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The McGowan Government has unveiled a $252.3 million package for the South-West region, as part of the WA Recovery Plan, to drive economic and social recovery and create a pipeline of local jobs.

The South West Recovery Plan is focused on getting locals back to work and includes a significant investment in sectors including construction, manufacturing, tourism and hospitality, renewable energy, education and training, and agriculture.

It will deliver a pipeline of short and long term jobs supporting and strengthening our existing industries, as well as laying the foundation for jobs of the future.

As part of the McGowan Government’s $492.2 million Major School Upgrade package, the plan includes upgrades to school infrastructure in the South-West including:

• $15 million to Australind Senior High School for a new classroom block to enable the
• school to manage its student enrolment growth and will include specialist classrooms;
• $6.27 million to Margaret River Senior High School to construct a new sports oval at the
• school;
• $3.1 million to Bunbury Senior High School for upgrades to the performing arts areas,
• specialist classrooms and the school’s indoor sports hall;
• $2.5 million to Kingston Primary School for a new student classroom block that will
• enhance facilities and replace transportable classrooms;
• $1.2 million to Harvey Senior High School for upgrades to the cafeteria and specialist
• classrooms;
• $25 million for free TAFE short courses to upskill thousands of Western Australians, with a variety of free courses available at South Regional TAFE’s Bunbury, Collie, Busselton, Harvey, Manjimup and Margaret River campuses;
• $4.8 million for the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Re-engagement Incentive that
• provides employers with a one-off payment of $6,000 for hiring an apprentice and
• $3,000 for hiring a trainee, whose training contract was terminated on, or after, March 1, 2020 due to the economic downturn.

Residents in the South-West will also benefit from $32 million to expand the Lower Fees, Local Skills program and significantly reduce TAFE fees across 39 high priority courses.

The South West Recovery Plan includes investment in local infrastructure to create opportunities for local businesses and jobs for local workers.

The McGowan Government’s revamped Buy Local policy will ensure local businesses are in the box seat to carry out this work. It includes:

• $38 million of additional funding towards the Bunbury Hospital redevelopment, on top of the $22.8 million already allocated – the $60.8 million total investment will focus on priority clinical areas and ensure residents of the South-West have access to a contemporary facility;
• $8 million to build the new Dalyellup Multipurpose Community and Youth Centre;
• $5 million to rebuild Hands Oval in Bunbury with contemporary facilities, including male and female change rooms and club rooms;
• $6 million to the Donnybrook and Districts Sporting and Recreation Precinct to co-locate sporting and recreation grounds from across Donnybrook into a modern facility;
• $11.9 million towards the Bunbury Water Resource Recovery Scheme to provide
• recycled water for use on major infrastructure projects and irrigation of public open spaces – reducing the impact on groundwater sources;
• $7 million to upgrade level crossings on the South-West train line in Cookernup,
• Coolup and Waroona;
• fast track the $852 million Bunbury Outer Ring Road with construction anticipated to begin three months early in January 2021 and estimated to create 4,500 jobs;
• $15 million through the Regional Road Safety Program to upgrade 240 kilometres of
• South-West roads with shoulder sealing and installation of audible lines, creating around 60 local jobs;
• $1.5 million for upgrades and maintenance at Collie Police Station;
• $1 million for upgrades and maintenance at Donnybrook Police Station;
• $690,000 for upgrades at Augusta Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service station;
• $230,000 for upgrades at Boyup Brook Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service station;
• $15,000 for upgrades at Allanson Bush Fire Brigade station;
• $450,000 for a new facility at Dardanup Central Bush Fire Brigade station;
• $39,000 for upgrades at Harris River Bush Fire Brigade station;
• $20,000 for upgrades at Hester Brook Bush Fire Brigade station;
• $44,000 for upgrades at Wellington Mills Bush Fire Brigade station;
• $2 million to provide water tanks to volunteer bush fire brigades across WA;
• $80 million for targeted maintenance programs for regional social and government workers’ housing properties, including approximately 200 homes in the South-West region;
• $141.7 million to refurbish social housing across WA’s ageing housing stock, including approximately 50 homes in the South-West region;
• $97 million to build new social housing, including around five to 10 properties in the South-West region; and
• $6 million for installation of rooftop solar PV on social housing including some
• properties in the South-West region, meaning lower power bills for residents.

