Port Hedland wows visiting screen star
On Friday, award-winning Australian actress and producer Claudia Karvan could be excused for thinking she wasn't well-known by WA State Government staff.
In Port Hedland to open Helen Ansell's exhibition at the Courthouse Gallery, Karvan was introduced to the crowd by Department of Culture and the Arts acting deputy director-general David Ansell as "Claudia Caravan".
The unfortunate gaff drew laughter from the large crowd.
Arriving at the podium, Karvan laughed after a member of the crowd called out "Mrs Vickers" in reference to her character from the television series Puberty Blues.
"What was that? Mrs Vickers … you'd be scared of me then. I'm not as scary as Mrs Vickers," she said.
"Wow, what a massive turn-out … I have never been to an opening like this under the stars.
"This place is pumping, there are 400 or 500 of you to a ratio of about 20,000 - that sort of ratio would put Sydney to shame."
Referring to an earlier visit in November 2013, Karvan said the town had "made a really big impression" on her.
She told the crowd she was honoured to have been asked back by arts-group FORM to open Ansell's textile and painting exhibition Floribundus and the accompanying works by the Karntimarta Brush Artists.
"It's so important to have a place like (the Courthouse Gallery) nestled in this booming mining industry," she said.
During her weekend-long visit Karvan, accompanied by a producer from her upcoming mini-series on Gina Rinehart, visited a variety of sites, including the Spinifex Hill Studio and BHP Billiton.
