Tom Price, Western Australia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tom PriceWestern Australia |
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Aerial View of Tom Price
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 Tom Price
Location in Western Australia
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| Established | 1960s | ||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 6751 | ||||||||
| Elevation | 747 m (2,451 ft) | ||||||||
| Area | [convert: needs a number] | ||||||||
| Location | |||||||||
| LGA(s) | Shire of Ashburton | ||||||||
| State electorate(s) | North West Central | ||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Durack | ||||||||
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Tom Price is a mining town in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It is located inland, right next to the Hamersley Range mountains. Tom Price is the highest town above sea level (about 747 meters or 2,451 feet) in Western Australia. Because of this, people often call it the "Top Town in WA."
Contents
About Tom Price
Tom Price is mainly an iron ore mining town. The Mount Tom Price mine, which is about 5 kilometers (3 miles) outside of town, is run by a huge mining company called Rio Tinto.
Thanks to big booms in mining in Western Australia, Tom Price is a well-off area. The people who work for Rio Tinto often earn more than the average Australian wage. In 2016, Tom Price had a population of 3,005 people. The average age was 31, showing it's a community with many young families.
Weather in Tom Price
Tom Price is the closest town to the amazing Karijini National Park. You can fly to the nearby Paraburdoo Airport to get there. Because Tom Price is so high up (747 meters), its temperatures are a bit cooler, and it gets more rain than other places nearby.
Climate Details
The town has a subtropical semi-arid climate. This means summers are very hot with rain that can change a lot, while winters are mild and dry.
- Summer Temperatures: In January, the average high is about 38.2°C (100.8°F).
- Winter Temperatures: In July, the average high is around 23.0°C (73.4°F).
- Night Temperatures: Average low temperatures range from 23.0°C (73.4°F) in January to 7.2°C (45.0°F) in July.
- Rainfall: The town gets about 404.8 millimeters (15.9 inches) of rain each year. This rain falls over about 37 days.
- Extreme Temperatures: The hottest temperature ever recorded was 45.0°C (113.0°F) on December 27. The coldest was -1.0°C (30.2°F) on July 14, 2002.
| Climate data for Tom Price (22°42′S 117°46′E / 22.70°S 117.77°E, 746 m AMSL) (1997-2011 normals & extremes, rainfall to 1972) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 44.6 (112.3) |
44.6 (112.3) |
40.5 (104.9) |
38.2 (100.8) |
34.1 (93.4) |
31.2 (88.2) |
29.9 (85.8) |
32.5 (90.5) |
38.0 (100.4) |
41.5 (106.7) |
41.5 (106.7) |
45.0 (113.0) |
45.0 (113.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 38.2 (100.8) |
35.9 (96.6) |
34.2 (93.6) |
31.6 (88.9) |
27.6 (81.7) |
23.5 (74.3) |
23.0 (73.4) |
25.5 (77.9) |
29.0 (84.2) |
33.5 (92.3) |
35.6 (96.1) |
37.6 (99.7) |
31.3 (88.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 23.0 (73.4) |
22.4 (72.3) |
20.6 (69.1) |
17.4 (63.3) |
12.0 (53.6) |
8.0 (46.4) |
7.2 (45.0) |
8.5 (47.3) |
11.4 (52.5) |
15.9 (60.6) |
19.0 (66.2) |
21.7 (71.1) |
15.6 (60.1) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 14.2 (57.6) |
17.0 (62.6) |
12.1 (53.8) |
8.8 (47.8) |
4.1 (39.4) |
0.0 (32.0) |
−1.0 (30.2) |
2.0 (35.6) |
3.9 (39.0) |
6.6 (43.9) |
10.2 (50.4) |
13.0 (55.4) |
−1.0 (30.2) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 82.3 (3.24) |
95.5 (3.76) |
60.4 (2.38) |
30.9 (1.22) |
20.4 (0.80) |
25.3 (1.00) |
16.8 (0.66) |
10.8 (0.43) |
2.4 (0.09) |
4.4 (0.17) |
10.9 (0.43) |
40.7 (1.60) |
404.8 (15.94) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 6.8 | 7.6 | 5.2 | 2.9 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.6 | 3.8 | 36.8 |
| Average afternoon relative humidity (%) | 25 | 34 | 32 | 29 | 28 | 32 | 31 | 24 | 20 | 17 | 16 | 20 | 26 |
| Average dew point °C (°F) | 10.6 (51.1) |
13.0 (55.4) |
11.8 (53.2) |
8.6 (47.5) |
4.7 (40.5) |
3.2 (37.8) |
1.9 (35.4) |
1.0 (33.8) |
1.5 (34.7) |
2.0 (35.6) |
3.9 (39.0) |
7.7 (45.9) |
5.8 (42.5) |
| Source: Bureau of Meteorology (1997-2011 normals & extremes, rainfall to 1972) | |||||||||||||
How Tom Price Got Its Name
The town, the mine, and the mountain itself are all named after Thomas Moore Price (1891-1962). He was an important leader at a big American steel company called Kaiser Steel.
Price was a key person who helped start iron ore mining in the Pilbara region. He worked closely with Henry J. Kaiser and was very involved in exploring and developing the Hamersley Range. Thomas Moore Price was born on January 14, 1891, in Madison, North Carolina. He passed away in September 1962, just a couple of hours after finding out that the huge iron ore deposits at what would become Mount Tom Price had been discovered.
Fun Activities in Tom Price
Tom Price is a town that loves sports! This is partly because many young people live there and there aren't many other big entertainment options.
Sports and Recreation
Tom Price offers many fun activities, including:
- Motocross
- Speedway racing
- BMX biking
The town also has great sports facilities, like:
- An Olympic-sized swimming pool
- A well-equipped gym
- Courts for tennis, squash, netball, volleyball, golf, and basketball
- Three large fields used for Australian rules football, softball, and soccer
The Fortescue National Football League helps organize Australian rules football games in Tom Price and the nearby town of Paraburdoo.
Arts and Culture
Tom Price also has many talented artists. These artists often create paintings and photographs. Their work frequently shows the beautiful landscapes of the area or connects to Aboriginal heritage.
Places to Visit Near Tom Price
Since Tom Price is in the Pilbara, it's close to many popular attractions. These include:
- Karijini National Park
- Millstream
- Wittenoom
- Mount Nameless, also known as Jarndunmunha
The best time for tourists to visit is usually from May to October. This is because the Australian summer (October to April) can be very hot and sometimes has cyclones.
Schools in Tom Price
Tom Price has several schools for children:
- North Tom Price Primary School
- Tom Price Primary School
- Tom Price Senior High School
Because the town is far away from bigger cities and has a smaller population, some parents choose to send their children to boarding schools for high school. This is especially true for students who plan to go to university. Tom Price Senior High School might not have enough students for all the advanced classes (called ATAR subjects) needed for university entry. However, some ATAR subjects can be studied through distance education. Many students also choose to study subjects related to mining, like automotive and trade skills, which can lead to apprenticeships.
Images for kids
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Tom Price Senior High School
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Fern Pool in Karijini National Park is a popular destination for tourists
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Jarndunmunha (Mount Nameless), the second highest peak in Western Australia with vehicle access (after Mount Meharry), is located in Tom Price.
