Jack Absalom's: Treasures Of The Pilbara

English adventurer William Dampier sailed along Australia's North West coast in 1688. He called it the most barren spot on the globe but noticed that the compass showed a powerful attraction to a range of mountains to the south. For the next 250 years that powerful attraction was ignored, until in the 1960's it was found there were vast reserves of iron ore, today it is thought there is enough to supply world needs for the next 400 years.
Jack Absalom's journey into the Pilbara unearths many of the regions treasures.
You also get to travel on some of the giant ore trains that carry the economic treasure to the ports and onto giant cargo ships headed to Japan and China.

[@cw1877]

How could you put thumbs down to this iconic true Aussie enjoyed watching on TV back in the day, along with the leyland brothers, Malcolm Douglas, also Albe Mangles(blinda Green) Remember those days.... 😂

[@tutika1201]

I'm convinced that there are people dedicated to ensuring that all videos have dislikes no matter how uplifting they may be - to what end I can't say but inexplicably these people exist.

[@allymayful]

Produced in 1987, the yr my family left the Pilbara. It was my home for 11 yrs. It never leaves your blood. Returned this yr for the first time in 32 yrs - l loved it. This is a magic bit of film!!!

[@Lyn4817]

Completely agree. We were there from the beginning of 1985 for five years in Karratha. We had the privilege of getting to know much of it intimately, doing so much that many living there never dreamt of. It certainly does gets into your blood. We still have close friends living there.

[@AaronHahnStudios]

Too right.👍

[@Lance_Arn]

I spent 12 years working for Goldsworthy and Mount Newman Mining (BHP Iron Ore) back in the 80's & 90's.. A time and place I shall always cherish and shall never forget. I went, I worked, I survived.

[@JacobafJelling]

I have been lucky, as a Dane, to visit and explore this beautiful part of Australia, a country and a people that I love

[@donaldroberts9295]

Jack would always say that when you got a flat tyre or blow out, what is the first thing you do. Make a cup of tea was the answer and I have carried this philosophy all of my life

[@edchester1773]

As a 'uptight' American I fix the flat........cursing all the while............

[@SubodhMishrasubEE]

"If there's iron in the mountains, then probably there's bit of steel in the people too" :) Loved it.

[@Lyn4817]

There is a lot of steel in those who have and still live in the Pilbara.

[@_____7704]

Somewhere in the Outback, the spirits of Malcolm Douglas and this bloke are roaming about

[@jessesands4099]

_____ That's for sure!🤠🧔

[@danozism]

funny you should say that- Jack passed away last year. RIP

[@kitiyana]

danoz RIP 🙏

[@at9370]

And Russell Coight...

[@jessesands4099]

Oh Please!😣

[@matthysbarkey5584]

What a beautiful Rocco Jack ! I lived in Tom Price from 1969- 1984 , healthiest and best time in my life! We used to go to Wittenoom racecourse to camp with the family and swim in Witenoom gorge ! At least once a month. At Easter to Milstream camping , swimming, for 3 days with other families as well! They were magic times! Thanks again Jack for showing us!

[@Lyn4817]

The water in the Gorges was absolutely freezing. It didn't matter how hot you were, you didn't stay long in the water.

[@pkdoh6466]

Spent the afternoon with Jack and his wife at his gallery in Broken Hill a couple of years ago. Was a highlight of my life.

[@Lyn4817]

Yes, you can't visit Broken Hill without visiting Jack's Art Gallery or Pro Hart's.

[@HongNguyen-my5oq]

Watching at 03:30 am. Love Jack. Rip

[@cjeremie]

Wittenoom is certainly beautiful. A magical camping and swimming area.

[@janebrown1706]

Also Nullagine, dance at Marble Bar, Sandfire (before the tarmac), Bamboo Creek. Swimming in the De Grey on days off, motorbiking everywhere, sports on the weekend, terrific communities . A great life in the early 70s and I miss it.

[@jessesands4099]

Remember taping this episode of the TV 30 years ago!📺📼🏜️

[@leighchamberlain25]

Lived in the Pilbara (Karratha & Hedland) for 13 years now and while its hard to capture the feel of this place in a video, this is easily the best doco I've seen yet.

