Pannawonica, Western Australia
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Pannawonica Western Australia |
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Pannawonica Hill
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 Pannawonica
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| Coordinates | 21°38′00″S 116°20′00″E / 21.63333°S 116.33333°ECoordinates: 21°38′00″S 116°20′00″E / 21.63333°S 116.33333°E | ||||||||
| Population | 698 (2011 census) | ||||||||
| Established | 1970 | ||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 6716 | ||||||||
| Elevation | 200 m (656 ft) | ||||||||
| Location | |||||||||
| LGA(s) | Shire of Ashburton | ||||||||
| State electorate(s) | North West Central | ||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Durack | ||||||||
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The town of Pannawonica is an iron-ore mining town located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, near the Robe River, about 200 km south-west from Karratha and 1429 km North from Perth. At the 2011 census, Pannawonica had a population of 686.
In 2011 and again in 2016, it reportedly had the highest median weekly income of any town in Western Australia and most likely Australia, due to the high income of its mine workers.
Pannawonica was built on Yalleen Station in 1970 by Cleveland-Cliffs Robe River Iron (it then became Robe River Iron Associates and was then bought out by Rio Tinto Iron Ore) it was gazetted as a townsite in 1972.
The township’s name was derived from nearby Pannawonica Hill, named by a surveyor in 1885 after the corresponding Aboriginal placename which is said to mean "the hill that came from the sea". The traditional legend is that two local Aboriginal tribes were arguing over the ownership of the hill which was located by the sea. The sea spirit decided to resolve the dispute by moving the hill inland. As the hill was dragged over the land it left a deep indentation which became the Robe River.
Pannawonica is one of a number of remote-area iron-ore-mining towns built throughout the Pilbara to house workers operating open-cut mines and the loading of ore trains. It is a 'closed town', having limited facilities for visitors, the company's accommodation being reserved for its staff and visiting contractors. Some visitor accommodation is available at the Pannawonica Tavern.
Pannawonica is home to more than 1000 people: Rio Tinto Iron Ore employee families, staff on fly-in fly-out (‘fifo’) roster from Perth, and those involved in support services (49% residential, 51% FIFO). It is accessible by road, rail and light aircraft.
In late 2014 Residents and local landmarks featured on YouTube in a Happy Panna video and on Valentine's Day 2015 two local tradespeople featured in a video which went viral on Facebook.
In 2015 a community website has been developed to assist keeping visitors and residents informed with local groups and events www.pannawonica.com
Pannawonica’s weather is recorded by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology station number 005069, which was opened in 1971. Between 1971 and 2005, the mean maximum temperature at Pannawonica ranged from 26.7 °C in July to 40.9 °C in January. Pannawonica experiences a wet season that can stretch from December to March, and cyclonic storm events.
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