Morawa, Western Australia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Morawa Western Australia
Winfield Street, Morawa, 2018
Morawa Location in Western Australia
Established	1913
Postcode(s)	6623
Elevation	274 m (899 ft)
Area	[convert: needs a number]
Location	371 km (231 mi) north of Perth 180 km (112 mi) east south east of Geraldton 114 km (71 mi) east of Dongara
LGA(s)	Shire of Morawa
State electorate(s)	Moore
Federal Division(s)	Durack
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 27.4 °C 81 °F 12.4 °C 54 °F 332.8 mm 13.1 in

Morawa is a small town in the Mid West region of Western Australia. It is about 370 kilometres (230 miles) north of Perth, the capital city of Western Australia. The town is located on a railway line that connects Wongan Hills and Mullewa.

History of Morawa

How Morawa Got Its Name

The name Morawa comes from an Indigenous Australian language. It likely means "dalgite," which is another name for a bilby. A bilby is a small marsupial animal with long ears. The name Morawa first appeared on maps in 1910, referring to a waterhole.

In 1913, when a railway line was being planned, a train stop was set up at this spot. They decided to call it Morawa. Soon after, in September 1913, the government officially declared Morawa a town.

A Brief Name Change

In 1921, the railway department thought Morawa sounded too much like Mullewa. They asked for the town's name to be changed. So, in January 1922, the town was renamed Merkanooka.

However, the railway department itself did not change the name of the train stop. The people living in the town also wanted the old name back. So, in June 1922, the town's name went back to Morawa.

Early Developments

In 1932, the Wheat Pool of Western Australia announced plans for Morawa. They said the town would get two large grain elevators at the railway siding. These elevators would help store and move grain.

Population Changes

Since the 1990s, the number of people living in Morawa has stayed about the same. One reason for this is that some people have moved to the bigger city of Perth. Also, farms in the area have become larger, meaning fewer people are needed to work on them.

Farming in Morawa

Morawa is mostly a farming town. The land around Morawa is used for different types of farming. Farmers grow crops like wheat. They also raise animals such as sheep and cattle. Another important crop grown here is sandalwood.

The town is also a major collection point for grain. This means that farmers bring their harvested grain to Morawa. It is then stored and prepared for transport by Cooperative Bulk Handling (CBH).

Nature and Wildlife

Protecting Local Wildlife

The natural areas around Morawa are very important. They are home to many different kinds of plants and animals, which is called biodiversity. Over time, some of this biodiversity has been affected. This is due to things like clearing land for farms, changes in how fires happen, and the presence of feral animals and weeds.

The Department of Environment and Conservation has studied the natural areas around Morawa. They want to understand and protect the unique plants and animals.

Unique Habitats

Morawa has hills that are spread out, with large flat areas in between. Many of these hills have their own special plants and animals that are found nowhere else. Some of these unique species live only on rocks called Banded Ironstone Formation rocks. These rocks are also where iron ore is found.

Mining in Morawa

Iron Ore Mining History

Mining is another important activity in Morawa. Between 1966 and 1974, about 5.1 million tonnes of haematite iron ore were dug up from the Koolanooka Hills mine.

New Mining Interest

Today, there is a high demand for iron ore around the world. This has made mining companies interested in the Morawa area again. Smaller mining companies like Midwest Corp. and Mount Gibson Mining are exploring for iron ore.

Midwest Corp. has spent money to improve roads and build weighbridges at Koolanooka Mine. They are currently shipping out smaller pieces of haematite ore that were left over from earlier mining. They also plan to mine new haematite discoveries.

Mount Gibson Mining also has mining areas near Koolanooka. They have reserves of magnetite ore. Mining magnetite would need a special plant to process the ore. It would also need a new railway line or a pipeline to take the ore to the port of Geraldton.

Karara Mining Project

The Karara Mining project is a big mining operation. It is a partnership between Gindalbie Metals and a Chinese steel company called Ansteel. Their main mining area is about 85 kilometres (53 miles) east of Morawa.

This project mines low-grade magnetite iron ore. They process it at the mine to create a high-grade concentrate. This concentrate is then used to make steel. The magnetite concentrate is transported to Geraldton by train on the Karara railway.

Education in Morawa

Morawa has two schools for young people.

• Morawa District High School: This school teaches students from kindergarten all the way up to Year 12. It is for both boys and girls.
• WA College of Agriculture – Morawa: This is a special agricultural college. It has boarding facilities, meaning students can live there. It is for students in Years 10 to 12 who want to learn about farming.

Places to Visit

If you visit Morawa, there are several places to stay. You can find accommodation at the Shire-owned Caravan Park. There is also the Morawa Motel Hotel and Everlastings guest homes. For a unique stay, you can visit the Morawa Marian Convent Bed and Breakfast.

Across from the Bed and Breakfast, you can see a miniature building. It is a small version of the John Hawes Presbytery. A famous former leader of Western Australia, Carmen Lawrence, went to the Morawa Convent School.

Climate

Morawa has a semi-arid climate. This means it has hot, dry summers. The winters are mild to cool and a bit wetter.