Planning a Gibson Desert caravanning adventure? Don't miss the many interesting faces of Wiluna, a unique outback town on the edge of the iconic desert.
Located almost in the geographic centre of Western Australia, the town of Wiluna might be remote and could be classified as just another historic mining town in WA’s Northern Goldfields.
Town history
This was originally the land of the Mandildjara (Martu) desert aboriginals going back thousands of years. European involvement with the area began when surveyor Lawrence Wells, recorded aspects of the region in 1892. Four years later prospectors Woodley, Wotton and Lennon discovered gold just a few kilometres south-east of the present town site.
The population of Wiluna, however, did not immediately see a rapid ‘gold rush’ increase with the town only peaking to around 600 by the early 1900s. It was not until the advent of new mining technologies in the 1930s that Wiluna started to boom. By 1932, in excess of 9000 people lived here, with town ‘suburbs’ stretching 3km to the south of the present town site.
By the mid-1940s however, when the Wiluna Gold Mine (once the biggest mine in WA) closed, the population shrank and by 1953 there were less than 400 residents. It reached its lowest point 10 years later with only 90 still here.
What is Wiluna known for now?
Today, with a renewed local mining activity in the district (including nickel, gold, uranium and other minerals – mostly FIFO operations) and more particularly, growing numbers of Martu people, the population has now increased to around 700.
Despite its remote ‘edge of desert’ location, Wiluna is not the isolated community it once was. At the forefront of its attraction in recent years is 4WD adventurers starting or finishing the historic and quite challenging 1800km Canning Stock Route (surveyed by Alfred Canning in 1906/7). And the original Gunbarrel Highway, created by Len Beadell and his road making team in the 1950s and 60s as one of the several trails created in conjunction with the Woomera atomic weapons and rocket testing program taking place at that time. Wiluna strategically sits where these two outback trails join and is a welcoming first or last piece of civilisation and service point for travellers undertaking these great adventures.
Looking around town today there is clearly a feeling of civic pride with most of the old shanty town buildings, structures and ruins all cleared away, including virtually all of the relics from the sprawling ‘suburbs’ from the 1930s – now all gone.
The history of many of these historic features has not been lost however, with a splendid series of colourful ‘goanna plaques’ located at many places around town telling a brief history and giving a fascinating insight into life in the town over the years.
Travelling the Old Canning Stock Route
Must-visit attractions in Wiluna
Not to be missed is a visit to the Canning-Gunbarrel Discovery Centre where there are excellent displays and information on both the Canning Stock Route and Gunbarrel Highway, as well as souvenirs and other information about the Martu people, the town, its history and local attractions, as well as local stations and mining history.
Adjacent to the centre is another great attraction worth visiting – the Tjukurba Art Gallery where there is a wonderful display of high-quality paintings by local Aboriginal Birriliburu artists from the Gibson Desert and Carnarvon Range, some of whose works have been exhibited around Australia and overseas.
Amenities
Other services around town include a Post Office, two general stores (with a limited range of fruit, vegetables and basic food supplies), two fuel outlets (one of which is a 24-hour facility), gas bottle exchange (no refills are available) and basic mechanical and tyre services. Telstra mobile phone service and internet is available in town but is limited or non-existent elsewhere in this remote area.
The old Club Hotel, now the Shire administration building
Where to stay with a caravan
A unqiue town story
Another interesting story interwoven into Wiluna’s past is the outback story of love and survival of aboriginal nomads Warri and Yatungka who are widely recognised as the last of the desert nomads to give up their traditional lifestyle and ‘come-in’ to the welcoming outback community of Wiluna, leaving behind a life of solitary desert exile which they had endured for decades.
In the 1930s Warri and Yatungka met and fell in love. Tribal law forbade them from marrying because they were the wrong match according to ‘skin group’ law of the Martu desert aboriginal people. The consequences for breaking this law in those days was often a punishment of severe physical injury, or even death, and so they decided to run away together in the middle of the night. They spent years in the desert, isolated and alone and living off the land. It was not until 1977, when severe drought through the region had dried up virtually all known waterholes, that the Martu elders started to become very concerned for their welfare.
A search was initiated and eventually tracked them down physically weak and close to starvation. Having by this time been forgiven for their ‘indiscretion’, Warri and Yatungka ‘came-in’ from their desert home to Wiluna and were welcomed with much joy and relief from their extended families.
Sadly, having never fully recovered from their weakened condition, nor completely adapting to their new community life, Warri and Yatungka passed away just two years later within a few weeks of each other. Their recently restored graves with white posts and rails can today be found in the town’s new cemetery.
Additional information
Wiluna Heritage Trail brochures are available at the Discovery Centre (08 9981 8000).
Further information, contact the Wiluna Shire:
P: 08 9981 8009
THE NEXT STEP
If you want to learn the latest caravan news, find the most innovative new caravans and camping gear or get inspiration for your next adventure in the great outdoors, subscribe to our weekly newsletter. We promise to send you only the best content.
Related articles:
Across the middle of Australia: Gary Junction Road NT–WA
Crossing the Simpson Desert, central Australia
Gibson Desert caravanning adventure detour: Wiluna, WA