NORTHAMPTON, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

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A small farming community which had its origins in mining when, in 1842, copper was discovered in the area.
Location: 474 km north north west of Perth; 50 km north of Geraldton.
Origin of name: believed to be named after the copper and lead mining centre of that name in England. The fact that WA's Governor at the time was Dr. John Stephen Hampton and that the town is north of Perth is coincidental yet somewhat appropriate. The locality's Aboriginal name was Wannernooka.
Brief history: the town came into being with the mining of copper (Wannernooka mine from 1842) and lead (Geraldine mine from 1848) at the locality. It was gazetted as a town in 1864.
Built features: Surprise lead mine; Geraldine Lead Mine; oceanside settlements of Port Gregory and Horrocks Beach
Heritage features: the town was classified as an Historic Town by the National Trust in 1993; Warribano Chimney, Ajana.