Central Wheatbelt is an

electoral district An electoral district, also known as an election district, legislative district, voting district, constituency, riding, ward, division, or (election) precinct is a subdivision of a larger state (a country, administrative region, or other polity ...

of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

. As the name suggests, the district is centrally located in the Wheatbelt region of

. Politically, Central Wheatbelt is a safe National Party seat.

History

Central Wheatbelt was first created for the 2008 state election. It was essentially an amalgamation of the abolished National-held districts of Avon and Merredin, although parts of each ended up in neighbouring districts. Roughly half the new district's voters came from each of the two former districts. The original proposal had the newly created district persisting with the name Merredin. However, this was the focus of several objections, as Merredin is but one town in the eastern part of this sizeable electorate. Instead, the more generic name of Central Wheatbelt was adopted.

Geography

Central Wheatbelt incorporates a number of rural inland shires to the east of

Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...

. Its population centres include Ballidu,

Beacon A beacon is an intentionally conspicuous device designed to attract attention to a specific location. A common example is the lighthouse, which draws attention to a fixed point that can be used to navigate around obstacles or into port. More mode ...

Beverley Beverley is a market town, market and minster (church), minster town and a civil parishes in England, civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, of which it is the county town. The town centre is located south-east of York's centre ...

, Dowerin, Koorda, Meckering, Merredin, Narembeen, Northam, Pingelly,

Southern Cross Crux () is a constellation of the southern sky that is centred on four bright stars in a cross-shaped asterism commonly known as the Southern Cross. It lies on the southern end of the Milky Way's visible band. The name ''Crux'' is Latin for ...

, Tammin, Westonia,

Wongan Hills Wongan Hills is a range of low flat-topped hills in the Avon Wheatbelt bioregion of Western Australia. It is located at , in the Shire of Wongan–Ballidu. History The range was first recorded in 1836 by Surveyor General of Western Australia Jo ...

Wundowie Wundowie is a town in Western Australia located between Perth and Northam, Western Australia, Northam in the Darling Range. It was the location of an iron works, and siding and stopping place on the Eastern Railway (Western Australia), Eastern R ...

, Wyalkatchem and

York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...

Members for Central Wheatbelt

Election results

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Central Wheatbelt Electoral districts of Western Australia Wheatbelt (Western Australia) 2008 establishments in Australia Constituencies established in 2008