Karratha, Western Australia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Karratha Western Australia
Panorama of Karratha
Karratha Location in Western Australia
Population	17,013 (2021 census)
Established	1968
Postcode(s)	6714
Elevation	19 m (62 ft)
Time zone	AWST (UTC+8)
Location	1,575 km (979 mi) N of Perth 646 km (401 mi) NE of Carnarvon 238 km (148 mi) W of Port Hedland 854 km (531 mi) SW of Broome
LGA(s)	City of Karratha
State electorate(s)	Pilbara
Federal Division(s)	Durack
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 32.4 °C 90 °F 20.8 °C 69 °F 285.1 mm 11.2 in

Karratha is a city in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It is located right next to the port of Dampier. This area is the traditional home of the Ngarluma people, who have lived here for tens of thousands of years. They call it Ngurra, meaning "home" or "Country."

Karratha was started in 1968. It was built to house workers for the Hamersley Iron mining company. In the 1980s, it also became important for petroleum and liquefied natural gas (LNG) operations. These operations are part of the Woodside-run North West Shelf Venture on Murujuga.

As of 2021, Karratha had about 17,013 people living in its urban area. The city's name comes from a cattle station nearby. This name comes from a local Aboriginal language. It means "good country" or "soft earth." More recently, Ngarluma people have said the name might be linked to "Gardarra." This comes from "Gardarrabuga," a sacred site for whales in the Karratha area. The city is the main center for the City of Karratha, which is a local government area covering the surrounding region.

History of Karratha

The land where Karratha stands has been the Ngurra (Country) of the Ngarluma people for thousands of years. In their traditional culture, the world was created in a time called Ngurra Nyujunggamu. This means "when the world was soft."

In 1861, Francis Thomas Gregory explored the North West of Western Australia. He reported that the area was good for farming and pearl fishing. This led to European settlers moving into the Karratha area. This movement caused the Ngarluma people to lose their traditional lands.

During this time, the Karratha area became a sheep station. Many Aboriginal people were forced to work on these stations without pay. This was like a form of slavery. By 1946, Aboriginal workers demanded fair wages. The 1946 Pilbara strike happened because Aboriginal people wanted fair pay and better conditions. Many Aboriginal people left the Pilbara stations during this strike.

Archaeologists believe Aboriginal people have lived in the Pilbara region for about 40,000 years. Aboriginal communities, like the Ngarluma people, have a different idea of land ownership than Europeans. They believe lands are owned by groups, not individuals. Certain families might look after specific areas. But ownership is mostly about being the caretakers of the land's spiritual meaning. This includes sacred sites, stories, songs, and ceremonies. Future generations are responsible for protecting these sites. They must also care for the land and keep spiritual traditions alive. They are not allowed to sell or damage the land. This system still exists in the Karratha area today. However, it has been greatly affected by colonisation.

The town of Karratha is within the Ngarluma Native Title area. Native Title means that Aboriginal people have special rights to their traditional lands. This was officially recognised by the Federal Court in 2005.

As mentioned, Ngarluma people have recently said the name Karratha might be linked to "Gardarra." This comes from "Gardarrabuga," a sacred site for whales in the Karratha area.

Geography of Karratha

Karratha is a city that is quite far from other places. It is about 1,535 kilometers (954 miles) north of Perth. It is also about 241 kilometers (150 miles) west of Port Hedland. You can find it on the North West Coastal Highway.

The city is located at the southern end of Nickol Bay. There have been settlements on this bay since the 1860s.

Karratha is mostly shaped like a rectangle. It sits on flat land next to Nickol Bay. Tidal salt flats and mangrove areas separate the city from the sea. South of the city, there is a line of low hills.

Karratha's Climate

Karratha has a hot semi-arid climate. This means it's very hot and dry for most of the year. Temperatures are warm to hot all year. There is not much rain. Most rain falls in late summer because of tropical cyclones and the monsoon. Sometimes, in early winter, the edges of cold fronts can also bring rain. It almost never rains from August to December.

In winter, temperatures rarely drop below 10°C (50°F). The highest temperatures stay in the mid to high 20s °C (70s to 80s °F). Winter days are sunny with low humidity. Summers are very hot and usually dry. But the monsoon can cause periods of high humidity and thunderstorms. The hottest temperature ever recorded was 48.4°C (119.1°F) on January 13, 2022. The coldest was 6.9°C (44.4°F). The most rain in one month was 348.8mm (13.7 inches) in February 2011. This was due to Tropical Cyclone Carlos.

Population of Karratha

In 2021, there were 17,013 people living in Karratha. This number was a bit lower than the highest point of 17,927 people in 2013.

Here are some facts about the people in Karratha from the 2021 census:

• About 64.9% of people were born in Australia.
• Other common birthplaces included New Zealand (4.2%), England (2.6%), and the Philippines (2.4%).
• Most people (72.3%) spoke only English at home. Other languages included Tagalog and Filipino.
• For religion, 47.5% said they had no religion, and 16.3% were Catholic.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 9.0% of the population. Most of them are Ngarluma people. The Yinidbarndi, Yaburara, Mardudhunera, and Woon-goo-tt-oo peoples have lived in the surrounding area for about 50,000 years.

In 2023, a report showed a big difference in how well Aboriginal people and those working in the resource industry live. Some areas in Karratha have fewer opportunities. But towns like Dampier, which is linked to Rio Tinto, are very well-off.

Karratha's Economy

Karratha's economy is based on several big industries. These include iron ore mining by the Rio Tinto Group. There is also sea-salt mining and the export of ammonia.

