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Originally known as Tien Tsin Cossack is a small historic settlement located between Point Samson and Roebourne. Officially declared a town in 1872 Cossack was named after the HMS Cossack which brought Governor Sir Frederick Weld to the Tien Tsin Harbour. Cossack became the port for the pastoral industry and was also a centre for pearl divers from 1866. By the early 1870s over eighty boats were operating out of the port and divers from Japan the Philippines Malaysia and China were regularly stopping here. The most tangible reminder of this once booming industry is the Japanese Cemetery where some divers are laid to rest. Others including many Aborigines who were employed as divers were lost at sea. The Pilbara Gold Rush of the late 1880s coincided with the growth of the pearling industry bringing real prosperity to Cossack. By 1877 a horse drawn tramway had been built connecting the port with the town of Roebourne. Most of the homes and public buildings were originally built with timber and iron roofs. As a precaution against cyclones that periodically struck the town many of the buildings were anchored to the ground by chains extended over the roofs and attached to boulders sunk into the ground. The government buildings were also constructed in this fashion however during the 1890s these were replaced by the stone structures that can be seen today. Cossacks growth spanned nearly 40 years but its decline was far more rapid. By the turn of the century the pearling fleet had moved north and the gold rush had diminished. By 1910 the harbour had become clogged with silt restricting access to larger shipping vessels and pearl luggers and the once thriving community had virtually become a ghost town. There were some attempts to revive the town during the years by introducing new industries - in 1913 a leprosarium was established on the bank of the Harding River opposite the township and a turtle soup factory was established in the in the 1930s. Less than a dozen buildings remained in the 1930s either destroyed or dismantled. While visiting Cossack dont forget to visit Settlers Beach with its wide sandy shore. It is an excellent location for swimming fishing diving and snorkelling. Aboriginal rock carvings can be seen on nearby cliffs and the Readers Head Lookout offers sweeping 360 degree panoramic views of the area. www.roebourne.org.au Cossack 17