Southern Cross Western Australia
Southern Cross townsite
Population:	708 [1]
Established:	1890
Postcode:	6426
Elevation:	355 m (1,165 ft)
Location:	371 km (231 mi) E of Perth 225 km (140 mi) W of Kalgoorlie 110 km (68 mi) E of Merredin
LGA:	Shire of Yilgarn
State District:	Eyre
Federal Division:	Kalgoorlie
Mean Max Temp Mean Min Temp Annual Rainfall 25.5 °C 78 °F 10.7 °C 51 °F 294.9 mm 11.6 in

Coordinates: 31°15′14″S 119°20′38″E / 31.254°S 119.344°E / -31.254; 119.344

Southern Cross is a town in Western Australia, 371 kilometres east of Perth on the Great Eastern Highway. It was founded by gold prospectors in 1888, and gazetted in 1890.^[2] It is the major town and administrative centre of the Shire of Yilgarn.^[3] At the 2006 census, Southern Cross had a population of 708.^[1]

The town of Southern Cross is one of the many towns which run along the Mundaring to Kalgoorlie Goldfields Water Supply Scheme engineered by C. Y. O'Connor.^[4]

A succession of gold rushes in the Yilgarn region near Southern Cross in 1887, at Coolgardie in 1892, and at Kalgoorlie in 1893 caused a population explosion in the barren and dry desert centre of Western Australia.

It is named after the Southern Cross constellation,^[2] and the town's most significant streets are named after stars.

Southern Cross is on the standard gauge railway from Perth to Kalgoorlie and beyond. The Prospector and Indian Pacific passenger trains service the town. The former narrow gauge railway reached Southern Cross on 1 July, 1894.^[5]

[edit] See also

• Goldfields-Esperance
• Mundaring Weir
• John Forrest
• Helena River

[edit] References

Preceding station		Transwa Trains network		Following station
Moorine Rock towards East Perth		Prospector		Bonnie Vale towards Kalgoorlie
Preceding station		Great Southern Railway		Following station
Merredin towards East Perth	Indian Pacific			Kalgoorlie towards Sydney

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