Advanced manufacturing and digital hub
Look to future trends and position the South West
Proposition
Bunbury-Geographe cluster
Identify key sites for advanced manufacturing and engineering services
Actions 1 - 5 years
- Undertake a study to investigate suitable sites in and around Bunbury Port
- Begin the process of creating business cases to underline investment in preparing business parks for immediate take up
5 - 20 years
- Transition to a highly skilled workforce and environment where business is increasingly connected with academia
- Transition to green energy use to boost business credentials and support the South West brand
Outcomes 2050
- The South West has transitioned to a knowledge economy and is recognised for innovation and quality
- Continued investment is justified as the South West gains reputation for downstream processing and enjoys world class supply chains
- The South West is a leader in waste minimisation and makes use of all processed materials
Proposition
Water servicing for Wanju district structure plan area
5 - 20 years
- Ensure water servicing infrastructure including arterial drainage is constructed in a timely manner to service urban expansion
Outcomes 2050
- Maximise opportunities to optimise water servicing to ensure the vision of a liveable, green and vibrant urban community is realised
Aviation
The South West provides a suite of services including passengers, flight training, commercial, recreational and emergency services
Proposition
Busselton Margaret River Airport
BMRA becomes an important regional airport with links to other Australian cities and Asia
Actions 1 - 5 years
- Begin constructing a quality fit-for-purpose passenger terminal with a view to expansion and meeting the expectations of visitors to the Capes region
- Develop and construct freight and logistics warehousing facilities at BMRA
5 - 20 years
- Upgrade to cater for international passengers
- Introduce quarantine capacity for international freight
Outcomes 2050
- The South West is connected via key air routes in Australia and Asia
Proposition
Bunbury Airport
The airport provides high capacity general services for recreational aviation, emergency management and flight training
Actions 1 - 5 years
- Investigate offsets for future expansion
5 - 20 years
- Construct a cross-runway to provide an alternate runway for training and in the event of strong winds
Outcomes 2050
- The South West provides a suite of flight training, recreational and quality emergency services including for RFDS, air ambulance and bushfire fighting aircraft
Proposition
Manjimup Airport
Airport is capable of supporting 50-seat aircraft for fly-in fly-out and emergency service provision
Actions 1 - 5 years
- Widen existing runway seal to 30m
5 - 20 years
- Build additional terminal space and refuelling facilities
Proposition
Boyup Brook Airport
Airport can accommodate emergency night flights and glider demand
Actions 1 - 5 years
- Extend the runway to accommodate RFDS and recreational use for gliders
Proposition
Emergency services
Ensure all regional airports have the capacity to support access for the Royal Flying Doctor Service
Actions 1 - 5 years
- Emergency access must be made available to all the region’s airports
Bunbury Port
Enabling the development of trade through shipping, connecting the South West to world markets
Proposition
Bunbury Port
Plan for the best use of significant landholdings and exploit the proximity to Perth by developing berths and rationalising landholdings. Grow the port to meet South West and State export/import needs for bulk cargoes, niche container cargoes and roll-on roll-off cargo including refrigerated and food grade cargo. Acknowledge regional ports importance in regional development via sustainability, collaboration and active participation in innovation systems.
Actions 1 - 5 years
- Produce a strategic planning document outlining a path to future investment, including investigations into realigning Preston River
- Plan for bulk liquids including the decommissioning of methanol tanks from the Outer Harbour
- Land-back Berth 3 and begin the development of Berth 14
- Prepare for the relocation of Outer Harbour facilities to the Inner Harbour
5 - 20 years
- If necessary, realign the Preston River to rationalise port landholdings
- Complementary extension of Berth 5 to support longer vessels and improve flexibility by providing a continuous quay line
- Begin the development of Berth 7 to support multi-user operations including containers and Ro-Ro (vehicle import)
- Relocate all Outer Harbour facilities to the Inner Harbour
Outcomes 2050
- The region is well served by its port in a co-ordinated delivery of maritime services, working with other ports to provide solutions to both the South West and Perth
High capacity bandwidth and digital connections
Ensure the region is capable of communicating and transferring data at the forefront of world standards
Proposition
High capacity bandwidth
The region is able to expand its economic base and social amenity through high capacity broadband delivering 25-100 Mbps for domestic use, 1-10Gbps for business use, and wireless throughout the region Mobile phone access is available throughout the entire region to support economic growth, improved social amenity and emergency calls
Mitigate against bushfire risk by pursuing whole-of-region coverage
Actions 1 - 5 years
- Work towards supporting the use of available telecommunications to drive a digital city agenda linking with advanced manufacturing, ‘second city’ status, decentralisation opportunities, a dedicated Local Government cloud and innovation potential
- Free wi-fi access is available to support tourism in town and city centres throughout the region
- Employ back up battery systems to extend service coverage in case of bushfire outages
- All blackspots are covered
5 - 20 years
- Lever off progressing the digital agenda to engage with edge computing and establish a data centre in the South West
Outcomes 2050
- The South West is a region of excellence in digital technology
- The South West is a recognised technology region capable of meeting the needs of cutting-edge industry, the creative sector as well as education and social connectivity
- The critical mass of telecommunications demand is sufficient to drive investment in new and emerging technologies as access is enabled and consumers have choice
Intermodal Transport Hub
Ensure delivery of an IMT to facilitate the most efficient transport system possible
Proposition
Intermodal Transport Hub
Plan for the efficient storage and movement of freight, combining road, rail and port systems at the Wellington site identified by the WA Department of Transport
