[Battye, J. S. (James Sykes)(ed.), 1912, The Cyclopedia of Western Australia: an historical and commercial review, Hussey & Gillingham, for the Cyclopedia Company, Adelaide, pages 1012-1016]

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The North-west and Far North.

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CARNARVON.

Carnarvon is situated at the mouth of the Gascoyne River, and is the shipping port for the wool produced in the extensive pastoral district lying inland from the town, where there are several large sheep stations, the total number of sheep being well over 750,000. The town is in regular communication by water with Fremantle, and has a reputation for healthiness. Within less than two degrees of the tropics it is naturally hot, but not unbearable, and good water is abundant. The public buildings consist of a courthouse, school, residency, gaol, hospital, and library, and many of the edifices would do credit to a larger town. The hotel accommodation is good, and commercial prosperity is shown by the existence of branches of the Western Australian and Union banks, and by the presence of several large stores. The town is governed municipally by a mayor and councillors, and has a population of 755.

ONSLOW.

Onslow, situated on the coast well within the tropics, has a population of about 300, half of whom are coloured people engaged on the pearling boats. It is the principal port of the Ashburton pastoral district and of the Ashburton goldfield. The anchorage is an open roadstead exposed to the prevailing winds, and vessels calling there have to discharge their cargoes into lighters. For convenience of shipping a tidal jetty has

been constructed, which is connected by a tramway with the town. There are some good public buildings, all substantially built of stone, including those necessary for the administration of customs, post and telegraph service, and so on. The religious needs of the people are cared for by the Church of England, while the Ashburton Mechanics' Institute and Public Hall provide meeting-places for the discussion of local affairs.

Onslow is the rendezvous for some twenty vessels engaged in the pearling trade, and from the fact that it is the port of a pastoral as well as a mineral district large quantities of wool, lead, copper, pearl shell, and kangaroo skins are exported from the port. The soil of the district is good, and with a reasonable rainfall produces those luxuriant grasses which have made the Ashburton an ideal squatting district. The fertility could be greatly increased by using the Ashburton River for irrigation purposes. If that were done there is no doubt that rubber, cotton, cinchona, and other tropical products could be cultivated with great success. As regards minerals, gold, silver, lead, and copper have already been found, and the field only needs the impetus of a sensational find to bring it under the notice of prospectors.

The temperature ranges from 41° in winter to 117° in summer, but for about seven months out of the twelve the climate is exceptionally good.

COSSACK.

Cossack, a seaport town originally known as Tientsin (from the name of the vessel which first carried stock to the north-west) and later as Port Walcott, received its present designation from H.M.S. "Cossack," which carried Governor Weld on a visit along the west shore of Port Walcott, and is some nine miles from Roebourne, with which it is connected by a tramway. A further tramline connects Cossack with Point Sampson, about four miles away, where a long jetty has been erected for the convenience of those shipping stock. The anchorage at Cossack is an open roadstead, and vessels over 200 tons are unable to come alongside the jetty. Larger boats have to discharge the cargo into lighters. The town possesses some substantially built public buildings, two hotels, and an assembly hall. The solidity of the buildings is a matter of necessity, as the fierce storms which sweep along the coast at intervals make short work of flimsy structures. The port is regularly visited by steamers running between Fremantle and the northwest ports and Singapore, and the inhabitants of the town, numbering about seventy whites and over a hundred aliens, are thus kept in constant communication with the capital.

PORT HEDLAND.

Port Hedland, situated on the coast about 1,063 miles north of Perth, has made considerable progress since the opening of the Port Hedland to Marble Bar railway line, which made it the principal port for the Pilbara goldfields and also the distributing centre for the extensive tinfield at Wodgina. It is also a convenient place for shipping stock, and this fact, combined with its trade with the goldfieldsw,i ll probably in the near future make it one of the most important towns on the north-west coast. It has a substantial jetty, and the channel has been buoyed to ensure the safety of shipping. A further stimulus to trade exists in the proximity to the port of extensive beds of pearl shell, which are being actively worked. In addition to various public buildings the town possesses four hotels, several stores, and a branch of the Union. Bank. The population is about 350.

BROOME.

