be) when it was surveyed by the first European to do so Thomas Mitchell in the mid 1830s, and he is credited with naming the Grampians after a mountain range in his native Scotland, and naming the region as Wimmera, adapting a word from the local indigenous language meaning 'throwing stick'. Regional development and population The area contains a number of important towns, such as Horsham, Warracknabeal, Dimboola, Stawell and Nhill. Almost all of these are largely dependent on the grain and sheep industries, and landscape is heavily dominated by flour mills and grain storage silos. The smaller towns in the area are dying due to the declining value of primary products that dominate the region's economy. Similarly, modern farm technology allows individual farmers to stay viable by farming more land, but the decreasing population, and better transport, make smaller service centres less and less viable. Climate The climate is semi-arid to sub-humid, with annual rainfall ranging generally from in the north to in the south. In the Grampians, annual precipitation can be as high as and snowfalls are not uncommon. Most rain falls in winter, though heavy summer falls can occur, the most famous of which was the thunderstorm that dumped on in mid-January 1974. Temperatures are hot in summer, ranging typically from a maximum of to a minimum of , whilst extremes can be as high as . In the winter, maximums are , but mornings can be cool, averaging at Horsham . Geography Most of the soils are very infertile and many are sandy; however in a narrow belt between Nhill and Warracknabeal there are heavy grey Vertisols, that, although still deficient in phosphorus, are otherwise free of major nutrient deficiencies and are able to hold water very well. These grey soils are the principal wheat soils of Victoria. Red-brown earths are also used for wheat but do not give as high yields and require more fertilisation. The Wimmera River flows from the Pyrenees Ranges, across the northern foothills of the Grampians then towards Lake Hindmarsh. Many streams in the region flow only after sustained heavy rainfall and are often dry for long spells. In recent years Rocklands Reservoir, the main water storage of the district, has been consistently at unusually low levels due to a succession of dry years. Natural heritage The Wimmera is renowned for its natural heritage. One of the key preservation areas is