Karratha & Dampier

We spent a few days seeing the sights in Karratha, Roebourne, Dampier.  These included:
- The Red Dog memorial at Dampier (Red Dog was also known as the Pilbara Wanderer, I'm sure you've all seen the movie).
- Rock Art at Deep Gorge (part of Murujuga National Park on the Burrup Peninsula). This site has petroglyphs (rock art made by removing the outer layer of rock) dating from 30,000 years ago. This site has up to 1 million petroglyphs making it the largest concentration of rock art in the world. It was quite a rock ramble to get there and we couldn't spot any for ages. Once we finally saw one, we then saw heaps, some very pronounced (see the bilby photo). Anyway kids struggled to focus on them and preferred the snake skeleton and skin we passed!
 - North West Shelf Gas Platform - just across the road from the National Park is the huge gas plant (and Daniel's work). We went to the visitor centre and were amazed at the vastness of the plant. It is Australia's largest operating oil and gas development and it supplies the majority of WA's gas as well as exporting around the world.
- Roebourne Museum & Goal - The oldest settlement in the North West. This was a horrible reminder of the atrocities committed on the Indigenous Australian's after European settlement. Aboriginal prisoners were kept in neck chains and chained to the walls. Many of their 'crimes' were listed as failing to adhere to their work contracts (work contracts that were made without their knowledge as they were sold as possessions to settlers).

Red Dog Memorial

Deep Gorge in Murujuga National Park

Petroglyph Rock Art

North West Shelf Karratha Gas Project