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Aerial view of Karratha, Western Australia
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Karratha_Western_Australia_Aerial2.jpg
Glen Dillon
Karratha is a town on the northwestern coast of Western Australia. It has a population of around 12,000 people (2012 estimate). It is located in the Pilbara region, next to the port town of Dampier.
Karratha was a cattle station until the 1960s, when it evolved into a mining town. This was due to the iron ore operations. The iron ore is processed and explored out from Karratha. In the 1980s, petroleum and liquefied natural gas operations were also added to Karratha. The North West Shelf Natural Gas Project based in Karratha is Australia's largest natural resource development.
Today Karratha's economy evolve almost entirely around its mining and petroleum industries. It also has a sea-salt mining facility and ammonia-export operations. To cater to the growth of its population, the majority of whom employed in the aforementioned industries, Karratha has its share of national chain outlets such as McDonald's, KFC and Subway. The biggest shopping mall in town is Centro Karratha. The town has become the main shopping destination for people living in the Pilbara region.
Iron ore mine at Dampier near Karrathahttp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dampier_Iron_Ore,_Western_Australia.jpgNachoman-au
Visiting Karratha
You can fly to Karratha from Perth on Qantas, Skywest and Virgin Australia. There are also twice weekly Qantas services from Brisbane.
Places of Interest in Karratha
- Cossack Heritage Town
Historic town at the mouth of the Harding River. It was the center of the Pilbara gold rush in the 19th century. Today many of its buildings have been restored to preserve their historic value. - Jaburara Heritage Trail
Trail passing through places with Aboriginal rock art and petroglyphs. - Jarman Island Lighthouse
Lighthouse near Cossak on the West Pilbara Coast. It operated from 1888 until 1985, and is one of the major landmarks in the area. - Millstream-Chichester National Park
National park in the Pilbara region protecting the nature and landscape of the area on the Millstream Creek and Chichester Range. - Roebourne Visitor Centre
Visitor center for Roebourne, one of the oldest serving towns in the Pilbara region.
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