89-507: Manuwarra Red Dog Highway is a major road currently under construction in the Pilbara region of Western Australia , between Karratha and Tom Price . Originally known as Karratha–Tom Price Road , it acquired its new name in September 2020 after community consultation. Manuwarra means " 'heaps' or 'masses ' " in the Yindjibarndi language and is the indigenous name for
178-600: A cell-like morphology , were chemically analysed, revealing that they used sulphur for fuel. An extinct genus of stromatolite-forming cyanobacteria , Pilbaria , was named after the region, where the type specimen was found. The Pilbara region, under the Pilbara Development Commission, contains four local government areas : According to the Pilbara Aboriginal Language Centre Wangka Maya ,
267-403: A cost of $ 92.5 million, involved the relocation of railway tracks, five kilometres (3.1 mi) worth of road works, and grade separation of roads. North West Coastal Highway's southern terminus at Brand Highway was upgraded from a roundabout to an interchange, and an overpass was built for Durlacher Street to cross North West Coastal Highway. The highway was also made into a dual carriageway in
356-889: A highway name be used to describe the main route from Midland to Geraldton, and extending to areas further north. The suggested name was Great Northern Highway, following on from the naming of the Great Eastern and Great Southern highways. By July 1941, the committee's proposal had expanded to three highway names for the roads in the state's northern areas: Great Northern Highway for the Midland Junction to Wyndham road, Geraldton Highway for Walebing – Mingenew –Geraldton route, and North West Coastal Highway for "the road from Geraldton to De Grey, via Northampton, Galena, Carnarvon, Boolaganoo, Winning Pool, Giralia, Yanrey, Onslow, Peedamullah, Mardie, Karratha, Roebourne, Whim Creek, Mundabullangana and Port Hedland". The proposal
445-476: A movement with around 20 similar schools established in northern Western Australia by the mid-1990s. Jan Richardson , wife of Victorian Aboriginal activist Stan Davey , wrote a biography of McLeod as a doctoral thesis . In 2006, it was estimated that 15% of the population of the Pilbara identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people , approximately 6000 people. Many Pilbara communities face
534-518: A number of different places. Many have poor infrastructure, and relations between police and Aboriginal people are often tense. The climate of the Pilbara is arid and tropical . It experiences high temperatures and low irregular rainfall that follows the summer cyclones . During the summer months, maximum temperatures exceed 32 °C (90 °F) almost every day, and temperatures in excess of 45 °C (113 °F) are not uncommon. Winter temperatures rarely drop below 10 °C (50 °F) on
623-526: A one-metre-wide (3.3 ft) sealed shoulder on each side. The northernmost section of the highway, from Great Northern Highway to Port Hedland, was made part of Great Northern Highway in early 1996. Over a ten-year period from 1996 to 2006, numerous improvements were made to the highway, with sections widened, reconstructed, and realigned. Intersections and stretches through townsites were also redesigned, existing bridges were strengthened, and new bridges replaced older bridges or floodways. Additional work
712-537: A permit to be obtained from Rio Tinto to use the road. Manuwarra Red Dog Highway roughly follows the route of the Dampier to Paraburdoo railway for its entire length (including the as-yet incomplete stage four). This is to avoid impacts to the nearby Millstream Chichester National Park and the catchment of the Harding Dam (an important source of drinking water), as well as several Aboriginal heritage sites. From
801-424: A population of more than 45,000, most of whom live in the western third of the region, in towns such as Port Hedland , Karratha , Wickham , Newman and Marble Bar . A substantial number of people also work in the region on a fly-in/fly-out basis. There are approximately 10 major/medium population centres and more than 25 smaller ones. The Pilbara consists of three distinct geographic areas. The western third
890-508: A three-star level. The overall highway network was generally rated as three-star or four-star, with around 10% in 2006 and 5% in 2008 receiving a two-star rating. North West Coastal Highway commences at a diamond interchange at the northern end of Brand Highway. It heads east from the interchange and curves round to the north, past a traffic-light intersection with Geraldton–Mount Magnet Road . The highway continues north through Geraldton's outer suburbs for eight kilometres (5 mi) before
979-750: Is 50 kilometres (31 mi) south of the Shark Bay turnoff, where the Overlander Roadhouse is located; and the Wooramel Roadhouse is near the Wooramel River crossing. Carnarvon, at the mouth of the Gascoyne River, is the only large town between Geraldton and Karratha, and is an oasis within an arid region. East of the town, the landscape near the river features banana and other horticultural plantations, while
