Welcome to the Roebourne CRC

We have here 5 computers for public access, video conferencing and printing and also fax and laminating facilities.

Customers:

Our main regular customers are from the Roebourne community but we also provide services to tourists who arrive up in the Pilbara for our lovely weather in the winter; it is interesting to find that they are from all over Australia and even a few from overseas.

Towns:

Our area covers Roebourne, Wickham, Cossack, Point Samson, Karratha and Dampier. Each of these towns has much to offer the tourist.

Roebourne: The first town settled in the Pilbara was originally all pastural, early settlers pleased at the wide open spaces and the availability of fresh water from the Harding River. Life was hard by the standards of today and many people died at a young age, but this was not unusual for those times. Cyclones was another hazard that was faced each year, many homes destroyed. These days not much damage is done in the area due to the high standards imposed to protect all buildings.

Roebourne now is a far cry from the busy days of the early mining days, most people these days either work for the government, mining companies or supporting businesses like builders, plumbers, electricians etc.

There are many old historic buildings in and around Roebourne including the Post Office (still in use as a Post Office) the library,(previously a Masonic Lodge) Visitors Centre (originally a gaol, this was re-opened as a gaol in 1975 and closed in 1984 when the new gaol was built on the Wickham road) the hospital is still operational at present and we all hope it remains so for the foreseeable future The Court House also is steeped in history still in use And Trinity Church a lovely old stone building perched on Mount Welcome overlooking the town still has the occasional service and sees a few marriages, baptisms and funeral services each year . Roebourne Supply Mart also has a long history dating back to the early days of settlement. Much of this information and lots more is available at the Roebourne Visitors Centre.

There are free tours of Port Walcott Roebourne and Cossack available three times a week, these to be booked at the Visitors Centre.

Accommodation is limited in Roebourne there being only one hotel and one Caravan Park, The caravan park is on the other side of the river and is very popular with visitors.

We are fortunate in having a very modern up to date Medical Centre located on Sholl Street this is Mawarnkarra, an Aboriginal medical centre attended both indigenous and non indigenous.

Sporting facilities include an under cover basketball court and a swimming pool.

Wickham: Established in the 1960s to house the workers of the mining company, Cliffs Robe River. Pay was high for those working for the company and housing was free so many people made their futures secure. The huge iron ore trains are some of the longest in the world, waiting for the train to pass on the road to Karratha can take a long time but it is interesting never the less.

Wickham hospital has now been down graded to a Nurses station in line with government policy of maximizing use of available medical funding.

Accommodation is available at the Wickham Lodge.

Retail outlets are Woolworths, newsagency with basic hardware and lottery agency also Work Sense. Food outlets are Wickham Snack Bar, Café Maverick and J.D’S Take away.

Sport is very popular here Wickham having a strong football team and cricket team also there is a squash court, tennis courts, swimming pool and skydiving club

Cossack: Brimming with history it is renowned for it’s nostalgic past and is now a major tourist attraction, with most of the remaining solidly constructed stone buildings restored.

First settlers to the area arrived at Cossack and moved inland where they pioneered station country. Soon the oldest port in the North West was established. The town was an exiting place to be when pearls were discovered. History of Cossack can be followed by viewing the excellent photographic and written records in the Bond Store.

Once a year the now famous Cossack Art Awards are held in this store with entrants coming from all over Australia.

Nowadays other activities are the Aboriginal studio with artists hard at work. Paintings can be viewed and bought from this venue. Part of the Bond Store is used as a café with a relaxing scenic setting. Other buildings in use are the majestic Courthouse as a museum; the old Prison Guard Quarters as back packer’s accommodation and the Post office and Gaol house as a continuous local art studio for styles of art.

The list of attractions is incomplete without mentioning the Old Cemetery, the views of the islands and mining activities from Readers Lookout and the excellent fishing from the inlets and wharf.

Plans for further building of homes are being processed; in the meantime the only permanent residents are the caretakers

Point Samson: Point Samson started as a fishing village, then when the entrance to Cossack silted up a long jetty was constructed where ships tied up to transport wool from the stations .Then a bit later the now infamous asbestos. Much to the sorrow of eager sightseers and fishing enthusiasts the jetty had to be demolished due to cyclone damage.

Fishing is the major activity nowadays. The Johns Creek harbour has been made into a safe harbour by the construction of a groin at the entrance. Vessels use these facilities in their thriving industry of fishing and prawning, both of these products being sent Australia wide and to outlets overseas. These culinary delights can be sampled at the very popular restaurant and tavern while enjoying great views of the beach and the ships anchored and waiting for berths to load iron ore and gas at Cape Lambert. During the season whale watching is also a popular day out.

Point Samson is booming with newly constructed housing, another Caravan Park with over 60 sites, modern backpackers units and numerous Bed & Breakfast facilities Samson Lodge Boasts five star accommodation combined with fishing charters. Just before you come into the town there is Sam’s Creek, this was recently the base for a Pearl Farm (no longer there) it is also picturesque and a well used fishing spot is Pope’s Nose Bridge.

Karratha: Now the centre of administration for the Shire of Roebourne is a busy bustling town. The shopping centre is equal to most suburban shopping centres having many major stores and also small independent stores. The modern Nickol Bay Hospital caters to the needs of the people of the area. There are also all the major bank branches, legal services, accounting services, Welfare and Centrelink, and pretty much all that is needed to have a successful community. Accommodation for the tourist is plentiful but for the resident there is a shortage due to the increased mining activity in the area. Many new houses are being built in the Shire to house the overflow of workers but at present many workers are ‘fly in fly out.’ One of the great places to visit is the Burrup Peninsular with its ancient rock carvings. A visit to the Visitors Centre can point you in the right direction for outback tours and many more sights to see. Karratha is well worth a stay for all the places to see all within a days drive.

Dampier: Dampier, named after William Dampier who first landed on Australian soil long before white man settled here is a busy port exporting some of the largest loads of iron ore, gas and salt to be sent out of Australia. A drive from Karratha to Dampier will pass the salt farms which stretch as far as the eye can see from the road.

Fishing is a popular activity for residents and tourists alike. The scenery is truly beautiful in this part of the world .a trip to Dampier is not complete without visiting the statue of the Red Dog. This dog was known and loved by residents all over the Pilbara as he travelled from town to town to go to cricket matches to eat the BBQ after the games; unfortunately he picked up a bait and died after endearing himself to so many. There are some great places to have a meal here and many travel from the nearby towns to Dampier just for that special meal out.