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Whyalla is located in Spencer gulf in the state of South Australia. It is a semi arid region that boasts 301 days of sunshine every year. It has a population of about 23,000 people and is basically an industrial city.

The main industry is the BHP steel works. Whyalla to the West has the MiddleBack Ranges, which is one gigantic Iron ore deposit. Whyalla is the birthplace of the Australian Steel industry and up until the middle 1970's was a famous Shipbuilding center. Whyalla also has the Santos refinery that takes gas from the Cooper Basin and converts it into Liquefied Petroleum Gas. To the North about 100km is the Flinders Ranges, which is mainly Sheep farming. To the South is the Lower Eyre Peninsular which is mostly Wheat farming but is notable for having large Jade deposits in the Cowell area.

Whyalla was settled in the early 1900's when iron ore was discovered. Life was hard for the settlers, even the water had to be shipped in from outside, until the construction of a pipeline from the Murray River. The nearest Large town is Pt Augusta about 78km to the north which is a Railway town and also has a large power station. To the East about 380km is the city of Adelaide which is the capital of South Australia.

The surrounding country side is fairly desolate and the main vegetation is Salt bush and Myall trees. The soil is quite saline and the area is quite ancient. About 100 million years ago the Flinders Ranges would have been as impressive as the Himalaya's are today but erosion over time has made them small by world standards. There are no lakes or rivers nearby, water is provided by the Great Artesian Basin, which is a huge water table below the surface of the earth.

We live on the coast, so we have beaches on our doorstep, just as well because in Summer the temperature reaches into the 40+ degrees C. In Winter it reaches the chilly teens. Whyalla is a windy city (not Hurricane or anything like that) so Sailing is good or any other wind powered activity. Whyalla boasts some of the best Snapper fishing in Australia and is host to the worlds richest Snapper fishing contest, held in late Janurary every year.

Our local Council is determined that we become an Ecocity of the future; with Solar power etc and other environmentally sound things. Which is just as well because the Steel works, Pellet Plant puts out enough pollution for all of us.