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#17327907076161068-399: Is a large, dry, thinly populated region in the north of Western Australia . It is known for its Aboriginal people ; its ancient landscapes; the prevailing red earth; and its vast mineral deposits, in particular iron ore . It is also a global biodiversity hotspot for subterranean fauna . At least two important but differing definitions of "the Pilbara" region exist. Administratively it
1157-403: Is about 7 every 10 years. Due to the low population density in the Pilbara region, cyclones rarely cause large scale destruction or loss of life. The area is known for its petroleum , natural gas and iron ore deposits, which contribute significantly to Australia's economy. Other than mining, pastoral activities as well as fishing and tourism are the main industries. The Pilbara's economy
1246-410: Is dominated by mining exports and petroleum export industries. During the 1970s the area was known for union militancy with many strikes and some mines operating as fully unionised 'closed shops.' This was challenged by employers from the mid-1980s onwards and the region now has a very low level of union membership compared to other parts of Australia. Most of Australia 's iron ore is mined in
1335-660: Is located at the turnoff to Karratha, the nearby town of Dampier , and the Burrup Peninsula . Forty kilometres (25 mi) east, Roebourne is the gateway to Wickham , Point Samson and the ghost town of Cossack . The highway continues east 125 kilometres (78 mi) to the locality of Whim Creek, crosses the Yule River after a further 55 kilometres (34 mi), and finishes 20 kilometres (12 mi) beyond at Great Northern Highway, 30 kilometres (19 mi) south-west of Port Hedland and South Hedland . Before
1424-683: Is one of the nine regions of Western Australia defined by the Regional Development Commissions Act 1993 ; the term also refers to the Pilbara shrublands bioregion (which differs in extent) under the Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA). The Pilbara region, as defined by the Regional Development Commissions Act 1993 and administered for economic development purposes by
1513-594: Is the Minilya Roadhouse adjacent to the Minilya River. Seven kilometres (4 mi) further on is the turnoff to the North West Cape area, including Cape Range National Park , Coral Bay and Exmouth. North West Coastal Highway reaches the Pilbara after 100 kilometres (62 mi), where it deviates further inland. The highway continues north-east for 130 kilometres (81 mi), crossing
1602-711: Is the Roebourne coastal sandplain, which supports most of the region's population in towns and much of its industry and commerce. The eastern third is almost entirely desert, and is sparsely populated by a small number of Aboriginal people. The two areas are separated by the inland uplands of the Pilbara Craton , including the predominant Hamersley Range , which has numerous mining towns, the Chichester Range , and others. The uplands have many gorges and other natural attractions. The Pilbara contains some of
1691-730: The Ashburton River close to Nanutarra Roadhouse . Nearby it intersects Nanutarra Munjina Road , an access road to the mining towns of Tom Price and Paraburdoo and the ghost town of Wittenoom . Over the next 260 kilometres (160 mi), the road crosses the Robe River , near the turnoff to Pannawonica , the Fortescue River , adjacent to the Fortescue River Roadhouse, and Maitland River , before it reaches Karratha Roadhouse. The roadhouse
1780-552: The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics , as of 2010 , that resource is being used up at a rate of 324 million tonnes a year, with rates expected to increase over coming years. Experts Gavin Mudd ( Monash University ) and Jonathon Law ( Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation ) expect it to be gone within 30 to 50 years (Mudd) and 56 years (Law). As of 2010 , active iron ore mines in
1869-670: The Manyjilyjarra language and "mingkirri" in the Warlpiri language ) which are circular patches of land barren of plants, varying between 2 and 12 metres (7 and 39 ft) in diameter and often encircled by a ring of stimulated growth of grass, are found in the western part of the Great Sandy Desert in the Pilbara. It has not yet been proven what causes these formations, but one theory suggests that they have been built and inhabited by Australian harvester termites since
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#17327907076161958-507: The Pleistocene . The Pilbara is home to a wide variety of endemic species adapted to this tough environment. There is a high diversity of invertebrates, including hundreds of species of subterranean fauna (both stygofauna and troglofauna ), which are microscopic invertebrates that live in caves, vugs or groundwater aquifers of the region, and terrestrial fauna (see short-range endemic invertebrates ). The Pilbara olive python ,
