20150701 WA Dampier and Karratha

20150701  Camped at the Tom Price lookout, we are really loving the lookouts in these small towns, not only are they free but you get a great view of the whole town.

20150702  Stopped at Paraburdoo for a quick look and the one thing I noticed was every house had a letter box, strange I know, but a lot can be said about a town that has it's own letter box, take Broom for example, they would be replacing them constantly.

20150706 Bugger, it's school holidays and that means everything will be booked out, which actually worked to my advantage because now we get to detour to Dampier to catch up with Debbie and Dave Ye Ha!. We arrived with a very warm welcome and of cause we had a big night and to our delight Debbie had slaved over the stove and made a lovely roast dinner which was topped off with many wines and a good old catch up with the old hicks from Dampier.

Our tour guides first stop, I'll give you one guess, "The Dampier Hotel" and these pair fit in like shit to a bears bum.

I think she's pleased to see me, don't worry a few more wines should fix her.

See I told you she is much happier, and of cause we carried on once home, and on and on.

If you don't mind watching the ships dock, the beautiful turquoise water and the rattle of the freight train then this is the view for you and at a good price you can have it.  The view from Debbie and Dave's back yard, how can you leave this?

This is what Dave call the scenic root, much more inviting than Karratha and Debbie was wright Dampier is a pretty town not at all what I expected.

07-06-2015 Deb and Dave take us on a road trip to visit some old and new parts of the Western Australia West Pilbara Coast and the town of Roebourne with a wonderful history behind her.

Des gets a visit from the house hold and neighbors pets out for their early morning stroll.

The Old Roebourne Jail built in 1896 provides an insight into the history of this town.  

Built to accommodate only 14 prisoners but often housed up to 40.

There were five hangings at the Roebourne Jail from 1893 to 1900; all five were aboriginal. The four men in chains were hung for the murder of Dr. Ed Vines.

Neck Chains Pre 1900 were in common use in the 1870s through to 1940s, only aboriginal wore neck chains and most were chained throughout there sentences, often for years at a time.

  

 It's hard to imagine trying to walk dragging the Ball and Chain.

The practice of kidnapping and forced labor of aboriginal people was known as "Blackbirding" and was a profitable business for the early settlers.

At the top of Mt Welcome which over looks the town of Roebourne and the Harding River.  Mt Welcome is known to the local Indigenous people as 'Yeera-muk-a-doo', which refers to a wild fig.

Taking in the view all the way to Point Samson and if you look closely you can see all the ships lined up awaiting entry to the wharf, ten I counted so it's going to be a long wait.

Our next stop was Point Samson were we sat back for lunch to take in the view from the Beach Tavern.

Come on Deb we gotta have a pick with the big muddy.

Sneaky pic through the window while Deb prepares dinner, hehe, got ya.

That fat head could only be an American Staffy and he so wanted to come and play but the boys were very cautious, he was just like my daughters dog  Tessie and she's a real sook.  He broke free one day and Des yells, be careful the dog from next door is out as I walked straight past him, he's harmless you pair of chickens.

08-07-2015 State of Origin night and we have a New South Wales supporter in our myths, I guess I had better set up the tripod so I can catch the disappointed look on her face when they lose, he! he!.

You beauty, one try after another, it certainly isn’t looking too good for N.S.W Deb, then another try.  I much prefer a close score to keep the game exciting but this was a white wash, 56 to 2 in Queensland's favour, of cause, are well better luck next year Deb. 

I had my camera set up on the timer and little hag snuck had a play when I wasn’t looking.

 Check out these pair they look like a couple of mischievous kids sneaking photo on the quite.

I have no dealt who the ringleader is, she even dragged Des in on the act.

11-07-2015 Horse racing in Roebourne has been an annual event since 1867, the first race was to be held on the 24 May but due to a local food shortage the race was postponed until late September. Food supplies was brought in by ships and no ship had arrived at Cossack for 9 months so the town was getting desperate. The race became a real social occasion with people moving into town up to two weeks before the event.

Ladies Day at the Roebourne Races so Deb and I dressed up for the big event.

The first race of the day and it’s a three horse race and there off and racing.  You could only put it on for a win but then why would you put it on as a place.

Ye Ha! you won said Deb and you didn't see it because you were to busy taking photos, well I had to get a photo as we both laugh.

Now it wouldn’t be a race without the jockeys and these guys and girls made it all possible.

The day was a great success I left home with $100 and came home with over $100, Des will be pleased with me.  Deb made some yummy seafood skewers with salad which we all pigged out on followed by a couple of drinks. It has been a big week of drinking and I think it finally caught up with Dave as he was the first to hit the sack and don’t worry we weren’t far behind him.  We both have a big day driving tomorrow as Deb and Dave are heading to Perth and it is time for us to hit the road.

12-07-2015   Poor Des was up all night vomiting so we decided to stay one more day so hear we were waving them off, weird I know.  Gustily winds have hit Dampier shaking the van and rocking us to sleep the past few nights,  I’m over it so it time to head off.

13-07-2015  We pack up to leave Dampier after another wonderful time staying with good friends, we will see you one day in Townsville guys for another big secession.

The record breaking train in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest and heaviest trains in the world weighed in at 99,735 tons and was 7.3 kilometres long carrying 682 wagons and transporting 82,000 tons of iron ore and it is controlled by only one driver.

Every year BHP transport about 60 million tonne of iron ore from six mine sites in the Pilbara along the world’s largest privately owned railway (426 kilometres in length).  After the ore is crushed it is then feed into live stacks, the trains go under a tunnel where thirteen ore cars can be loaded at one time through a series of gravity fed chutes, it's just amazing.

And of cause we can’t forget ‘Red Dog’ the Pilbara wanderer, after all he did put Dampier on the map and to think Karratha trier to steel him, shame on you Karratha.