The plan also includes a significant investment in infrastructure and programs to drive tourism and create jobs, including:

• $1.19 million for upgrades on the Bibbulmun Track and Munda Biddi Trail including renewing camp sites, bridges and sections of the track in the South-West region;
• $1.5 million for the Wellington Dam Mural and Collie Art Trail, including a mural on the Wellington Dam and further murals across the Collie township;
• $3.08 million to fast-track the third and final stage of the Margaret River Main Street Redevelopment Project that includes a festival precinct, safer intersections, outdoor seating, lighting, a cycle lane and bike racks, paving, and stormwater infrastructure upgrades;
• $180,000 to replace the stairs and deck at Honeymoon Pool in Wellington ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Park;
• $350,000 to commence rebuilding The Pines mountain bike trails in Margaret River;
• $775,000 to expand and upgrade the car park and provide new facilities at Redgate Beach, and provide improved visitor facilities at Rabbit Hill day use area in the Leeuwin-Naturaliste ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Park;
• $411,000 for the development of the Blackwood River Foreshore tourism precinct in Bridgetown including improved access to the Blackwood River, a new shelter and viewing platform and upgrading the art and Old Rectory heritage walk trail;
• $231,000 for the Bridgetown Hall and Civic Centre redevelopment to enable it to become a hub for creative industry and art events, and expand the annual Bridgetown blues festival;
• $50,000 to replace the jetty on the Donnelly River in Manjimup;
• $450,000 for Pemberton attraction projects including replacing viewing decks at both the Gloucester Tree and Bicentennial Tree sites, connecting a power supply from Pemberton town to Gloucester Tree to service a commercial operator and completing the replacement of the boardwalk at Beedelup Falls; and
• $40,000 for mountain bike trails planning and design to progress concept planning and detailed design around the Pemberton area.

The South West Recovery Plan includes a focus on driving investment in existing and emerging industries. It includes:

• $15.5 million for the Bunbury Port Inner Harbour access road and bridge, as part of the staged expansion of the port;
• $3 million for upgrades at Bunbury Port including a second road hopper and upgrades to electrical and fire system assets;
• $3.8 million for a feasibility study to upgrade and build new infrastructure at the Port of Bunbury and Kwinana Bulk Terminal to improve the Greenbushes lithium supply chain; 
• $7.5 million towards the Kemerton Strategic Industrial Area for water works to allow businesses to connect to potable water;
• $600,000 towards a business case for the Collie Eco-Concrete Processing Plant for a Collie concrete manufacturing facility to use waste fly-ash from coal powered stations instead of imported cement; and
• $6 million towards continuation of the Food Industry Innovation Program, including programs through the Premium Food Centre in Manjimup that help value-add to local agrifood producers and processors.

The South-West region will also benefit from a range of State-wide programs included in the WA Recovery Plan. For more information, visit

As stated by Premier Mark McGowan:

“I thank each and every member of the South-West community for their efforts and sacrifices during the pandemic.

“We must remain vigilant, but our work to reduce the spread of COVID-19 means we are in a strong position to continue the process of recovery.

“The South West Recovery Plan will drive economic and social recovery in the region to ensure it can recover stronger than ever.

“It will create a pipeline of short and long term jobs for locals and deliver huge improvements to local infrastructure and services.”

As stated by Bunbury MLA Don Punch:

“This is an outstanding program of investment for Bunbury and for the greater South-West region.

“Not only will this plan provide an ongoing pipeline of jobs for our region, it will ensure the community infrastructure our communities rely on is upgraded and expanded to make this an even better place to live.

“We have endured some difficult times and we continue to face challenges but this recovery package will support our community to emerge even stronger and more connected.”

Premier’s office – 6552 5000