Every year the Dampier Classic Fishing Tournament is held. This is one of the biggest tournaments in Western Australia and has seen the setting of many Australian and World Records. The massive iron ore company Hamersley Iron Pty Ltd constructed Dampier, located in an attractive setting overlooking Hampton Harbour, back in 1966. The town was originally built to house the companies employee's, working at the port facilities in Dampier. This loading facility is the termination point for the railway system that operates from mines at Tom Price, Paraburdoo, Channar , Brockman and Marandoo.
Iron ore is railed, stockpiled and loaded onto huge ships for export all around the world.
Although Iron ore is the principal output, laying claim to nearly 50 million tonnes, large shipments of LNG, salt and condensate also pass through the four major docking facilities within the huge harbour. The massive North West Shelf Gas project is situated on the nearby Burrup Peninsula and managed by Woodside Offshore Petroleum. This somewhat famous K9 is probably one of the most famous dogs in Australian history. Stories of the beloved red dog still abound throughout the district and there has even been a book written about him.