Round Australia By Motorbike: Carnarvon to Dampier

1/5/12 Total 10530km for day 651km
Carnavon, Fortescue, Dampier

The highlight today must have been crossing the Tropic of Capricorn. Stopped there for the obligatory photo. We have crossed the Gascoyne River and the Gascoyne Outback. A big percentage of the area we covered today was over flood plains. If there was a creek or dip in the road they had water level indicators starting at 4 metres and then to 2 metres, so at times there must be huge amounts of water running through. A couple of places in the creek area threre were gouge marks on the road where a truck has presumably come over the rise and discovered water in the creek and slammed on the anchors and gouged out the road. Another poor motorist was on the side of the road changing a wheel, then there was the debri of the peeled off tyres spread down the road and then the black tyre marks when the driver discovered he had a blow out.

Passed a couple of iron ore mines, two gas plants, then as we got closer to Karatha the traffic built up and as we turned off to Dampier there was a continuous stream of traffic coming out of Dampier to Karratha for 20km. It was work finished for the day. There was the Rio Tinto Salt Mine along the highway and we are on the Peninsula where the port is.

Apparently there are more Iron Ore mines going in around Fortescue and the railway is going to run direct from there to the port at Dampier.

Haven't had a chance to look around here as it was getting dark when we got here. Most of the accommodation in these places is set up for the workers and it is expensive, really expensive. Was going to stay at Karratha but found something a little cheaper at Dampier.

Karratha is the main town centre by Dampier and is the fastest growing town in the Pilbara. It was founded in 1960 due to the growth of the iron ore industry.

Peninsula Palms Dampier $279, but this included dinner in the mess, breakfast in the mess, and a crib lunch
This place is set up for the miners.