Melissa Price (Durack, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am very pleased today to speak about one of the fabulous towns in my electorate, Port Hedland. Later this year Port Hedland will celebrate its 120th birthday. In one of Australia's most important economic regions, the Pilbara, Port Hedland is home to more than 20,000 people and has the largest bulk export port in the world. The town of Port Hedland is encouraging locals to submit ideas for how the town can celebrate the occasion and for logos to symbolise the occasion.

To submit a suggestion for the month-long festivities, people can visit the following website: yoursay.porthedland.wa.gov.au. Logos can be based on the town's centenary logo or a new concept. The artistic genius who designs the winning logo will be etched into Port Hedland history and acknowledged in the community. I know that Mayor Kelly Howlett is very excited about this milestone and I look forward to celebrating the occasion with the mayor and the locals.

Port Hedland has a rich Aboriginal history which dates back hundreds of years and there are a number of places in and around the town with Indigenous names—history that we know we cannot buy. The traditional owners of the area are the Kariyarra people and they call Port Hedland Marapikurrinya. 'Mara' means hand, 'pikurri' means pointing straight and 'nya' is a location marker. This name refers to the hand-shaped formation of the natural tidal creeks moving in and out of the coast. With more than 31 Aboriginal language groups in the Pilbara, I encourage anyone with an interest in Australian history or Aboriginal history and languages to put this town on the map for a visit.

In 1960, the federal government lifted restrictions on the trading of iron ore, due to international demand. This was a real turning point for the port's history. In the 2005-06 financial year, the port of Port Hedland became the first port in Australian history to exceed 100 million tonnes of iron ore exports. What a fabulous achievement. This port is vital infrastructure, not just for the Pilbara but for this nation.

The Port Hedland International Airport is a busy regional airport, with 500,000 passengers walking through its terminals every year and with flights to the east coast and Bali. But it is more than just an iron ore town. It also has a thriving arts community. It also hosts a number of cruise ships on an annual basis, providing international passengers with a unique tourist experience, including a handmade market at the port. I look forward to celebrating the 120th anniversary of the town.

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