PILBARA, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

 KARRATHA & PORT HELDLAND

SEPTEMBER 2021

When we told people we were going to Karratha the general response was why? Well, mostly because we had flight vouchers which were due to expire and we can't fly anywhere outside Western Australia without getting locked out (thanks Premier McGowan!) due to Covid. So we dotted the map and decided that it was still cool enough (average 32℃) to fly north and get a better understanding of WA's mining industry.

Karratha is located in the Pilbara region of WA, approximately 1,500km north of Perth or a two hour flight. Our flight departed Perth at 6.45am so we were in Karratha for breakfast. With a population of around 20,000 and a fly in/fly out (FIFO) hub for some of WA's largest mines, Karratha has a lot on offer and is great starting point for a those looking for a different kind of adventure. We stayed at Latitude 20 - the Dunes. A very cosy apartment with kitchenette, washing machine and balcony with Webber BBQ. 

Karratha means 'God's own country' or 'Sacred Earth'
and was once a cattle station

ROEBOURNE, COSSACK, PORT SAMSON & WICKHAM

Roebourne is approximately 50km from Karratha and first settled by John and Emma Withnell who is touted to be the 'Mother of the North-West'. Following the 52km Emma Mary Withnell Heritage Trail, you pass numerous points of interest including Cossack, Wickham and Point Samson.

Roebourne was the North-Wests first gazetted town. The Roebourne Heritage Trail (download the map here) starts at the Roebourne Police Station, Gaol and Court Precinct. Unfortunately, when we visited the gaol was closed, however the drive trail and information boards offer up a view of the past. 

The Victoria Hotel is now the Ganalili Centre

Originally named 'Tien Tsin' after the boat which carried the first settlers to the region in 1863, Cossack was once the home of many seeking their fortune in the Pilbara Gold rush. Also, once home to Australia's pearl shell industry, the ghost town's blue stone buildings including the Galbraith Store, Post and Telegraph Office and Courthouse which houses the museum, have been restored and visitors can wander the Cossack Heritage Trail or stop for lunch at the cafe . Accommodation is available at the B&B or you may choose to camp at one of the beach sites.

Visiting some of Australia's oldest buildings is not to be missed. Not only is the history of the buildings, architect (George Temple-Poole) and founding families of interest, the information regarding the Afghans, Chinese and Indigenous population is also engrossing.

Galbraith & Co were chain retailers
who had over 200 stores by the 1940s

Port Samson is a sleepy coastal town with a quiet holiday resort and safe swimming ocean beach. The Samson Beach Tavern has a vast menu including delicious fish and chips and overlooks the water.

On the way back to Karratha, we drove around Wickham, viewed the town from Water Tank Hill and drove out to the Wickham Yacht Club and Boat Beach where between October and February flatback, green and hawksbill turtles come nest with hatchings between December and April.

The Cape Lambert port operated by Rio Tinto has a 2.7km open sea wharf and is one of the longest in Australia. Capable of loading three iron ore carriers at once, the bustling railway lines zig-zig across the port as they make their way to and from the unloading station. 

The Karratha Industrial Estate can be accessed via De Witt Road and here you will find the North West Brewing Company. What a great place to stop on a hot afternoon, have a beer (or two) and listen to some live music. We happened to be there on the afternoon of the AFL Grand final so the place was abuzz and filling up fast.

Dinner was at Fiorita Wine Bar & Restaurant. Part of the Star Deck Group who have three or four establishments in the area, Fiorita has a good selection of beverages and probably one of the best crab pastas I've had in ages. 

THE BURRUP PENINSULA, DAMPIER & 

THE DAMPIER ARCHIPELAGO

The Burrup Peninsula, about 20 minutes drive from Karratha with the main town being Dampier. Covering nearly 5,000 hectares, the Murujuga National Park hosts one of the largest concentrations of rock art in the world dating back more than 30,000 years. The famed petroglyphs or Aboriginal stone engravings can be viewed from the 600m Deep Gorge Walk.

Other places to visit on the Burrup Peninsula are:

• Hearsons Cove - swimming at high tide, mudflats at low tide, it is 2WD accessible and is the best place to view the staircase to the moon.
• Cowrie Cove - 4WD access only. Great at low tide for exploring the mudflats and finding sea creatures such as mudcrabs. 
• Whitnell Bay - Fantastic place to launch your boat and spend the afternoon snorkelling, swimming, 4WDing, fishing, swimming and boating. 

The Red Dog Walking Trail begins at the Red Dog Memorial on the way into Dampier. The walk (or drive) provides travellers an opportunity to learn about the picturesque coastal town.

Red Dog (named after the red dirt of the Pilbara region) was a cattle dog who travelled between Perth and Broome, always returning to his base in Dampier or Karratha. Red Dog died in 1979 and in 2011 a movie was made based on his life.