2047-524: The Regional Development Commissions Act , Pilbara is situated south of the Kimberley , and comprises the local government areas of Shire of Ashburton, Shire of East Pilbara, City of Karratha Town of Port Hedland. The Pilbara region covers an area of 507,896 km (193,826 mi ) (including offshore islands), roughly the combined land area of the US States of California and Indiana . It has
2136-497: The rangeland livestock (grazing/pastoral) industry or pearling ports . However, as natural mother of pearl beds around Cossack were fished out, the pearling fleet began to move northward, and by 1883 it was based at Broome, in the Kimberley region. From c. 1900 , pastoralism went into decline with the growth of other, more productive agricultural areas of the state. Mining in the region started on 1 October 1888, when
2225-562: The western pebble-mound mouse , and the Pilbara ningaui of the Hamersley Range are among the many species of animals within the fragile ecosystems of this desert ecoregion. Birds include the Australian hobby , nankeen kestrel , spotted harrier , mulga parrot and budgerigars . Wildlife has been damaged by the extraction of iron, natural gas and asbestos, but the protection of culturally and environmentally sensitive areas of
2314-409: The 1960s North West Coastal Highway had become a crucial connection for development in the Pilbara – including the pastoral industry, tourism, and the emergence of iron ore mining. In 1966 the traffic volume was up to 125 vehicles per day, and the unsealed road needed constant maintenance to cope with this demand. There were also frequent delays due to flooding. In 1966 the state government announced that
2403-538: The 1980s the highway's flood resistance was improved with the construction of new, higher-level bridges to replace lower crossings. Galena Bridge over the Murchison River opened on 9 December 1983, and a new bridge over the Harding River near Roebourne was opened on 22 March 1985. In the late 1980s the various sections of road across Western Australia's road network were upgraded or reconstructed, with
2492-462: The 25-kilometre-long (16 mi). Stage One, which followed the Dampier to Paraburdoo railway corridor from Tom Price north to Nanutarra-Munjina Road, with a budget of $ 18.7 million. Stage One was completed in December 2003, at a cost of $ 26 million, and reduced the travel distance by 15 kilometres (9.3 mi). Stage Two of Manuwarra Red Dog Highway was 90 kilometres (56 mi) long and followed
2581-582: The Carnarvon area in February 1961, causing much devastation to the road network. Many floodways were completely washed away, and North West Coastal Highway was immersed in flood water for 60 miles (97 km) either side of Onslow. Carnarvon was cut off from general traffic for two weeks, and the damage to the roads in the region took months to repair. Approval was given to realign the road further inland, where it would be less susceptible to flooding. By
2670-612: The Dampier to Paraburdoo railway, or can continue on Nanutarra–Munjina Road to access Roebourne–Wittenoom Road. The constructed road continues just after the railway crossing where the Roebourne–Wittenoom Road crosses the Dampier to Paraburdoo railway. It meets the Railway access road at a T-junction shortly after the crossing. It then roughly follows the railway line for about 22 kilometres (14 mi). It continues west for 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) where it begins to turn to
2759-451: The Dampier to Paraburdoo railway. Whilst the terrain was less challenging than for Stage Two, the road had been used for carting asbestos from the mines near Wittenoom to the port. Bags of asbestos would often fall off the trucks on the way, resulting in the road becoming heavily contaminated. The danger posed by the asbestos was such that, in 2018, the Shire of Ashburton , which manages
Manuwarra Red Dog Highway - Misplaced Pages Continue
2848-489: The Pilbara Development Commission, has an estimated population of 61,688 as of June 2018 , and covers an area of 507,896 square kilometres (196,100 sq mi). It contains some of Earth's oldest rock formations , and includes landscapes of coastal plains and mountain ranges with cliffs and gorges. The major settlements of the region are Port Hedland , Karratha and Newman . The three main ports in this region are Port Hedland, Dampier and Port Walcott . Under
2937-538: The Pilbara Goldfield was officially declared – named after a local creek, the goldfield would later give its name to the region as a whole. It was later divided into the Nullagine Goldfield and Marble Bar Goldfield. However, gold mining began to decline in the Pilbara in the mid-1890s, after alluvial ore had been exhausted. In 1937, mining of asbestos commenced at Wittenoom Gorge . While