Actions 1 - 5 years
- Work towards site planning at Waterloo, accounting for existing transport networks, industrial land availability and future need
5 - 20 years
- Deliver an intermodal transport hub
Outcomes 2050
- The South West is served by an efficient inter-operable hub, boosting competitiveness in industry and supporting investment decisions
Rail
Ensure rail systems keep apace with the needs of the region
Proposition
Rail
Continually improve the South West rail network and connections to Perth to maximise freight competitiveness and community passenger patronage
Actions 1 - 5 years
- Investigate the preconditions required for a faster rail service from Bunbury to Perth
- Monitor the demand need for reinstatement of the Greenbushes line and provide some certainty for impacted regional communities
5 - 20 years
- Complete duplication of South West Main Railway Line – Brunswick to Bunbury Port – which would trigger remodelling the Coalfields Hwy/South Western Hwy intersection
- Construct standard gauge rail from Bunbury IMT to Perth
- Link Kemerton to Bunbury Port
Outcomes 2050
- The region’s rail connections are fast and efficient, featuring standard gauge rail and grade separation
Roads
Construct free-flowing major roads to benefit industry and minimise freight traffic on local roads
Proposition
Roads
Construct free-flowing major roads to benefit industry and minimise freight traffic on local roads
Actions 1 - 5 years
- Complete the Bunbury Outer Ring Road in its entirety, with full grade separation
- Complete the duplication of the Bussell Hwy
- Continually improve local roads with an emphasis on delivering sealed roads for Scott River agriculture producers
- Continually improve South Western Hwy with upgrades and additional passing lanes from Donnybrook to Walpole
- Upgrade Graphite Road linking Manjimup and Nannup
- Upgrade the Donnybrook-Boyup Brook Road to support agriculture and proposed developments
5 - 20 years
- Monitor need for the Brockman Hwy upgrade between Nannup and Bridgetown
Outcomes 2050
- The South West has efficient freight, tourism and community networks meeting the needs of a go-ahead region
Sustainable energy
Ensure there is access to sustainable, affordable energy supplies to support a growing region, building to a forecast industry demand requirement of 51GW of new energy by 2042
Proposition
Energy security
The region is able to expand its economic and population base through the provision of adequate energy supplies and reliable distribution networks, making the best possible use of renewable energy options and opportunities to decarbonise energy
Actions 1 - 5 years
- Begin the journey towards green hydrogen energy
- Begin constructing industrial scale battery storage in Collie to support energy decarbonisation goals
- Explore and construct offshore wind power generation where feasible
- Investigate solar opportunities (including the 100MW Benger Solar Farm) and battery storage
5 - 20 years
- Underground power, particularly in high risk bushfire areas
- Expand to make best use of the South West Interconnected System (SWIS)network
- Provide upgraded power supplies to Kemerton Strategic Industrial Area and the Scott River area to facilitate industry and agriculture investment
Outcomes 2050
- The South West has secure and sustainable energy supplies for a population of 300,000
- New industry is developing on the basis of access to reasonably priced green energy
Water Security
Ensure the South West has long term water security for agriculture, industry and domestic purposes
Proposition
Desalinating Wellington Dam
Improve water availability and quality, desalinating the Wellington Dam water resource to support industry and downstream agriculture, targeting agricultural irrigation district growers and freeing up capacity for agricultural reserves near Myalup.
Actions 1 - 5 years
- Develop full business case; commence conversion of open channels to pipe, define a value for money salinity solution.
5 - 20 years
- Consider integration of recycled water, use water balance to underwrite agriculture and industry.
Outcomes 2050
- The region has access to fit-for-purpose industrial water supplies to meet growth in manufacturing and agriculture
- Current salt levels in agricultural water reduce. Catchment rehabilitation to aid in long term salinity.
Proposition
Waste water recovery resource
Treat and utilise waste water, and other non-potable sources, for use in public open space, recreational space and for industry
Actions 1 - 5 years
- Build a pipeline from Dalyellup waste water treatment site to Bunbury for distribution within Dalyellup and Bunbury
- Extend wastewater reuse to all parts of the South West particularly looking at Collie and Busselton townsites
5 - 20 years
- Connect all large scale recreational and public open space areas to fit-for-purpose on-potable water
- Future residential developments should include grey water systems
Outcomes 2050
- Set the benchmark for reusing waste water, minimising waste in a drying climate
- Potable water supplies are safeguarded and fit-for purpose water is used for public irrigation
Proposition
Wastewater management/sewerage
Existing septic sewer systems in urban areas are replaced by sewer systems or alternative treatment units utilising new technologies
Actions 1 - 5 years
- Complete sewerage infill provision in Bunbury, Busselton and in Leschenault to mitigate against eutrophication
5 - 20 years
- Complete sewer infill in Balingup, Bridgetown, Manjimup, Northcliffe, Boyup Brook, Collie, Donnybrook, Capel, Harvey, Margaret River, Gracetown, Nannup, Witchcliffe and Walpole
Outcomes 2050
- All South West towns have quality sewerage systems as a standard feature
Water Security Continued
Proposition
Managing groundwater resources
Investigate and provide appropriate level of protection for existing resources
Actions 1 - 5 years
- Complete the current sea water intrusion monitoring program
- Identify coastal areas throughout WA that may require additional sea water intrusion monitoring bores
5 - 20 years
- Ensure an adequate network of sea water intrusion monitoring bores has been established
Outcomes 2050
- Monitor and flexibly manage groundwater extraction to optimise aquifer management, protect current users and ensure the resource remains available for future generations
Proposition
Water servicing for Wanju district structure plan area
5 - 20 years
- Ensure water servicing infrastructure including arterial drainage is constructed in a timely manner to service urban expansion
Outcomes 2050
- Maximise opportunities to optimise water servicing to ensure the vision of a liveable, green and vibrant urban community is realised
