Onslow is the key coastal township in the Shire of Ashburton on the Pilbara coast.

Located 1,386 kilometres north of Perth, it was founded in 1883 and gazetted in 1885, as a port at the mouth of the Ashburton River.

Onslow developed as a commercial marine town with basic shipping activities to support the inland wool-growing and gold mining activities, this continued as a major industry in the town for 80 years.

Cattle farming has since replaced sheep running as the predominant inland agricultural enterprise.

Due to repeated cyclone damage and the flooding/silting of the Ashburton River, the town site was moved in 1925 to its current location, 16 kilometres north-east of Old Onslow, to take advantage of the deeper waters of Beadon Point.

Since this time the port function of the town has developed to support growth in the fishing and resources sectors and more recently the exploitation of offshore oil and gas reserves.

Image courtesy of the Shire of Ashburton