society. New South Wales Division (2000). Australian railway routes 1854 to 2000. Australian Railway Historical Society – New South Wales Division. p. 63\. ISBN 978-0-909650-49-0.

## External links

[edit]

Media related to Southern Cross, Western Australia at Wikimedia Commons

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