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PORT HEDLAND
Town in a Landscape of Red
Port Hedland is a dynamic town of 15,000 people located in the Pilbara Region of Western Australia. The original inhabitants, the Karriyarra people, call the place Marapikurrinya for the hand shaped formation of the tidal creeks coming off the natural harbour.
The lifestyle is relaxed and open. The town's location on the ocean provides for a variety of aquatic leisure activities including superb fishing. Whales and nesting flatback turtles can be seen in season. Millstream and Karijini National Parks are within easy driving distance, while Broome and the Kimberley are also within reach. The Town has a variety of accommodation for both business travellers and tourists, including backpackers, caravan parks, motels and quality hotels.
The Port Hedland Visitor Centre offers travellers information on the town and district and has a good range of maps for sale.
Tourist locations include:
- Dalgety House, an historic pastoral era dwelling, museum and interpretive centre in Wedge Street
- Courthouse Arts and Gallery Centre, showcasing indigenous Pilbara arts and crafts
- Don Rhodes Mining Museum, with historic mining and transport equipment
- Cultural and Heritage Trail, identifying buildings and locations of significance in the history of the Town
- The Port area, where bulk carrier vessels of up to 260,000 tonnes and over 300 metres in length glide through a narrow harbour entrance adjacent to the main street
- Pioneer and Pearlers Cemetery, where graves reflect the hardships faced by early settlers, Japanese pearl divers and Chinese pastoral workers
A reporter for the A.B.C. Radio has a theory on why the town is so red:
"We've never seen anything like this place in our lives... it is completely red, we think from the iron ore dust"
and,
"All the iron ore dust in the air makes for spectacular sunsets in Port Hedland"
This photo is from www.abc.net.au
There are lots of good four-wheel driving opportunities around Port Hedland. This is at Mount Nameless, near Tom Price, only about 500 kilometres from Port Hedland. In this part of Australia, that's 'just up the road'.
Photo is by WA Tourism. From the cover of the 5th edition of Hema's 'Pilbara and Coral Coast' map available at the Port Hedland Visitor Centre.
The map is highly recommended for anyone travelling into or through the Pilbara region.
Travellers Tip
They say there is a stairway to the moon at Port Hedland. But you will only see it at low tide when there is a full moon. What you need to do is, at dusk, position yourself on a foreshore where there is a view towards the rising moon (i.e. east). A stairway will magically appear as the moon rises.
Warning: Attempting to climb the stairs could be extremely hazardous to your well-being.