Turner River | |
---|---|
Location | |
Country | Australia |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | |
• location | Pullcunah Hill |
• elevation | 253 m (830 ft) [1] |
Mouth | |
• location | Indian Ocean |
• elevation | sea level |
Length | 236 km (147 mi) |
Basin size | 4,555 km2 (1,759 sq mi) [2] |
The Turner River is a river in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
The headwaters of the river rise below Pullcunah Hill and flows in a northerly direction and crosses the North West Coastal Highway approximately 40 kilometres (25 mi) south of Port Hedland and discharging into the Indian Ocean. The riverbed is alluvial and highly braided.
The river has three tributaries: Turner River East, Turner River West and Red Creek. It also flows through two large permanent pools, Kunagunarinna Pool and Moorambine Pool.
The mouth of the river is a large estuarine area that is mostly unmodified. The estuary functions primarily as a result of tidal energy. It covers a total area of 9.1 square kilometres (4 sq mi), [3] which is mostly made up of salt-marsh with a small colony of mangroves.
Much of the river catchment is used for cattle (grazing); excess nutrients cause some eutrophication in some pools upstream. Some mining also occurs within the catchment area.
In 1952 Lang Hancock flew his plane low through the gorges in the Turner River to escape bad weather when he noticed the red ochre colouration of the rocks and thought it could be a significant deposit of iron ore. He later returned to collect samples which he duly had tested and discovered he had found a huge deposit of high-grade ore. [4]
Karijini National Park is an Australian national park centred in the Hamersley Ranges of the Pilbara region in the northwestern section of Western Australia. The park is located north of the Tropic of Capricorn, 1,055 kilometres (656 mi) from the state's capital city, Perth. Formerly known as Hamersley Range National Park, the park was officially renamed in 1991.
The Avon River is a river in Western Australia. A tributary of the Swan River, the Avon flows 240 kilometres (150 mi) from source to mouth, with a catchment area of 125,000 square kilometres (48,000 sq mi).
The Pilbara is a large, dry, thinly populated region in the north of Western Australia. It is known for its Aboriginal peoples; its ancient landscapes; the red earth; and its vast mineral deposits, in particular iron ore. It is also a global biodiversity hotspot for subterranean fauna.
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The Fortescue River is an ephemeral river in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It is the third longest river in the state.
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The Ophthalmia Range is a mountain range in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, approximately 1,190 kilometres (739 mi) north of Perth. There are some variations of the spelling of Ophthalmia. The eastern end of the range is connected to the Hamersley Range. The nearest town is Newman, approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi) to the south, in the Hamersley Range.
The Hamersley River is an ephemeral river in the Great Southern region of Western Australia.
The West Angelas mine is an iron ore mine located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, 110 kilometres North West of Newman.
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The Iron Valley mine is a small iron ore mine located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, 75 kilometres (47 mi) northwest of Newman, 270 kilometres (170 mi) south of Port Hedland, and 10 kilometres (6 mi) east of the Yandicoogina mine.
North Limited was a diversified mining and resources company. Although based in Australia, its operations eventually extended to six continents. By the late 20th century the company had become the fourth largest iron ore exporter in the world with expansion underway which would have made it equal third. Its biggest asset was a majority stake in Robe River, a major miner of the Pilbara iron ore deposits of Western Australia and the world's lowest cost producer of iron ore.
20°22′31″S118°21′54″E / 20.37528°S 118.36500°E