Worsley, Western Australia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids WorsleyWestern Australia |
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The St David's Church in Worsley in April 2022
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 Worsley
Location in Western Australia
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| Established | 1909 | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 6225 | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation | 194 m (636 ft) | ||||||||||||||
| Area | [convert: needs a number] | ||||||||||||||
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| LGA(s) | Shire of Collie | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Collie-Preston | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | O'Connor | ||||||||||||||
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Worsley is a small town in Western Australia. It is located in the South West region. The town is close to Collie and is part of the Shire of Collie.
Contents
What's in a Name?
Worsley got its name from the nearby Worsley River. This river flows into the Collie River. The river was named after a person called Charles Anderson-Pelham.
How the River Got its Name
Lord Worsley was part of a group called the Western Australian Land and Emigration Committee. This committee helped people move to the Swan River colony. They also helped set up the Australind land settlement project in 1841. The name "Worsley" was first written down on maps in 1845.
Early Days of Worsley
In the 1890s, a railway line was built in the area. This line helped the timber industry, which cut down trees for wood. In 1906, the government decided to create a town there. Land was measured out in 1907, and Worsley officially became a town in 1909.
Rise and Fall of the Town
Worsley was at its busiest around 1902. More than 1,500 people lived there then! But after the 1920s, the town started to shrink. By the 1950s, Worsley had almost disappeared.
Worsley's Comeback
In 1984, something big happened. Construction began on the Worsley Alumina refinery. This brought the town back to life! A refinery is a factory that turns raw materials into useful products.
The Alumina Refinery Today
The Worsley Alumina refinery and its mine work together. They are owned by several companies. These include South32 (86%), Japan Alumina Associates (Australia) Pty Ltd (10%), and Sojitz Alumina Pty Ltd (4%).
The refinery processes a material called bauxite ore. This ore travels 51 kilometers on a long conveyor belt. It comes from the Boddington Bauxite Mine, which is near Mount Saddleback and Boddington.