[@KNBARON]

Leigh Chamberlain you still live there?

[@simonm1528]

One yr in Newman, 6 months Karratha, 3 months Port Hedland. I have to agree. Everytime I leave the outskirts of any town I make sure the car has plenty of drinking water and fuel. I also wonder how the aboriginals survived at all here.

[@leighchamberlain25]

@@KNBARON Yeah mate. Still in Hedland

[@ola3100]

I love my mum. Happy birthday

[@TheAussieCro]

I travelled this road twice. 30 years ago and again in 2010 Incredible country.

[@oxFortyEight]

RIP Jack Died 22-March 2019

[@RohanGillett]

He was without doubt, my favourite TV presenter and a fine artist too!

[@AaronHahnStudios]

I still have Jack's Outback Camp oven Cookbook. The recipes are plain but I keep it for historical reasons.

[@AaronHahnStudios]

@Gort Newton Hard Back copy? I think they only printed it in Hard back?👍

[@lexy1729]

Learnt heaps, Jack is a legend.

[@nigelmorgan3449]

I haven’t been back since 1985 watching these videos I thinks it’s time to go back I spent 12 years there and had a ball

[@matthysbarkey5584]

What a beautiful Rocco Jack! I lived and worked in Tom Price , 1969-1984. Healthiest and best period in my life !

[@fdchannel111]

I have just acquired green Jasper beads from The Pilbara and I have been SO intrigued with the region because the green Jasper is the most beautiful I have known. Stunning place it seems and also great documentary- passionate host :D Thank you for sharing this beautiful place. I have never step foot in Australia.. now I want to visit!

[@Openeyees]

A privilege to watch this beutiful documentary

[@dapper_gent]

thank you Austrailia! may paul hogan's min min lights be with you always!!✨

[@nathanroberts355]

I grew in these pilbara region of western Australia port hedland and has always hone to me and still is and I'm thinking about going back to work in port hedland

[@simonm1528]

Amazing doco! Thank you for sharing!

[@rjl110919581]

THANK YOU FOR GREAT DETAIL VIDEO AS GOOD WATCHING SEE BEAUTY OF AUSTRALIA

[@allymayful]

Long Mac - with the long silver beard - such a distinguished man, and a well respect Roebourne Elder. RIP

[@allywynter8573]

Yes water is under your feet. Great vid , went through Wittenoom recently just about all gone , my dad worked there before the mine shutdown and no he didn’t die off that disease

[@athendemosh8001]

Brilliant. Miss the place.

[@craigrik2699]

I was here in 1989, we camped across the road from the graveyard in Karratha, 20 years later I'm in the same spot in a mining camp lol

[@TheAussieCro]

Beautifully done story. Thanks!

[@jensen7194]

EXCELLENT!!!!...GREAT HISTORY!!!....40,000 years+....WOW!!!!

[@jacobeksor6088]

That water really clean . Protect our Mother Earth.

[@alphaone3704]

Jacobe Ksor. Tell that to the criminal politicians!!!!!

[@rossdelaney2745]

Those awesome mullets in Tom Price.

[@jimksa67]

The Shito Shrine was interesting. Great show!

[@MrDigger450]

Great to see these old vids good memories 👍

[@lj3276]

Lived on finucane island too .... loved it....Gml

[@ola3100]

Last time I seen Davina she was beautiful.

[@pwllgwyngyll]

Enjoyed the videos very interesting, Thanks

[@jamesraymond1158]

Wonderful story. Sorry to hear he's passed away. One thing that could have been added is where did the iron come from? I think there was a great oxygenation event 2 bn yrs ago as a result of the development of photosynthesis that precipitated dissolved iron in the seas as iron oxide. Perhaps a geologist could comment here and get the story straight.

[@noelbryant8237]

and now it all goes to china and we buy rubbish steel back, what a waste of Australian iron ore

[@craigrik2699]

its called globalism. the capitalist will manufacture in the cheapest labour markets in the world, no conspiracy here, the largest company to the smallest entrepreneur do it

[@TheEarthHistorysConfusing]

Wittenoom is not on the maps now, Thanks to Midnight Oil song Blue Sky mine its forever etched in Australian history.