3026-636: The Pilbara are: A significant part of Pilbara's economy is based on liquified natural gas (LNG) through the North West Shelf Venture and Pluto LNG plant, both operated by Woodside. The region also has a number of cattle-grazing stations, and a substantial tourist sector, with popular natural attractions including the Karijini and Millstream-Chichester national parks and the Dampier Archipelago . The first railway in
3115-553: The Pilbara coast. The Aboriginal population of the Pilbara considerably predates, by 30,000 to 40,000 years, the European colonisation of the region. Archaeological evidence indicates that people were living in the Pilbara even during the harsh climatic conditions of the Last Glacial Maximum . The early history of the first people is held within an oral tradition , archeological evidence and petroglyphs . Near
3204-658: The Pilbara is now enhanced by the delineation of several protected areas, including the Millstream-Chichester and the Karijini National Parks . The western Pilbara is part of the Pilbara freshwater ecoregion , also known as the Pilbara-Gascoyne or Indian Ocean drainage basin. The freshwater region is characterized by intermittent rivers which form deep gorges, and brackish-water caves that host endemic species. The region includes
3293-592: The Pilbara region around 1900 have been described as slavery , with no wages paid, kidnapping as well as severe and cruel punishments for misbehaviour and absconding all common practices. Some incidents, such as the Bendu Atrocity of 1897, attracted international condemnation. The first strike by Indigenous people in Australia took place in 1946 in the Pilbara, known as the Pilbara strike or Pilbara Aboriginal strike, when Aboriginal pastoral workers walked off
3382-511: The Pilbara region was the narrow-gauge Marble Bar Railway between Port Hedland and Marble Bar . The Marble Bar Railway opened in July 1911 and closed in October 1951. The Roebourne-Cossack Tramway opened in 1897 and many industrial railways have been built to serve the mines. Five heavy-duty railways are associated with the various iron-ore mines. They are all standard gauge and built to
3471-416: The Pilbara's rainfall occurs between December and May, usually with occasional heavy downpours in thunderstorms or tropical cyclones. The period from June to November is usually completely rainless, with warm to very hot and sunny conditions. Like most of the north coast of Australia, the coastal areas of the Pilbara experience occasional tropical cyclones. The frequency of cyclones crossing the Pilbara coast
3560-399: The Pilbara, with mines mostly centred around Tom Price and Newman . The iron ore industry employs 9,000 people from the Pilbara area. The Pilbara also has one of the world's major manganese mines, Woodie Woodie, situated 400 kilometres (250 mi) southeast of Port Hedland. Iron ore deposits were first discovered by prospector Stan Hilditch, who in 1957 found a large iron ore deposit in
3649-535: The Red Dog Gorge in the Millstream Chichester National Park . Both the gorge and the highway acquired its English name from the eponymous Red Dog , a famous Kelpie/Cattle Dog and Pilbara mascot from the 1970s. The need for a more direct sealed road between the areas surrounding Karratha and Tom Price was identified in the 1990s. Before Stages one to three of Manuwarra Red Dog Highway were constructed, access from Karratha to Tom Price (on
Manuwarra Red Dog Highway - Misplaced Pages Continue
3738-657: The Tom Price–Paraburdoo Road intersection (where it continues as Bingarn Road into the townsite), the road goes about 250 metres (820 ft) to the west where it passes under the Paraburdoo branch of the Dampier to Paraburdoo railway, and about 250 metres (820 ft) further along it then reaches the Mine Road intersection, which provides access to the Mount Tom Price mine and was previously part of
3827-547: The area was Francis Thomas Gregory in 1861. Within two years, European settlers had begun arriving. The region was regarded as part of the North West at first – a larger area that included the modern Kimberley and Gascoyne regions. Settlements along the coast at Tien Tsin Harbour (later Cossack), Roebourne and Condon (officially Shellborough; later abandoned) were established over ensuing decades, mainly as centres of
3916-406: The case at Onslow in 1961. The bridges were designed to withstand twenty-year floods, but more severe possibilities were anticipated – the approaches were built lower than the bridge decks, so that excess water would flow around the bridges, rather than over them. The sealing of North West Coastal Highway was nearing completion in 1973; additional resources provided to complete the work resulted in
