KARRATHA Big, think big and then bigger. Karratha is a ‘new’ mining town in the scheme of things and is growing rapidly. Once in the Pilbara region the scale of the mining ventures really starts to absorb the visitor. The town adjoins the port of Dampier which was developed from the 1960s to accommodate the processing and exportation workforce of the Hamersley Iron mining company and, in the 1980s, the petroleum and liquefied natural gas operations of the North West Shelf Venture. The town's name comes from the cattle station from which land was reclaimed for the development. Karratha in the local Aboriginal language means 'good country' or 'soft earth'. The Dampier Port has the capability to turn huge iron ore ships in less than 24 hours and there is a queue of ships. Kilometer long trains pass on a very regular basis. The Catholic Church in Karratha is defintlly worth a look. and also at Dampier The hotels are modern. The Karratha War Memorial though modern is a worthy acknowledgement. The Rail Museum is located midway to Dampier. When staying over in Karratha, Dampier is a worthy consideration. Diary notes