Karratha

Karratha, Western Australia is an important centre in the resource-rich WA's northwest. It is located approximately 1575 km (980 miles) north of Perth and can be reached by the North West Coastal Highway.

Its economic base includes local iron ore, salt mining, fertilizer and export operations, together with the North West Shelf Natural Gas Project, Australia's largest natural resource development. All this makes it the biggest town in the northwest after Port Hedland. Karratha came into being in the late 1960s due to the tremendous growth of the iron ore industry and the need for a new regional centre caused by the lack of land in Dampier. It features modern suburban developments including shopping malls.