Roebourne and Surrounding Country

Below is a panoramic photo of the old central part of Roebourne. It was taken from Mount Welcome in the late afternoon, facing east. Note the vast expansive landscape in the background; an inhospitable but magnificent country.

Click on the photo. A new page will open up and you will see a much expanded photo of the town with text showing various sites from the 1880’s. The expanded photo is quite large (254kb) so for those on dial up, please be patient whilst it downloads.

Unfortunately most of the original buildings and homes of the Roebourne pioneers from 1885 have long gone. Harsh environmental and weather conditions would ensure that any wooden or mud structures would not have a long life. Many would quickly deteriorate quickly, eaten by whiteants or washed or blown away by cyclones, never to be rebuilt again; their land left vacant. Over the years other buildings and homes may have replaced some of them.

Nevertheless, it is still most interesting to look at the various sites and to know what was once there. The layout of the town is still basically the same. For those who are interested in the murder case of Thomas Anketell and Henry Burrup, having a photo of the town and its surrounds, helps to build a mental picture of the environment and society in which they lived.