Also known as “Cyclone City”, Onslow is a small peaceful town with a population of less than one thousand people in the Shire of Ashburton, Pilbara Region, Western Australia. The original town, now known as “Old Onslow” was built along the Ashburton River about ten kilometres away as the crow flies.

In 1959 a weir was built by the Forrest family on the Ashburton River separating the salt/tidal water from the fresh water upstream, thereby creating a large body of fresh water stretching for several kilometres.

Totally unimaginable when Onslow was first established in 1885, within eyesight of the old town is the enormous Wheatstone Gas Project with it’s flame burning “eternally”.

Around 1924/25 the government decide to move the town to its present site near Beadon Point. The clean and tidy town stretches out along Beadon Bay, the cooling effect being much desired during the long hot summer. Last year Onslow recorded a summer temperature of 50.9 degrees!

The enormous investments made by the gas project, salt mine and newly establishing iron ore mine have flowed on into the town which is also becoming increasing popular as tourist destination.

New footpaths, boardwalks, marina facilities and general works around Onslow are evidence of the underlying prosperity of the region. Opened in 2018, the new Onslow hospital and facilities were funded by Royalties for Regions and the Chevron-operated Wheatstone Project.

Onslow community have a well-established museum, the building itself being the “Goods Shed” from Old Onslow which was moved to the new town by camel train in the 1920s. The photo below shows a line up of six holden utes ready for service around Onslow and the Ashburton Shire.

During World War Two, the Onslow airfield became the most southernly location to be bombed by the Japanese, and although Onslow was a major refuelling station, very little damage was suffered.

Onslow’s hot and dry climate makes a perfect environment for salt production. Established around the year 2000, the Onslow Salt Mine exports two to three million tonnes annually.

From the huge mountain in the photo above, the salt is transferred by conveyer belt to waiting ships at the end of this very long jetty.

All the way around!

As you may know, our last big caravanning trip in 2018 took us from Bendigo to Exmouth and return. This journey we have travelled from Bendigo to Onslow, anticlockwise, which for all, but a few kilometres, completes our lap of the continent!

What’s next?

Stay tuned! We are heading bush, and our blog is about to have a change of format!