Monday, 21 December 2015

Roebourne to Karrathra, WA

Roebourne to Karratha in Western Australia, we just travelled through Roebourne, got some supplies at Karrathra, then moved on.

More of our travels this year.
Karratha has the second busiest airport in Western Australia. The airport also serves as the hub of the Pilbara's light-aircraft and helicopter services, enabling contractors to access destinations offshore and in other parts of the region.
It's the Pilbara Region, fly in, fly out miners for the area.
Hot in summer with temperatures during the daytime ranging from 35 to 48 deg C, 20 to 26 deg C at night.
Population is about 16,500 people.
Karratha was established in 1968 to accommodate the processing and exportation workforce of the Hamersley Iron mining company and, in the 1980's the petroleum and liquefied natural gas operations of the North West Shelf Venture.

Roebourne is a former gold rush town in Western Australia's Pilbara region.  It's 202 km from Port Hedland and 1,563 km from Perth, the state's capital.  Roebourne was once the largest settlement between Darwin and Perth but these days there is only just over 800 people.



Roebourne, Western Australia.  We passed through here, called at the Visitors Centre but we were too early as it wasn't open.




One wonders why I would take a photo of McDonald's. 
Well, it had been a very long time since I had seen a McDonald's - it's the little things you miss :)


Roman Catholic Church at Karratha.


Aboriginal Art at Karratha


Karrathra, Western Australia.



 I did a post back in late August of some of the flowers that we came across in Western Australia.
If you would care to view again, please go [ here ]


43 comments:

  1. Love your travel pics of Karratha, Australia. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to you and family!

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    1. Thank you Nancy.
      Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year to you and your family.

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  2. Margaret the landscape is interesting and as I can see the gass is grey but I can't imagine so high temperature. Architecture of thge church is nice

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  3. Is the landscape a little grey green because of winter rains? Or is it always like that? Ruggedly beautiful.

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    1. No Craig - no winter rains up there, only summer rains. I would say the ground is always like that.

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  4. Thanks for sharing these. The Golden Arches made me smile--- ya can't get away from McDonalds. Generally I'm reminded of parts of Nevada and Utah.

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    1. That's true about McDonalds, you always end up finding it somewhere.

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  5. Merry Christmas and all the best in 2016. my dear friend M your blog is amazing I love how you have come so far in this blogging world. Thank you for sharing your world with all us curious people around the globe. Take care and enjoy the time with family. Our friendship has certainly stood the test of time. I am so glad of that. HUGS xo Grace

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    1. Merry Christmas to you and your family and a Happy New Year.
      Thank you - we have been friends for years, and years now - I have forgotten how many :) but it's wonderful to know such a lovely lady.
      Hugs M xoxox

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  6. Replies
    1. It was good to look at in reality, was a hot day when I took the photo.

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  7. Love the artwork.
    With those temperatures fly out would be MUCH more to my taste. Not of pioneering stock it is obvious.
    Thank you for taking my wimpy self along.

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    1. Oh I am sure the summer would be too hot to handle, even for me who likes warm weather with A/C.

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  8. Thank you for visiting my blog! Your post and pics are so interesting. Merry Christmas.

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  9. Interesting report - Karratha has come on since the mining boom. Even has DIRECT air links to Brisbane and other capitals - I presume the fly in / fly out mine personnel.
    Pity about MacDonalds, but I suppose that type of place appeals to the fast food population!
    The Roebourne Old Gaol would have some interesting stories attached to it's history.
    Colin

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    1. Yes regarding the direct flights, that is marvelous, all because of the mining in and around that area.
      I'm sure there would be heaps of stories to be told regarding the jail.
      That McDonald's was the only one for miles and miles, and no, we didn't have any.

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  10. We do live in an interesting country...vast, wide and beautiful.

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    1. And secondly...I'm sorry...I'm running late and until this morning I'd missed a few of your posts and have only now responded. I don't know where the past week went. I don't know where this past years has gone, for that matter! :)

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    2. Sure is big our country, we are lucky is so different in each area.
      That's ok regarding my post - you can't be everywhere :)
      Oh they days and years just slip buy - won't be long and we will be 6ft under, well not too soon Lee :)

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  11. Somebody had to have known a pretty big somebody to get a McDonald's there. For McDonald's normally will not allow a franchise in an area they is unlikely to sustain the desired sales volume.

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    1. That would be the normal assumption Jerry. I'm very sure Maccas and most other large businesses would not build and open in a place that they didn't think was going to be patronized well.

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  12. Replies
    1. It's different there Jo-Anne, and good to drive into it and see shop again.

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  13. The church very much suits the town and surrounding landscape.

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    1. Yes it does Andrew. Didn't get to go inside, the door was locked the day we called.

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  14. Oh dear, McDonalds made it our there!
    I've had some friends who have worked in mines out that way and they've reported just how hot it gets during the day.

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    1. Yes they did make it there, amazing!
      I think most of us wouldn't want to work in such heat, but the big machines have A/C..

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  15. You missed Macca's well they are everywhere I guess if they were missing I would miss them too.
    I t looks nice and peaceful there not to many people.
    Merle............

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    1. It was rather hot there when we were there in our winter.
      Well we hadn't seen those arches of Macca's in such a long time, it was good to see. There is a Macca's just down the road from home here, and everytime we go out, we see the arches..

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  16. My brother has been based in Karratha several times for his work and I've never thought to ask him for some photos of the area. So this is the first time I've seen it. I had no idea there was a Macca's there.

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    1. Oh has he. Well i suppose there were other things to talk about. There are several well known shops there.

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  17. Hello Margaret,
    Great pictures. Amazing to see the large area to live.
    So wonderful and much tranquility.
    Nice to see the Mac Donald. They are every where around the world I think.

    Many greetings and I wish you a Merry Christmas,
    Marco

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    1. Merry Christmas Marc.
      Australia has vast areas where no one lives because it's inhabitable.
      Thank you.

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  18. Fun to see McDonald's. That church is amazing. I love seeing your country. Blessings to you this Christmas.

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  19. The church apparently quite modern and the tower -shaped conical , very attractive .

    Kisses

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    1. Very different is that church, but it can be seen for quite a distance.

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  20. Merry Christmas ! Thank you for the beautiful blogging friendship !

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  21. First visit in your lovely blog. Very interesting to see photos of Australia!

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