WICKHAM

DESCRIPTION

 

Wickham had been falling into a bit of a decline until the mining boom started around 2009. In the following 5 years there was a lot of development including multi storey accommodation and many new houses being built.

 

Despite the end of the boom in late 2014, the town stills seems to have a much more vibrant character than had existed for the preceding 20 years or so.

 

Robe River Iron, that is located at nearby Cape Lambert, provides tours of their facilities and of Cossack from April to November. To book simply contact the Roebourne tourist information centre. (The tour is very good.)

 

Not far from the town is Port Walcott where there is a boat ramp and a nice beach. On Sunday mornings (from 10:30am) you can get fish and chips from the Port Walcott Yacht Club and enjoy sitting outside overlooking the bay.

 

HISTORY

 

Wickham is a modern mining town built in 1970-2 to service the port facility at Cape Lambert. The town was named after John Clements Wickham who served aboard the H.M.S. Beagle, surveying the coast from 1838.

 

Wickham was a closed company town until 1980 when the administration was taken over by the Shire or Roebourne (now the City of Karratha).

 

There is a small shopping centre which is worth visiting as prices are generally cheaper here than at Karratha and it is much less crowded.

 

A new ore loading facility has been developed in this area and is one of the main reasons for the re-vitalisation of Wickham.

 

TALL TALES AND TRUE

 

 

 

MAP

 

 

VIDEO

PROBLEM PLAYING THESE ON FIREFOX?
Turn off Enhanced Tracking Protection
Click the shield icon left of the URL near the top left
Slide Advanced Tracking Protection to OFF

 

 

(c) Keith Bransby

OTHER INFORMATION

 

ATTRACTIONS

 

Harding River, Cossack, Cleaverville, Port Walcott, Point Samson, Robe Iron tours.

 

REVIEW - Robe River Iron Tour

 

The tour was very good. We were taken round on an air conditioned bus and shown the old settlement at Cossack, then out to Robe River's operations at Cape Lambert. The loading facility there is huge, and the ore jetty is the second longest/highest in the southern hemisphere.

 

The tour can be booked at the Roebourne tourist info office - where the mini bus will pick you up.

 

Reviewed : June 2009

 

BUILDINGS OF NOTE

 

Unknown.

 

ELECTORAL ZONES

 

State : North West

Federal : Durack

 

OTHER INFO.

 

Postcode : 6720

Local Government : City of Karratha

 

PHOTOS

Click on a thumbnail to see full sized picture.
Please note that using the https url will cause the photos not to show. To show photos use the standard http url.