[@davidwolff8903]

Wittenoom

[@TheEarthHistorysConfusing]

@@davidwolff8903 Thanks spell check must done it , ive fixed that.

[@joshcook8586]

Still on some maps.

[@nathanroberts355]

I'm thinking of going back to Port Hedland and do the water filtration business and its because the water is not good drinking

[@simonm1528]

That would be a good idea! You can't even wash your car in it atm.

[@nextwayeducrafts5567]

Would like to know when the part in Wittenoom was recorded. As news coming only one resident remained in Wittenoom right now who works for Australian Weather Department.

[@tonylakis6107]

1966

[@nextwayeducrafts5567]

@@tonylakis6107 Thanks Tony!

[@simonm1528]

Mario who was a resident is moving back there so I was told.

[@deveelvraat3404]

From 1987. The old folks are all gone now.

[@nathanroberts6880]

I been to wittenoom blue asbestos mining town and it was a good thing of races and karijini gorges on its door step

[@jakartaman3365]

True, including Jack himself. Passed away March this year, 2019 aged 91.

[@niklashall5969]

So sad.

[@longrider42]

If you want to see how bad it can get as a harbor pilot. Look for video's about the Columbia River bar in Oregon. This is pretty tame compared to that one.

[@nathanroberts1540]

I found where the old telephone exchange site yard wittenoom township was it was located in Gregory st wittenoom township

[@Lyn4817]

I had the fun of sleeping in the Court House and the old Fire Station, in the dying days of Wittenoom.

[@nathanroberts1540]

My father Dave Roberts was a deputy shire president of the shire of Ashburton 1984 to 1990

[@niklashall5969]

Now this is entertainment, sweet as

[@TheAussieCro]

In 1962 went to Millstream for dates from Wittenoom.

[@nathanroberts355]

I'm thinking of doing taking my family on a road trip to the pilbara region of western Australia at towns of port hedland and marble bar and newman and tom price and Onslow and exmouth and Perth home

[@WestAussieTrainz]

28:35 bro got bloody balls of steels going out right next to mine

[@TheObSeRvErTheObSeRv]

Good one AB, We sell IRON ORE to japan for $100.00 a ton. They give it back to us in a $ 10.000 dollar CAR.!

[@jamesbond_AMK]

Malcolm Turnbull should start making such programs.

[@nathanroberts6880]

I lived in the pilbara region and visited wittenoom blue asbestos mining town and it's now a abandoned ghost town because of blue asbestos deaths

[@Mark2790]

I heard that Wittenoom has no more population. A true ghost town now. It's not advised, but you are allowed to drive through it and you must not exit the vehicle.

[@SenorTucano]

The WA government deliberately withdrew all services in order to close it down

[@TheAussieCro]

In 1962 that was first time I met Aborigines living in their humpies from Wittenoom to Millstream.

[@nathanroberts6880]

To all tourist travellers please avoid wittenoom blue asbestos mining town and don't go in obey the warnings of blue asbestos

[@265hemi7]

It's going to be too late for many ..

[@marcusevans3824]

I 4got bout u jack. r mems! lov u man!

[@digisuboob]

william dampier was on the money.

[@simonm1528]

Nothing grows here unless you water it hourly lol.

[@niklashall5969]

Ahhhhhh......home 🙏

[@heatherhoward2513]

Wittenoom is closed, last resident's moved and house demolished, the place is closed off to everyone.

[@johnbontoft8548]

RIP JACK

[@lj3276]

Goldsworthy was the first mine that started it all

[@TheAussieCro]

Yes, Wittenoom my trouble!

[@nathanroberts355]

I lived in Tomprice and Paraburdoo and Wittenoom and plus my father was a deputy shire president with the shire of Ashburton and fixed telephone exchange s in mining towns of tom price and Paraburdoo and up to the mW tower on Mt Watkins above Wittenoom gorge only way to get to it is by 4wd only

[@ndirangugichuki6260]

31:52 how many cats does that lady have ?

