Day 43-44 80 mile beach and Port Hedland

Day 43 80 Mile to Port Hedland

 

Get out of 80 mile and head south for Port Hedland. Port Hedland is essentially a town living on the mining boom. BHP Billiton IS Port Hedland, and without BHP since the 60’s, this place would be a fishing port with a few boats and be best known for being wiped out by a cyclone every 20-30 years!

 

On the way in, see a “mine train”. Picture this: A Train, with 6 Locomotives (3 engines at the front and 3 at the back) 336 Ore cars, measuring over 3.5km LONG. For the LWPS audience, that's the same as going from the front gate of the school, to Melba Park, where the museum is, AND BACK AGAIN to school!

Pinched this pic from BHP Billiton website........I didn't have a spare helicopter to take one myself!

 

Everything in a rusty color because of the Iron ore dust, and everything is BIG

 

Except the camp site at the Caravan park which is tiny and barely fits out camper trailer and Car!!!! Very annoying!!

 

 

In Port Hedland all day. The Car serviced by Pilbara Toyota. Sunil says, when we drop the car off, he’ll try and have it back to us around lunch, after a minor service and inspection. He is aware Mandy is pregnant and doesn’t want us to not have a car for too long. Nice

 

We’ve only been gone about 20 minutes, and we get a call. This isn’t going to be good….. The water pump shaft seal is leaking. Damn……better replace it….. How much? $850!!!!! Most of it is labour, as the radiator has to come out.  We’ll do our best, but it may not be ready until late this afternoon. Hmmmmm What to do in Port Hedland. We have breaky at the Silver Star café, which is in an old Railway carriage. Quaint. Nice food. Pleasant pricing., Same as Melbourne, except the latte was $4.50, but was is a big glass, and was actually quite nice. Almost Yarra standard!!

 

We wander around, go to  a camping store, see the main sights, and consider getting haircuts, except the girl, who has no one in the shop is “ fully booked out until next week”. Whatever…….

 

We heads for the visit centre and bask in their air con and comfy couches. 1230 and we decide we better eat, and head to a Café on the main street. Plenty of “locals” (ie wearing fluro BHP Billiton gear” so figure must be ok. Food not back, pricey, and was even more money we hadn’t counted on spending……on top of the $850 water pump!!!!

 

Sitting there about 1300 and the phone rings…… It’s Toyota. The car is ready! What??!! Brilliant. They pushed it through as they knew we were without a car. Nearly every other car in the workshop had fluro stripping down the side……Maybe they made them wait?? Anyway, Thanks Pilbara Toyota! While we were waiting, and pondering the new $850 leaving out pockets…… I figured it could have been worse. The pump seal could have gone on the Tanami or the Nullabour, MILES from anywhere, and dropped all the coolant, AND cooked the engine…… and cost THOUSANDS and days and days. SO really,….. it could have been a whole lot worse!!!!