Mount Barker, Western Australia

Mount Barker is a town in Western Australia. It is the main town of the Shire of Plantagenet. It is known for its farming, especially for grapes and wine.

 Geography 
Mount Barker is in a region called the Great Southern. It is on the Albany Highway. It is about 360 kilometers (224 miles) south-east of Perth, the capital city of Western Australia. It is about 50 kilometers (31 miles) north of Albany, a city on the coast. The town is named after a hill that is nearby, which is also called Mount Barker.

 Demographics 
About 2,855 people lived in Mount Barker in 2021.

 Tourism 
Things to do there are:
Wine: Mount Barker is in a big wine region. Many people come here to try the local wine.
Lookout: You can drive to the top of Mount Barker hill. From there, you can see far away, including the Stirling Range and Porongurup Range.
Old Buildings: The town has some old buildings that are now museums. The old police station is now a museum where you can learn about the town's history.
National Parks: Mount Barker is close to two big parks: the Porongurup National Park and the Stirling Range National Park. These are good places for walking and seeing nature.
Wildflowers: The area around Mount Barker has many beautiful wildflowers that grow in the spring.

 History 
The hill was named by a man named Thomas Braidwood Wilson in 1829. He named it after a captain named Collet Barker. The town was officially started in 1898. At first, the town was a center for growing apples and for sheep farming. Now, the wine industry is also very important.

 Climate 
Mount Barker has a Mediterranean climate. This means it has hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters.