Muchea, Western Australia
Muchea | |
|---|---|
  Muchea | |
 Interactive map of Muchea | |
| Coordinates: 31°34′44″S 115°58′04″E / 31.579°S 115.9679°E | |
| Country | Australia |
| State | Western Australia |
| LGA | |
| Location |
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| Established | 1904 |
| Government | |
| • State electorate | |
| • Federal division | |
| Area | |
• Total | 215.1 km2 (83.1 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 95 m (312 ft) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 762 (UCL 2021) |
| Postcode | 6501 |
Muchea is a town in the Shire of Chittering, located 43 km (27 mi) north north-east of Perth. Its postcode is 6501.
The town's name comes from the Aboriginal word "Muchela" meaning 'water hole' in the Noongar language, referring to the abundance of water in the region.
History
The area was first surveyed as farmland in 1845 as part of a property to be owned by George Moore.
The opening of a railway siding in the area between 1892 and 1898 by the Midland Railway caused permanent structures to be built and by 1903 farm lots were surveyed close to the siding. The opening of the railway is attributed to the change of the area's name from the original Muchela to Muchea by way of a misprint in the first train timetables which propagated to station signage. Following the establishment of the railway precinct, the townsite was later gazetted in 1904.
In 1960, the Muchea Tracking Station was established about 4 kilometres (2 mi) SSW outside of town as part of NASA's Mercury project. In 1962, the first Australian to speak with a space traveller did so from the Muchea facility. The tracking station was closed in 1964.
Western Power has a substation in the area to which a 164 MW / 905 MWh grid battery is being built.
References
- ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Muchea (urban centre and locality)". Australian Census 2021.
- ↑ "The West Australian". The West Australian. Vol. 52, no. 15, 572. Western Australia. 23 May 1936. p. 18. Retrieved 3 November 2026 – via National Library of Australia.
- ↑ "Heritage Council of WA - Places Database". inherit.dplh.wa.gov.au. Retrieved 29 October 2026.
- ↑ "History of country town names – M". Landgate. Archived from the original on 14 March 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2008.
- ↑ "Muchea Tracking Station: 1960–1964". 2008. Retrieved 29 August 2008.
- ↑ "Carnarvon Space – Western Australia in Space". 2008. Archived from the original on 21 June 2024. Retrieved 29 August 2008.
- ↑ "A MAN ON THE MOON Along the road to Honeysuckle Creek", The Bulletin, John Ryan Comic Collection (Specific issues)., 87 (4462), Sydney, N.S.W: John Haynes and J.F. Archibald: 22–25, 4 September 1965, ISSN 0007-4039, nla.obj-702600645, retrieved 3 November 2026 – via Trove
- ↑ "Network Capacity Mapping Tool". Western Power. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
- ↑ "Construction begins at Neoen's six-hour duration battery in Australia's far west". Energy Storage. 15 April 2026.
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