My apologies if this appears twice, it seems to have disappeared on my first try.
While you are in Tom Price go to the visitor centre and do the Rio induction, this allows you to drive the Rio mine site road between Tom Price and the Millstream Chichester national Park. (If you start from Karratha their visitor centre also does the induction.)
It will cut a lot of time off and you get to see the mine site trains from up close. They are massive
It’s important to do the induction, it only takes about 20 minutes, if you do not do it you do not have insurance for your vehicle while on the Rio road.
I think Mount Nameless is also worth seeing, I drove past, the track looks steep, I was working and did not get the opportunity to drive up.
The view at the top should be great (I am going up next time I am there)
If you go through to Karratha follow the coast road on the north side of the town, it takes you to the boat ramp, its nothing special there but I thought it was worth a look while I was there. You can drive along the coast from here.
On the way out to the boat ramp you will see a sports ground, just past that on your left there is a motel and north of the motel there is a rise in the ground with a short red dirt road and a car park on top. Go up there for a fantastic view of the mangroves and the coast. It’s the best view in the area. It’s easy to drive past this spot because it looks like it goes nowhere and pretty plain from the bitumen.
Also go to Dampier, its a short trip out of Karratha.
See Red Dog. on the way back into Karratha turn left at the lights and go out on the Burrup Peninsula, go to the end and see the gas plant, its massive and there is a visitor centre there that you can stop off at.
There are a couple of 4wd tracks out there, they look tame from the road, I was in a 2wd sedan so I did not get to try them.
If you go to Port Hedland travel towards South Hedland and Dampier Salt is on your left.
To the left of Dampier salt is a dirt track, this goes down to what looks like the best fishing spot in Hedland. The coast was limestone with an open area amongst the mangroves. There were fish scales and filleted skeletons lying all around. (All big ones)
I was working there about 4 years ago and found it on my last day.
I am planning to take my wife through this area and Karijini in August or early September this year.
I have worked in Karratha and Port Hedland. I have also flown into Newman and driven through Karigini to Tom Price, then on to Karratha and up to Port Hedland before flying home.
The country is magnificent.
Take stacks of water.
Enjoy
We pass back down through Newman on the way home though.
