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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Geraldton (28°46'S 114°36'E) is a city in Western Australia located 424 km north of Perth. According to the 2001 census, Geraldton has a population of 29,996, making it the fifth-largest city in Western Australia. Today the city is an important centre for mining, fishing, wheat, sheep and tourism. It is also a major port. Though many European maritime explorers encountered or were even wrecked on the Houtman Abrolhos islands 60 km to the west of Geraldton in the 17th and 18th centuries, there seems to be no evidence that any made landfall near the site of the current town. The first European to explore the area was George Grey in 1839. A decade later the explorer Augustus Gregory travelled through the area. He discovered lead on the Murchison River and the mine which was subsequently established was named Geraldine after the Governor Charles Fitzgerald. The town of Geraldton was gazetted in 1850. The construction of the St Francis Xavier Cathderal started in 1916 but was not completed until 1938. The HMAS Sydney is thought to have been lost off the coast and there is a memorial overlooking the city. Near the town is a station of the spy-system Echelon. Geraldton is also an internationally renowned windsurfing location. The most famous spot is Coronation Beach, located just north of the town. "Coro" is a spectacular port tack jumping site, with flat water on the inside and unhindered Indian Ocean rolling swell offshore. In the late afternoon, the wind swings a little more offshore and starboard tack waveriding becomes possible.