The South West region is one of the nine regions of Western Australia. It has an area of , 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 climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...

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

Economy

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

aluminium oxide Aluminium oxide (or aluminium(III) oxide) is a chemical compound of aluminium and oxygen with the chemical formula . It is the most commonly occurring of several Aluminium oxide (compounds), aluminium oxides, and specifically identified as alum ...

and mineral sands, and also has substantial

agriculture Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...

timber Lumber is wood that has been processed into uniform and useful sizes (dimensional lumber), including beams and planks or boards. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, window frames). ...

, and

viticulture Viticulture (, "vine-growing"), viniculture (, "wine-growing"), or winegrowing 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 ...

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

Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...

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 ph ...

: * Shire of Augusta–Margaret River * Shire of Boyup Brook * Shire of Bridgetown–Greenbushes * City of Bunbury * City of Busselton * Shire of Capel * Shire of Collie * Shire of Dardanup * Shire of Donnybrook–Balingup * Shire of Harvey * Shire of Manjimup * Shire of Nannup

Attractions

Some well-known attractions include Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse and Discovery Centre, Ngilgi Cave, Augusta Jewel Cave, Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse,

Busselton Jetty Busselton Jetty is a jetty located in Busselton, Western Australia. It is the longest timber-piled jetty (pier) in the Southern Hemisphere at long. The jetty is managed by a not-for-profit community organisation, Busselton Jetty Inc. The jetty ...

, Mammoth Cave, Easter Cave, Bunbury Dolphin Discovery Centre, Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree, Diamond Tree, and Gloucester Tree.

References

External links

South West Development Commission

South West Business and Community Directory

South West Life
{{Towns South West WA Regions of Western Australia