WA budget 2016-17: Political leaders promote $25m Bunbury waterfront project

Thursday’s budget committed $24.9 million through Royalties for Regions for the first stage of transforming the waterfront which includes an $8.6 million upgrade to the Dolphin Discovery Centre (a project that will cost $12.3 million). 

The Premier was joined on the waterfront by a number of dignitaries including Nationals leader Terry Redman, Bunbury MLA John Castrilli, City of Bunbury Mayor Gary Brennan, South West Development Commission chief executive officer Don Punch and Dolphin Discovery Centre general manager David Kerr.

Premier Colin Barnett said the project will include a boardwalk, amphitheatre, walking trails, parklands and revegetation.

“The waterfront project is something that has been talked about and debated in the community for a long period of time and I’m delighted through the work of the South West Development Commission and the City of Bunbury it has come together with broad community agreement,” Mr Barnett said. 

“This will reinvigorate the waterfront area and be very important to the local community.”

Regional Development minister Terry Redman said the financial commitment in the budget for stage one also shows a commitment to the next three stages of the project.

“This project is another piece of the jigsaw to make the waterfront development an iconic part of the Bunbury city and making it significant when people are choosing to come and live here. 

“By putting our commitment to stage one we also show our intention to support the other stages and when I look at the planning that has gone into this and the support it has, we can see the play out of a significant project in practice.”

Dolphin Discovery Centre general manager David Kerr said it was great to see support for the centre which is the icon attraction for the City of Bunbury.

 “Koombana Bay would be pretty much the best place in the world to see dolphins in the wild and that is from the number of dolphins that are here and calm, protected waters. It really is a special experience,” he said.

“We set up some time ago a group to look at marine facilities and that group approached it in a cooperative sense by trying to get everyone on the same page so that we could then present to government a vision for what we thought needed to be done.

“Pleasingly, the government has responded very positively to that and that support is over a whole series of processes and in promising the other stages of this particular development.”

For more information about the vision for transforming Bunbury’s waterfront, visit swdc.wa.gov.au

WA Premier Colin Barnett

“While there is a lot of debate about the financial position of the budget, I can assure you that this state is in very good shape and I think we’ve probably turned the corner in the economy and I expect to see that strengthen,” he said. 

“The budget contained a lot of initiatives … in country and regional Western Australia and one of the most important of those was the commitment of funding for the waterfront project in Bunbury. 

“I’ve always regarded Bunbury as the second capital city of Western Australia, it’s an important regional centre and it’s going to be the place for the office of the Department of Parks and Wildlife which will get underway in the next six months. 

“The waterfront project is something that has been talked about and debated in the community for a long period of time and I’m delighted through the work of the South West Development Commission and the City of Bunbury it has come together with broad community agreement. 

“The project will include a boardwalk, amphitheater, walking trails, parklands and revegetation. It will also include a redevelopment of the Dolphin Discovery Centre which is a very important tourist attraction to Bunbury and the South West region.

“This will reinvigorate the waterfront area and be very important to the local community.” 

Regional Development minister Terry Redman

“It’s a fantastic day for Bunbury with funding committed to stage one of the waterfront project,” he said. 

“It’s the first of four stages and what is really pleasing is through the state budget, the integrity of the Royalties for Regions program has been maintained which means projects like this in regional Western Australia can get onto the agenda

“To have a facility like the Dolphin Discovery Centre where you have the connection between people and the wild, the dolphins that come in there… is critically important. 

“I’ve heard people say in the past the best thing about Bunbury is the bypass road and that is not the case now, I stayed in town last night and it is being revitalised. 

“This project is another piece of the jigsaw to make the waterfront development an iconic part of the Bunbury city and making it significant when people are choosing to come and live here. 

“By putting our commitment to stage one we also show our intention to support the other stages and when I look at the planning that has gone into this and the support it has, we can see the play out of a significant project in practice.”

Bunbury MLA John Castrilli

“I’ve got to say how delighted I am that the Premier and minister Redman are here in Bunbury today on such an important day for such an important project,” he said. 

“There has been some fantastic work by a whole range of people in Bunbury. 

“Bunbury is entering into a new phase of a progressive era and this project that has been announced along with the DPaW office is the centre of the revitalisation and connectivity into Bunbury. 

“I think this is a fantastic time for Bunbury and it is really setting the benchmark – it is the kick-off for the whole waterfront redevelopment project and I want to thank all the people of Bunbury who have come together to say ‘we support what we are doing’.”

City of Bunbury Mayor Gary Brennan

“This is probably the largest announcement Bunbury has had for many, many years and the only comparison could be with the Marlston Hill redevelopment – that’s how important this project is to our city,” he said. 

“With this funding we will see the start of a major redevelopment. 

“The City will be funding between four to five million on Koombana Drive reconstruction starting in late June and I envisage we will see a continuation of projects over two to three years which will generate hundreds of jobs and and will continue with the transformation of the scene within our city that we have seen over the past couple of years.

“The future is incredibly exciting, it’s a great place to be and a wonderful place to invest and live to enjoy our lifestyle.”

Dolphin Discovery Centre general manager David Kerr

“The Dolphin Discovery Centre, as everyone knows, is the icon attraction for the City of Bunbury and the surrounding areas,” he said. 

“About 52 per cent of the people who visit are international visitors which injects good money into the economy and encourages them to move further south while on their travels. 

“I’d also like to recognise the process we have gone through to make this project happen. 

“We set up some time ago a group to look at marine facilities and that group approached it in a cooperative sense by trying to get everyone on the same page so that we could then present to government a vision for what we thought needed to be done.

“Pleasingly, the government has responded very positively to that and that support is over a whole series of processes and in promising the other stages of this particular development.

“We look forward to the realisation of the dream we had so long ago.”

“Koombana Bay would be pretty much the best place in the world to see dolphins in the wild and that is from the number of dolphins that are here and calm, protected waters. It really is a special experience.”

South West Development Commission chief executive officer Don Punch

“On behalf of our board we would like to pass on our thanks to the Premier and the minister,” he said. 

“It is part of a broader strategy which focuses on a vibrant and engaged 21^st century Bunbury that can certainly attract international visitors. 

“Today is a great announcement and the next stage is looking at how we boost the marine facilities in our region so that can make recreational boating and diving an stable employer for the future.”