Hamersley Mine Tours

We went on the minesite tour, again, only this time with some friends who never had. After raving how cool it was being so up close to everything and how big everything was and how seemingly endless "the pit" was, you can imagine our disappointment at getting no further than the lookouts, where we saw absolutely nothing in operation. We saw no trucks operating, no other equipment operating, not even from a distance, and the explanation was that the operations were out beyond the lookout points vantage. The last time we were here and toured the site, we went all over the pit area and even into the areas where active mining was taking place. Now THAT was COOL!! Talk about some BIG trucks! And the excavators were HUGE--they literally dwarfed the trucks which are about the size of 2-3 story buildings!! They made our coach-style tour bus look like a Hot Wheels toy! I asked when we were going to go out into the pit, and was told that due to new mines regulations and something with permits that we wouldn't be, and that the plant and train load-out areas, and the lookouts were as far as we could go. I couldn't believe it! I paid the same amount of money, to see less 1/4 of what I'd seen before! Without binoculars, the lookouts are pretty useless because everything is so far away. Of course, the views of the surrounding areas ARE breathtaking, and "the pits within the pit" are some pretty big holes! The plant area and train load-out area would have been somewhat interesting, except that you couldn't really see very much. All in all, it really was a let down. It's worth a look, but NOT for what you pay for it. Not now anyway. The "old" tour was much much better. I very nearly asked for my money back, but I didn't. I just think they really ought to consider slashing the price by 1/2, because the mine tour isn't worth any more than that. Not now. You're better off going up to the top of Mt. Nameless, which doesn't cost you a cent (if you have a 4WD).