Anketell Port

{{Short description|Natural harbour in the Pilbara region of Western Australia}}

Anketell Port, also known as Port Robinson, {{coord|20|39|S|117|3|E|type:landmark_region:AU|display=title}} is a natural harbour in the Pilbara region of Western Australia (WA). The port is {{convert|10|km}} west of Cape Lambert and {{convert|30|km}} east of Karratha.{{cite web |url=http://www.dpa.wa.gov.au/anketell/default.aspx |title=Anketell |website=www.dpa.wa.gov.au |access-date=6 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130723081116/http://www.dpa.wa.gov.au/anketell/default.aspx |archive-date=23 July 2013 |url-status=dead}}

According to the WA Mangrove Assessment Project, Port Robinson is the area "south of Dixon Island, east of Cleaverville, west of Bouger Entrance", and north of the "mouth of Rocky Creek plus surrounds".[http://wamangrove.murdoch.edu.au/viewSite.asp?SiteNumber=031 WA Mangrove Assessment Project (WAMPA), 2001, Site Number 031] (23 August 2012). (WAMPA source's is AusLig 100k Map AU2356A.)

History

By the 1870s, Port Robinson had become a secondary harbour used by the pearling industry based at Cossack and other coastal shipping.[http://museum.wa.gov.au/maritime-archaeology-db/maritime-reports/cape-lambert-maritime-and-underwater-cultural-heritage-desktop-analysis R. Anderson & J. N. Green, 2011, "Cape Lambert Maritime And Underwater Cultural Heritage Desktop Analysis", Shipwreck Databases, Western Australian Museum] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141029134129/http://museum.wa.gov.au/maritime-archaeology-db/maritime-reports/cape-lambert-maritime-and-underwater-cultural-heritage-desktop-analysis |date=October 29, 2014 }}, pp. 3–5.

Use of both Cossack and Port Robinson declined after the pearling fleet moved to Broome during the 1880s. Both Port Robinson and the nearby townsite of Cleaverville were named after William Cleaver Robinson, who served three terms as Governor of Western Australia.

In 1959, the mariners' guide Australia Pilot described Port Robinson as "a snug little harbour available for small vessels with local knowledge, of {{convert|8|or|9|ft|disp=sqbr}}".Australia Pilot, 1959, vol. 5, p. 304.; cited by Anderson & Green, op. cit. p. 5.

Plans for a deep water port in the area, named Anketell Port after the nearby Mount Anketell, have been suspended.{{cite news |url=https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/31364589/anketell-port-bid-scuppered/#page1 |url-status=dead |first=Nick |last=Evans |date=2016-04-16 |title=Anketell port bid scuppered |work=The West Australian |access-date=2016-08-01 }} The proposed West Pilbara Iron Ore Project (WPIOP) combined a multi-user port with a purpose-built heavy haul railway, to proposed iron ore mines nearby.{{cite web|url=http://www.aquilaresources.com.au/go/projects/west-pilbara-iron-ore |title=West Pilbara Iron Ore - Aquila Resources Ltd |accessdate=2014-09-21 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141029091555/http://www.aquilaresources.com.au/go/projects/west-pilbara-iron-ore |archivedate=2014-10-29 }}{{Cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-12/anketells-7bn-port-and-rail-deal-signed/5740970?section=wa|title=Anketell's $7bn port and rail deal signed|newspaper=ABC News|date=12 September 2014}} In 2013, Australian Premium Iron Joint Venture (API JV) received primary government approvals – under the Environmental Protection Act 1986 and Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 – for the construction of a deep water port. Technical and commercial feasibility studies regarding WPIOP are being developed by the rail freight company Aurizon.{{Cite web |url=http://www.news.com.au/finance/business/aurizon-draws-plans-for-new-wa-rail-port/story-e6frfkur-1227055195710 |title=Aurizon draws plans for new WA rail, port |access-date=13 September 2014 |archive-date=13 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140913080103/http://www.news.com.au/finance/business/aurizon-draws-plans-for-new-wa-rail-port/story-e6frfkur-1227055195710 |url-status=dead }} In 2014, API JV partners Baosteel of China and Aurizon undertook a $1.4 billion takeover of fellow partner Aquila Resources. This, combined with falling prices for iron internationally, led to uncertainty among stakeholders – including Baosteel, Aurizon, South Korean steelmaker POSCO and transnational private equity company AMCI – regarding the viability of WPIOP, summarised as:

{{blockquote |text=the project’s engineering teams were told to focus on ways to restructure the project to cut its estimated $4.5 billion capital cost [...] dreams of a major new Pilbara port at Anketell are all but over for the near future [...].}}

Anketell Port

History

See also

References

Further reading