Wyalkatchem
Postcode: 6485
Wyalkatchem is at the centre of Western Australia’s wheat belt, about 200 kilometres northeast of Perth. The town is thought to have been named after the Wyalkatchem Tank which was built by sandalwood cutters in 1881.
Wyalkatchem is in some of Western Australia’s best wildflower country. The town lies on the old Goldfields Track, the route taken by fortune seekers making their way toward Kalgoorlie Boulder. Wyalkatchem has most of the delights of a small country town. Two local museums display the region’s farming and pioneering heritage. Yorkakine Rock, just out of town, is a popular picnicking spot.
Wyalkatchem is a magnet for hang gliders who report reaching heights of 3500 metres in this area and flying for several hundred kilometres in any direction. Western Australia’s State Hang Gliding Championships are held annually here in late January and early February. The local hotel and caravan park provide accommodation.