Collie WA 2011a
Collie, Western Australia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Population:
7,084 (2006)[1]
Established: 1897
213 km (132 mi) S of Perth
59 km (37 mi) E of Bunbury
Collie is a town in the South West region of Western Australia, 213 kilometres (132 mi) south of the state capital, Perth, and 59 kilometres (37 mi) inland from the regional city and port of Bunbury. It is near the junction of the Collie and Harris Rivers, in the middle of dense jarrah forest and the only coalfields in Western Australia. At the 2006 census, Collie had a population of 7,084.[1]
Collie is mainly known as a coal-producing centre, but also offers industrial, agricultural and aquaculture tourism industries. Muja Power station is located east of the town, and to its west is the Wellington Dam, a popular location for fishing, swimming and boating.
James Stirling named the town after the river on which it is situated, which in turn is named after Dr Alexander Collie. He and William Preston were the first Europeans to explore the area in 1829.
Coal was discovered in the area by a shepherd named George March in the early 1880s. The coal fields were developed in the late 1890s and the townsite surveyed and gazetted in 1897.[3]
Collie was once referred to as a dirty mining town,[4] but on 8 April 2006 it won the Australian Tidy Towns Competition from finalists from six States and the Northern Territory.[5] Collie was named the top Tidy Town because of the commitment of the community to recycling, waste management, beautification and community projects.
Contents
[hide] 1 Industry and economy
2 Education
3 Tourism and facilities
4 Geography 4.1 Climate
5 Gallery
6 References
7 External links
[edit] Industry and economy
Collie has a significant role in the provision of electricity for Western Australia. There are two coal mines in the town and two power stations. The government of Western Australia will soon commission a new base load power station, for which a number of Collie base proposals have been made.
Initially Western Collieries, the Wesfarmers Premier Coal mine continues to produce 3-4 million tonnes of coal per year.[6] It contains enough reserves for another 100 years of mining at the present rate.[6] The Griffin Coal mine is owned by Ric Stowe.[7]
[edit] Education
Collie has four primary schools, Fairview Primary School, Amaroo Primary School, Saint Brigid's Catholic College and Wilson Park Primary School, and one high school, Collie Senior High School.
[edit] Tourism and facilities
Tourist attractions at Collie include the Steam Locomotive Museum, Collie Museum and Wellington Dam. Parks include Soldier's Memorial Park and natural features include Stockton Lake and Collie River.
Collie also hosts the Kostecki Motorplex, one of Western Australia's only permanent motorsport venues outside the Perth metropolitan area.
Holbrook Motor Village - Top Tourist Parks - Discover Downunder
Tim Smith and Brooke Hanson take you for a tour of the Holbrook Motor Village. Holbrook, a small town just off the Hume Higway, is the perfect stop-off point for those making the long trip between Sydney and Melbourne. Cabin facilities sleep up to six people, whilst those with any size of caravan can enjoy extra space and comfort with 1 and a half times the average area alotted for caravans in other parks. Great facilities for both adults and children make the Holbrook Motor Village a fantastic park for families. For more information go to: or