Greenbushes, Western Australia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Greenbushes Western Australia
The Exchange Hotel in January 2022
Greenbushes Location in Western Australia
Established	1889
Postcode(s)	6254
Area	[convert: needs a number]
Location	250 km (155 mi) S of Perth
LGA(s)	Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes
State electorate(s)	Warren-Blackwood
Federal Division(s)	O'Connor

Greenbushes is a small town in the South West part of Western Australia. It's known for its timber industry and mining. In 2021, about 365 people lived there.

Discovering Greenbushes: A Town's Story

Greenbushes started as a mining town in 1888. This happened after a surveyor found tin in the area in 1886. The town got its name from the bright green Oxylobium lanceolatum plants. These plants stood out against the grey eucalyptus trees.

Early Days and the Railway

A railway line opened in 1898. It connected Donnybrook to Bridgetown. The Greenbushes train station was about six kilometres north of the main town. This area was later called North Greenbushes to avoid confusion.

Boom and Change in Greenbushes

The town grew quickly for a while. However, the price of tin dropped around the world in 1893. This caused the mining industry in Greenbushes to slow down.

By 1913, many people in Greenbushes started working in the timber industry. This industry began shortly after the first mines opened.

What Greenbushes Produces Today

Greenbushes has two main industries: mining and timber milling. The mines produce important materials like tantalite and lithium. They also produce tin metal and kaolin.

Greenbushes Mine: A World Leader

The Greenbushes mine is located south of the town. It has been producing lithium since 1985. As of 2022, this mine is the largest lithium mine in the entire world.

Besides mining and timber, Greenbushes also has other activities. These include farming, growing grapes for wine (viticulture), tourism, and art galleries.

Images for kids

• 

  Henry John (Harry) Robinson (born 1862) and Ada Robinson (born 1871)