The Dampier Archipelago has 42 islands, islets and rocks within a 45km radius of Dampier. Best known for fishing and boating, the coral reefs, sponge gardens, sea grass and more than 650 species of fish are also popular with divers and snorkellers. If you don't have your own vessel, boats can be hired or alternatively you can opt for a diving/snorkelling tour or join Archipelago Adventures on a day cruise.

MILLSTREAM CHICHESTER NATIONAL PARK

Driving two hours inland from Karratha towards Tom Price, you reach Millstream Chichester National Park. The drive east it is a train spotters paradise as iron ore trains are constantly on the move heading to and from the port. Our first stop was the Mount Herbert Summit where you witness panoramic views of the Chichester Ranges and Roebourne coastal plain. The iron ore mounds covered in spinifex create quite an amazing vista. 

Mount Herbert Summit

Pythons Pool is a popular swimming spot with a sheer rock face and deep water hole. The waterfall had dried up when we were there, however I would love to see it after the wet when the pool is full and flowing. 

The Homestead Visitors Centre was built in 1919 and has been restored as a museum. Featuring a shearers kitchen, the irrigated lawns are a nice place to have a picnic under the trees. There are BBQ facilities, toilets and interpretive walk trails. The centre is open from 8am to 4pm daily, however is not always staffed by Rangers.

The Cliff Top Walk is a great place to see the Fortescue River and distant Hamersley Ranges. Below the cliffs is Deep Reach Pool. Home to the Barrimurdi Warlu (Serpent), the large pool is great for swimming, canoeing and fishing. Picnic tables, BBQ's and toilet facilities are available. Park and camping fees are payable at the self-registration station.

Note: We have a WA Annual Parks Pass purchased via the RAC.

Fortescue River from the Cliff Top Walk

Deep Reach Pool

Exhausted after a long day, we had returned to Fiorita for happy hour and had a very nice Indian at the Bollywood Lounge in Karratha. 

No trip to an regional town can be had without checking out the local leisure centre and bakery. Since 2008, Royalties for Regions has invested $6.1 billion of the states mining and offshore petroleum royalties to develop regional communities in order to make them more liveable. Karratha's Leisureplex is fabulous with pools, a gym, creche, sports courts and cafe. 

The Pilbara Bakehouse is a must after a workout (or any time really). They have a huge selection of pies, sandwiches, cakes and beverages. Yum!

PORT HEDLAND

Port Hedland is a 2.5 hour drive north of Karratha. It is the second largest town in the Pilbara Region. Founded in 1863, it grew as a pearling port and then an outlet for the tin and gold of the Pilbara field. Over the years, it has become one of the world's largest bulk export ports, with exports including iron ore, lithium and salt.

Dalgety House was built in 1903 and opened as a museum in 2000. There are five rooms filled with photos, books and interactive displays. The Koombana Exhibition is a tribute to the luxury cargo ship SS Koombana which disappeared off the coast of Port Hedland during a tropical cyclone in 1912 killing 147 passengers and crew. Although numerous deep-water expeditions have been held to find the wreck, the ship has never been found.

The Port Hedland Cultural Heritage Trail is a self-guided walk around the West End and historic sites. Taking in locations such as:

•  The Esplanade Hotel (where we had a very nice lunch in the beer garden), 

The Esplanade Hotel

and beer garden

• The Pier Hotel - was once written up in a 1970s edition of London's Sunday Telegraph magazine as the 'Toughest Pub in the World'

The Pier Hotel where 33,000 glasses were broken each year
and half the entire stock replaced every month

• The old Medical Staff Quarters - now a Dome cafe, and

The old Medical Staff Quarters

• The Courthouse site - the original building was built in 1905

the walk is a great way of getting an understanding of what life would have been like prior to the mining infrastructure takeover.

We caught up with local real estate agent, Jim Henneberry, who very kindly took us on a tour of the town centre and explained that residents are no longer allowed to reside in the centre of Port Hedland due to health and safety regulations. As the commodore of the Port Hedland Yacht Club, he also enlightened us on the building of the new marina and as the ex-president of the Port Hedland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, he gave us a really good insight into the goings on in the Port. It was a very insightful meeting.

The Twilight Industry (Port) Tour with Phil departs the Visitors Centre at 4.45pm. Travelling in an air-conditioned bus, you get to experience landmarks such as the port entry channel and the miner's port operations; stopping for a complimentary drink whilst watching the sunset. Phil's knowledge of everything mining was amazing and he knew how to handle some really curly questions. For example: "do scuba divers watch the channel to make sure the ships don't hit the bottom?". 

In Port Hedland we stayed at the Hospitality Motel and had a really lovely dinner in their dining room.

Up early to catch our flight back to Perth, we really enjoyed our long weekend away and getting a better understanding into WA's mining industry. Put it on your bucket list!