| Gibson Western Australia | |
|---|---|
  Gibson | |
 | |
| Coordinates | 33°38′56″S 121°48′50″E / 33.64889°S 121.81389°E |
| Population | 406 (SAL 2021)[1] |
| Established | 1921 |
| Postcode(s) | 6448 |
| Elevation | 218 m (715 ft) |
| Area | 735.3 km2 (283.9 sq mi) |
| Location | |
| LGA(s) | Shire of Esperance |
| State electorate(s) | Roe |
| Federal division(s) | O'Connor |
Gibson is a small town in southeastern Western Australia, about 22 kilometres (14 mi) north of Esperance. At the 2016 census, Gibson had a population of 449.[2]
The population of the area was 16 (7 males and 9 females) in 1898.[3]
Gibson was originally proposed in about 1910 as a siding on the Esperance Branch Railway due to a reliable water source in the area, named by surveyor A. W. Canning after a man who discovered the soak whilst searching for stock. The railway itself was not completed until 1925, but the townsite was gazetted on 19 October 1921.[4][5]
It is served by a station on the Brookfield Rail network, and is also the site of the Esperance Airport. In 2009, a 1,800 metres (5,900 ft) long crossing called by this name but located slightly away from the town was built.[6]
Esperance Bird & Animal Park is a small animal park located at Gibson[7] and includes: cockatoos, parrots, macaws, eagles, emus, sheep, goats, highland cattle, horses, llamas, kangaroos, wallabies and foxes.
