Know the ‘real’ Port Hedland through locals

Visitors and locals alike will once again have the opportunity to get to know the “real” Port Hedland through the Visitor Centre’s free program Tales of Port Hedland.

Tales of Port Hedland, which kicked off for 2016 last month, is hosted each Friday at the Visitor Centre at 10.30am throughout the peak tourism season.

Port Hedland Visitor Centre Manager Sue McMahon said the talks offered visitors and locals a chance to meet a Port Hedland personality and hear their tale of life and times in town.

“Visitors to Port Hedland arrive with a preconceived notion of what Port Hedland is and what it is like to live in a mining town,” she said.

“Tales of Port Hedland looks to breathe a new side into the standard face-value experience of the traveller to our region by offering an insight into the life of a local personality in the comfort of the Port Hedland Visitor Centre.

“We have a great community here and plenty of tales to tell, Tales of Port Hedland aims to open up some of that richness of culture and community and share the human side of Port Hedland.”

One of the first local personalities, Arnold Carter, is no stranger to sharing a tale or two and happily exposed the lighter side of Port Hedland in the 60s, the development of the mining industry and life and times in a non-air-conditioned frontier town.

“Port Hedland is a place full of history, modern and indigenous culture,” he said.

“I shared my tale of Port Hedland last year, and thoroughly enjoyed it, so I was happy to sign up again this year, to share my experiences of life in the mines in the early days of Port Hedland.

“Tales of Hedland is a great chance to share the real Port Hedland with visitors, they come along and learn a thing or two, have a conversation and leave with a smile on their face, and leave knowing we are a community about more than just red dirt.

“It’s not just for the tourists, I think a lot of locals would enjoy the opportunity to learn a bit more about Port Hedland too.”

Tales of Port Hedland is a free program run every Friday at 10.30am at the Port Hedland Visitor Centre, 13 Wedge St Port Hedland.

The next speaker will be Colin Brierly from Indee Station on June 10.