Mid West Gascoyne, WA
About the Mid West Gascoyne region
This region of WA is vast, covering approximately 600,000 km² of land, or one-third of Australia's biggest state. It is located in the centre and west of the state, taking in more than 1000 km of pristine west-coast coastline. The Mid West Gascoyne region is bordered to the north by the Pilbara region, to the south by the Wheatbelt, and to the east by Goldfields Esperance, and is home to the major regional centres of Geraldton, Dongara, and Kalbarri.
The Mid West Gascoyne is home to a diverse range of landscapes. It includes desert and outback, broad-acre farming land that comes alive with wildflowers in the spring, exquisite bays and coastlines, and even mountain ranges.
The region is the traditional home of numerous Aboriginal language groups, collectively known as Yamatji. The collective includes the Amangu, Naaguja, Wadjarri, Nanda and Badimia groups. It is also inhabited by the Martu people of the Western Desert.
Local councils
WA's Mid West Gascoyne region includes 21 municipalities: Shire of Carnamah, Shire of Carnarvon, Shire of Chapman Valley, Shire of Coorow, Shire of Cue, Shire of Exmouth, City of Greater Geraldton, Shire of Irwin, Shire of Meekatharra, Shire of Mingenew, Shire of Morawa, Shire of Mount Magnet, Shire of Murchison, Shire of Northampton, Shire of Perenjori, Shire of Sandstone, Shire of Shark Bay, Shire of Three Springs, Shire of Upper Gascoyne, Shire of Wiluna and Shire of Yalgoo.
Climate information
Climate varies across the Mid West Gascoyne region. Its southern reaches experience a Mediterranean climate of rainy winters and dry, hot summers, while the north of the region has more of a sub-tropical climate of hot, humid summers and mild, chilly winters.
The mean maximum temperature for the region hovers at around 27-30 °C in the more densely populated regions near the coast, and the mean minimum at 12-15 °C. It receives little rainfall; just 250-350 mm annually, on average.
Population
The estimated population of the Mid West and Gascoyne region is reported as 62,218 as of 2019.
Education
There are numerous primary and secondary schools located in the Mid West Gascoyne region, primarily in key regional centres such as Geraldton, although there are also educational opportunities in more remote communities.
Those wishing to pursue tertiary education can do so through the Geraldton Universities Centre, which offers courses from partner universities such as CQUniversity, the University of Southern Queensland and Curtin University. They may also choose to study a vocational field at TAFE, which has three campuses in Geraldton.
Employment and local businesses
The Mid West and Gascoyne region has a Gross Regional Product of $7.3 billion. The region's top five industries by number of people employed are mining, healthcare & social assistance, retail, agriculture, forestry & fishing, and education & training.
The local economy is built on the foundation of the resource mining and agricultural sectors, but tourism, value-added food production, aquaculture, education & training and construction are all growing industries.
Housing
Median house price varies across the Mid West Gascoyne region. It sits at $269,000 in Geraldton, $340,000 in Dongara, and $282,500 in Kalbarri. All lie below WA's median of $485,000.
The region had a median weekly house rental (for a 3-bedroom home) of $280 in Geraldton, $318 in Dongara and $288 in Kalbarri, all below the state median of $395.
Events
Where: Mullewa, WA
When: Annually, in June
What: This family-friendly festival is a weekend of fun for all ages, attracting thousands of visitors every year. It features a number of contests for spectators to enjoy, including high-energy rodeo, a Beaut Ute competition, and a whip cracking event. There are also interactive workshops on offer, and giftware, western apparel, and great food and drink for sale.
Where: Kalbarri, WA
When: Annually, in May
What: This exciting local event is about a whole lot more than crayfish (although there is certainly a delicious assortment on offer). It celebrates the vibrancy of the Kalbarri region, bringing residents together for a host of exciting activities such as dress-up contests, parades, live music, pirate-themed challenges and nightly fireworks. The festival also has a strong sporting component, with locals competing in canoeing, racing, and much more.
Where: East Lyons River, WA
When: Annually, in October
What: The East Gascoyne Racing Club has been home to quality country races for the past century, and the Landor Races are the jewel in the club's crown. Celebrating its 100th year in 2021, the event has expanded from a simple race into a long-weekend affair. Visitors will be treated to top-notch amateur bush racing on the Saturday and Monday, while the Sunday is reserved for a gymkhana event full of fun competitions for all ages.
Additional Information
Mid West Gascoyne has 21 subregions. Use the list below or the map above to learn more about individual subregions.