[@nicoleparry5103]

All the strays left behind when people abandoned the place

[@265hemi7]

@@nicoleparry5103 😥

[@lacymcduffie1684]

There's water everywhere in Australia, under your feet; right.

[@allywynter8573]

Lacy McDuffie really

[@TheAussieCro]

Jack you are a tresure! Are you still around?

[@eoin1959]

Jack died in 2019... but I'm sure he's still around in spirit!

[@marcusevans3824]

teen ages have 2 decide either work on the mine or do ice, ur choice

[@nathanroberts6880]

I grew up tin the pilbara and lived in Tom price and port hedland and been to old mines of wittenoom blue asbestos mining town of wittenoom and it's abandoned now it's Barron blue asbestos land it's killed all the township of wittenoom it's nothing left of it

[@mickgatz214]

Dorathia, the Cat Woman! lol

[@jessesands4099]

At 9.16 you see the real Australia!😉👍🇦🇺🏜️

[@nathanroberts1540]

I lived in tom price and parraburdoo and Onslow and old blue asbestos exposure of doom mining companies of wittenoom and back 42yrs ago and lived in port headland 4yrs 8yrs ago from 2009 to 2012

[@nathanroberts6880]

To all tourist travellers please avoid wittenoom blue asbestos mining town it's bad of blue asbestos warnings

[@fredbloggs8362]

The scale and logistics involved in successfully raping the Pilbara is both impressive and sad in equal parts.

[@simonm1528]

Meanwhile this flog is using technology only brought about by taking ore from the earth and making everything she uses.

[@allymayful]

Feeling very frustrated again!!!! Why don't the posters of these woderful historical gems think to include the date of the original production???????

[@TheEmslaender]

1991

[@allymayful]

@@TheEmslaender Thank you.

[@jakartaman3365]

This was produced in 1987. It's written in Roman numerals at the end of the closing credits.

[@KNBARON]

I think this was shot in 1688...✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️

[@janebrown1706]

Ahh Shat Gap, Goldsworthy, Pt Hedland,

[@sugarcan1110]

So what she die of ??

[@265hemi7]

I guess we'll never know? .

[@CallumTalksTech]

Any other goldsworthy expats here

[@simonm1528]

Videos before drones!

[@rosewind6891]

Poor australia such destruction of a truly beautiful land RIP Jack🇦🇺

[@simonm1528]

What???

[@cdnsk12]

Are there Crocs in Millstream?

[@77iam97]

Norman McKinnon Nah nothing only fresh water catfish fresh water tortes and perch fish

[@simonm1528]

Nope

[@petertancred3507]

Bush tucker man's great grandfather...?

[@yknot2810]

Wtf the cat lady?

[@iantotwo]

“The natives”

[@jessesands4099]

At 14.48 rock art could be evidence of an Extra Terrestrial visit to Australia!🤔👽👾🛸🇦🇺

[@samuelbaldwin3531]

Australias allright by me, but you keep claiming things that come from over here in kiwiland like Russel Crowe, Pharlap, Crowded House, Pavlova, Lamingtons, all the best footie players..

[@KNBARON]

Wo w...2020 and you just didn’t sell iron ore to CHINA you sold you SOUL.....

[@simonm1528]

Covid 2021

[@jackmcfakie2552]

Yeah playing around with blue asbestos at Wittenoom hasn't aged well...downvoted.

[@alexkilbee1837]

I like all these videos, but come on man, even out in the middle of nowhere you never ever fling rocks off of cliffs. Have to say I could watch these for hours..

[@lukereynolds9907]

Why wouldn’t you throw rocks

[@MACRStratum]

@@lukereynolds9907 In Capetown, on Table Mountain, the signs used to read: Moe nie met die klippe gooi nie. Bergklimmers laer af.

[@jimbotheassclown]

And she died of Mesothelioma two days later ....

[@colinhead8118]

actually got eaten by a couple of hundred cats.

[@ronsmith5648]

@@colinhead8118 thats my laugh for tonight