Where we are

The Wheatbelt of Western Australia is an area twice the size of Tasmania. It comprises 44 shires, 170 communities and a population of 72,431 (June 1999). It covers 154,862 square kilometres, extending southeast from Perth to Wagin. Yilgarn, Kondinin and Lake Grace Shires make up the eastern boundary, and the region incorporates some 200 kilometres of coastline to the north of Perth. It is divided into four main geographic regions:

Avon is closest to the metropolitan area, with Northam as its commercial centre;
Central Coastal and Central Midlands to the north, with Moora as its commercial centre,
Central East, with Merredin as its commercial centre; and
Central South, with Narrogin as its commercial centre.

There are no major cities in the Wheatbelt. Northam is the largest town with a population of 9764 people (town and surrounding area) followed by Narrogin with 5665 (town and surrounding area), Merredin with 3787 and Moora with 2592. Issues in the region differ greatly, especially when comparing regions supported by different industries-such as agricultural towns in the Wheatbelt compared with crayfishing towns on the coastal strip.

The Ministry of Planning predicts that in the next 10 years the four shires closest to Perth (Toodyay, Chittering, Gingin, Northam and York) will grow by a total of 2400. Other Wheatbelt shires will have zero or negative growth.

According to the Ministry for Planning population levels in the 16 to 24 age group remain dangerously low, falling from about 9000 in 2001 to a predicted 6500 in 2021. Over several years the trend has been for many young people in the Wheatbelt to leave their small communities to continue education or find work in larger centres. Others have left for social or lifestyle reasons or to pursue sporting activities. Young people struggle to find their place in the Wheatbelt and projects such as True Blue Dreaming are assisting the young people to stay in the Wheatbelt and achieve their goals.

District Map of the Wheatbelt