Pannawonica is an iron-ore mining town located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, near the Robe River, about south-west from Karratha and North from Perth. At the 2016 census, Pannawonica had a population of 695. In 2011 and again in 2016, it reportedly had the highest median weekly income of any town in Western Australia and most likely Australia, due to the high income of its mine workers. History Pannawonica was built on Yalleen Station in 1970 by Cliffs Robe River Iron Associates or C.R.R.I.A. Approximately 1986 became Robe River Iron Associates bought by Peko Wallsend an Australian Multi-national company headed by Charles Copeman an ex-Rio Tinto executive after years of company induced industrial legal strife then sold the company to Rio Tinto. Pannawonica was gazetted as a townsite in 1972. The township's name was derived from nearby Pannawonica Hill, named by a surveyor in 1885 after the corresponding Aboriginal place name which is said to mean "the hill that came from the sea". The traditional legend is that two local Aboriginal tribes were arguing over the ownership of the hill which was located by the sea. The sea spirit decided to resolve the dispute by moving the hill inland. As the hill was dragged over the land it left a deep indentation which became the Robe River. Pannawonica is one of a number of remote-area iron-ore-mining towns built throughout the Pilbara to house workers operating open-cut mines and the loading of ore trains. It is a 'closed town', having limited facilities for visitors, the company's accommodation being reserved for its staff and visiting contractors. Some visitor accommodation is available at the Pannawonica Tavern. Pannawonica is home to more than 1000 people: Rio Tinto Iron Ore employee families, staff on fly-in fly-out ('fifo') roster from Perth, and those involved in support services (49% residential, 51% FIFO). It is accessible by road, rail and light aircraft. Climate Pannawonica has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh), bordering on hot semi-arid climate (Köppen BSh). In summer, the days are very hot and the nights are warm. On average, there are 66.8 days per year where the temperature reaches . The record maximum temperature is on 20 January 2003. Precipitation is highly variable. The wet season lasts from December to March, in which storms and tropical cyclones cause rainfall. In winter, the days are warm and the nights are mild. The