Heavenly Beverley : An Endlessly Surprising Port Hedland Birthday

We arrived in Port Hedland yesterday afternoon, after a predictable ride on tarmac all two hundred kilometres. Nearly half was through spectacular gorge country. The other half was fairly hoo-hum will few interesting features, except for the odd station or mine turn off. The only slightly unsettling moment was having a mobile signal and a phone call in literally the middle of nowhere.

Our arrival in Hedland activated a mutual trip down Memory Lane. I was last in the town for a brief stay twenty-two years ago. Michael spent a year of his life in 1976 and 1977 living and working in what was truly a wild west town. Both of us drove through the outskirts with our mouths open. There was an abundance of greenery, street trees, revitalised housing, parks, public art, museums and an art gallery.

We found our way reasonably easily to the caravan park, now the Cooke Point Discovery Park. Back in the 1970s, it was a dusty carpark with little shade or facilities. Now, there are camp kitchens, ablution blocks, playgrounds, a TV room and a briskly efficient reception.

We stepped out for a spot of shopping at the Boulevard Shopping Centre, unenvisaged forty years ago. Michael remembered only Charlie Carters in the western end of town supplying groceries. We stopped at the impressive Tourism Centre, where I collected more free propaganda from Northwestern girl, Katie.

We returned for dinner and fell gratefully into an unkempt bed, promising ourselves clean sheets in the morning.

I woke briefly in the pre-dawn and considered going outside to observe the lunar eclipse. I needed very little self- persuasion to talk myself out of rising. The only other excitement was Michael's tendency (twice) to raise his arm above us and then drop it fairly forcefully onto my head. I was certainly not amused.

All was forgiven by morning. I was wished the happiest of birthdays by my beloved husband, my adored children and so many of my fabulous Facebook buddies. We attacked the washing and the washing up, showered two days of red dust off ourselves and dressed in deliciously clean clothes. Then we set out for a day on the town.

A succession of wondrous and joyous episodes marked the day. An excellent wax and tint orchestrated by Chrissy from the Desert Goddess. Lunch at Dome, which was used as hospital accommodation and known as the Green House in its past life. Michael, in his stint as a mechanical fitter at the old Port Hedland Hospital, slept in the left front corner bedroom. We sat outside his former digs on the verandah and devoured our tasty meal.

We watched enormous ships being brought into port. Michael reminisced about waving to his Dad Lucky who worked as a marine engineer on the tugs for fifteen years. We then embarked on a walking tour of the "West End". A revisit with Katie at the Tourism Centre and the purchase of a book and teatowel, an inspection of the "Silver Star", a stroll through the sculptures of Glass Lane and an invitation to an exhibition opening at the Courthouse Gallery on Friday night. In its former status as a court, Michael had stood before the magistrate and had his motorcycle license suspended for having "lead fingers" along Anderson Street.

We drove around Pretty Pool and visited the former houses of Northwestern identities, Darryl and Wendy Sofoulis. The Anderson Street duplex was a complete dive. The Bell Street house was recognisable by Daz's sheds and was unexpectedly neat and hip.

We finished the day with some fantastic evening markets organised by the caravan park. Michael joined several hundred others on the dunes to photograph the Staircase to the Moon. I was delighted to pick up some gifts, groove with the crowd and listen to some fabulous live music. My only concern was catching pregnancy as there were babies with their mums and dads everywhere...!

We are staying in Hedland until Saturday so we may attend the art exhibition "Bloom" at the Courthouse Gallery. If you happen to be in the vicinity of Port Hedland over the next few weeks, do drop into the Gallery and admire the artworks.

I have had the best of birthdays. And Port Hedland has been an absolutely eye-opening experience. We continue to be delighted to be here.