COASTAL developments in the south-western metropolitan corridor will establish the region as Western Australia’s premium aquatic playground, according to a local MP.
COASTAL developments in the south-western metropolitan corridor will establish the region as Western Australia’s premium aquatic playground, according to a local MP.
Two marina developments and a golf course-based resort are either planned or under way on the Rockingham foreshore from Port Kennedy to Point Peron.
At Port Kennedy, developer DevX’s $50 million Port Rockingham Marina will offer 450 boat pens and 4,000 square metres of commercial space.
Environment Minister Donna Faragher signed off on Port Rockingham in February, and DevX hopes to start construction before the end of the year.
Also at Port Kennedy, the City of Rockingham began preliminary works last week for public facilities and amenities, including a boat ramp, a finger jetty and boat moorings.
The facilities will complement Mirvac’s Kennedy Bay plans, which include low-rise apartments and townhouses, an eco-tourism site and holiday accommodation based around Port Kennedy golf course.
A much larger marina development is currently in the environmental assessment phase at Cape Peron.
The Cape Peron marina, proposed to be built near Mangles Bay yacht club, will become a major tourist precinct, with stacking facilities, boat repair and refuelling services, cafes, restaurants and holiday accommodation alongside a marine science education centre.
Planning Minister John Day is expected to announce a private developer to partner with LandCorp on the marina within the next fortnight.
Overseeing the revitalisation is the Rockingham Kwinana Development Office, a Department of Planning entity that works in conjunction with the Town of Kwinana, the City of Rockingham and LandCorp.
Member for the Southern Metropolitan region and RKDO chairman, Phil Edman, told WA Business News the projects ushered in an exciting new era.
“The way Rockingham is headed is as one of the premium aquatic playgrounds in Western Australia,” Mr Edman said.
“We have some of the best beaches in WA already, and apart from marinas, when it comes to eco-tourism, Rockingham is a leader.
Linking the coastal projects to the freeway is a proposed extension to Mundijong Road.
The project received $6.7 million in federal funds in 2007, and Mr Edman said realignment would be finalised within 12 weeks, and the road completed within two years.
Nearby at Kwinana, Mr Day announced last week the state government would commit $6 million for an upgrade of the town centre.
The funding is part of a larger Kwinana revitalisation, while planning is also under way for a major transformation of the Rockingham city centre.
“With all of these projects that are moving along, that’s going to give us more economic sustainability in the area, its going to create more jobs and it’s going to make Rockingham and Kwinana a much better place to live,” Mr Edman said.
He said the projects had been designed to encourage private sector investment.
Cedar Woods state manager Stuart Duplock said Rockingham had terrific potential for growth.
Cedar Woods began construction of the $8 million The Jetty apartment complex in January.
“The council have done the right thing in terms of facilitating investment from developers by having the right town planning scheme in the area,” Mr Duplock said.
“That gives developers a high degree of certainty about the development outcomes.”
