Tessa_41

Hi everyone,
I am thinking about coming to see friends that live in Karratha, i have taken three month off work to travel.

My question is, will i be bored to stay for a month in Karratha?
I am a city Gal ;o) lived in Paris Madrid and London so i am afraid there will be nothing to do in Karratha.
Please, any advice, is this a fun place to stay for a month with my best friends?

Maybe i could do some voluntary work to keep me busy while my friends work?
I speak several languages so i could teach just to keep me busy, for free this is a magical rare word and i love it

Many thanks in advance to everyone and may your day be a delightful one
Tessa

Sherlock Holmes

Hi Tessa and welcome to B.E.

You seem to have found your way around okay but if you have any questions about BE you can contact me here.

I can't answer your question directly I'm afraid but I'm sure you'll get some replies soon. If not, I'll move your thread to the Australia main forum.

Pollyana

Reply coming up

There was a thread recently about karratha - had some very interesting views in it....have a look here : http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=668477

Sherlock Holmes

Tessa, I've moved your thread to the Australia forum as it might get buried in the barbie which is for rather light hearted and fast moving matters.

Good luck in you search for info!

upyerfud

Might be a small let down after Paris, Madrid and London. Then so likely would the rest of the country.
Karratha's got bugger all going for it holiday-wise unless you like fishing and being propositioned by miners and oil/gas construction guys.
It's basically an overpriced, underdeveloped mining town to be honest.
It's most definitely not a one month holiday destination for a city gal by any strech of the imagination.

Tessa_41

Thank you everyone for your help, i am happy to see this works, i am new to this site and didn't know if i was doing the right thing here but i see now that this site is top notch.

Merci a touts

Tessa_41

By the way upyerfud, being propositioned by miner and all is not my idea of fun, oh la la no merci i would rather stay single for the rest of my life

Tessa_41

Hi Alistairboyle,
Thank you for your response and for moving my thread, to be honest with you i am just learning my way around this, it is fun.
Do you think i can do some voluntary work while in Karratha?
I mean, is it legal?
The last thing i want to do is anything that is not legal.

Kind regards
Tessa

Dorothy

What visa are you coming on? You are not allowed to work on a holiday visa at all, so just "picking up some teaching" is illegal.

As for Karratha being a holiday destination...Um, no.

Tessa_41

Hi Dorothy
I will be on a tourist visa and i have no intention in breaking the law, i just thought that, to keep me busy while my friends are working, i could just do some voluntary work, not get paid for it, no i do not need the money, it would just be to keep me busy, i am not used to sit around watching tv.

You might think i have gone mad to come to Karratha for a holiday but it so happens that my friends are in in the army and they could not choose where to go so i want to spend time with them for we have not seen each other for a couple of years.
It will only be for a moth, then we will go to Sydney

Tessa_41

Ooops! i meant to say month not moth
i better go to sleep its late or should i say it is early 3.04am and my eyes are feeling heavy.

siamsusie

Hi Tessa, we have strong connections with Karratha, sold our home there a few weeks ago after 25 yrs and maintain a unit there.
A month in Karratha.... you would definately need a car.

Point Samson approx 40 mins away is a great place to visit as is Cossack

http://www.pilbaracoast.com/en/Towns...ck/default.htm

http://www.pilbaracoast.com/en/Towns...on/default.htm

Dampier is not far, a great fishing spot

A fair few restaurants, bars, even a night club... Takeaways etc.

We have a swimming pool there, golf course, a gym, small ish shopping centre but for a rural location its pretty good.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/Western-A...500208679.html check out Roebourne as well.

We often went to Broome and the other day put our son on the bus from Karratha (Main Road by MacDonalds). Great service with Greyhound buses.. takes about 12 hrs and I do have the name of a wonderful bed and breakfast there run by a great Indonesian lady. Best value in town.
Broome is delightful.

http://www.railmaps.com.au/stationde...ionSelect=3275 (Greyhound Bus)

Our son works for Woodside in Karratha, born and bred, loves the place 25 yrs old.
There are some lovely camping spots, 40 mile beach for example.

I could fill a month in Karratha quite easily, it most certainly isnt under developed... and I am only too pleased to help you further if you want to send me a pm.