4005-456: The coast; however, inland temperatures as low as 0 °C (32 °F) are occasionally recorded. The Pilbara town of Marble Bar set a world record of most consecutive days of maximum temperatures of 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 degrees Celsius ) or more, during a period of 160 such days from 31 October 1923 to 7 April 1924. The average annual rainfall in the region is between 200 and 350 millimetres (7.9 and 13.8 in). Almost all of
4094-439: The coastal city of Geraldton with the town of Port Hedland . The 1,300-kilometre-long (808 mi) road, constructed as a sealed two-lane single carriageway , travels through remote and largely arid landscapes. Carnarvon is the only large settlement on the highway, and is an oasis within the harsh surrounding environment. The entire highway is allocated National Route 1 , part of Australia's Highway 1 , and parts of
4183-469: The creek, and the name later became associated with the region. Radiocarbon dating estimates in evidence show that rock art and standing stones at Murujuga in the Dampier Archipelago , Australia's earliest known stone structures, believably dating from 6046 to 5338 BC, are of contextualization by thousands of years of unique cultural traditions and folklore . These sites have lived up as part of survival in present times. The first European to explore
4272-560: The diversified economies of the Mid West and Gascoyne regions, including mining, agriculture, fishing and tourism, transitioning to primarily mining, pastoral stations and offshore oil and gas production in the Pilbara . The entire highway is allocated National Route 1 , part of Australia's Highway 1 , and parts of the highway are included in the tourist routes Batavia Coast Tourist Way (Tourist Drive 354) and Cossack Tourist Way (Tourist Drive 351). The vast majority of
4361-455: The drainages of the Murchison , Gascoyne , Ashburton , Fortescue , and De Grey rivers. The Great Sandy Desert, which covers the eastern Pilbara, has little freshwater habitat. 21°S 119°E / 21°S 119°E / -21; 119 North West Coastal Highway North West Coastal Highway is a generally north-south Western Australian highway which links
4450-491: The final section, Port Hedland to Roebourne, being finished in only five months. An official opening ceremony was held at South Hedland on 6 December 1974, with the road pronounced open by Premier Charles Court . The final cost of the project was approximately $ 31 million, substantially more than the initial estimate of $ 17 million. This was mainly due to two factors: increased construction standards, and inflation, which rose from 4% to 13% between 1970 and 1974. In
4539-448: The heaviest North American standards. Rio Tinto runs driverless trains on its railways. The ports of the Pilbara are: The dominant flora of the Pilbara is acacia trees and shrubs and drought-resistant Triodia spinifex grasses. Several species of acacia (wattle) trees are endemic to the Pilbara and are the focus of conservation programs, along with wildflowers and other local specialities. " Fairy circles " (known as "linyji" in
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#17327907076164628-458: The highway are included in tourist routes Batavia Coast Tourist Way and Cossack Tourist Way . Economically, North West Coastal Highway is an important link to the Mid West , Gascoyne and Pilbara regions, supporting the agricultural, pastoral, fishing, and tourism industries, as well as mining and offshore oil and gas production. In Geraldton, the highway begins at a grade separated interchange with Brand Highway and roads providing access to
4717-498: The highway is a two-lane single carriageway with a speed limit of 110 kilometres per hour (70 mph), except in and around built up areas where it drops down to 50, 60, or 70 kilometres per hour (30, 35, or 45 mph). Main Roads Western Australia monitors traffic volume across the state's road network, including various locations along North West Coastal Highway. In the 2012/13 financial year,
4806-474: The highway's junction with Brand Highway. North West Coastal Highway is the coastal route through Western Australia's remote north-west. From the Mid West city of Geraldton , the highway heads north 50 kilometres (31 mi) to the small town of Northampton , and another 425 kilometres (264 mi) to Carnarvon , the only large settlement along the route. It continues north-east for 660 kilometres (410 mi) to Roebourne , 30 kilometres (19 mi) beyond
4895-509: The highway, roadhouses are the only settlements for long stretches. North West Coastal Highway ends at Great Northern Highway, 30 kilometres (19 mi) out from Port Hedland. North West Coastal Highway was created in 1944 from existing roads and tracks through remote pastoral areas. However, it was a hazardous route that could be dusty in the dry season, and boggy or washed away in the wet season. Economic growth and development in northern Western Australia prompted initial improvement efforts in
