Wagerup, Western Australia

Wagerup is a town located in the Peel region of Western Australia just off the South Western Highway. It is located between Waroona and Harvey, 12 km (7.5 mi) south of Waroona.^[2]

Wagerup Western Australia
Coordinates	32°57′00″S 115°54′00″E
Population	52 (SAL 2021)[1]
Established	1890s
Postcode(s)	6215
Area	154.9 km2 (59.8 sq mi)
Location	124 km (77 mi) from Perth 20 km (12 mi) from Harvey
LGA(s)	Shire of Waroona
State electorate(s)	Murray-Wellington
Federal division(s)	Forrest
Localities around Wagerup: Waroona Hamel Waroona Lake Clifton Wagerup Nanga Brook Myalup Yarloop Hoffman

History

The town's name was initially spelt Waigerup or Waigeerup, derived from an Aboriginal name meaning "the place of the emu" (waitch), and was applied to a brook in the area. The same spelling was used when the railway station opened in 1896. However, by 1899, when the townsite was gazetted, the current spelling had been adopted (according to local legend, the man who painted the sign for the railway station misspelt the name).^[2]

In the mid 1970s serious community concern about impending mining in jarrah forests saw considerable protests about the construction of the Wagerup refinery. The Campaign to Save Native Forests and South West Forests Defence Foundation challenged the planned mining venture, and the conditions under which Alcoa was to be mining.

Present day

Alcoa have operated an alumina refinery in Wagerup since 1984. For years, residents and Alcoa workers have reported illnesses such as respiratory irritation, frequent nosebleeds, headaches, nausea and higher rates of cancer, as reported in numerous media outlets including the ABC's Four Corners program,^[3] although no formal causal link has ever been established. In September 2006, Alcoa obtained permission from the Western Australian government to expand the size of the refinery to become the biggest such refinery in the world, with production capacity increased from 2.6 million tonnes (5.7 billion pounds) per year to around 4.7 million tonnes (10 billion pounds) per year, although very strict conditions have been imposed on the expansion by the Health and Environment departments. Residents in nearby Yarloop subsequently announced plans to fight the decision in the Supreme Court.^[4]

See also

• List of aluminium smelters

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Wagerup (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
2. "History of country town names – W". Western Australian Land Information Authority. Archived from the original on 14 March 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2007.
3. Quentin McDermott (3 October 2005). "Something In The Air". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 11 January 2007.
4. ABC News Online (15 September 2006). "Protesters plan to lodge Supreme Court writ over Alcoa smelter". Retrieved 9 January 2015.

Further reading

• Hunte, H.E. (chair) (1978) Report by the Steering Committee on Research into the Effects of Bauxite Mining on the Water Resources of the Darling Range, September 1978. Perth, WA: Dept. of Industrial Development, Western Australia, ISBN 0-7244-7841-8
• Lines, William J. (2006) Patriots: defending Australia's natural heritage St Lucia, Qld: University of Queensland Press. ISBN 0-7022-3554-7
• Working Groups of Technical Review Committee to Hunt Steering Committee and Kelsal Steering Committee. (1976) Research into the effects of bauxite mining in the Darling Range. Research into the effects of woodchipping in the Manjimup area, reports of Working Groups of Technical Review Committee to Hunt Steering Committee and Kelsall Steering Committee, Perth, WA: Dept. of Conservation & Environment.

External links

• Alcoa Australia website