Tom Price
Attractive and modern mining town in the heart of the Pilbara
Tom Price is the jewel in Hamersley Ironšs crown. The most attractive town in the Inland Pilbara with tree-lined streets, modern facilities and a relaxed country-town atmosphere.

Located 1553 km north of Perth via the North West Coastal Highway or 1577 km via the Great Northern Highway, it has been dubbed 'Top Town in Western Australia' because it is the highest town in Western Australia, located 747 m above sea level, at the base of Mount Nameless.

As early as 1952 Lang Hancock, the iron magnate, carried out aerial surveys over the Tom Price area and detected large iron ore deposits. His discoveries were of little value at the time because the Australian Government had an embargo on all iron and steel exports. This was a result of World War II. After the lifting of the embargo in 1961 the area began to open up.

Tom Price (both the town, the mine and the mountain) was named after Thomas Moore Price, the vice-president of the giant United States steel company Kaiser Steel. Price was one of the main supporters of the opening of the Pilbara region.

The whole operation came into existence after two geologists, Bill Burns [who died in 2004] and Ian Whitcher, landed on Mount Tom Price in 1962 and discovered that it was almost pure iron ore. In the 1960s Hamersley Iron Pty Ltd (now a wholly owned subsidiary of Rio Tinto) built the railway from the town to the port of Dampier, and opened the mine. The town was constructed as a service centre and residential area for the miners.

The Hamersley Range is a flat-topped mass of Precambrian sediment which was deposited on the sea bed more than 500 million years ago. It is recognised as one of the oldest weathered surfaces on earth. The combination of millions of years of wind, rain and ice (during the Permian Ice Age) has eroded the whole area into a series of spectacular gorges. The end result is some of the most beautiful and dramatic landscapes in Australia. The gorges are notable for their distinctive horizontal bedding where layers of red, black and brown iron form bands of colour with conglomerates and sandstone. The area is denuded by the harshness of the summers with ghost gums, red river gums and wildflowers (including the Sturt Desert Pea) giving the landscape a special beauty.

Access to Tom Price is via sealed roads. One route is via the North West Coastal Highway and the Nanutarra/Wittenoom Road through Paraburdoo. Another is via the Great Northern Highway and Karajini Drive. An off-road route is from Roebourne via the Roebourne-Wittenoom Road and through the Chichester Ranges. An air service from Perth to Paraburdoo (with shuttle bus or hire car to Tom Price) operates daily.

Things to see:  

Hamersley Iron Mine Site Tours
The fascination of Tom Price itself lies principally in the mine which exploits one of the richest iron ore deposits in the world, exporting principally to China and Japan. It is possible to inspect the mine with Lestok Tours (minimum numbers apply). Interested parties can contact the business directly on (08) 9189 2032 or book through the Tom Price Visitor Centre, tel: (08) 9188 1112. They take in the lookout over the main pit area, the crushing and screening plants, the world's largest mining equipment, the train load-out area and the haul truck workshop area. The giant 200-tonne capacity haul trucks carry ore to the primary crushers where low grade ore is concentrated for export.

Also of interest are the mine's trains, which run along a single 288-km track to the port at Dampier. These trains are commonly 2 km long and have three diesel engines hauling 200 cars each of which carries 100 tonnes of ore. The analogy Hamersley Iron like to use is that one of these trains carries enough iron ore to construct about 15 000 family cars.

Be warned, those wishing to take a mine tour must be wearing closed-in shoes.

Mount Nameless
The road which leads from the town to the mine passes the turnoff to Mount Nameless, which, at 1128 metres above sea-level, is the highest mountain in Western Australia that has a summit accessible by vehicle. It is about 4 km from town. Access is via both walking trail (it is about 2.5 hours return) and 4WD vehicle (along a gravel road). The panoramic view takes in the townsite and minesite. The walking trail starts near Tom Price Tourist Park, tel: (08) 9189 1515.

$HEAD

Mt Sheila Lookout and Hamersley Gorge

To the north of town is Mt Sheila Lookout which offers fine panoramic views of the area, although access is 4WD only. The usual route is along Tom Price Railway Road and access along this private road is definitely only allowed with a permit. Permits must be obtained in person from the Tom Price Mine between 8.00 a.m. and 3.30 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 8.00 a.m. to 2.00 p.m. on Fridays and between 9.00 a.m. and 10.00 a.m. on weekends.

This road passes by Hamersley Station, the former home of iron ore magnate, Lang Hancock. The spectacular Hamersley Gorge is some 45 km east of Mt Sheila (via Hamersley Rd). Visitors can enjoy swimming hole and natural spa. It is common to take in both Mt Sheila and the Gorge on a day trip. For road conditions ring (08) 9143 6464 and for further enquiries ring (08) 9143 3332. For general enquiries ring the Tom Price Visitor Centre on (08) 9188 1112.

Karijini National Park
To the east of Tom Price is Karijini National Park, in the Hamersley Ranges, which is home to the Innawonga, Kurrama and Punjima peoples. The Park incorporates two billion year old gorges, where rain has cut out 45 -metre ravines in the dramatic and spectacular landscape, forming dramatic outcropping and tiered rock formations. Other attractions are tranquil natural swiming holes (notably Fern Pool with two natural cascades and lush vegetation), a waterfall, lookouts, camping areas and walking trails.

