Grass Patch, Western Australia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Grass PatchWestern Australia |
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 Grass Patch
Location in Western Australia
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| Established | 1923 | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 6446 | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation | 218 m (715 ft) | ||||||||||||||
| Area | [convert: needs a number] | ||||||||||||||
| Location | |||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | Shire of Esperance | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Roe | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | O'Connor | ||||||||||||||
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Grass Patch is a small town in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia. It's about 79 kilometers (49 miles) north of Esperance, right on the Coolgardie-Esperance Highway.
The town got its name from a nearby farm that was settled around 1896. This farm was famous for its great crops and lots of good grass. Today, Grass Patch is part of the Shire of Esperance and helps support the local farming community.
Several special nature areas are found in Grass Patch. These include the Bishops, Red Lake Townsite, Truslove Townsite, Truslove North, Swan Lagoon, Jeffrey Lagoon, Ridley North, and Ridley South Nature Reserves. The area also includes the former townsite of Red Lake and Truslove.
Contents
History of Grass Patch
How the Town Got Its Name
The idea for a townsite here came about in 1910. This was when more land in the area was becoming available for people to settle. It was also planned as a place for trains to stop and get water on the new railway line. This railway, connecting Esperance to Norseman, was finished 15 years later.
Even though everyone knew the area as "Grass Patch," locals wanted a different name when the town was officially created in 1923. They chose "Warden" from three suggested names. However, people soon complained about this name. So, later that same year, it was changed back to Grass Patch.
Farming in the Region
At first, farming in the area was tough because the soil wasn't very good. It was hard to grow crops successfully. But in 1949, something important happened. The Esperance Downs Research Station was set up. Scientists there found that the soil in the Esperance region was missing some important tiny nutrients called trace elements.
When these trace elements were added to the soil, it made a huge difference! The soil became much more fertile, and crop yields improved a lot. Because of this discovery, the region has become a very important farming area. Farmers now successfully grow crops like wheat, barley, and canola. They also raise sheep and cattle. The town is a place where farmers can deliver their harvested grain to Cooperative Bulk Handling.
Other Settlements Nearby
The townsite of Red Lake is located north of Grass Patch. It's also on the Coolgardie-Esperance Highway and the railway line. Red Lake was officially recognized as a townsite in 1922. It started as a railway siding, which is a short track where trains can wait, back in 1916. The part of Red Lake west of the highway is now a nature reserve.
The former townsite of Truslove was in the south of Grass Patch. However, unlike Red Lake, Truslove is no longer listed as an official townsite.
Nature Reserves in Grass Patch
Several important nature reserves are found within the Grass Patch area. All of these reserves are located in the Mallee bioregion, which is a type of natural area with specific kinds of trees and plants.
- Bishops Nature Reserve was created on March 15, 1968. It covers an area of about 14.04 square kilometers (5.42 square miles).
- Jeffrey Lagoon Nature Reserve was created on September 20, 1895. It is about 1.21 square kilometers (0.47 square miles) in size.
- Red Lake Townsite Nature Reserve was created on March 14, 1969. It covers about 0.76 square kilometers (0.29 square miles).
- Ridley North Nature Reserve was created on September 30, 1966. It is about 3.93 square kilometers (1.52 square miles) in size.
- Ridley South Nature Reserve was created on October 8, 1965. It covers about 11.06 square kilometers (4.27 square miles).
- Swan Lagoon Nature Reserve was created on December 18, 1903. It is about 3.47 square kilometers (1.34 square miles) in size.
- Truslove North Nature Reserve was created on October 5, 1917. It covers about 1.94 square kilometers (0.75 square miles).
- Truslove Townsite Nature Reserve was created on February 4, 1966. Only part of this reserve is within Grass Patch. It is quite large, covering about 60.66 square kilometers (23.42 square miles).
