CHRIS THOMSON

Only a handful of Perth’s old-money suburbs kept their spot atop WA’s rich list as the last mining boom drew to a close.

Latest Australian Bureau of Statistics income figures show that in 2007-08 average salaries in many mining areas were closing fast on those in Perth’s plush western suburbs.

Only the western Perth Shire of Peppermint Grove and neighbouring Town of Cottesloe clung on as home to the state’s top salary earners.

The average Peppermint Grove resident received a $72,637 salary, while the mean Cottesloe salary was $71,793.

Residents of the mining shires of Roebourne ($70,180), Ashburton ($69,352) and East Pilbara ($66,469) and town of Port Hedland ($63,661) earned the next highest salaries.

The western Perth cites of Subiaco ($63,651) and Nedlands ($62,759) then got a look in.

They were followed by residents of the Shire of Coolgardie ($62,080) – where the rocky road of WA mining booms began in the 1890s.

In the wealthiest five mining areas 14.7 per cent of workers were labourers compared to just 8.6 per cent in the richest five Perth localities.