Port Hedland Tours
Harbour Tour
Details:
- Days and times:
- 9:00am Monday to Friday.
- Additional tours may run in peak season
- Tour begins with an informational talk, followed by the launch trip. Please allow 2 hours due to varying vessel traffic in the port.
- Cost:
- Adult - $65
- Child - $35
- Seniors - $60
- Family of 4 - $180
- To book, go to www.phseafarers.org/tours
Join the seafarers launch (boat) as we circle the harbour, picking up and dropping off visiting seafarers.
We start with a presentation about the Seafarers Mission and what we do, including facts and figures about Australia's largest tonnage port and loading processes before we bus you down to the jetty for the launch run around the harbour.After the tour please join us for a cuppa and take the opportunity to ask questions..
Yarning with the Locals
Details:
- Days and times:
- 11:00am Tuesday
- Operates between May to September
- Cost:
- Free
Join local residents for a cuppa and learn about a different side of Hedland - the community, camaraderie and funny stories that make Hedland home. This is the perfect activity for locals and visitors, and is an opportunity to meet new people and build friendships which the Pilbara is famous for.
PUBLIC Art in Port Hedland - self-guided street art map
Port Hedland's West End is home to some of the best street art in the region, completed by artists such as Yok and Sheryo, Saner and Hayley Welsh. Street art enthusiasts can pick up a copy of the street art map from the Visitors Centre or Courthouse Gallery and spend an afternoon exploring the alleyways and streets of the West End. Some are obvious, and some require a little bit of adventure!
Cultural and Heritage Trail - self-guided tour of the historic West End
If you prefer to explore at your own pace, pick up a copy of the Visitor Centre's Cultural and Heritage Trail guide which will take you around the West End and the historic sites such as Banger's Bungalow and the Old Nurses Medical Quarters (both now utilised as an office and a Dome Cafe, respectively).
Twilight Industry Tour
Details:
- Days and times:
- 4:30pm Daily
- Additional tours may run in peak season
- Cost:
- Adult - $70
- Child - $45
- Seniors - $65
- Family of 4 - $185
See the world’s largest bulk loading port from the outside looking in with our expert guide. On this 1 ½ hour bus tour learn about the history of the port, as you travel past the Dampier Salt site around to Finucane Island where you’ll learn about our miners, BHP, FMG, Roy Hill and the newer lithium miners. As the sun sets over the port enjoy a complimentary beverage while watching the ships come and go. On your trip home you’ll see the whole port light up as the night shift begins.
Salt Industry Tour
Details:
- Days and times:
- Monday and Friday 1.30pm
- Additional tours may run in peak season
- Cost:
- Adult - $65
- Child - $40
- Seniors - $60
- Family of 4 - $170
This is a 90 minute guided bus tour of Dampier Salt’s operation where you will learn how the salt is grown and see how the salt is harvested. Head back to the production area where you can touch the salt in its raw form while taking photos of the salt stack
Big Fish Tour
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Details:
- Days and times:
- Sunday and Wednesday
Please contact Pilbara Tours on 0408 933 108 or visit website www.pilbaratours.com.au for information and bookings.
Port Hedland Experiences
Port Industry
Port Hedland is home to the world's largest export tonnage port, shipping over 600 million tonnes per annum in the 15/16 financial year. The best views of industry in motion in the harbour can be found at Marapikurrinya Park (Richardson Street, Port Hedland) on the waters edge in the historic West End. You can also see the ships in action while enjoying a coffee at Dome Cafe at the corner of McKay Street, Port Hedland. The Port Interpretive Walk running along the Esplanade offers information about the port's history and the resource companies that utilise the facility.
Wildlife
Port Hedland's uniquely beautiful beaches and mangroves are home to an abundance of fish and other wildlife. Off the coast of Port Hedland you can see whales, bottlenose dolphins and sharks.
Turtle Monitoring
Flatback sea turtles nest only on Australian beaches and they have the shortest migratory range of all sea turtles.
From October to March Hedland's beaches become home to hundreds of flatback turtles (natator depressus) as they nest and their younglings hatch. For turtle viewing and monitoring, it is advisable to contact the local Care for Hedland Environmental Association who manage the turtle monitoring program.
Care for Hedland's turtle program provides much needed monitoring, awareness and conservation for these local threatened species. This program is a part of a wider turtle monitoring project encompassing nesting rookeries from Shark Bay in the south, up to the Kimberly. Guided evening tours operate for anyone to watch the turtles nesting whilst following the turtle watchers code of conduct. Nesting season is from October to January. Hatchling season is in December to March.
Contact Care for Hedland on 0488 907 260 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to find out more.
Pilbara Wildflowers
During the winter months in Port Hedland you will be able to find a multitude of native wildflowers. You could make an adventure of wildflower viewing by following the Pilbara Wildflowers Trail by road through the region. July to September is the time to experience this beautiful natural occurrence unique to the Pilbara. Look in the right places and you will find the unmistakable Sturt's desert pea, Mulla mulla and the tall majestic Ashburton pea as well as up to 65 species of the Acacia (wattle).
Staircase to the Moon
The Staircase to the Moon is a natural phenomenon that occurs only in the North West of Australia between March and October. During the full moon this region experiences such dramatic tidal changes throughout the day that enable the pockets of water caught in the sand ripples to reflect the natural rising colour of the moon. Viewed at full moon on a still evening this light creates what looks like a golden staircase leading to the moon.
