Situated in the north west of Western Australia, the Pilbara is a mineral rich region of spectacular scenery thought to be around 2.8 billion years old. Often described as the engine room of the nation because of its immense reserves of natural resources, the Pilbara is also blessed with stunning natural beauty boasting striking landscapes and a rich and diverse cultural heritage.

The Pilbara covers a total area of 507,896 square kilometres extending from the Indian Ocean to the Northern Territory border (including offshore islands). The region comprises four local government authorities - the Shires of Ashburton, East Pilbara, Roebourne and the Town of Port Hedland.

More than 39,000 people live in the Pilbara enjoying the relaxed community lifestyle, the magnificent climate and unique environment it provides. While most residents live in the region's towns, many choose the rugged lifestyle of the pastoral stations. The region can be separated into three distinct geographical formations, a vast coastal plain, breathtaking inland ranges and an arid desert region extending into Australia's dry centre.

The Pilbara is a semi arid region characterised by high temperatures, low and variable rainfall and high evaporation. Temperature ranges are generally greater in inland districts away from the moderating effects of onshore winds common to the coastal districts. Between October and April, the temperature throughout the Pilbara reaches or exceeds 32 degrees celsius almost every day. During the winter months the average temperature falls to a very pleasant 25 degrees celsius.

Some of the Pilbara's most popular natural attractions are the Karijini and Millstream/Chichester National Parks with its spectacular gorges and waterfalls, Marble Bar and Cossack with their historical features and the Dampier Archipelago for those interested in aquatic pursuits such as fishing, diving and other boating activities. The region is also well known for its heritage assets and especially for Aboriginal rock art, of which there are spectacular examples throughout the Pilbara.

Looking specifically at indicators of interest, Hours Worked in the Pilbara show more than 68% of workers in the Pilbara work 40 or more hours per week. These figures are indicative of the high number of mining and construction workers in the region and the regular 10 plus hours worked each day.

The Pilbara, and in particular Roebourne (S), has shown continued growth in the number of Registered Boats between 1991 and 2008, indicative of the lifestyle benefits of the coastal regions. The number of registered boats has increased from 1,388 in 1991 to more than 3,900 in 2008. The increase may be attributed to the higher disposable income from mining and construction workers in the region. Although population has increased in the same period, the number of boats per capita has also increased significantly with an average of 30 boats in 1991 increasing to 85 boats per 1,000 people in 2008.

With the Port Hedland Port Authority and the Dampier Port Authority processing in excess of 220 million tonnage of cargo each year, they represent 2 of the largest non-metropolitan ports in Australia. Both ports have shown positive growth since 2002/03 to 2007/08, however with the current economic factors influencing international demand the ports and resource companies are looking ahead with conservative forecasts.