On the Road to Port Hedland – it was not defaced last time I took the same pic in 1998.

It seems the rain is following us, or we’re following the rain or it’s just a really big system.  Port Hedland was meant to be a two night stop over but the CP had a “pay for 2 stay for 3″ deal so three it was.  Just as well, as we only managed half a day of sightseeing much to Julian’s disappointment.  The rest of the time it was either raining too heavily to go out or we were doing jobs.  Julian was very keen to check out his “old stomping ground” as he kept calling it.  It seems not much has changed.

One of the old haunts – good for a lusty beer or three on a Thursday afternoon.

A bucket wheel reclaimer in the blending yards.  I commissioned the three blue scrubber stacks on the right during my last trip in 1999.

Port Hedland Port.

Port Hedland really struck me as an industrial port with no aspirations to be anything else.  There was nothing to really welcome the tourist apart from a lovely tourist info centre and art gallery.  The houses that we drove past, including the posh part of town were mostly bleak and boring without any sense of being loved. We chose not to live here in 1998 and would not reconsider in 2015. It was hard to imagine how you could create a sense of home here.

On the way out!