Arnold Carter arrived in Port Hedland in 1962, working for Mt Goldsworthy Mining Associates.
He was tasked with project managing the establishment of iron ore exports from the Pilbara.
Arnold served on the Shire of Port Hedland for 34 years, including six years as shire president.
He also served on the board of the Port Hedland Port Authority from 2009 to 2017 and played a key role in BHP’s expansion project in 2004.
Arnold dedicated his life to the community of Port Hedland served with numerous volunteer organisation including marine rescue, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the turf club and the historical society.
In an extended interview with Pilbara Ports, Arnold reflects on the extraordinary challenges that had to be overcome to establish an iron ore industry in the Pilbara – when even the port to handle the exports had not been determined and the Federal Government still had an export ban in place.
Finding workers to construct railway lines from the Goldsworthy mine to Port Hedland was here one of many issues.
Then Premier Sir David Brand officiated in Port Hedland when the Pilbara’s first shipload of iron ore departed Finucane Island on June 1, 1966, on the Harvey S Mudd, for Japanese customers.
“The celebrations and everything went off pretty well, we didn’t have any problems,” Arnold remembered.
“Once we got the ship loaded and away, I stood there at the end of the loading (area) and most of the frivolity and everything else had quieted down I looked out and I saw the ship going out to sea and as it was going out to see I thought to myself, ‘what a wonderful vision this is’.
“(With) this ship going out to sea now, what is the future of the town of Port Hedland?
“That’s when I termed it the hub of the Pilbara iron ore industry. It’s not only a vision now it’s a reality.”
View the full interview here.