Peter Hedland originally Lars Peter Hedlund, 14 March 1829 (Hudiksvall, Sweden) – 1881 (Lagrange Bay, Western Australia),[1] was a significant figure in European settlement in North-West Australia. A mariner, explorer, and pearler; he was widely known as "Captain Hedland". Some contemporary accounts and some of Hedland's descendants have spelt the surname Headland, although it is not clear that he ever used this spelling.
In 1863, he and the cutter Mystery he built and captained came to prominence after Hedland informed settlers of the existence of several landing places in the Pilbara region, including Port Hedland.