Shipping canal in Port Hedland

We were very fascinated with the number of ships coming and going into the
port at Port Hedland - the ships were really huge and once they had been
loaded were very low in the water. The park that these photos were taken
from was a popular stopping place for visitors and locals alike. It was
adjacent to the business part of town where the Post Office and at least
five banks were - obviously every bank wanted to be represented in town to
take care of the earnings from the mine. Besides the PO and the banks there
were only two or three eating places in this part of the town. The main
shopping was in two areas - one small shopping centre in Port Hedland where
the Woolworths was and a second larger complex in South Hedland where the
Coles and Kmart were.

Port Hedland also has an international airport - not large but busy. The
only international flights were to Bali (just over two hours flying) which
is popular for week-ends and short holidays, and then of course the domestic
flights for the fly in fly out for the mines.

We were amazed at the price of housing in Port Hedland and over two million
was not unusual for a reasonably "normal" sort of home and rents $2000 plus
per week. Housing is difficult to come by and most of the photos in the
local paper for houses to buy or rent said "under offer".