Enjoy your stay Susie x


PS I was propositioned by a lovely lad working for a mining company from Karratha and now happily married. Great bunch of people lol, and oh I am a city gal as well x

siamsusie

Tessa, I forgot to mention Maree Pool
Miaree Pool (Attraction)
North West Coastal Highway, Karratha, Western Australia 6714, Australia

Approximately 30 kilometres south of Karratha on the Coastal Highway, you will find the Maitland River. Just a few hundred metres east of the bridge is a picturesque clear water pool. This pool is a lovely spot for picnics, camping, swimming or just laying around under the wonderful shade trees that grow right on the water's edge. The turn off is about 200 metres north of the bridge. ...

The TV Lookout is worth a visit, over looking Karratha and lovely to have a picnic up there as the sun goes down.

The scenery is dramtic, red earth, aquamarine sea and salt mines...even watching the trains approx 2.5 kms long carrying iron ore to the foreign ships is very interesting

Fortescue Falls (Attraction)
Karijini National Park, Tom Price, Western Australia 6751, Australia

Fortescue Falls - Karijini National Park, AustraliaTake a refreshing dip under Fortescue Falls, Karijini National Park's only permanent waterfall. The ancient gorges, tunnels and waterways of Karijini are famous for their bushwalking trails, lush vegetation and sheer-sided chasms up to 100 metres deep. You can reach Fortescue Falls and the aptly named Fern Pool by hiking down a steep trail from the car park and following a narrow path. ... this is approx 300 kms from Karratha and a must see.

Maybe you have to spend another month there eh! (lol) Susie x

Tessa_41

Hi Susie

A million thanks for all the information, you are a star

I am very excited to go there and discover all the beauty Karratha has to offer, i just have one big problem i do not drive which means i will be stranded because my friends are at work all day and i will be trapped in the house hence the reason why i wanted to do some voluntary work whilst waiting for them to finish work.

I must say, i am starting to worry, i am used to get around town but in public transport.
I do want to go there, i have been planning to visit for 5 years and now i have the possibility and the freedom to do it.

What are your suggestions to help me keep busy while there please, as i said earlier, i would be willing to teach languages for free just to keep me busy and i love teaching, i used to do that many years ago when i was in Spain.

Susie, do you have a lot of friends that still live in Karratha that would like to meet up for coffee and spend some girl time together?

A bientot

Tessa

siamsusie

Hi Tessa, I will put my thinking cap on for you. Its a tad warm to get around on a bike unfortunately, though not impossible.
The children are more inclined to be learning Mandarin than european languages, and of course having any dealings with children even on a voluntary basis will incur a thorough Police Checks etc., references etc. but I dont hold much hope in that quarter.

Maybe you could contact the following:

Karratha corps (Salvation Army)

Site Address: 2 Bond Place Pegs Creek
Karratha Western Australia
Po Box 363 Karratha W.A 6714

Phone: (08) 9185 2148

Fax: (08) 9185 5672

Email: [email protected]
The above includes for Women's Refuges as far as I am aware.


Or Vinnies Retail Centres (St. Vincent de Paul)

(08) 9185 4336

Welcome Rd
Karratha WA 6714

They might have some voluntary work.

I do have many friends in Karratha, but they are all working 12 hr shifts although I will certainly ask one or two and see what they think about meeting up.

There is a library (not London standards) but you can always borrow your friend's card and there is a good internet service from there as well.

Walkinstown Theatre is pretty active, and apart from shows, they do have a weekly cinema.
Keeping yourself busy... well I certainly recommend you take the bus to Broome, its a one in a life time opportunity probably!
A few good hostels http://www.kimberleyklub.com/
As I have said The Greyhound leaves and returns through Karratha.

STAIRCASE TO THE MOON (which is amazing in Broome but can also be seen in Karratha
http://www.kimberleyklub.com/whatson...ion=view&id=34

Cable Beach is lovely, watching the camels... the town is manageable on foot with a good bus service and bikes to hire as well.
Hopefully there is a bit of food for thought Tessa.


I know that it has been mentioned before, but it is a very sensitive subject entertaining anyone on a tourist visa Tessa, in case it is misconstrued as "paid labour" there are heavy penalties involved for both sides so this narrows down many opportunities unfortunately.
Very best wishes Susie