Deakin, Western Australia facts for kids

Deakin is a very remote place in Western Australia. It's the last stop for trains in Western Australia on the long Trans-Australian Railway. It's also the closest spot to the border between Western Australia and South Australia. This border is set along an imaginary line called the 129th meridian east.

Deakin is important because it helped officially mark the border between Western Australia and South Australia. For a long time, the exact border wasn't clearly marked on the ground. Deakin played a key role in fixing this important line.

What is Deakin?

Deakin is known as a "locality," which means it's a specific area or place, even if it doesn't have many people living there. It's also a "railway siding." A railway siding is a short track next to a main railway line. Trains can use it to wait, load, or unload without blocking the main track.

Where is Deakin Located?

Deakin is in a very isolated part of Western Australia. It's part of the vast Nullarbor Plain, a huge, flat, dry area. The Trans-Australian Railway, which connects the east and west coasts of Australia, passes right through Deakin. This railway was a huge engineering project when it was built.

The 129th Meridian East

The border between Western Australia and South Australia is a straight line that follows the 129th meridian east. A meridian is an imaginary line that goes from the North Pole to the South Pole, like lines of longitude on a map. The 129th meridian east is one of these lines, and it was chosen to mark the border.

Deakin's Role in Fixing the Border

For many years, the exact location of the border between Western Australia and South Australia was not clearly marked on the ground. This could cause problems, especially for things like land ownership or where laws applied. Deakin became a crucial point for surveyors who were tasked with marking this important boundary.

Historic Border Markers Near Deakin

Two important historical sites near Deakin helped to fix the border:

• Deakin Pillar (1921): This was an early marker used by surveyors. From this pillar, they could figure out the exact position of the border.
• Deakin Obelisk (1926): This is a more permanent marker, built about 2.82 kilometers (about 1.75 miles) east of the Deakin Pillar. The Deakin Obelisk is the official point on the ground that determines the border with South Australia. It has a special copper plug set into its concrete, and a line taken from the center of this plug marks the border.

Both the Deakin Pillar and the Deakin Obelisk are located very close to the Trans-Australian Railway. This made it easier for surveyors to access them and transport their equipment. These markers are important pieces of Australian history, showing how the borders of our states were carefully measured and set.