Business categories in Northam, WA
Welcome to Northam, WA
Northam is the largest town in Western Australia’s Avon region. It has a population of 6,580. The town sits at the point where the Avon and Matlock Rivers meet.
History
The first colonists arrived in Northam in 1830. Robert Dale founded the town in 1833. At first, the town’s name was Governor Stirling. It became a stopping-off point for settlers and explorers interested in land to the east. When the railway arrived, it made the town a departure point for miners and fossickers travelling to the goldfields.
The Northam Migrant Accommodation Centre operated in the 1940s and 1950s. It houses roughly 15,000 immigrants and displaced people. Principally, these people originated from Eastern Europe. The centre closed in September 1951.
Lifestyle and Entertainment
Today, Northam is home to the Yongah Hill Immigration Detention Centre. The facility was announced in 2010 and opened in 2012.
Northam enjoys many historic buildings. These include Northam Flour Mill and Avon Bridge, St John’s Church and Northam Town Hall.
