Leinster is a town in the northern Goldfields area of Western Australia. It is 4 km east of the Goldfields Highway in the Shire of Leonora, and 968 km northeast of the state capital, Perth.[2]
The town was established in 1976 by Agnew Mining, initially as a dormitory town for miners working in the nearby Perseverance and Rockys Reward nickel mines, now the Leinster Nickel Mine, and Agnew gold mines, now the Agnew Gold Mine. It was named for the nearby Leinster Downs station. Facilities at Leinster include a supermarket, service station, community school, day care centre, medical centre and tavern. Sporting facilities include an indoor sports centre, a 50 m Olympic sized pool and a baby pool, squash courts, BMX track, football and cricket oval, and an 18-hole golf course. The school is an independent public school for students up to year 12.[3]
The Leinster Nickel Operation is part of the BHP's Nickel West business group. As at 2006, the operation employed 992 workers and produced 40,000 – of nickel in concentrate per year.[4][5] Leinster Airport was built adjacent to the mine.
Apart from the nickel operations, gold was mined 41 km south-east of Leinster, at the Thunderbox Gold Mine, from 2002 to 2007 and again since 2016.
Geography
References
- Leinster Aero Climate Statistics (1994-2025) Bureau of Meteorology, retrieved January 11, 2026^
- {{Census 2006 AUS|id=UCL515800| (Urban Centre/Locality) |accessdate=17 July 2011|quick=on}}^
- Leinster Township Shire of Leonora, retrieved 15 June 2007^
- Nickel West BHP Billiton, retrieved 2021-09-20^
- Perseverance Mine, Leinster, Leonora Shire, Western Australia on Mindat.org^
- Climate classification maps: Köppen - all classes Bureau of Meteorology, retrieved January 11, 2026^
- Leinster Aero Climate (1994-2025) FarmOnline Weather, Australian Community Media, retrieved January 11, 2026^
- Carnegie Climate Statistics (1994-2025) Bureau of Meteorology, retrieved January 11, 2026^