Port Hedland at random

Port Hedland was a necessary stop to find spare parts for our solar panel regulator which had karked it. All it needed was a couple of diodes but we went from pillar to post looking to find some of the right specifications. We were successful in the end, and so we should have been with all the businesses around servicing the mining industry. Mark had to buy a soldering iron as well to fix the electronics. It is always the way, the one time you decide to leave that tool behind, sure as anything you'll need it, and we did. I think he has about five soldering irons now, different sizes for any job imaginable.

Cabanas out near the 'Yacht Club'

There is a lot of development going on and much has changed since our visit last year. FMG is building enormous structures out towards Finucane and BHP is building another rail line into their port facility. There is a huge reclamation of tidal flats going on out there too, truckloads and truckloads of red dirt had been carted in. 

Part of FMG's new infrastructure 

We had a meal at Port Haven, a mining canteen, which caters for the miners that live there as well as being open to the public. Great meal, plenty of choice and reasonably priced. A local lad gave us the nod about eating there and there were quite a few locals lined up to eat here.  The mining accommodation associated with it looked more like resort accommodation, rather different to the other masses of units that are dotted here and there on the outskirts of town.

Mark's photo of Miske waiting while we take dawn photos of the salt

Rio Tinto Salt works under an indigo sky 

Ore train with the notorious hot briquette plant in the background

With all this talk of trains I thought I should at least put in an image or two of them. One morning I was up early, long before sunrise to record the sounds of trains, horses and the blue winged kookaburras. There was a heavy mist, with water dripping steadily off the tree beside our camper and for all my efforts - all I got was bitterly cold and the sound of dripping water.

Empty ore trucks at BHP's facilities by the port 

Mudlarks down by the mangroves