Dust storm heading out of Hedland.
From the Caravan site
Fairy Lights at Night
Stockpiled Iron Ore awaiting shipping.
Salt, salt, salt!Well, what can I tell you about the Port town? Certainly I can’t wax lyrical about the beauty. The place is utilitarian in the extreme. Very little there is ‘pretty’. TBBITW spent quite a bit of time up here in his youth 40 years ago – working for a company that did much of the development work in Hedland. Although he had been back since, some 8 years ago, he was amazed at the progress and changes that had been made since even his last visit.
Of course most of the industry there is related to iron ore mining. I could bore you to death here with all the facts and figures, but you can source all of that sort of stuff on the web – you don’t need me for that. The one thing that fascinated me tho’, was the salt works. Vast piles of glittering white salt, piled high waiting for processing. I have been a salt addict all my life but even I found that much salt a little overwhelming.
Highly industrialised the port town sports an enormous amount of rail and iron ore trains as long as 3ks ponderously make their way across the flats.
We stayed at Point Cooke Caravan Park and found it to be quite good. As usual we had a prime spot, this time overlooking some salt/mangrove flats. The lights of the trains and the iron ore handling facilities transformed the distance into a fairy land at night. Behind these lights you could see (and hear) the planes coming in to land. The whole effect was quite surreal. Trouble was you had to brave the sand-flies and the very strong winds to sit outside and enjoy the spectacle.
We only spent three nights in Hedland so really didn’t delve beneath the somewhat dusty exterior.
There was an odd personal note here tho’. TBBITW met his ex here, many many moons ago. While we were there this time, we had lunch with my ex and his now third wife. Not sure what if anything any of that means except that it seemed as if there was some sort of off-beat synchronicity in play. We lunched at the Top Pub and found the food to be quite good and the company if not exciting, at least non-confrontational. Another little hurdle in life’s steeple chase!
Oh well, onwards and upwards – next stop Point Samson. Live, love and forgive as if there were no tomorrows. Stephanie.
Of course most of the industry there is related to iron ore mining. I could bore you to death here with all the facts and figures, but you can source all of that sort of stuff on the web – you don’t need me for that. The one thing that fascinated me tho’, was the salt works. Vast piles of glittering white salt, piled high waiting for processing. I have been a salt addict all my life but even I found that much salt a little overwhelming.
Highly industrialised the port town sports an enormous amount of rail and iron ore trains as long as 3ks ponderously make their way across the flats.
We stayed at Point Cooke Caravan Park and found it to be quite good. As usual we had a prime spot, this time overlooking some salt/mangrove flats. The lights of the trains and the iron ore handling facilities transformed the distance into a fairy land at night. Behind these lights you could see (and hear) the planes coming in to land. The whole effect was quite surreal. Trouble was you had to brave the sand-flies and the very strong winds to sit outside and enjoy the spectacle.
We only spent three nights in Hedland so really didn’t delve beneath the somewhat dusty exterior.
There was an odd personal note here tho’. TBBITW met his ex here, many many moons ago. While we were there this time, we had lunch with my ex and his now third wife. Not sure what if anything any of that means except that it seemed as if there was some sort of off-beat synchronicity in play. We lunched at the Top Pub and found the food to be quite good and the company if not exciting, at least non-confrontational. Another little hurdle in life’s steeple chase!
Oh well, onwards and upwards – next stop Point Samson. Live, love and forgive as if there were no tomorrows. Stephanie.
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