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Voykit pocket guide · Australia
Port Hedland
Marapikurrinya
Stop one night on the Perth–Broome run, or skip: the port, the ore trains and the turtles are the whole show, and May–Aug is the only sane window.
Port Hedland is an iron-ore export port in the Pilbara, 1,600–1,750 km north of Perth by road and two hours by air. Freighters queue offshore, trains almost 3 km long roll in from Newman, and flatback turtles nest on Cemetery Beach. It is a working town with motel prices to match, so most travellers use it as a break in a long drive rather than a destination.
- Country
- Australia
- Local name
- Marapikurrinya
- Best months
- May–Aug
- Avoid
- Oct–Mar (extreme heat, cyclone season from Dec)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- AUD
- Money
- Currency is the Australian dollar (AUD, A$). Contactless cards and phones are accepted almost everywhere, including public transport in the big cities; some small cafes are card-only.
- Daily spend
- Budget A$120–180 excl. bed · Mid A$180–280 excl. bed · High A$280+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telstra has the widest outback coverage; Optus and Vodafone (TPG) are cheaper and fine in cities and along highways.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 000 · From a mobile 112
- Plugs
- Types I · 230 V · 50 Hz · Angled two- or three-pin Type I, shared with NZ, Fiji and China; sockets have their own switch — turn it on.
- Tipping
- Cafés and casual meals: Nothing; a tip jar is optional.; Restaurants: Not expected; 10% for very good service in a nice restaurant if you wish.; Taxi / rideshare: Round up or nothing.; Tours and guides: Optional; A$10–20 for a great day guide.; Surcharges: Weekend and public-holiday surcharges of 10–15% are legal if shown on the menu.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in cities and towns; in remote places use signed drinking taps. Carry plenty on any outback drive or walk.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets in parks, beaches, shopping centres and petrol stations (servos); the National Public Toilet Map app lists them.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | A$5–7 |
| Café breakfast or lunch | A$15–28 |
| Pub main course | A$25–40 |
| Beer: schooner in a pub / six-pack at the bottle shop | A$8–12 / A$20–28 |
| Fuel, unleaded per litre | A$1.80–2.20 |
| Museum entry (Dalgety House) | A$3 adult, A$1.50 child |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | A$20–40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- PHE · Port Hedland Airport
- 11 km southeast of town and 11 km northeast of South Hedland; taxi about 10 min, roughly A$40 (check). Car rental on site.6.8 mi southeast of town and 6.8 mi northeast of South Hedland; taxi about 10 min, roughly A$40 (check). Car rental on site.
Typical fares
- Airport → town or South Hedland, taxi
- about A$40, 10 min (check)
- Bus 870, town → South Hedland
- hourly Mon–Fri, about 40 min (check)
- Perth → Port Hedland, flight
- about 2 h; return fares around A$600 (check)
Get around
You need a vehicle: sights are spread over 15 km and the heat rules out long walks. Bus 870 runs hourly Mon–Fri from Wedge St to South Hedland (about 40 min) and does not serve the airport. Taxis and app-based H-Ride cover short hops; rental cars are at the airport.You need a vehicle: sights are spread over 9.3 mi and the heat rules out long walks. Bus 870 runs hourly Mon–Fri from Wedge St to South Hedland (about 40 min) and does not serve the airport. Taxis and app-based H-Ride cover short hops; rental cars are at the airport.
See and do
Known for
- Iron-ore port and ship queue
- Ore trains up to 3 km long
- Flatback turtle nesting at Cemetery Beach
- Staircase to the moon on full-moon low tides
- Marapikurrinya Park and the harbour
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Fish Rock (Mikurrunya Hills) | Drive 50 km east on the Great Northern Highway to the Marble Bar turn-offDrive 31 mi east on the Great Northern Highway to the Marble Bar turn-off | About 1 h each way |
| Marble Bar | Hwy 138 south via Doolena Gorge, about 200 kmHwy 138 south via Doolena Gorge, about 124 mi | 2.5–3 h each way |
| Karratha | North West Coastal Highway, about 240 km westNorth West Coastal Highway, about 149 mi west | About 3 h |
| Eighty Mile Beach | Drive northeast towards Broome, about 250 kmDrive northeast towards Broome, about 155 mi | About 3 h |
Sleep
- Port Hedland (the peninsula)
- Wedge St and The Esplanade: visitor centre, cafés, Pier Hotel, walk to Marapikurrinya Park. Best if you are here one night without a car.
- Beachside, McGregor St
- Hedland Hotel and Hospitality Inn near Koombana beach; 2 km east of the centre, needs a car or taxi.Hedland Hotel and Hospitality Inn near Koombana beach; 1.2 mi east of the centre, needs a car or taxi.
- South Hedland
- 13 km south: shopping centre, motels, caravan parks, cheaper and closer to the airport. Bus 870 links it to town on weekdays.8.1 mi south: shopping centre, motels, caravan parks, cheaper and closer to the airport. Bus 870 links it to town on weekdays.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thanks | Thanks |
| How much is it? | How much is it? |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Where is the toilet? | Where is the toilet? |
| Is it safe to swim here? | Is it safe to swim here? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake or 'G'day' / 'How are you going?'; first names from the start; avoid: Formal titles; long answers to 'how are you'
- Rounds: Buy your round ('shout') when drinking in a group; avoid: Leaving before your shout
- Queues: Queue patiently; sitting in the front seat of a taxi when alone is common; avoid: Pushing in — it is noticed
- Country: Listen to Welcomes and Acknowledgements; use local place names when offered; avoid: Touching artefacts or photographing ceremonies without permission
- Beach: Swim between the flags; respect lifesavers' instructions; avoid: Swimming at unpatrolled beaches alone
- Humour: Expect teasing and understatement; laugh along; avoid: Taking dry sarcasm literally or boasting
- Walking and driving: Keep left on footpaths and escalators; wave thanks to drivers who let you in; avoid: Stopping on the road to photograph kangaroos
Scams and watch-outs
- Iron-ore dust gets into everything, including contact lenses: pack spares and rinse gear.
- Oct–Mar is dangerously hot; daytime apparent temperatures can reach the high 40s °C. Carry water and plan indoor stops.
- Cyclone season runs Dec–Mar: check warnings before driving the coast.
- Turtle nesting beaches at Cemetery Beach and Koombana may be cordoned off Nov–Mar; stay clear of nests and never use lights on the sand at night.
- Don't swim at Rock of Ages or off the eastern rocky shore; the safe swimming is at Spoil Bank and Koombana.
- Fuel up before leaving town: the next stops are hundreds of kilometres away.
A safe working town with two real hazards: heat and isolation. Don't walk far in the middle of the day, carry water, and never leave town on less than half a tank.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Port Hedland yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Iron-ore port and ship queue
- Ore trains up to 3 km long
- Flatback turtle nesting at Cemetery Beach
- Staircase to the moon on full-moon low tides
- Marapikurrinya Park and the harbour
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Town of Port Hedland: www.porthedland.wa.gov.au/
- Visit Port Hedland: www.visitporthedland.com.au/
- Port Hedland International Airport: www.porthedlandairport.com.au/
- Integrity Coach Lines: www.integritycoachlines.com.au/
- Wikivoyage: Port Hedland, revision 5081835 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5081835
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Port HedlandMarapikurrinya
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies here; the nearest consulates are in Perth. US, UK, Canadian and other citizens should register with their Perth mission before travelling to the Pilbara (check).
English is the working language; the Kariyarra and Nyamal people call this place Marapikurrinya.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/port-hedland). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.