Derby, Western Australia
Encyclopedia
Derby is a town in the Kimberley region
of Western Australia
. At the 2006 census
, Derby had a population of 3,093. Along with Broome
and Kununurra
, it is one of only three towns in the Kimberley to have a population over 2,000. Located on King Sound
, Derby has the highest tide
s in Australia, with the peak differential between low and high tide reaching 11.8 metres.
During World War II
, Derby was bombed by Japanese planes because of an air base and jetty that was steadily used by Australian forces. More recently, refugees are housed at Royal Australian Air Force Base Curtin
, which is located to the south of Derby.
, the Mardi Gras
and other festivities.
Historically, Derby has played a major role in the Australian Royal Flying Doctor Service
for the Kimberley Region. The Kimberley School of the Air is also located in Derby.
Derby has two other schools Holy Rosary School Derby and Derby District High School. Derby District High School follows Chris Sarra's vision of 'Stronger Smarter', which aims to raise the expectations of the school as a community.
Kimberley region of Western Australia
The Kimberley is one of the nine regions of Western Australia. It is located in the northern part of Western Australia, bordered on the west by the Indian Ocean, on the north by the Timor Sea, on the south by the Great Sandy and Tanami Deserts, and on the east by the Northern Territory.The region...
of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. At the 2006 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, Derby had a population of 3,093. Along with Broome
Broome, Western Australia
Broome is a pearling and tourist town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, north of Perth. The year round population is approximately 14,436, growing to more than 45,000 per month during the tourist season...
and Kununurra
Kununurra, Western Australia
Kununurra is a town in far northern Western Australia located at the eastern extremity of the Kimberley Region approximately from the border with the Northern Territory. Kununurra was initiated to service the Ord River Irrigation scheme....
, it is one of only three towns in the Kimberley to have a population over 2,000. Located on King Sound
King Sound
King Sound is a large gulf in northern Western Australia. It expands from the mouth of the Fitzroy River, one of Australia's largest watercourses, and opens to the Indian Ocean. It is about 120 km long, and averages about 50 km in width. The port town of Derby lies near the mouth of the...
, Derby has the highest tide
Tide
Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the moon and the sun and the rotation of the Earth....
s in Australia, with the peak differential between low and high tide reaching 11.8 metres.
History
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Derby was bombed by Japanese planes because of an air base and jetty that was steadily used by Australian forces. More recently, refugees are housed at Royal Australian Air Force Base Curtin
RAAF Curtin
RAAF Base Curtin is a Royal Australian Air Force base located near the town of Derby on the north coast of Western Australia. As it is one of the RAAF's three 'bare bases' no Air Force units are currently based at Curtin and it is maintained by a small caretaker staff during peacetime...
, which is located to the south of Derby.
Culture
The Boab festival is a week long festival that includes traditional events such as mud football, watermelon seed spittingWatermelon
Watermelon is a vine-like flowering plant originally from southern Africa. Its fruit, which is also called watermelon, is a special kind referred to by botanists as a pepo, a berry which has a thick rind and fleshy center...
, the Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras
The terms "Mardi Gras" , "Mardi Gras season", and "Carnival season", in English, refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after Epiphany and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday...
and other festivities.
Historically, Derby has played a major role in the Australian Royal Flying Doctor Service
Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia
The Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia is an emergency and primary health care service for those living in rural, remote and regional areas of Australia...
for the Kimberley Region. The Kimberley School of the Air is also located in Derby.
Derby has two other schools Holy Rosary School Derby and Derby District High School. Derby District High School follows Chris Sarra's vision of 'Stronger Smarter', which aims to raise the expectations of the school as a community.
Further reading
- Derby's history at a glance: A chronology of Derby history, 1688-1992. Boab Babbler, 26 February 1993, p. 20