The times for the rising moon are in the local telephone book, they are also displayed monthly at the Port Hedland Visitors Centre. The best vantage spot is next to the Cooke Point Caravan Park (Goode Street) in Port Hedland. There is a viewing deck set up especially for this natural occurrence.
Note: A super full moon occurs when the moon's closest to the Earth, during this time the moon may seem bigger and brighter.
Here are just a taste of the things that you can expect to experience and love on your trip to Port Hedland:
Arts and Culture
If you are interested in discovering the diverse identity of this region there is a wealth of cultural experiences to be had in Port Hedland.
Port Hedland Courthouse Gallery
The Port Hedland Courthouse Gallery on Edgar Street is located in the heart of the West End and has become a destination in the region, with a full and diverse year-round exhibition program featuring Indigenous artworks, national and local artists and photographers including the annual Hedland Art Awards (August). The Gallery also runs a range of art and craft workshops it's also home to retail space where you can find stylish objects, homewares, jewellery, accessories and books.
Spinifex Hill Studios
Port Hedland's only Aboriginal arts centre, the Spinifex Hill Studios in South Hedland is home to artists from skin groups across the Pilbara. What makes this centre unique is the range of art styles brought by the artists, giving depth and dimension to the final product. Visitors are welcome to pop by and watch the artists at work, and they also stock an extensive collection of artwork available for sale.
Dalgety House Museum + Don Rhodes Mining Museum
Dalgety House on Wedge Street was the original Dalgety & Co manager's house, and has been converted to a museum and interpretive centre run by the volunteers of the Port Hedland Historical Society. Along Wilson Street sits the Don Rhodes Mining Museum with historic mining and transport equipment and a monument to the town's Torres Strait Islander residents.
Matt Dann Theatre and Cinema
Feel like a night at the movies or the theatre, or want to catch a weekend matinee with the kids? Perhaps you'd like to take in a contemporary music or dance performance, or some stand-up comedy? The Matt Dann Theatre and Cinema is the hub of Hedland's performing art scene with an annual calendar of vibrant stage shows and movies to suit all ages.
PUBLIC Street Art
Take a walk through Port Hedland Historic West End to discover some awesome urban artworks by Creepy, Phibbs, Tim Rollin' and Ryan Boserio which bring the street to life. Download a copy of the PUBLIC Street Art map here.
Coastal Experiences
On the coast, tides which range from half a metre to eight metres create fine fishing spots and great opportunities for shell collectors, reef walkers and photographers. Several coastal public parks are linked by pathways so you can walk or ride your bikes while admiring the view.
Fishing is a renowned activity in Port Hedland, whether by boat, off the rocks, public jetty or along the beaches and spoil bank. A wide variety of fish such as bream, whiting, mullet, kingfish and skippy can be caught in a number of habitats. A large population of juicy mud crabs live in the dense mangroves vegetated with samphires and other salt-tolerant plants.
Tides fluctuate from half a metre to seven metres, with beaches ranging from sand to rock and flourishing mangrove, the most popular swimming beach is Pretty Pool Beach and the town also offers plenty of public pool and water park amenities. Birdlife is abundant along the beaches and in the tidal creeks.
Care for Hedland run Reef Walks which provide a great opportunity to get in amongst Port Hedland's natural environment. Contact the centre to For other coastal adventures, picnics or beach fishing it is worth visiting Finucane Island, Cemetery Beach, Six Mile and the Spoilbank.
Community Activities and Events
Depending on what time of year you come and visit, there are always many various community events that you can get involve in.
West End Markets
Hedland's only dedicated maker's markets attracts around 50 stallholders selling an array of locally handmade items including adult and children's clothing, textile, artwork, jewellery and homewares. Held in the shady gardens of the Courthouse Gallery, market-goers are treated to live music, roving street performers and an array of delicious market foods in an outdoor food court. The West End Markets are held in April, June, August and October off Edgar Street, Port Hedland.
Port Hedland Yacht Club Markets
Held on the first Sunday of each month, these markets are set against the gorgeous backdrop of the Indian Ocean and the world's largest export tonnage port. Browse products from local makers and suppliers, and enjoy a big breakfast by the ocean. The yacht club also has a large kids playground so is the perfect family-friendly activity.
Port Hedland Racing Season
Like most other things in Port Hedland, racing season is big! Each winter the season kicks off with Family Day and other meets, but Ladies Day (July) and Hedland Cup (first Sunday in August) are the best excuse to get frocked up (hat, heels, the works) and enjoy a glass of bubbly trackside.
West End Movies
Enjoy a free movie under the stars in the Courthouse Gallery Gardens. Kick back in a vintage-style deckchair and enjoy a live acoustic performance before the film. No food or beverages are served at this event, however patrons are more than welcome to bring their own picnic basket of nibbles and refreshments, as well as their own chairs or rugs. Visit www.whatsonhedland.com.au to for dates and movie titles.
Silver Star Cafe
It is also worth checking out the Silver Star Cafe in the West End. This iconic cafe and restaurant is housed inside a silver 1920s rail carriage. Through the 1960s to 80s the carriage travelled between Port Hedland and Newman servicing dignitaries and community members travelling between Mt Newman Mining's (now BHP Billiton) sites. Now in its new home in the West End, you can expect to find a great cup of coffee, delectable cakes and sweets and a tasty breakfast, lunch and dinner menu.