Waggrakine, Western Australia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Waggrakine Geraldton, Western Australia
Waggrakine Location in Western Australia
Postcode(s)	6530
Area	[convert: needs a number]
Location	8 km (5 mi) NNE of Geraldton
LGA(s)	City of Greater Geraldton
State electorate(s)	Geraldton
Federal Division(s)	Durack
Suburbs around Waggrakine: Glenfield Glenfield Waggrakine Moresby Sunset Beach Spalding Moresby

Waggrakine is a suburb located just north of Geraldton, a city in Western Australia. It's part of the City of Greater Geraldton, which is like the local council area that manages the region.

This area officially became a suburb in 1979. In 2006, about 2,363 people lived in Waggrakine.

History of Waggrakine

The Coffee Pot Experiment

Back in 1870, a leader called Frederick Weld, who was the governor of the colony at the time, decided to try something new. He gave permission to start a special farm to grow coffee. This idea came from Charles Grenfell Nicolay, who thought the land in Waggrakine looked a lot like places in Brazil where coffee grows well.

Nicolay was given a large piece of land, about 640 acres. He also received some money from the government to help start the farm. To help with the work, five "ticket of leave" convicts were assigned to him. These were prisoners who had earned the right to work outside of prison, but were still under supervision.

Why the Coffee Farm Failed

Unfortunately, the coffee farm didn't work out. By 1873, just three years later, the project was a failure. The main reasons were the very strong winds that often blow through the area and not enough rain. Coffee plants need calm weather and plenty of water to grow well.

Even though the coffee farm didn't succeed, there's still a reminder of it today. A small cottage and a well that were part of the original site are still there. This spot is known as the "Coffee Pot" and is now protected because of its historical importance.