The city of Geraldton lies on Champion Bay, about 425 km (265 miles) north of Perth.
Capital of the Mid West region of Western Australia, Geraldton is also known as “Sun City” because of its average eight hours of sunshine per day. The pleasant climate brings hordes of sun-seekers from all over Australia who take advantage of the fine swimming and surfing beaches. It can also be very windy at times, a further enticement to wind-surfers, for whom Geraldton (particularly Mahomets Beach) is a world centre for surfing.
Geraldton has a unique ambiance that we can attribute to its odd combination of architectural buildings – classic 19th century pubs, a European-influenced cathedral, faded 1950’s rural vernacular, and sleek contemporary design. Ultimately, though, it still feels like a seaside holiday town, especially when you spot the candy-striped lighthouse, set your eyes on the catch of the day, wander the windswept beaches – a paradise for wind- and kite-surfers – and breathe in that salty sea air.
The city is also home to the Port of Geraldton, a major west coast seaport. In addition to being a popular tourist destination, Geraldton is an important service and logistics centre for regional mining, fishing, Western Rock Lobster, wheat and sheep industries.
History of Geraldton
The history of European settlement in the area extends back to the mutiny of the Dutch ship Batavia, after it was wrecked on the nearby Houtman Abrolhos in 1629. Two crew members were marooned here as a punishment. In 1721, the Dutch ship Zuytdorp was wrecked, and it is thought that survivors settled here for a brief period. Champion Bay was first mapped in 1849 and a lead mine was established shortly afterwards. Geraldton grew up as a lead shipping point, and today it is a port city with a large rock-lobster fleet.
Leave A Comment