City of Karratha Local History Archives Overview

City of Karratha Local History Archives

Get directions

Karratha's local history

Located in the stunning Red Earth Arts Precinct built in 2018 that incorporates a public library, a dual-purpose theatre/cinema,rehearsal spaces and exhibition areas, the City of Karratha Local History Archives documents the history of the towns of Karratha, Dampier, Wickham, Roebourne, Point Samson, and Cossack. It follows the transformation of the region through the pastoral, pearling and mining booms. Despite its relative youth (Karratha was only established as a town in 1996 by Hamersley Iron), this rich collection of photographs, documents and files, well-provenanced and catalogued, is a stand-out , and is accessible for all who are interested in the region’s history. The local history staff provide a research and reference service for this history and will assist with family history enquiries.

Visit website

View Collection at Collections WA

Address:

Red Earth Arts Precinct
27 Welcome Road
Karratha WA 6714
Australia

Tel:

(08) 9186 8660

Email:

local.history@karratha.wa.gov.au

Opening Hours

Mon, Wed & Friday 9am - 5pm; Tues & Thurs 9am - 6pm; Sat 9am - 2pm

Asian dolls

Cultural gifts

For a time, it became a tradition of Asian shipping companies to gift dolls and other traditionals terms to Australian resource industry executives and their spouses. In a climate of regular...

Karratha Station Silk Jockey Shirt

Race day

Since the first towns were established in the north, social life has revolved around the annual races, with their associated balls, corral events and a multitude of other social gatherings. People...

Miss Ollis Northern Public Opinion Remnant

Courageous costume

This remnant square of fabric was part of a fancy dress outfit created by Miss Clare Sophia Ollis in 1900 when she attended a ball held to raise money for the Rectory Fund in Roebourne. Titled...

Yu Family Historical Display

Hidden treasure

A hidden treasure in the heart of Broome's Chinatown, the Yu Family Historical Display can be found housed in the upstairs rooms that sit over their Sung Ming restaurant in what Broome locals used to...

Wyndham History and Museum Collection

Not forgotten – the story of Wyndham

Sitting at the confluence of five rivers on the Cambridge Gulf, lies the old town of Wyndham, the most northerly port of Western Australia. After the great cattle treks by Nat Buchanan and the Duracks...

Wharfinger House Museum

Muddy waters

Situated on the edge of the Derby marsh, surrounded by the iconic boab trees of this region, stands the Wharfinger House Museum. Built in the 1920s, it is situated in the former home of the manager of...

Town of Port Hedland - South Hedland Public Library Overview

South Hedland Library - local studies collection

A community space – a space for community

A young girl, cast in bronze, sitting on a wooden bench reading her book, welcomes visitors to the South Hedland library. In the ‘new’ town of South Hedland, the library quietly weaves together the...