Gascoyne (Western Australia)
The Gascoyne region is one of the nine administrative regions of Western Australia. It is located in the north west of Western Australia, and consists of the local government areas of Carnarvon, Exmouth, Shark Bay and Upper Gascoyne. The Gascoyne has about 600 km (370 mi) of Indian Ocean coastline; extends inland about 500 km (310 mi); and has an area of 138,000 km2 (53,000 sq mi), including islands.
The Gascoyne has the lowest population of any region of Western Australia, with about 14,500 people. The majority of residents are non-Aboriginal people born in Australia (74%). Just over half live in Carnarvon (8,616) where Aboriginal residents account for 18% of the population. Other centres are Exmouth, Denham, Gascoyne Junction and Coral Bay.
The Gascoyne has a moderate arid tropical, climate. It is generally warm all year round, with mean maximum daily temperatures ranging from 22 °C (72 °F) in July to 35 °C (95 °F) in January. The region receives about 320 days of sunshine per year. Annual rainfall is low and variable, averaging about 200 mm (8 in), most of which occurs as a result of cyclonic activity. Because of the semi-arid climate, most of the Gascoyne is covered in scrub, primarily spinifex and mulga, with very little tree cover.
Horticulture is the major industry of the Gascoyne region. Bananas, tomatoes, grapefruit, mangos, table grapes and a range of vegetable products are grown along the Gascoyne River. Climatic advantages enable the growers to meet out of season demand both locally and in export markets.
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