Guilderton, Western Australia
Guilderton is a small coastal town north of Perth, Western Australia at the mouth of the Moore River in the Shire of Gingin.
| Guilderton Western Australia | |||||||||||||||
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 Lookout view of Guilderton at the Moore River mouth | |||||||||||||||
  Guilderton | |||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 31.35°S 115.50°E | ||||||||||||||
| Population | 158 (SAL 2021)[1][2] | ||||||||||||||
| Established | 1951 | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 6041 | ||||||||||||||
| Area | 8.6 km2 (3.3 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Location | |||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | Shire of Gingin | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Moore | ||||||||||||||
| Federal division(s) | Pearce | ||||||||||||||
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It was originally known as Gabbadah, an Aboriginal term meaning "mouthful of water" until its gazetting as a town in 1951. The river mouth regularly opens and closes depending on the seasons, and alternates between a closed lagoon and a tidal estuary.
The town is a popular holiday destination for Perth residents, who commonly refer to it as Moore River.
History
The area has been used as a camping and recreation spot since 1905 when the residents of nearby Gingin petitioned for a road to be constructed to the area. The area was declared as a recreation area in 1907.
In 1931, 40 silver guilder coins from the 17th century were found in the sandhills near the entrance to the Moore River – thus the name Guilderton. The coins were thought to be from the wreck of the Dutch ship, Vergulde Draeck (Gilt Dragon) that had foundered on a reef north of the river-mouth near Ledge Point in 1656.
Soldiers used the area during World War II both for rest and recreation and as a base for horseback beach patrols.
The township was gazetted and named Guilderton on 28 November 1951; the area was known locally as Moore River until this time.[3]
In 1983, the Federal Department of Transport established a lighthouse at Wreck Point, Guilderton near the river mouth at a cost of $240,000. This was the last brick tower style lighthouse built in Australia.
References
- Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Guilderton (Suburb and Locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
- Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Guilderton (Suburb and Locality)". Australian Census 2021.
- "History of country town names – G". Western Australian Land Information Authority. Archived from the original on 14 March 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2008.
External links
- "Gingin Shire History". Shire of Gingin. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 2 August 2006.