Tom Price

The town, mine and mountain were all named after Thomas Moore Price, an American raw minerals surveyor who was involved in the early feasibility studies on behalf of the US company Kaiser Steel Corporation. Tom Price is located at the edge of the Hamersley Ranges, 747 metres above sea level and is the highest town in Western Australia.

AV Jennings commenced construction work on approximately 80 houses in 1965 and single men’s quarters and town amenities including a swimming pool, sports oval and shopping centre were also planned as a service centre and residential area for miners.

Tom Price was one of two towns built by Hamersley Iron Pty Ltd, the other being Dampier. The towns were established at either end of the iron ore project, Tom Price being the mine end of the project.

Until 1982, Tom Price was a ‘closed’ town, built and serviced by Hamersley Iron Pty Ltd for its employees. A normalization agreement with Hamersley Iron Pty Ltd for Tom Price and Paraburdoo was entered into in November 1982.

The following are the Indigenous communities near Tom Price:

• Wakathuni (20km south east of Tom Price)
• Bellary (25 km south east of Tom Price)
• Youngaleena (25 km out of Munjina Roadhouse)