Dampier & Karratha

We drove thru Karratha and camped up at a small community owned (20 sites) park in Dampier right on the water.   The views were great.  We could see the ships coming into the dock to be loaded with iron ore, at night it was fairyland with the lights.    There is also salt mining here and loading facilities as well.  The water was beautiful and warm to swim in  Though there were quite a few jelly fish and stingrays here..  Nothing much else here, full of mining employees, just a nice relaxing spot.    Stayed 3 nights. Went out and saw the Woodside Petroleum Gas Plant, did some 4wd beach driving, had a look at a display village of new homes, mostly factory built and then erected on your land - base price started at $450,000 for an 18sq. house.  One house on display, about 25sq. was sold at $1mill.Crazy stuff, we can now see why houses demand a rent of up to $2500 per week when you see the cost of a new home here.  

Across from the caravan park

Salt waiting to be loaded

The loading jetty at night

Sat night saw us at the Karratha speedway.  $5 for seniors.  Drive your car up onto the embankment, set your chairs up in front of your car and see thru the mesh fence.  1/3 of the track barely visible due to the lack of lighting.   There were no loudspeakers, no commentary, no start/caution/finish lights, no track marshalls, no fire trucks, no graders, no water trucks, no winners flags, a chalk mark for the start line.  Its impossible to get anyone to do any repair work or any volunteer work there - too many big bucks to be made elsewhere for tradies to bother with this community event.   What a sad thing.   In some races, there were only 2 competitors, the motorcycle/sidecars had only 1 entrant and he raced himself.    The fields  were so small, that it was very boring as most were in different divisions but were racing to make up numbers.   The only way you knew a race started and finished was when the pace car in the middle flashed his revolving lights.!!!!!!!!!!   We gave it an 1 and 1/2 and then sadly went home.   Sunday there was a Car & Bike Show on the Oval, a big turnout considering the size of the place.    Lots of Harley type bikes, big money here for boys toys.    The cars werent bad as well, but I think the bikes outnumbered them.