Mid West Gascoyne Schools
- Government Schools
- Independent Schools
Combined
- Burringurrah Remote Community School MOUNT JAMES WA 6642
- Carnamah District High School CARNAMAH WA 6517
- Carnarvon Community College CARNARVON WA 6701
- Carnarvon Community College - Cleaver Street Campus CARNARVON WA 6701
- Carnarvon Community College - Marmion Street Campus CARNARVON WA 6701
- Dongara District High School DONGARA WA 6525
- Exmouth District High School EXMOUTH WA 6707
- Gascoyne Junction Remote Community School GASCOYNE JUNCTION WA 6705
- Kalbarri District High School KALBARRI WA 6536
- Meekatharra District High School MEEKATHARRA WA 6642
- Morawa District High School MORAWA WA 6623
- Mount Magnet District High School MOUNT MAGNET WA 6638
- Mullewa District High School MULLEWA WA 6630
- Northampton District High School NORTHAMPTON WA 6535
- Pia Wadjarri Remote Community School MURCHISON WA 6630
- Shark Bay School DENHAM WA 6537
- Wiluna Remote Community School WILUNA WA 6646
- Yulga Jinna Remote Community School YULGA JINNA REMOTE COMMUNITY WA 6642
Primary
- Allendale Primary School GERALDTON WA 6530
- Beachlands Primary School GERALDTON WA 6530
- Binnu Primary School BINNU WA 6532
- Bluff Point Primary School BLUFF POINT WA 6530
- Carnarvon School Of The Air CARNARVON WA 6701
- Carnarvon School Of The Air - Coral Bay Campus CORAL BAY WA 6701
- Chapman Valley Primary School NABAWA WA 6532
- Coorow Primary School COOROW WA 6515
- Cue Primary School CUE WA 6640
- Eneabba Primary School ENEABBA WA 6518
- Geraldton Primary School GERALDTON WA 6530
- Leeman Primary School LEEMAN WA 6514
- Meekatharra School Of The Air BLUFF POINT WA 6530
- Mingenew Primary School MINGENEW WA 6522
- Mount Tarcoola Primary School GERALDTON WA 6530
- Perenjori Primary School PERENJORI WA 6620
- Rangeway Primary School RANGEWAY WA 6530
- Three Springs Primary School THREE SPRINGS WA 6519
- Useless Loop Primary School USELESS LOOP WA 6537
- Waggrakine Primary School WAGGRAKINE WA 6530
- Walkaway Primary School WALKAWAY WA 6528
- Wandina Primary School WANDINA WA 6530
- Yalgoo Primary School YALGOO WA 6635
- Yuna Primary School YUNA WA 6532
Secondary
- Champion Bay Senior High School GERALDTON WA 6530
- Geraldton Senior High School GERALDTON WA 6530
- Western Australian College Of Agriculture - Morawa MORAWA WA 6623
Special
- Holland Street School GERALDTON WA 6530
Combined
- Geraldton Grammar School GERALDTON WA 6530
- Leaning Tree Steiner School GERALDTON WA 6530
- Leaning Tree Steiner School - Glenfield Campus GLENFIELD WA 6532
- St Mary Star of the Sea Catholic School CARNARVON WA 6701
- Strathalbyn Christian College STRATHALBYN WA 6530
Primary
- Carnarvon Christian School CARNARVON WA 6701
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel School MULLEWA WA 6630
- St Francis Xavier Primary School GERALDTON WA 6530
- St John's School GERALDTON WA 6530
- St Lawrence's Primary School GERALDTON WA 6530
- St Mary's School NORTHAMPTON WA 6535
Secondary
- Nagle Catholic College GERALDTON WA 6530
- Nagle Catholic College CARNARVON WA 6701
Special
- Geraldton Flexible Learning Centre GERALDTON WA 6530
- Geraldton Flexible Learning Centre - Carnarvon Campus CARNARVON WA 6701
Mid West Gascoyne Housing
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Houses in Mid West Gascoyne
The price of a house in Mid West Gascoyne ranges from around $105,000 to $1,800,000.
A typical house in has 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms & parking for 4 cars.
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Apartments in Mid West Gascoyne
The price of a apartment in Mid West Gascoyne ranges from around $155,000 to $500,000.
A typical apartment in has 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom & parking for 2 cars.
Mid West Gascoyne Census Information
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Dwelling Type
What types of residential properties are available in Mid West Gascoyne?
Source: ABS 2016 Census GCP -
Tenure Type
Which residential properties in Mid West Gascoyne are owned, mortgaged or rented out?
Source: ABS 2016 Census GCP -
Change in Residence
Did people in Mid West Gascoyne change address in the last year?
Source: ABS 2016 Census GCP -
Working Population
What age groups are most strongly represented in Mid West Gascoyne?
Source: ABS 2016 Census GCP -
Top 5 Industries
What industries do people in Mid West Gascoyne work in?
- Health care and social assistance
- Retail trade
- Agriculture forestry and fishing
- Education and training
- Construction
Source: ABS 2016 Census GCP -
Family Size
How many people live in a household in Mid West Gascoyne?
Source: ABS 2016 Census GCP
What's happening in Mid West Gascoyne
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The Best Beaches in Western Australia Children play amongst the boulders of Lucky Bay.
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Home In The Ranger The shifting patterns and colours of the Gascoyne seen from the air. Image credit Blue Dog Digital.
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Go Regional With Move to More Early mornings watching the sunrise, quiet afternoons with the family, vast stretches of land untouched by houses – there’s so much to...
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Acreage for Sale in Western Australia Median acreage prices reached a record high in Western Australia this past year, up by 28.2% to $2,569 per hectare according to Rural...
Properties in Mid West Gascoyne
- For Sale
- For Rent