Muchea, Western Australia

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" which means in Nyoongar 'water hole', referring to the abundance of water in Muchea.

Muchea
Muchea is located in Western Australia
Muchea
Muchea
Map
Interactive map of Muchea
Coordinates: 31°34′44″S 115°58′04″E / 31.579°S 115.9679°E / -31.579; 115.9679
CountryAustralia
StateWestern Australia
LGA
Location
Established1904
Government
  State electorate
  Federal division
Area
  Total
215.1 km2 (83.1 sq mi)
Elevation
95 m (312 ft)
Population
  Total762 (UCL 2021)[1]
Postcode
6501

History

edit

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 caused permanent structures to be built and by 1903 farmlots were surveyed close to the siding. The townsite was later gazetted in 1904.[2]

Community hall in Muchea

In 1960, the Muchea Tracking Station was established about 4 kilometres (2 mi) SSW[3] 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 station was closed in 1964.[4][5]

Western Power has a substation in the area[6] to which a 164 MW / 905 MWh grid battery is being built.[7]

References

edit
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Muchea (urban centre and locality)". Australian Census 2021. Edit this at Wikidata
  2. "History of country town names – M". Landgate. Archived from the original on 14 March 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2008.
  3. "Muchea Tracking Station: 1960–1964". 2008. Retrieved 29 August 2008.
  4. "Carnarvon Space – Western Australia in Space". 2008. Retrieved 29 August 2008.
  5. "A MAN ON THE MOON Along the rood to Honeysuckle Creek (4 September 1965)", The Bulletin, 87 (4462), John Haynes and J.F. Archibald: 22, 4 September 1965, ISSN 0007-4039
  6. "Network Capacity Mapping Tool". Western Power. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  7. "Construction begins at Neoen's six-hour duration battery in Australia's far west". Energy Storage. 15 April 2026.