Pilbara workers village gets state support

A major new essential workers project in Port Hedland is a step closer to reality, with the state government agreeing to pour $4.5 million into headworks.

A Town of Port Hedland-led plan to build a 76-person key workers village was on Thursday among two regional recipients of the latest Infrastructure Development Fund round.

The last key workers accommodation project in the Pilbara to be built was Karratha’s The Quarter apartment complex, opened in 2016.

Town of Port Hedland Mayor Peter Carter said housing was a handbrake on the town’s growth.

“This housing will be for workers in sectors like retail, hospitality, childcare and community safety sectors who are more likely to earn lower incomes than those in mining,” he said.

“I would like to thank the Minister for Housing John Carey, who has met with the Town a number of times to discuss this project, for his and his government’s support.

“Unlocking affordable housing for critical workers is a key to ongoing residential growth in Hedland.”

The support comes through the Infrastructure Development Fund’s latest $17.4 million funding round which splashed cash on 24 projects, mostly in Perth.

WA Treasurer Rita Saffioti said the fund removed barriers for new housing.

“Regional tourism relies on local workers and accommodation is essential to retaining a local workforce, particularly during peak tourist season,” she said.

“We are reducing the significant upfront infrastructure costs by committing more than $5.6 million to progress key worker accommodation projects in the regions.”

Housing Minister John Carey said 49 apartment projects had been assisted by the $80m fund to date.

The state’s funding of headworks for workforce accommodation projects in regional WA has delivered one new development since 2017, the RAC-backed expansion of an estate in Coral Bay.

Late last year Mr Carey announced projects in the Shire of Broome and City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder had received funds for headworks, but work is yet to commence.

At least fifteen key worker accommodation projects in regional WA are currently proposed, mostly in the north.

Of those, six have attracted government investment.

Chief among those is the City of Karratha’s 82-unit Walgu apartment tower, of which the state government has signalled interest in most of its units but is yet to outlay money for.

Key worker project proposals in regional WA

• Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley: seeking $5 million for 10 modular homes in Kununurra
• Shire of Halls Creek: Seeking $22m for a 40-home, $26m culturally appropriate housing project.
• Shire of Broome: $3 million to build four staff homes (funded by the shire)
• Shire of Broome: $16 million for a 91-dwelling key worker village (state has committed $7.7m, full project is $64 million for 226 units)
• Town of Port Hedland: $40m for a 76-person key worker village (state has committed $4.5m)
• City of Karratha: $92 million to build the 82-unit Walgu apartments
• Shire of Ashburton: planning 6-12 unit affordable housing pilot project in Tom Price
• Shire of Ashburton: 100-unit workers village in Onslow
• Shire of Shark Bay: five staff houses in Denham (state has committed $187,000)
• Shire of Exmouth: 50-person Murat Road worker village (proponent selected in 2022)
• Shire of Carnarvon: $1.24m for two four-bed essential worker homes (state has committed $240,000)
• Shire of Northampton: 56-person village in Kalbarri (proponent selected but went into administration)
• City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder: $140m for a 350-dwelling workers village (state committed $4m)
• Shire of Murchison: Five new homes for essential staff (state committed $1.1m)
• Shire of Esperance: $6.5m, 20-unit key workers village.