Thread by @Gurdur

1/n On a very different level, for those suffering at the moment, I offer the example of Port Hedland, West Australia. The entire town was a *rusty red* in colour, and it's one of the more depressing ones I've ever been in.
cc.@ChrisSidwells, @jdpoc:

https://twitter.com/lespauljunior3/status/1335151555633418242

2/n The entire region back then of the huge Pilbarra had a *total* of 22,000 people living throughout it, plus another 22,000 in its one town, Port Hedland. Which was very *red*.

https://twitter.com/Gurdur/status/1335152402136260608

3/n Most buildings in Port Hedland were built of depressing cinder block (because of the occasional tropical cyclone), and the light grey had all turned red because of iron-ore dust. Port Hedland exists largely just only to transfer iron-ore (plus other ores and salt) to ships.

4/ The local post office had a postcard for tourists: it showed three huge conical piles next to the wharfs, one red (iron ore), one black (another metal ore, I forget which one), and one white (salt). That was their idea of what would interest others.

5/ I attended a couple talks/lectures at the local hospital, and gave one myself. Most common cause of death there was work accidents, followed by diabetes from long-term alcoholism. This was not a great quality-of-life area.

6/ Mind you, I was offered $100,000 AUS $, cash in hand (no joke), to stay there, except I didn't think it was ethical at all for me to accept the job offer, so I didn't take it up. All people did there was work 12 hours a day, 6 days a week, or they drank. Sad place, rly.