Wittenoom

About Wittenoom

Wittenoom is a former mining locality in Western Australia's Pilbara region, situated approximately 1,400 kilometres north of Perth near the dramatic Wittenoom Gorge in the Hamersley Range. Once a thriving blue asbestos (crocidolite) mining town that peaked in the 1950s with a population of around 2,000, it is today a near-abandoned site officially removed from the Western Australian state map in 2007 due to the deadly legacy of asbestos contamination. The town's streets were historically paved with asbestos tailings from the nearby Colonial Sugar Refining (CSR) mine, and over 2,000 former residents and workers have died from asbestos-related diseases. Wittenoom holds a unique and sobering place in Australian history as the country's most contaminated town.

The Wittenoom Gorge area is strikingly beautiful despite its tragic history, featuring ancient red-rock gorges, native wildflowers, and sweeping Pilbara landscapes that draw curious visitors each year. The Western Australian government actively discourages visitation due to ongoing asbestos contamination risks, and services such as power, water, and telecommunications were progressively withdrawn. The few remaining residents — at times just a handful — have historically defied government pressure to leave, making Wittenoom a symbol of both human stubbornness and industrial negligence. Today it serves primarily as a cautionary tale and a point of dark historical tourism interest.

Wittenoom falls under postcode 6751 and is governed by the local council Council (LGA). For state elections, residents vote in the Pilbara (Mining and Pastoral) electorate.

Nearby Suburbs

• Chichester, WA 6751
• Innawanga, WA 6751
• Juna Downs, WA 6751
• Karijini, WA 6751
• Mount Sheila, WA 6751
• Mulga Downs, WA 6751