Karratha

The coastal town of Karratha is the commercial center of the Pilbara region. It was originally built in 1968 to service the iron ore extraction industry in the nearby Hamersley Ranges and was built as an accommodation center for the workers there. It is close to several spectacular National parks and now is the home of a thriving tourist industry in addition to carrying on its service role to the mining industry. Nearby towns of Dampier Roeburn and Wickham are industrially based and also provide Port facilities. To the north approximately 200 kilometres away, is the larger town of Port headland which is now the major loading port for the iron ore bulk carriers heading to China and Japan.

Just offshore from Karratha are a number of beautiful islands. Barrow Island is the largest and it is the source of a large oil field and the new Gorgon Gas field that will supply large amounts of natural gas to Korea and China. The Dampier Archipelago and the Montabello Islands are now a great charter boat destination with beautiful coral reefs and fantastic fishing available. Inland from Karratha is the magnificent Millstream-Chichester National Park and the Karijini National Park. If you want to study aboriginal rock art in Australia, this is one of the best locations to do so. This area is arid yet full of hidden streams, pools and waterfalls and has a special ambience unlike any other region in the country. Along the coast, near Karratha are many excellent beaches and great snorkelling and diving trips are also available.

Karratha lies 1500 kilometres north of Perth, which is the capital of Western Australia and regular flights service the Karratha region. It is also a popular stop over for the hoards of tourists who engage in campervan and motorhome holidays travelling along the Indian Ocean coastline. There are excellent facilities in caravan parks and camping areas. Hotel and motels provide the majority of the permanent accommodation.

Karratha is an ideal destination to include in your Western Australian travel itinerary.