4984-413: The landscape transitions to scrubland . Between Geraldton and Carnarvon, the highway passes through remote and dry semi-desert areas. Apart from Northampton, 50 kilometres (31 mi) out from Geraldton, the only settlements over this 475-kilometre (295 mi) stretch are four roadhouses. Binnu Roadhouse is 11 kilometres (7 mi) south of Kalbarri Road, the turnoff to Kalbarri ; Billabong Roadhouse
5073-558: The late 1940s, and a sealed road was constructed from Geraldton to Carnarvon by 1962. The impact of cyclones and seasonal flooding resulted in a realignment inland of the Carnarvon to Port Hedland section, which was constructed and sealed between 1966 and 1973, and required thirty new bridges. Various upgrades have been carried out in sections across the length of the highway, including the Geraldton Southern Transport Corridor project which grade-separated
5162-403: The late 1950s a significant project was undertaken to seal the highway between Geraldton and Carnarvon. The sealed road had progressed northwards in the preceding years, but only by approximately eight to ten miles (13 to 16 km) each year. The rate of work increased rapidly, and by 1960, a 100-mile (160 km) stretch extending south from Carnarvon had been sealed. By the middle of that year,
5251-591: The main access to the town. Here the road turns to the north. It crosses over the Mount Tom Price Mine branch of the Dampier to Paraburdoo Railway about 450 metres (1,480 ft) north of the Mine Road intersection. 1.4 kilometres (0.87 mi) further north, it meets an intersection providing access to the residential area in the north of Tom Price. The road passes the Tom Price landfill about 1.9 kilometres (1.2 mi) further north, where it turns to
5340-581: The many complex effects of colonisation, and lack adequate access to housing, health and education. A 1971 survey of 1000 Aboriginal people conducted by Pat McPherson found that most had one or more serious diseases. At the McClelland Royal Commission into British nuclear testing, Aboriginal people from the Pilbara provided evidence regarding the explosion on the Montebello Islands. Aboriginal communities are sited over
5429-465: The mid-1920s, travelling north from Geraldton necessitated going through Mullewa , Dairy Creek and Gascoyne Junction . In 1926, a direct route joining Geraldton and Carnarvon was constructed, shortening the trip by 160 km (100 mi). At first, this was little more than a rough bush track, at least partly used for extracting sandalwood . As there was often little water along this route, tanks with catchment roofs were built at eight locations along
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#17327907076165518-524: The name for the Pilbara region derives from the Aboriginal word bilybara , meaning "dry" in the Nyamal and Banyjima languages. Another suggested origin is pilbarra , an Aboriginal word for the salt-water mullet found in local waters, reflected in the name of a tributary of the Yule River , Pilbarra Creek, which evolved to "Pilbara" Creek. The Pilbara Goldfield, discovered in 1885, was named after
5607-552: The north-west for about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi). It then begins to run alongside the railway, turns to the north and continues so for the next 17 kilometres (11 mi), where the southern portion of the road currently ends at Nanutarra–Munjina Road. Here drivers may continue north by travelling a short distance on the Nanutarra–Munjina Road, then (if they possess a permit) turning onto the Rio Tinto owned access road for
5696-530: The north-west. 16 kilometres (10 mi) further along it meets the access road for the Millstream Chichester National Park , where it then starts to diverge from the railway line, as the railway turns to the north. It continues north-west for about 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) before turning to the north, and continues until it rejoins the railway about 10 kilometres (6 mi) to the north, near Camp Curlewis. The road then follows
5785-536: The port and town centre. Two major roads link the North West Coastal Highway to the inland Great Northern Highway : Geraldton–Mount Magnet Road in Geraldton, and Nanutarra Munjina Road at Nanutarra , 845 kilometres (525 mi) further north. Several roads link provide access to coastal towns and attractions, including Shark Bay Road , Onslow Road and Karratha Road . With few towns on
5874-543: The presence of abundant iron ore had been known for about a century, it was not until the 1960s and the discovery of high-grade ore in the Hamersley Ranges that the area became pivotal to the state's economy, and towns built to accommodate mining and allied services boomed. In the 1950s, three British nuclear weapons tests were carried out in the Montebello Islands , 130 km (81 mi) off
5963-594: The public roads) was via the Roebourne–Wittenoom Road, the Nanutarra–Munjina Road and the Tom Price Spur Road. However, historical traffic data showed that most vehicles commuting between Karratha and Tom Price were using the more direct route along the Rio Tinto owned access road for the Dampier to Paraburdoo railway rather than the public roads. However, this route had a high accident rate, and requires
