Entry 8 – 2026 – April – Marble Bar “the town,” Western Australia
Steve’s original life supervisor has requested this specific entry. His mum still provides influence up to a certain level, before Mary has the ultimate sway.
Mum has had thoughts of seeing Marble Bar for herself. It just hadn’t worked out. Now at the age of 93 years, she has requested a portrayal of Marble Bar itself.
So here goes. Mum this is Marble Bar in 2026. It may be a little different from your travelling days, way back in time!
The road from Marble Bar to Port Hedland was busy with ore carting road trains. It seemed there was one coming towards us around every five minutes. We noted each road train had a compilation of 106 tyres in contact with the road. From memory, the information session we participated at Port Hedland, these trucks were carting lithium ore and were travelling around 300 kilometres one way to Port Hedland. Each load must have had quite the value to justify the carting expenses. We thought there was around two ships departing Port Hedland each week loaded with lithium ore.
On the approach road into the town of Marble Bar, travelling inland from the Western Australian coast line are a number of sculptures announcing your arrival at Marble Bar.
We arrived at Marble Bar on a week day. Initially we drove along the main road through town. The drive from one side to the other side of town would have taken about two minutes at most.
There were about a dozen side streets with a mix of organisations/infrastructure required in a town of this nature (ambulance station, council depot, fire department, swimming pool, police station, school, etc) and residential housing.
We appeared to be the only pedestrians out and about. Over about a time period of 30 minutes of foot exploration, we saw three cars moving about.
We inspected the general store with mostly long-life products and some fresh food available. The pub was uniquely old Australian. True to Marble Bar form the pub fridges were broken along with the pub TV. We did have a beer each and they were lovely and cold, straight from the cooler full of ice.
There was one fuel station of sorts at a motel. Diesel at $3.60 per litre.
The caravan park looked like it had been established in the 1950’s. The current owners had purchased it eight years previously. There seemed to be around four permanent caravans and a few permanents in some donga’s. We stayed for two nights and saw one other travelling caravan staying for the night. We had read a number of positive reviews about the caravan park. We thought most of the reviews had been rather flamboyant. At least the amenities were clean and the washing machines worked.
We located two town lookout points one south and one north of town. The track to each one required a 4wd vehicle to negotiate. The arrows indicating the lookout points with the last picture also including an arrow showing our caravan in the town caravan park.
Marble Bar is located nearby the Coongan River. A major flood event in January 2025 had caused significant damage to the surrounding landscape. Whenever you read publicity about Marble Bar the main highlight is the Marble Bar pool at the Coongan River. It was classified as an A Class Reserve where you can view colourful jasper rock deposits. Seating, tables and shelters had been established along with walking paths. All the infrastructure had been washed away during the flood event and now, the reserve is mostly buried under tons of river sand. There were jasper rocks about, requiring a bit of a scramble to get to.
The Coongan River was a nice setting.
The town museum/information centre was closed. The windows looked like they hadn’t been cleaned for years. Another one of the publicized locations was a visit to the Comet Mine. This was also closed.
The main people activity seemed for people to be seated at the front of their housing. It was evident this had once been a proud town. Now in decline, much in need of some positive motivated people.
