Port Hedland is a busy port that serves the mining operations inland. It is an industrial city with little to offer the traveller although it is a good base to organise tours to Karijini National Park.
There are two very distinct parts to the city – Port Hedland and South Hedland. Port Hedland is the industrial centre with a busy port. In contrast South Hedland is considered a suburb of Port Hedland and although it is a much quieter and tidier place, the centre of South Hedland actually has more shops and restaurants than Port Hedland.
During the day Port Hedland is an ugly city but at night the whole place lights up like a Christmas tree. At night you can look out to the harbour where you can watch the huge 300m-long ships come into port.
Whale watching trips depart from Port Hedland (Jul–Oct) and you can observe flatback turtles at beaches in Port Hedland (Oct–Mar).
There are no longer any hostels in Port Hedland so you’ll need to sleep in your car.
