16-453: The Dampier Archipelago is a group of 42 islands near the town of Dampier in Pilbara , Western Australia . The archipelago is also made up of reefs, shoals, channels and straits and is the traditional home of five Aboriginal language groups. It was formed 7000 years ago when rising sea levels flooded what were once coastal plains. The underlying rocks are among the oldest on Earth, formed in
32-630: A new town of Karratha was established on the mainland as a result. The Burrup Peninsula , or Murujuga, which means "Hip Bone Sticking Out" in the Yaburrara language, is home to what is believed to be the largest collection of petroglyphs (ancient rock art) in the world. There are 42 other islands in the Dampier Archipelago. There is a hugely diverse marine ecosystem around the islands, including whales, dugongs, turtles, coral, and sponges. Green turtles , ( Chelonia mydas ) are known to nest in
48-487: A ship at port. With the neighbouring ports of Port Hedland and Port Walcott , Dampier is one of three major iron ore exporting ports in the Pilbara region The closest airport to the port is Karratha , located less than 20 kilometres away. [REDACTED] Media related to Dampier, Western Australia at Wikimedia Commons Rosemary Island Rosemary Island is an island in the Dampier Archipelago in
64-537: Is now Roebuck Bay , before sailing for Timor . In 2016, archaeologists from the University of Western Australia excavated ancient rock shelters on Rosemary Island, between 8000 and 9000 years old. They may be the earliest known domestic structures in Australia. In 2017, UWA archaeologists identified engravings left by crews of American whaling ships in the 1850s on Rosemary Island and West Lewis Island . In some cases
80-447: Is one of the sunniest places in Australia and the world; its sunshine hours approach those of Aswan in Egypt. 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". Other attractions include the fishing not far off
96-487: Is primarily a port for the export of iron ore from Rio Tinto mines , LNG and salt . The port services petrochemical , salt , iron ore and natural gas export industries. Rio Tinto exports large volumes of iron ore, especially Pilbara blend through the port, and in September 2010 announced plans to expand capacity. At the 2011 census , Dampier had a population of 1,341. The Yaburrara Aboriginal tribe lived in
112-570: The Archaean period more than 2400 million years ago. It is named after William Dampier , an English buccaneer and explorer who visited in 1699. Dampier named one of the islands Rosemary Island . Despite being a region through which considerable shipping and industrial activity occurs, the archipelago has considerable marine resources. Dampier Archipelago is the site of some of Australia's oldest domestic structures, estimated to be between 8000 and 9000 years old. The largest island (or peninsula) in
128-432: The Pilbara region of Western Australia . With Enderby Island it forms Class A Nature Reserve 36915, part of a proposed national park. During World War II an airstrip was established at the north end of the island, where there is also a vehicle track and a well with a distinctive date palm . The well was constructed of concrete with a corrugated steel liner and is now filled with 20th century debris. In 1699
144-513: The Dampier Archipelago. Under the Köppen climate classification , Dampier has a desert climate ( BWh ). The annual average rainfall is 272.2 millimetres (10.7 in), which would make it a semi-arid climate , except, like Alice Springs , its high evapotranspiration (or its aridity) makes it a desert climate. Dampier has extremely hot and humid summers with dewpoints exceeding 24 °C (75 °F). Having over 3,700 hours of annual sunshine, it
160-702: The English navigator William Dampier , in command of the 26-gun warship HMS Roebuck on a mission to explore the coast of New Holland , following the Dutch route to the Indies, passed between Dirk Hartog Island and the Western Australian mainland into what he called Shark's Bay . He then followed the coast northeast, on 21 August 1699 reaching the Dampier Archipelago , which he explored, naming Rosemary Island on 22 August. He continued to Lagrange Bay , just south of what
176-465: The Yaburara are reported to have been killed. 20°32′S 116°36′E / 20.533°S 116.600°E / -20.533; 116.600 Dampier, Western Australia Dampier is a major industrial port in the Pilbara region in the northwest of Western Australia . It is located near the city of Karratha and Port Walcott . Dampier Port is part of the Dampier Archipelago and
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#1732844918131192-471: The area for many thousands of years. The town derives its name from its location on Dampier Island 3 km off the Pilbara Coast and part of the Dampier Archipelago , both named after the English navigator William Dampier . In 1963, the island became an artificial peninsula when it was connected to the mainland by a causeway for a road and railway. In 1979, Dampier Peninsular was renamed after Mt Burrup,
208-430: The coast northeast, on 21 August 1699, reaching the Dampier Archipelago, which he explored, naming Rosemary Island . He continued to Lagrange Bay , just south of what is now Roebuck Bay, before sailing for Timor . The town was built from 1965 onwards, to serve the railway transporting iron ore from Tom Price and Paraburdoo . By 1968, the further expansion of Dampier had been constrained by geographical factors, and
224-649: The coast, the most commonly targeted species being barramundi ( Lates calcarifer ). The port of Dampier was opened in 1966, when the first iron ore from the Mount Tom Price mine was transported via the Hamersley & Robe River railway to Parker Point and loaded on ships. The port at East Intercourse Island opened in 1972. The port has an annual loading capacity of 140 million tonnes of iron ore. Rio Tinto's other iron ore port, Cape Lambert , can handle 80 million tonnes per year. It takes from 24 to 36 hours to load
240-509: The group was known as Murujuga by the Yaburara people. The first British settlers renamed it Dampier Island and it was later officially renamed Burrup Peninsula . The Yinidbarndi , Yaburara , Mardudhunera , and Woon-goo-tt-oo peoples have lived in the area for approximately 50,000 years. In 1868, the area was the site of the Flying Foam massacre , in which between 20 and 150 members of
256-413: The highest peak on the island, which had been named after Henry Burrup, a Union Bank clerk murdered in 1885 at Roebourne . In 1699, Dampier, in command of the 26-gun warship HMS Roebuck on a mission to explore the coast of New Holland , following the Dutch route to the Indies, passed between Dirk Hartog Island and the Western Australian mainland into what he called Shark Bay . He then followed
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