Thurs. 30 Aug., 2012 - Port Hedland to Tom Price

We left Port Hedland just after 8.30am., with a sigh of relief!  What a noisy, depressing place & how the miners have carved it up!  Noise went on throughout the night as vehicles & machines clanked & groaned continuously - even the train sounded its hooter every time it passed.  I now have more sympathy with the environmentalists - after all, how many of us would relish our own towns being similarly ravaged.  I can also subscribe to the idea that environment plays a part in shaping mood & character - I was a very different person at Eighty Mile Beach to the grumpy one who emerged from her caravan after a night at Port Hedland!

Along our route, the road trains were constant, as were other over-sized vehicles.  Gone were the quiet roads to which we had become accustomed - we were in mining country!  Dead cows, at the roadside, confirmed the increase in traffic.

We passed a dry river bed called "Obstinate Creek" & wondered just what had occurred there to suggest such a name.




Coffee Stop ( the red of the building is from the dust)



The scenery began to change dramatically as we drove further inland.  We were surrounded by big hills, which were partially covered with sparse vegetation.  Along the verges were beautiful low-growing bushes with lavender, purple & yellow flowers.

 

Finally, we reached Tom Price, which turned out to be almost twice as far from Port Hedland as we had thought.  We'd estimated 250km, but it was, in fact, 420km!  We'd had a long journey & were all tired, so it was a relief to set up camp, have dinner & go to bed.