Bunbury waterfront stage three funding locked in at $65m

Visiting Bunbury on Thursday with new local member Don Punch, Ms MacTiernan met with key industry stakeholders including those working at the South West Development Commission to be briefed on the status of the project. 

Addressing the media after the briefing, Ms MacTiernan said the government have committed the funding for the third and final stage of the transformation project. 

“Labor is now committed to continuing stage one and two and we have committed a total of $65 million to complete stage three of this project which will really drive jobs and growth in this area,” she said. 

“I love this project – we need to do stage three as it brings in the marine facilities and the jobs.”

Stage one of the project involved the revitalisation of the Koombana Bay foreshore and a $12 million redevelopment of the Dolphin Discovery Centre while stage two enhances the Casuarina Beach precinct. 

Stage three, delivered in two parts, will build a boating and marine industry precinct in Casuarina Harbour with breakwaters and improved pens for boat mooring. 

Ms MacTiernan said work on the project starts later this month and would continue through to 2021. 

Bunbury MLA Don Punch said the project was a great boon for Bunbury.  

“I’ve been briefing Ms MacTiernan on a number of Bunbury projects and I’ll be very pleased to see this one rolled out,” he said. 

“The business case for stage three will be fast-tracked – we are left with the fact the leases on the port land here don’t expire until the end of 2018 and we want to be in the position to start work in 2019.”

For more information about the project, visit swdc.wa.gov.au.