| Northam, Western Australia |
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Northam () is a Town in Western Australia , situated at the confluence of the Avon and Mortlock Rivers. It is the birthplace of Shirley Strickland , Frederick Henry Piesse and Carmen Lawrence . Home to around 7000 people, it is the largest town in the Avon region. It is also the largest inland town in the state not founded on Mining . GEOGRAPHY Northam is located 96km North East of Perth in the Avon Valley . Area: 1419 Square Kilometres (Shire), 24 Square Kilometres (Town) Elevation: 155 Metres (508 Feet) HISTORY The area around Northam was first explored in 1830 by a party of colonists led by Ensign Robert Dale, and subsequently founded in 1833 . It was named by Governor Stirling , probably after a village of the same name in Devon , England . Almost immediately it became a point of departure for explorers and settlers who were interested in the lands which lay to the east. This initial importance declined with the growing importance of the other nearby towns of York and Beverley , but the arrival of the railway made Northam the major departure point for fossickers and miners who headed east towards the goldfields. A notable scandal occurred in 1933 when the town's entire Aboriginal population were rounded up by police and dumped in the Moore River Settlement. The Northam Shire Council said they had Scabies and were a health risk. Steve Fossett became the first person to fly around the world alone, nonstop, in a balloon when he launched from Northam on 19 June 2002 , and returned to Australia on 3 July , landing in Queensland . GOVERNMENT Northam consists of the Town of Northam and Northam Shire. Town of Northam The Mayor of the Town of Northam is Ray Head. Shire of Northam The Shire President of the Shire of Northam is Cr A W (Bert) Llewellyn. The Shire completely surrounds the Town of Northam. It includes the towns of Wundowie , Bakers Hill , Grass Valley and Clackline . The population of Northam shire is approx. 3600. RAILWAYS Northam is a major railway junction, and serves as the commercial centre for much of the western Wheatbelt . The Dual Gauge Eastern Railway terminates here and becomes the Standard Gauge Eastern Goldfields Railway . Narrow Gauge radiates both south of the town to York and beyond ( Great Southern Railway ), and north to Goomalling , another rural railway junction. The Northam Railway station is used for the Prospector and Avonlink rural train services. The original station on Fitzgerald Street was opened in 1900 and closed in 1966 when the new Eastern Railway route became operational {Link without Title} . The Australian Railroad Group have a large railway yard named ''Avon Yard'' west of the town. SPORT Northam has some very committed sporting teams. Aussie Rules is an obsession with many of the people of Western Australia. Northam has two teams that play in the Avon Football Association competition, the Federals and Railways. Information on the Avon Football Association can be found here. {Link without Title} Field and Indoor Hockey , Cricket , and Netball also attract significant numbers of players and spectators. Individual sports such as tennis are also popular. Northam also maintains an active running club. EVENTS IN NORTHAM The Avon Descent is held every year starting in Northam. |
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