A sealed road heads east of Tom Price into Karijini. After about 35 km there is a turnoff on the right to Marandoo, which has another notable mine site.

Karijini Drive continues eastwards. Just beyond the turnoff on the left into Bunjima Drive (the Joffre Road) is a turnoff on the right which leads to Mt Bruce (at 1235 metres the second-highest peak in the state).

Bunjima Drive (unsealed) provides access to Weano Gorge (where there is a camping area with toilets, gas barbecue facilities and a picnic area), Oxers Lookout (with parking, an information bay and walking trails), Joffre Gorge and Camping Area (with toilets, a picnic area, gas barbecues and caravan sites), Joffre Falls (with parking, a viewing area, an information bay and walking trails) and the Junction Pool Lookout (with information, parking and walking trails). It is possible to contiue eastwards past another turnoff which leads to Kalamina Picnic Area (with parking, toilets and walking trails) and on past the Karajini Visitor Centre (08 9189 8121) and Yampire Gorge Road to the Fortescue Camping Area in Dales Gorge (with an information bay, toilets, picnic facilities, caravan sites and walking trails). Nearby are Fortescue Falls (where there is parking, a viewing area, walking trails, picnic facilities, an informaton bay and toilets) and the Fern Pool (with parking facilities, an information bay, a lookout and walking trails).

A more direct approach to the Visitor Centre, Kalamina Picnic Area and Fortescue is to continue east along Karajini Drive, ignoring the Bunjima Drive turnoff. After 30 or 40 km turn left into Yampire Gorge Road. After about 10 km there is a turnoff on the left which leads to the Visitor Centre and Kalamina (and on to the other attractions) and one on the right to Fortescue.

Bunjima Drive and the Yampire Gorge Road both have entry station which charge a fee for entry into the park. Karajini Drive ultimately links up with the Great Northern Highway, which, in turn, provides access to Port Hedland and Newman.

CALM (the Department of Conservation and Land Management), have a good map of the National Park with detail relating to the geology, fauna and flora of the area, tel: (08) 9143 1488. CALM advise that the park is best visited between May and October.

Lestok conduct a tour on an air-conditioned bus which takes in Oxers Lookout, Weano Gorge and Handrail Pool, Joffre Falls, Knox Lookut, the Karijini Visitor Centre, Fern Pool and Circular Pool Lookout. Lunch and a detailed commentary is provided, tel: (08) 9189 2032. or (08) 9188 1112.

Red Rock Abseiling Adventures offer walks through the Park or fully supervised half-day abeiling trips (no experience necessary), tel: (08) 9189 2206 or (0419) 961 176. For further information on guided walks in the Park or other general enquiries call the Tom Price Visitor Centre, tel: (08) 9188 1112.

Tom Price Visitor Centre
The Visitor Centre, in Central Road,operates as a booking agency for local mine tours, National Park walks and abseiling tours, McCafferty's and Greyhound bus services and local accommodation. From May to September it is open from 8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. weekdays and from 9.00 a.m. to 12.00 p.m. on weekends and public holidays. The rest of the year it is open from 8.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. weekdays and from 9.00 a.m. to midday on Saturdays, but closed on Sundays and public holidays, tel: (08) 9188 1112.

Adjacent the Centre is Doug Talbot Park, which is home to a variety of birds. with shady trees, tropical gardens, a large children's playground and picnic facilities.

Kings Lake
This popular recreational area is located about 5 km from town in a bush setting. Picnic and barbecue facilities, gazebos and toilets are provided but no swimming is permitted.

	Tourist Information
	Tom Price Tourist Bureau 497 Sirus St P.O. Box 567 Tom Price WA 6751 Telephone: (08) 9188 1112 Facsimile: (08) 9189 1441
	Motels
	Hillview Lodge Stadium Rd Tom Price WA 6751 Telephone: (08) 9189 1110 Facsimile: (08) 9189 1625 Rating: ***
	Hotels
	Mercure Inn Tom Price Central Rd Tom Price WA 6751 Telephone: (08) 9189 1101 Rating: ***
	Caravan Parks
	Tom Price Caravan Park Caravan Park Rd Tom Price WA 6751 Telephone: (08) 9189 1515 Facsimile: (08) 9189 1515 Rating: **
	Camping & Other
	Tom Price Tourist Park Caravan Park Rd Tom Price WA 6751 Telephone: (08) 9189 1515 Facsimile: (08) 9189 1515 Rating: **
	Restaurants
	Hillview Lodge Restaurant Stadium Rd Tom Price WA 6751 Telephone: (08) 9189 1110
	Mercure Inn Tom Price Restaurant Central Rd Tom Price WA 6751 Telephone: (08) 9189 1101
	Red Emperor Restaurant Tom Price Shopping Cntr Tom Price WA 6751 Telephone: (08) 9189 2200, 0419 875 280 Facsimile: (08) 9188 1460
	Tom Price Country Kitchens Stadium Rd Tom Price WA 6751 Telephone: (08) 9189 1331