Weipa is situated on the Western Cape of Cape York at the top of QLD.  It's a 1hr 20min plane ride from Cairns via Qantaslink or approx 800kms drive from Cairns up the Peninsula Development Road.   Weipa has a population of approx 3000 people who are predominantly employed by Rio Tinto Alcan in their bauxite mine. 

History of the Western Cape

The land of the Western Cape belongs to local Traditional Owner groups. Waypundun or Waypa is the original name of this area and is home of the Alngith people. The surrounding areas belong to a number of different groups including the:

- Thanikiwithi people, Traditional Owners of the Andoom area

- Peppan group who leased their land to the Royal Australian Airforce to establish the Scherger RAAF Base

- Anagthanigth people, traditional inhabitants of Myall Creek

Other local landownership groups include the Araithingwum, Liningith, Mbiywom, Mamngaith, Ndrra'ngith, Nggoth, Trotj and Ndrrava'Ngaith. 

Weipa has close ties to numerous Aboriginal Communities on the Western Cape:

- Napranum (situated approx. 10kms from Weipa)

- Aurukun 

- Mapoon 

- Injinoo

- New Mapoon

Weipa's Climate

Best Times: March - November.


Weipa is located on the west coast of Cape York Peninsular, about 200 kilometres from the tip of Australia and just less than 200 kilometres from the east coast. It is approximately 804 road kilometres and 580 air kilometres from Cairns.

The tropical/monsoonal climate gives hot, wet summers and mild dry winters. The average rainfall is 2,051mm, with 97% of the rainfall falling between November and April. The seasons can be divided into just two, the 'wet season', between November and April and the 'dry season', between May and October. 

Minimum and maximum temperatures range, on average, from 18-30 degrees celsius in July and 24-33 degrees celsius in December. Winds blow predominantly from the east and south during the dry season and from the west and north during the wet season. 

Weipa is situated within Australia's cyclone belt, but fortunately has not experienced a major cyclone since meterological records were first kept in 1911.