The South West region is one of the nine

regions of Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is divided into regions according to a number of systems. The most common system is the WA Government division of the state into regions for economic development purposes, which comprises nine defined regions; however, t ...

. It has an area of 23,970 km², and a population of about 170,000 people. Bunbury is the main city in the region.

Climate

The South West has a

Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...

, with dry summers and wet winters. There is about 900 mm of precipitation per year, with most between May and September.Bunbury Geography and Weather
Bunburyonline. Mean maximum daily temperatures range from 16 °C in July to 34 °C in February.

Economy

The economy of the South West is very diverse. It is a major world producer of aluminium oxide and

mineral sands Heavy mineral sands are a class of ore deposit which is an important source of zirconium, titanium, thorium, tungsten, rare-earth elements, the industrial minerals diamond, sapphire, garnet, and occasionally precious metals or gemstones. Heavy m ...

, and also has substantial

agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...

timber Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including beams and planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, wi ...

, and

viticulture Viticulture (from the Latin word for ''vine'') or winegrowing (wine growing) is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of ''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, ran ...

industries. It is Western Australia's second-most popular tourist destination after

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 ...

Local government divisions

The South West region consists of the following

local government areas A local government area (LGA) is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a state, province, division, or territory. The phrase i ...

: *

Shire of Augusta–Margaret River The Shire of Augusta Margaret River is a local government area in the south-west corner of the South West region of Western Australia, approximately south of Perth. The shire covers an area of and had a population of over 14,000 at the 2016 Ce ...

Shire of Boyup Brook The Shire of Boyup Brook is a local government area located in the South West region of Western Australia, about southeast of Perth, the state capital. The Shire covers an area of and its seat of government is the town of Boyup Brook. Histo ...

Shire of Bridgetown–Greenbushes The Shire of Bridgetown–Greenbushes is a local government area in the South West region of Western Australia, about southeast of Bunbury and about south of the state capital, Perth. The Shire covers an area of , and its seat of government ...

City of Bunbury The City of Bunbury is a local government area in the South West region of Western Australia, covering an area of along the coast about south of Perth, the capital of Western Australia. The City of Bunbury is one of four local governments comp ...

City of Busselton The City of Busselton is a local government area in the South West region of Western Australia, approximately south of Perth, the state capital. The city covers an area of and had a population of 40,640 as at the 2021 Census. It contains two ...

Shire of Capel The Shire of Capel is a local government area in the South West region of Western Australia, taking in the land between the cities of Bunbury and Busselton about south of the state capital, Perth. The Shire covers an area of , and its seat of ...

Shire of Collie The Shire of Collie is a local government area in the South West region of Western Australia, about east of Bunbury and about south of the state capital, Perth. The Shire covers an area of , and its seat of government is the town of Collie. ...

Shire of Dardanup The Shire of Dardanup is a local government area in the South West region of Western Australia, immediately to the east and southeast of the City of Bunbury and about south of the state capital, Perth. The Shire covers an area of , and its sea ...

* Shire of Donnybrook–Balingup *

Shire of Harvey The Shire of Harvey is a local government area of Western Australia. Harvey is located in the state's South West region, approximately 140 km south of Perth, and includes some of Bunbury's northern suburbs. The shire covers an area of 1, ...

Shire of Manjimup The Shire of Manjimup is a local government area in the South West region of Western Australia, about south of the state capital, Perth. The Shire covers an area of , and its seat of government is the town of Manjimup. History The Shire area ...

Shire of Nannup The Shire of Nannup is a local government area in the South West region of Western Australia, approximately south of the state capital, Perth and southeast of the coastal resort town of Busselton. Its seat of government is the town of Nannup ...

Attractions

Some well-known attractions include Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse and Discovery Centre,

Ngilgi Cave Ngilgi Cave, previously known as Yallingup Cave, is a karst cave to the northeast of Yallingup, in the southwest of Western Australia. In many sections of the cave a red layer of soil can be seen; this is called paleosol. Discovery The loc ...

Augusta Jewel Cave Augusta may refer to: Places Australia * Augusta, Western Australia Brasil * Rua Augusta (São Paulo) Canada * Augusta, Ontario * North Augusta, Ontario * Augusta Street (Hamilton, Ontario) France * Augusta Suessionum ("Augusta of the Suess ...

Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse __NOTOC__ The Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse is a lighthouse located on the headland of Cape Leeuwin, the most south-westerly point on the mainland of the Australian Continent, in the state of Western Australia. Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse was constructe ...

Mammoth Cave Mammoth Cave National Park is an American national park in west-central Kentucky, encompassing portions of Mammoth Cave, the longest cave system known in the world. Since the 1972 unification of Mammoth Cave with the even-longer system under F ...

, Easter Cave,

Bunbury Dolphin Discovery Centre Bunbury may refer to: Places * Bunbury, Cheshire, England Australia *Bunbury, South Australia, a locality **Bunbury Conservation Reserve, a protected area in South Australia. * Bunbury, Western Australia, a city in Western Australia ** Bunbury, We ...

Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree The Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree, a tall karri tree, was pegged for climbing to celebrate Australia's bicentenary in 1988. It is in Warren National Park in southwestern Australia. Although it has been used as a fire lookout, it is used mainly a ...

Diamond Tree The Diamond Tree is a giant karri tree located 10 km south of Manjimup, Western Australia on the South Western Highway. A wooden viewing platform built in 1939 is located 49 metres up, and was the oldest wooden platform fire look-out in u ...

, and

Gloucester Tree The Gloucester Tree is a giant karri tree in the Gloucester National Park of Western Australia. At 58 metres in height, it is the world's second tallest fire-lookout tree (second only to the nearby Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree), and visitors ...

References

External links