Fitzgerald, Western Australia

Fitzgerald
Western Australia
Fitzgerald is located in Western Australia
Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald
Map
Coordinates33°44′59″S 119°27′26″E / 33.74970°S 119.45723°E / -33.74970; 119.45723
Population0 (SAL 2016)[1][2]
Established1967
Postcode(s)6347
Area2.87 km2 (1.11 sq mi)
Location
LGA(s)Shire of Ravensthorpe
State electorate(s)Roe
Federal division(s)O'Connor
Localities around Fitzgerald:
West Fitzgerald West River West River
West Fitzgerald Fitzgerald West River
West River West River West River

Fitzgerald is a rural townsite and locality of the Shire of Ravensthorpe in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia. The townsite lies north of the South Coast Highway.[3][4]

History

Fitzgerald and the Shire of Ravensthorpe are located on the traditional land of the Wudjari people of the Noongar nation.[5][6]

The townsite of Fitzgerald was gazetted in 1967 as a service centre for the surrounding agricultural area, which had been opened up for settlement in the 1950s. A number of names were considered for the new town but Fitzgerald was eventually chosen, based on the name of the nearby river and the surrounding land district.[7]

The Fitzgerald primary schools are listed on the shire's heritage register. The first school opened in February 1966 with twelve pupils, and was replaced by a new school the following year. The second school building burned down in August 1967 and was replaced by a third one of identical design but with gas instead of wood heaters as the latter had caused the fire. The school was eventually closed and the building relocated to Ravensthorpe in 1997.[8]

References

  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Fitzgerald (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2016. Edit this at Wikidata
  2. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Fitzgerald (WA) (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2016 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. Edit this at Wikidata
  3. ^ "SLIP Map". maps.slip.wa.gov.au. Landgate. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  4. ^ "NationalMap". nationalmap.gov.au. Geoscience Australia. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  5. ^ "Wudjari (WA)". www.samuseum.sa.gov.au. South Australian Museum. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  6. ^ "Map of Indigenous Australia". aiatsis.gov.au. Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  7. ^ "History of country town names – F". Western Australian Land Information Authority. Archived from the original on 14 March 2022. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  8. ^ "Fitzgerald Primary Schools". inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au. Heritage Council of Western Australia. Retrieved 10 December 2024.