Broome, one of the principal cargo ports on the north-west coast, is situated on the shores of Roebuck Bay. It is the terminus of the Eastern Extension Cable Company's alternative cable from Banjoewangie, and contains extensive buildings for the accommodation of the staff. Its main importance, however, is derived from the fact that it is the headquarters of the pearling industry, and as such is possessed of a more cosmopolitan population than any other town in the State. Having an excellent Harbour the pearling boats are enabled to lie up with safety during the hurricane season along the coast. The steamers running fortnightly between Fremantle and Singapore call there, and it is further served by the coastal boats on the line between Fremantle and Wyndham. A tidal jetty for shipping, with cattle yards and tramway, have been constructed, and a splendid supply of fresh water is secured from an artesian bore. The rise and fall of the tide at Broome is about 28 ft. Being right within the tropics the climate is extremely hot in summer, but the heat is tempered by the strong sea. breezes which blow almost continuously during the season. Among the public buildings are the Government residency, courthouse, public quarters, gaol, post and telegraph offices, and customs house. An excellent literary institute has been established for the use of residents, and several good hotels afford accommodation to visitors. The Church of England and Roman Catholic Church both possess excellent buildings, and there are many fairly substantial private dwellings. Two of the associated banks - the Western Australian and the Union - have branches in the town. Amusement is provided by the Broome Racing Club and tennis and cricket clubs. The town is governed by a mayor and nine councillors. It is the Quarter Sessions town for the district, Courts being held in March, June, September, and December, under the chairmanship of the resident magistrate, Mr. G. T. Wood. The white population of the town is set down as 866, while the coloured population, ashore and including the crews of the pearling boats, is estimated at about 3,300.

Seventy miles north of Broome is Beagle Bay, where, since 1890, the Roman Catholic Church has conducted a mission for the aborigines.

DERBY.

Derby, the chief town of the West Kimberley district, is situated on King Sound not far from the mouth of the Fitzroy River. At the entrance to King Sound is the spot where William Dampier, the first Englishman to land on the shores of Australia, beached his vessel. Derby has a, fine natural harbour some two and a half miles away from the town, with which it is connected by a tramway in order to facilitate the loading of stock. The jetty, which is of considerable length, has a cattle yard and race attached so that cattle can be walked on to the steamers. It is estimated that about 16,000 head of cattle are sent away from the port during the year. The town has several public buildings, including courthouse, police station, post office, and goods sheds. The resident magistrate is also chairman of the Court of Quarter Sessions which sits regularly in the town. The district contains some fine pastoral land, well watered and abounding in game. It is also well adapted for the cultivation of rice, cotton, bananas, and other tropical products. Derby is the port of Kimberley goldfields, being about 380 miles from the goldfields' centre at Hall Creek. There is a good road between the two towns, and at Fitzroy Crossing there is telegraphic communication with Wyndham. The population of Derby is 228, and of the whole of the district 450.

HALL CREEK.

Hall Creek, the central township of the Kimberley goldfield, and the headquarters of the warden for the district, has several commodious public buildings, though the population of the whole district is under 200. In the days when Kimberley goldfield was a promising district the township was a place of greater importance, and there are signs of revival now manifest, as the question of treating the low-grade ores is receiving attention. In addition to mining activity, there are several large pastoral leases held in the district. Hall Creek is only 240 miles away from Wyndham, but the road is not so convenient as that to Derby.

WYNDHAM.

Wyndham, the farthest northern town in Western Australia, is situated on the shores of Cambridge Gulf. The gulf provides an excellent natural harbour, and is equipped with very complete facilities for shipping stock, Wyndham being the headquarters of the cattle trade. The arrangements for shipping cattle are such as to allow 500 head to be embarked within three hours. Most of the cattle are destined for the markets of the southern portion of the State, and for some years the question of erecting freezing works at Wyndham has been under consideration. It is contended that if this were done the risk and expense attendant on shipping live cattle would be obviated, and as a consequence meat would be cheaper. So far, however, no practical step has been taken to carry the idea into effect. The public buildings at Wyndham consist of post office, residency, hospital, police quarters and gaol, and a mechanics' institute with a good library. The average temperature is necessarily high, but the town is not considered unhealthy, though the water supply leaves much to be desired. The population is about fifty.

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