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Derby Western Australia
Boab tree at Derby
Derby
Population:	3,093 [1]
Established:	1880s
Postcode:	6728
Coordinates:	17°23′S 123°41′E / 17.39°S 123.68°E / -17.39; 123.68Coordinates: 17°23′S 123°41′E / 17.39°S 123.68°E / -17.39; 123.68
Elevation:	8 m (26 ft)
LGA:	Shire of Derby-West Kimberley
State District:	Kimberley
Federal Division:	Kalgoorlie
Mean Max Temp Mean Min Temp Annual Rainfall 33.9 °C 93 °F 21.7 °C 71 °F 622.4 mm 24.5 in

Derby (pronounced /ˈdɝːbi/)^[2] is a town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. At the 2006 census, Derby had a population of 3,093.^[1] 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 11.8 metres.^[3]

Low tide at the Derby wharf on King Sound

History

During World War II, Derby was bombed by Japanese planes because of an air base and jetty that was steadily used by Australian forces. More recently, refugees were housed at Royal Australian Air Force Base Curtin which is located to the south of Derby.

Culture

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 boab tree featured above was actually used as a prison, hence the name the "Prison Boab".

References

Further reading

• Derby's history at a glance: A chronology of Derby history, 1688-1992. Boab Babbler, 26 February 1993, p. 20