Dampier, Western Australia
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| Dampier Western Australia |
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 Map of Dampier, Western Australia and surrounding area. |
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| Population: | 1,810 | ||||||
| Established: | 1960s | ||||||
| Postcode: | 6713 | ||||||
| Elevation: | 48 m (157 ft) | ||||||
| Location: | |||||||
| LGA: | Shire of Roebourne | ||||||
| State District: | North West Coastal | ||||||
| Federal Division: | Kalgoorlie | ||||||
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Dampier is a major industrial port in the north-west of Western Australia. The Dampier Port is part of the Dampier Archipelago. The port services petrochemical, salt, iron ore and natural gas export industries.
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[edit] History
Aboriginal people have lived in the area for many thousands of years. They include the Yaburrara and Ngarluma tribes. The town is named after the archipelago which in turn got its name from the English buccaneer William Dampier,[1] who visited the area in 1699.
As the expansion of Dampier reached a limit in the 1970s nearby Karratha was fully developed to cater for the overspill from Dampier.[2]
[edit] Environment
The nearby Murujuga (Burrup Peninsula) which means 'Hip Bone Sticking Out' in the Ngarluma/Yaburrara language is home to what is believed to be the largest collection of petroglyphs (ancient rock art) in the world.[3]
There are 42 islands within the Dampier Archipelago.[4] There is a hugely diverse marine ecosystem around these islands where the fauna includes whales, dugongs, turtles, coral and sponges.[4] Green turtles, (Chelonia mydas) are also known to nest in the Dampier Archipelago.[5]
[edit] Attractions
At the entrance to the town is a statue of "Red Dog", a red kelpie/cattledog well known for roaming the area in the 1970s and hitching rides to nearby towns. The statue reads "Erected by the many friends made during his travels".[6] Other attractions include the fishing not far off the coast, the most commonly targeted species being barramundi (Lates calcarifer).
[edit] Photos
 Salt Field |
 Iron Ore |
 "Red Dog" statue |
[edit] Panoramas
[edit] References
- ^ "Dampier." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2006. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 3 December 2006 http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9028661
- ^ Dampier The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 February 2004. Retrieved 3 December 2006.
- ^ Save Dampier rock art Retrieved 3 December 2006.
- ^ a b D-day for Dampier 19 December 2005. The Wilderness Society. Retrieved 3 December 2006.
- ^ Marine turtles in Western Australia Department of Conservation and Land Management. Retrieved 4 March 2007.
- ^ Dog deserves a pat The West Australian. 12 October 2006. Retrieved 3 December 2006.
[edit] External links
- Dampier, Western Australia is at coordinates Coordinates:
- Dampier Port Authority
- The Burrup Peninsula The National Trust of Australia
- The World Monuments Fund's 2008 Watch List page for the Dampier Rock Art Complex
[edit] See also
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