History
Hummock Hill, the hill adjacent to the current town centre, was named by Matthew Flinders in 1802, during his voyage in the Investigator. The first population came to develop the nearby iron ore deposits in 1900 and developed into a small town soon after.
With the establishment of the steelworks in Newcastle Whyalla developed into a major port for iron ore shipments to the east, and in the 1950s a steelworks opened in the town. BHP started operating dual steel works in Newcastle and Whyalla, shipping coal from the Hunter Valley in New South Wales to Whyalla and returning the ships laden with iron ore to Newcastle.
The town also has a history of shipbuilding, and the naval ship Whyalla, now on display at the museum, was constructed in the town.