6052-497: The railway, deviating only to avoid terrain constraints, for the next 90 kilometres (56 mi) to Karratha, where it ends at a T-junction with the North West Coastal Highway. Drivers can then use Madigan Road to access the town of Karratha . Manuwarra Red Dog Highway is being constructed in four stages. Construction on Manuwarra Red Dog Highway (then known as Karratha–Tom Price Road) began in January 2003, with work beginning on
6141-497: The recorded traffic volumes ranged from 13,350 vehicles per day west of Geraldton–Mount Magnet Road down to 370 north of Minilya–Exmouth Road. The highest percentage of heavy vehicles was 45.5%, west of Karratha Road. Reports commissioned by the Royal Automobile Club of Western Australia (RAC) in 2006 and 2008 gave most of the highway a four-star safety rating out of five, but with a significant proportion rated at
6230-520: The road, ceased maintaining it on advice from WorkSafe . The contamination issue caused delays to this stage, but work eventually began in September 2019, and was completed in September 2020 at a cost of $ 81.5 million. At around the same time work was conducted on the section of Roebourne–Wittenoom Road between Wallyinya Pool and Nanutarra–Munjina Road (which was not to be sealed as part of Manuwarra Red Dog Highway), to repair and remediate that section of road, as it had not been maintained for many months, and
6319-636: The route of the Dampier to Paraburdoo Railway from the northern end of the road at the North West Coastal Highway , about 20 kilometres (12 mi) from Karratha, to a location known as Camp Curlewis, where it met the existing Roebourne–Wittenoom Road. Whilst the northern portion of the route is relatively flat, the southern section was much more challenging, and required significant earthworks. Stage Three had an estimated cost of $ 80 million. Construction of Stage two started in August 2006 and
6408-473: The sealed road would be extended to Port Hedland, over a nine-year period. Substantial portions of the highway would also be relocated above the flood plain. The new alignment on higher ground would be 50 miles (80 km) shorter, and would make bridging rivers easier. Work started at Carnarvon, and 190 miles (310 km) had been completed by 1969. Locally available material was used to great extent during construction, with techniques adjusted based on what
6497-414: The sealing reached 135 miles (217 km) beyond Geraldton and came 114 miles (183 km) south of Carnarvon, with a 76-mile-long (122 km) gap. The project was completed in 1962 when the two sections converged at the 455-mile peg, and was officially opened on 1 September. Completion of the sealed road resulted in increased tourist traffic, and a longer tourist season. A large cyclone swept through
6586-474: The southern Ophthalmia Range , at what was to become the Mount Whaleback mine . In the 1960s, it was reportedly called "one of the most massive ore bodies in the world" by Thomas Price, then vice president of US-based steel company Kaiser Steel. Geoscience Australia calculated that the country's " economic demonstrated resources " of iron amounted to 24 gigatonnes, or 24 billion tonnes. According to
6675-416: The state to quadruple road funding between 1946 and 1952. Two "gangs" of workers were allocated to a 900-mile (1,400 km) length of North West Coastal Highway. Given the vast distance the highway travelled, and destructive cyclones in the Pilbara and Gascoyne that could destroy multiple weeks worth of work, the overall improvement was relatively insignificant. Over time, though, the road was improved. In
6764-489: The stations in protest at low pay and bad working conditions, a strike that lasted for over three years. Family clans in the Pilbara who were supported by mining prospector, Don McLeod , developed skills for mining and the concentration of rare metals . For a short period money accumulated, which according to Aboriginal law was to be used for traditional ways. Eventually the funds were used to establish an independent Aboriginal-controlled school. The concept has expanded into
6853-412: The town of Dampier is a peninsula known as Murujuga , which contains a large collection of World Heritage-listed petroglyphs, dating back thousands of years. Rock art in the Pilbara appears to have been mainly etched into the hard rock surfaces, whereas on the softer sandstone in the Kimberley rock paintings predominate. Working conditions in the pearling and pastoral industries for Aboriginal people in
6942-506: The track. The tanks were named for their distance from Carnarvon, at 40, 55, 85, 110, 125, 150, 180, and 200 miles. These tanks provided a life-saving function but when the road was later sealed, they became less important and were gradually removed except for Number 8 tank. Number 8 tank is still used by travellers and marks a point 100 mi (200 km) from Geraldton, 200 mi (300 km) from Carnarvon. Western Australia's Nomenclature Advisory Committee proposed in October 1940 that
