Cape Preston facts for kids

Cape Preston is a rocky point of land in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It's about 67 kilometers southwest of Karratha. This area is the traditional land of the Nhuwala people.

Cape Preston is an important spot for weather reports along the coast. It sits between Wallal and North West Cape.

The waters around Cape Preston are full of different sea creatures. You can find many types of crustaceans (like crabs and shrimp), corals, molluscs (like snails and clams), fish, and echinoderms (like starfish). There are also many places where these creatures live, such as mangroves, sandy beaches, areas with algae, coral reefs, rocky reefs, and soft muddy areas.

History of Cape Preston

Early Events

In 1889, a pearl lugger (a type of boat used for pearl fishing) was seen sinking near Cape Preston. The boat was called either the Waratah or Paratch and was from Fremantle. Sadly, everyone on board was lost.

Cyclone Orson

On April 23, 1989, a very strong storm called Cyclone Orson hit Cape Preston. It was a Category 4 tropical cyclone, and four Indonesian fishermen died during the storm.

Iron Ore Plans

In the mid-1960s, people thought about using Cape Preston as a place to ship iron ore. This idea finally came true much later. In 2012, construction began, and iron ore exports started in 2013.

The Sino Iron Project

In 2003, a company called Austeel received permission to build an iron ore mining operation in the area. The minister at the time, Judy Edwards, approved the project after checking its environmental impact. Construction was planned to start in late 2004.

Building the Project

In 2007, a deal was made with a Chinese government-owned company, China Metallurgical Group Corp, to develop the mine. The project was expected to cost about $1.98 billion. This included building a magnetite mine (magnetite is a type of iron ore), a plant that turns seawater into fresh water, a power plant that uses heat to make electricity, and port facilities.

Water for the Project

Between 2007 and 2011, a large plant was built to turn seawater into fresh water for the mining project. This plant, part of what was then called the Sino Iron Project, can make 140 million liters of fresh water every day. That's about 51 billion liters each year! The salty leftover water is sent back into the sea through a 3-kilometer pipeline.

Shipping Iron Ore

The project started making concentrated magnetite in late 2012. The first load of iron ore was sent to China in 2013.

As of 2016, the project is owned by CITIC Limited, a Chinese company based in Hong Kong. CITIC says this project is one of China's biggest investments in Australia's mining industry.

The Airport at Cape Preston

On July 15, 2017, a private airport called Cape Preston - Sino Iron Aerodrome (YCPR) was opened. About a dozen flights land there every week. The airport is mainly for company workers who fly in and out. However, some people, like the United Australia Party, have worried that it might be used for other important purposes too.