A very important part of the economy is the North West Shelf Natural Gas Project. This is Australia's largest natural resource project. There's also a newer natural gas project called Pluto LNG. It is next to the existing North West Shelf LNG facility. Yara International also produces Ammonia and Technical Ammonium Nitrate here.

Karratha was created in 1968. This was because the iron-ore industry was growing very fast. There was a need for a new regional center because there wasn't enough land in Dampier.

Karratha has the biggest shopping center in the Pilbara, called Karratha City. It has major food stores and department stores. It opened in 1986 and was made bigger in 2005. This center also serves nearby towns like Dampier, Wickham, and Roebourne. There is also a smaller center, Karratha Village, with health services. The Karratha Health Campus, a new hospital, opened in 2018. It serves the whole City of Karratha area.

Aboriginal Organisations and Culture

Many Aboriginal organisations are located in the Karratha area. The Ngarluma Aboriginal Corporation is the official body for Native Title. The Ngarluma Yindjibarndi Foundation Ltd (NYFL) represents many Traditional Owners in the area.

NYFL runs programs that help with food, jobs, and training. They also work to support Indigenous self-determination. In 2024, NYFL started working with the Australian National University. This partnership aims to improve how Aboriginal data is managed in the area.

The Ngarluma language is the traditional language of the Karratha area. As of 2024, only a few people still speak Ngarluma fluently.

Facilities in Karratha

Karratha has several schools. There are four public primary schools, one independent public school, and one private primary school. For high school, there is Karratha Senior High School (public) and St Luke's College (private). There is also a TAFE center for vocational training. It has facilities for university students too.

A new, modern library called Karratha Public Library opened in 2018. The new Karratha Health Campus hospital also opened in 2018.

The Red Earth Arts Precinct opened in 2018. This venue has a theater that can be an indoor cinema. It also has an outdoor cinema, rehearsal rooms, and art spaces.

Karratha Airport has regular flights from Qantas and Virgin Australia. The airport is also a hub for smaller planes and helicopters. These help workers get to offshore sites and other parts of the region. Cape Preston Aerodrome is about 70 km south of Karratha.

Annual Festivals and Events

Every August, there is a big festival in the North West. It is sponsored by companies like Pilbara Iron, Dampier Salt, and Woodside Petroleum Limited. The festival lasts for two days. Its name, FeNaClNG Festival, comes from the symbols for iron (Fe), salt (NaCl), and natural gas (NG).

Other events include the Red Earth Arts Festival and the Cossack Art Awards.

Suburbs of Karratha

Karratha is made up of several main suburbs:

• Karratha City Centre
• Bulgarra
• Pegs Creek
• Millars Well
• Nickol
• Nickol West
• Baynton
• Baynton West
• Tambrey
• Mulataga

There is also an industrial area known as the LIA (Light Industrial Area) or KIE (Karratha Industrial Estate). Gap Ridge is a second industrial area located west of the city, past the cemetery.

Media in Karratha

Radio Stations

You can listen to these radio services in Karratha:

• Karratha FM 93.7 – Plays country music.
• ABC North West WA (6KP: 702 AM) – Part of the ABC Local Radio Network.
• ABC News Radio (6PNN: 104.1 FM) – News and information.
• ABC Radio National (6ABCRN: 100.9 FM) – Features talk shows and different types of music.
• TAB Racing Radio – FM 101.7
• Triple J (6JJJ: 103.3 FM) – Plays alternative music.
• Hit FM (106.5) – Plays Top 40 music.
• Triple M – Radio 6KA (102.5 FM) – Plays classic hits and adult contemporary music.
• Ngaarda Radio (92.1) – An Indigenous radio station that plays country and Indigenous music, and regional news.

Television Channels

Television services available in Karratha include:

• The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) – ABC, ABC TV Plus/Kids, ABC Me, ABC News (digital channels).
• The Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) – SBS, SBS Viceland, SBS World Movies, SBS WorldWatch, SBS Food, NITV (digital channels).
• Seven – A station owned by the Seven Network.
• WIN Television – An affiliate station of the Nine Network.
• West Digital Television – An affiliate station of the Network 10 (provided by Prime Television and WIN Television).

The TV schedule is mostly the same as the Seven, Nine, and Ten stations in Perth. However, there are changes for news, sports like Australian Football League and National Rugby League, and children's shows. Seven produces a 30-minute regional news program every weekday evening. It is broadcast from Bunbury and has a newsroom in Karratha.

Newspapers

The local newspaper is The Pilbara News. It is owned by Seven West Media, which also publishes The West Australian. An independent local newspaper called The Pilbara Echo used to be available but closed in April 2014.

Newspapers from Perth, like The West Australian and The Sunday Times, are also sold. National newspapers such as The Australian and The Australian Financial Review are available too.

Sport in Karratha

Karratha has several sports leagues and teams:

• The North Pilbara Football League (NPFL) is an Australian rules football league. It has six teams: Karratha Kats, Karratha Falcons, Dampier Sharks, Wickham Wolves, Port Hedland Rovers, and South Hedland Swans.
• The Pilbara Rugby League has six teams: Karratha Stormers, Karratha Broncos, Karratha Roosters, Port Hedland Juniors, South Hedland Cougars, and Wickham Wasps.
• Soccer has five teams: Bulgarra Glory, Karratha Snow Whites, Nickol, Dampier Red Dogs, and Salt.
• The West Pilbara Cricket Association has six teams: Karratha Kats, Baynton Lions, Rec Club, Dampier Taverners, Wickham Wallabies, and Pegs Creek Crabs.