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PORT HEDLAND
Introduction
In April 1863
Captain Peter Hedland aboard the cutter Mystery nosed his craft into the
narrow entrance of a channel and discovered a magnificent sheet of water
appearing like an inland lake. He named it Mangrove Harbour and two months
later it was renamed Port Hedland by the Surveyor-General in his honor.
Once a port for the fledging pearling and pastoral industries today Port
Hedland is a thriving centre of the Pilbara region.
From the modern state-of-the-art technology required to operate the giant
BHP facilities to the many and varied birds and wildlife that maintain
their habitat within the salt and iron ore stock piles, Port Hedland is a
unique blend of massive resource industrialization and incredible natural
wonders.
Attractions
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Stairway
to the Moon: Created when a full moon rises over the shoreline at
low tide. As the moon rises, rays of light hit pools of water left
behind by the receding tide. It creates an illusion of a
"stairway" leading up to the moon, which lasts about 15
minutes. Generally seen between April to October each year
-
Town
Observation Tower: Great views of the Port and the Town
-
Port
Hedland Cultural & Heritage Trail:
A walk through history which will give you a fascinating insight into
the lives and times of a past era. Brochures on the trail are
available from the Tourist Bureau.
- Dalgety House: Dalgety
& Company opened a branch with a spacious warehouse here in 1903.
The Port Hedland Historical Society has developed Dalgety House as a
museum, which opens 1 May 2000.
-
Shipping
Observation Lookout:
The Port Hedland Port Authority built this rotunda with timber from
the old Port Hedland jetty system. It provides an excellent view of
Finucane Island.
- The Royal Flying
Doctor Base:
The original base on Richardson Street was first established in 1935
to service surrounding pastoral properties. Today the newly located
base at the Port Hedland International Airport on Waldron Road is the
headquarters of the Royal Flying Doctor network in the Pilbara
- The Two Mile
Ridge Aboriginal carvings:
The Aboriginal Art at Two Mile Ridge has been engraved into a
limestone ridge. The engravings depict whales, turtles, fish and bird
tracks.
-
Don
Rhodes Mining Museum:
Three restored locomotives from the BHP Iron Ore railway provide a
stunning centrepiece.
-
Whales
of Port Hedland: Whales
follow a course from the Antarctic to the Tropics and return. They
feed in the rich grounds of the cooler regions of the Antarctic and
then migrate to the tropics to give birth to their young and to mate.
Port Hedland is most fortunate to be placed in the path of the
migrating mammals. The whale watching season in Port Hedland
extends from July to October.
-
Pioneer
and Pearler's Cemetery:
Japanese nationals, who were involved in the early pearling industry
and Chinese nationals, who were predominantly involved in the pastoral
industry, are also buried here. There is an Aboriginal midden within
the cemetery grounds as well.
-
Redbank
Bridge Lookout:
10 kms from the town centre on Wilson Street. Two important Australian
exports - iron ore and solar salt - meet at this excellent vantage
point. From the bridge you can see some of the world's longest and
heaviest regularly scheduled trains as they approach and travel
beneath you.
- Turtles of Port
Hedland: In the
Port Hedland area the flatback turtle is known to nest on the mainland
at Pretty Pool, Cooke Point and Cemetery Beach. In Australian waters
all marine turtles are fully protected. Flatback turtles nest
between October and March.
Activities
-
Pretty Pool
Beach: A popular family and community reserve. A great place to swim or
fish when the tide is in, or to explore the shore and collect shells when the tide is out.
-
4 Wheel
Drive trails to Tichilla
-
Chinaman’s
Pool is an ideal picnic and swimming spot
-
Scenic
drives through the wildflowers of the region
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