Derby is a town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. At the 2016 census, Derby had a population of 3,325 with 47.2% of Aboriginal descent. 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 tides in Australia, with the peak differential between low and high tide reaching.
History
During World War II, Derby was bombed by Japanese planes because of an air base and jetty that was used by Australian forces. More recently, refugees were housed at Royal Australian Air Force Base Curtin, however the detention center was closed in 2014. Derby was famous in the 1920s as the terminus of the first scheduled aviation service in Australia, West Australian Airways Ltd. Their service began with their first flight on 5 December 1921. At one time the Perth to Derby service was the world’s longest passenger airline route, In 1968 the town had a population of approximately 1,500 many employed at the meatworks. A 900,000 beef road from Glenroy Station to Derby was completed the same year to assist with the development of beef processing. A 2 million steel and concrete jetty was built in 1965 to provide adequate port facilities for the shipment of live cattle.
Population
According to the 2016 census of Population, there were 3,325 people in Derby.
77.4% of people were born in Australia. The next most common country of birth was New Zealand at 3.4%.
72.5% of people spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Kriol at 6.2%.
The most common responses for religion were No Religion 27.7% and Catholic 26.8%.
Culture
Derby is rich in cultural diversity, with the local Indigenous culture playing a large part in the community. The Mowanjum Festival is held annually at Mowanjum Community and features a showcase of traditional art. The Boab festival is a week-long festival that includes traditional events such as mud football, watermelon seed spitting, 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 located in Derby. The school provides education to isolated Primary-aged children living on cattle stations and in remote Aboriginal communities scattered throughout the Kimberley region. 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. Wharfinger’s House Museum tells the story of the aviation history of the town as well as the history of the Port. Norval Gallery is a popular tourist destination and showcases the work of award winning artist Mark Norval as well as a broad selection of indigenous artwork from across the Kimberley.
Economy
There is employment in the pastoral and mining industries, as well as administration and tourism. There is oil at Blina, diamond mining at Ellendale. Granite is quarried from the Wunaamin-Miliwundi Ranges and lead and zinc from Cadjebut and an Iron ore mine at Koolan Island. A major mineral sands mining project is being developed at Thunderbird 100 km west of Derby. In 1997 the Derby wharf, which was closed in the 1980s, was re-opened for barging operations for the export of lead and zinc. Tourism bolsters the local economy between the months of May and September. The Derby Leprosarium on the outskirts of the town was one of two in Western Australia that helped to contain an epidemic of the disease from the 1930s to the 1960s.
Climate
Derby has a hot semi-arid climate with a short, highly variable wet season lasting from late December to March. The wet season features hot, humid days and nights and erratic downpours. In some years, such as 1923–24 and 1951–52, there was no wet season; however, in other years, such as 1999–2000, more than the average annual rainfall fell in a month. Derby can be affected by severe tropical cyclones. The dry season lasts from April to November and features very little rain, warm to hot daytime temperatures, and mild to cool nights. Extremes of temperature range from on 17 November 1968 to on 21 July 1965, while the wettest month on record was January 1917, when of rain fell, including the wettest day, 7 January 1917, when was recorded.
