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The Shire of Esperance has a population of 14,000 and is located on Western Australia’s southeast coast about 725 kilometres from Perth by road. The Shire of Esperance comprises some of the most spectacular landscapes in Western Australia. It includes over 400km of coastline ranging from the gently undulating bays and picturesque islands of the Recherche Archipelago to the spectacular cliffs of the Great Australian Bight.
The environment and agricultural aspects of the Shire of Esperance are a significant part of its heritage, values and identity. The National Parks, Ramsar wetlands and dramatic coastline provide a number of recreational and tourism opportunities. The network of small towns, such as Condingup, Salmon Gums, Grass Patch, Gibson and Cascade support our agriculture industry.
The town of Esperance has long been a sustainable community. It has not suffered the devastating fluctuations in populations other regional towns have experienced as a result of the significant shifts in industry and agriculture, nor has it had the same degree of urban drift.
The natural beauty of Esperance, its climate, isolation and lifestyle continue to attract people to the town and encourage them to stay.
Esperance enjoys a moderate Mediterranean-like climate all year round. It is a regional port and is a developing district.
The town has a complete range of services including all shopping, educational, medical, social and recreational facilities. It is a popular tourist resort and the area abounds in natural and manmade attractions. Its coastline is spectacular and unspoilt.
One of Esperance's greatest assets is its National Parks. There are five in the region which comprise one-fifth of the total Shire area. Also, there is the Archipelago of the Recherche, more than 100 islands, protected by the status of an A-class reserve.
For further information, click here to download our tourism brochure or contact the Visitors Centre on (08) 9083 1555.
History:
Esperance Bay was named by French navigator Rear Admiral D'Entrecasteaux in 1792 as his two ships took shelter here during a storm. Settlement however did not occur until 1864 when the pioneering Dempster Brothers drove sheep, cattle and horses from Northam to establish the Esperance Bay Pastoral Station.
Esperance townsite was surveyed in 1881, however it was not until the discovery of gold in the Eastern Goldfields in 1895 that Esperance experienced an incredible transformation. Fortune seekers from Australia and around the world flooded the once sleepy little port on their way to the Goldfields.
In September 1895, Esperance was declared a municipality. Over the following years, the town and district saw great population fluctuations as it endured the good times and the bad until around 1960 when the Esperance sand-plain emerged as a major agricultural region.
- Category:
- Government organization