From 1938 to 1966 blue asbestos or crocidolite was carried here by rail from Wittenoom for shiploading by Australian Blue Asbestos Pty. Ltd. When the Wittenoom mine closed, the future for Point Samson became unlear, but in recent years it has re-invented itself as a recreational area for the nearby mining towns and ports.
Point Samson is truly one of the most unspoilt and picturesque seaside villages in North Western Australia. The beautiful sandy beaches of Point Samson are protected by fringing coral reefs offering good protection for swimming, snorkelling or even a spot of fishing.
A large commercial fishing fleet operates out of the town and can be seen at the wharf facilities of Johns Creek.
The tidal rivers of the area contain an immense variety of fish and other sea delicacies including Barramundi, Red Emperor, Prawns, Blue Manna Crabs and huge Mud Crabs. All of this, of course, ends up on your dinner table at night - so it goes without saying that the seafood available here, be it fish and chips or a restaurant meal, is equal to the best anywhere in Australia.
This peaceful seaside town offers a wide range of accommodation options, from four-star resorts and boutique bed and breakfasts to modern caravan parks and holiday homes. No wonder some travel writers are calling Point Samson the next Broome.
Nearby Cossack/Roebourne Historical Precincts have been painstakingly restored and give a fascinating insight to the lives of early Pilbara settlers. The massive gas, iron ore and salt mining operations are also just a short drive away. Tours operate on demand. Early booking is recommended.
Beaches of Point Samson
Honeymoon Cove
Honeymoon Cove is one of four beaches surrounding Point Samson, a beautiful place to slow down and have a picnic or go for a cool swim. Samson Reef can be explored at low tide.
Boat Beach
Boat Beach which is a very popular local swimming and fishing spot situated immediately West of the Cape Lambert port, rail and processing facilities, but easiest accessed off Walcott Drive not far from the town of Wickham. Boat Beach offers swimming and fishing and a boat-launching ramp. It is home to the old Port Walcott Yacht Club.
Point Samson Beach
Linking the facility at Cape Lambert with Point Samson is a long white beach. It stretches for over 1 km and is the perfect vantage point to observe queues of iron ore bulk tankers waiting to dock at the port, turtles nesting or whales migrating just off the Cape. Sunsets at the beach can be dramatically red.
The beach is bordered by a coral reef which makes for an environment of calm waters, safe swimming, snorkelling and game fishing. Under tidal conditions the point is only connected to the mainland via a causeway over Pope's Nose Creek. At such times the tidal inlets are a rich source of barramundi, mud crabs and other fish.
Jarman Island
Named after Captain Jarman, who with the vessel “Tien Tsin” sailed these waters often and had a vast knowledge of the area, even before settlement. In 1866, the Jarman Island Light house was ordered as a kit from England, arriving almost a year later by ship.
After being assembled using a labour force from the Roebourne Prison, the lighthouse was fully operational with a light house keeper to ensure that the four wick kerosene lamp was lit every night. In 1917 it was automated, burning a guiding light for shipping right up until 1985 when it was finally de-commissioned. The resident Engineer of the district, William Own, designed the lighthouse quarters about 1887-88.
Where it is?
Point Samson is a small coastal settlement 1,579 km north of Perth and 18 km north of Roebourne in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The town is a popular holiday location for the nearby mining towns, including Wickham, Karratha and Dampier. Fishing is the main industry.
Cape Lambert
Cape Lambert is one of the sea ports for exporting iron ore from Rio Tinto's mining operations in the Pilbara (the other port is Dampier). Ore is carried to the two ports on the Hamersley & Robe River railway. The wharf at Cape Lambert, located 2km from Point Samson, is one of the highest and longest open ocean wharves in Australia, extending for 2.7 km out to sea. It is one of the highest, (18 metres above the water) longest and deepest wharves in Australia.
The port has an annual capacity to handle 80 million tonnes of iron ore. In comparison, the port of Dampier can handle 140 million tonnes annually. The former is approximately 40% of Rio Tinto's annual iron ore production from the Pilbara, as of 2009. Individual ships at the port take between 24 and 36 hours to load. The wharf holds or shares every Australian bulk handling records.
History
The picturesque township of Point Samson is named in honour of Michael Samson, who accompanied the district's first settler Mr. Walter Padbury, on his journey in 1863.
In contrast to the peaceful seaside town of today, it had a very active history as a deep water port, handling the third largest annual tonnage in WA. Point Samson was for many years a major port for the Roebourne District. The initial development of Point Samson was largely due to the decline of Cossack as a shipping port, as a result of silting problems in the Tien Tsin Harbour and the subsequent inability of Cossack to service the larger vessels that were then beginning to service the growing population of the shire.
The port of Point Samson and its deep water jetty were built in 1902/03 to service Roebourne, the then boom town of Wittenoom and the developing community of Wickham. The original T head jetty, nearly 1,900 feet long, was destroyed by a cyclone in 1925. The remaining part of the jetty was badly damaged by Cyclone Orson in 1989 and was completely removed in 1991. A small section was rebuilt on land as a reminder of the jetty’s significant role in the town’s past. Our customer service counter (at Karratha Visitor Centre) was also made from remnants of the old jetty.
From 1938 to 1966 blue asbestos or crocidolite was carried here by rail from Wittenoom for shiploading by Australian Blue Asbestos Pty. Ltd.
Trucks loaded with blue asbestos
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