7031-485: The turnoff to Karratha , and ends 160 kilometres (99 mi) further east at Great Northern Highway , 30 kilometres (19 mi) out from Port Hedland . Apart from Whim Creek , between Roebourne and Port Hedland, roadhouses serving the highway are the only settlements on the long stretches of rangeland expanses between these towns. The highway provides access to tourist destinations including Shark Bay , Coral Bay , and Exmouth . North West Coastal Highway supports
7120-475: The vegetation in the surrounding region is primarily shrublands. The highway skirts east of Carnarvon, and crosses the Gascoyne River nine kilometres (6 mi) north-east of Robinson Street, the main road into the town. North of Carnarvon, the highway passes through desert and becomes very flat. Bridges span many ephemeral rivers and creeks, with strands of eucalyptus along their floodplains. The next roadhouse, 135 kilometres (84 mi) beyond Carnarvon,
7209-461: The vicinity of the interchange. Stage 2 of the project, constructed between December 2008 and December 2009, provided a single carriageway connection from a traffic light-controlled intersection on the highway to Geraldton–Mount Magnet Road, with access to Geraldton Airport . In 2013 work began on a project to seal the highway's shoulders from Yannarie River at Barradale to the Onslow turn-off; it
7298-420: The world's oldest surface rocks, including the ancient fossilised remains known as stromatolites and rocks such as granites that are more than three billion years old. In 2007, some of the oldest evidence of life on Earth was found in 3.4 billion-year-old sandstones at Strelley Pool , which preserve fossils of sulphur -processing bacteria. The mineralised spheres, which were found on an ancient beach and have
7387-434: The worst segments prioritised. In August 1988, work on upgrading five and a half kilometres (3.4 mi) of North West Coastal Highway was completed, the final section between Geraldton and Carnarvon to have been brought up to standard. In the following two years, segments with a combined length of 241 kilometres (150 mi) were resealed, and 45 kilometres (28 mi) was widened from 6.2 to 7 metres (20 to 23 ft), with
7476-498: Was available; however, some resources were transported across vast distances. Water, scarce in the dry climate of the North West, was conveyed up to 15 miles (24 km), aggregate up to 100 miles (160 km), and bitumen up to 850 miles (1,370 km). The project required thirty bridges, over riverbeds that could be dry all year, but might receive as much as 1,300 millimetres (51 in) of rainfall in three months, as had been
7565-420: Was completed in August 2008 at a cost of $ 150 million. Stage Three of Manuwarra Red Dog Highway follows the existing, though unsealed , Roebourne–Wittenoom Road for 48 kilometres (30 mi), from Camp Curlewis to Wallyinya Pool, alongside the Dampier to Paraburdoo railway. This portion involved sealing and upgrading the existing road. During construction, traffic was diverted onto the adjacent access road for
7654-405: Was in urgent need of repair. As of October 2021, Stage Four of Manuwarra Red Dog Highway is currently in the design phase, with work underway to identify a final alignment for the road. Construction is expected to start on this 110-kilometre (68 mi) section in early 2022. The estimated cost for Stage Four is around $ 229 million. Pilbara The Pilbara ( / ˈ p ɪ l b ər ə / )
7743-509: Was necessary to repair damage from natural events. Sections washed away by floods in January 2003 were rebuilt, and opened in October of that year, and repairs to the damage from Cyclone Monty in March 2004 were completed that November. The biggest individual project in this period, across all of rural Western Australia, was Stage 1 of the Geraldton Southern Transport Corridor. The project, constructed between March 2004 and December 2005 at
7832-470: Was very dusty in the dry season , and some sections of the road were effectively impassable sand, while other sections contained limestone outcrops that damaged tyres. During the wet season , when rivers flooded, sections of road were essentially bogs , or worse still, were completely washed away. Economic growth and development in Western Australia's northern regions in the 1940s prompted
7921-501: Was well received by the local municipal councils and road boards. The name North West Coastal Highway was gazetted on 21 April 1944, under section 10 of the Land Act, 1933–1939. However, the highway was mostly a series of tracks through remote pastoral areas, with the sealed road ending just past Northampton, approximately 50 kilometres (31 mi) north of Geraldton. Driving was difficult and hazardous all year round. The road
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