‘Even shelves were stolen’: Pardoo Roadhouse owners ‘crushed’ by heartless thieves after cyclone devastation

Owners of an iconic North West roadhouse destroyed by tropical cyclone Ilsa in 2023 say they have been left crushed by heartless thieves who have ransacked the property multiple times, stealing everything including shelves. Pardoo Roadhouse was almost completely ripped apart when tropical cyclone Ilsa made landfall 150km east of Port Hedland in April last year, bringing winds in excess of 250km/h. Workers accommodation dongas — empty with all staff hunkered down in a shipping container — were flattened, while the roof of the main roadhouse building was almost completely torn off by the wind. It left an estimated $4 million bill for the family run business and months of tireless work for the owners who hoped to have the vital pit stop open before the 2024 tourist season. But crime has plagued the site, with four break-ins in the past six months piling insult on top of injury. The most recent of which happened over the Christmas holidays, while owner Varinder Batth was in Perth taking a break with family. “After Christmas, we drove 30 hours from Perth and arrived to an empty shop. It just breaks our hearts,” he said. “They’ve taken everything — all our shelving, all our cutlery and kitchen utensils, all the power tools we had for repairs. “We had so much support from the Pilbara and Kimberley communities after the cyclone but all the hard work is being ruined by a few opportunistic thieves.” He said the damage from the break-in totalled $10,000 but the implications were beyond just a monetary value. “We can’t afford to have the roadhouse sitting empty. We can’t afford to station someone there while we aren’t trading,” he said. “We had so much help from suppliers to rush repairs — the door supplier pushed our order through in three days despite having a wait list of more than a couple of months. Transport companies have delayed other deliveries to make sure we get what was needed. “Then we drive 30 hours from Perth to find the brand new door has been smashed in and everything has been taken. They even used an angle grinder to steal the big ‘Pardoo Roadhouse’ sign off our fence, which has a lot of sentimental value.” The roadhouse was on schedule to reopen by late March, just in time for the busy tourist season, but Mr Batth said the continued ransacking meant owners had no idea when they could reopen.