Public comment over a proposed workers’ accommodation on Rottnest Island, to house more than 300 staff, has opened.
Public comment over a proposed workers’ accommodation on Rottnest Island, to house more than 300 staff, has opened.
The Rottnest Island Authority has proposed to build 149 units on Parker Point Road, south of South Thomson.
The proposed self-contained worker accommodation units would provide housing for up to 336 workers, the RIA said on its website.
Works are expected to start in late 2025, to be delivered in stages until the estimated completion in 2030.
Other worker accommodation plans for the island include staff housing for Lodge Wadjemup and for Samphire.
“This phased approach optimises logistics, costs, and timely delivery while planning for minimal disruption to island activities,” the RIA’s website reads.
“RIA will be seeking responses via an open tender process available via TendersWA for the staged construction, with relevant works packages being released once design elements for the site have been finalised.”
The worker accommodation units would be leased to commercial businesses operating on the island.
RIA will be the developer and manager of the project.
The state government invested $98.5 million in the 2024-25 budget, to be spent on the staff accommodation over the next eight years.
Tourism Minister Rita Saffioti said it was essential to develop a new worker accommodation to meet the increasing popularity of the island.
More than 823,000 people visited Rottnest Island by ferry in 2023-24, a 13 per cent increase from the previous financial year, according to the state government.
“Rottnest Island is a globally recognised tourism destination for Western Australia, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year,” Ms Saffioti said.
“We know increasing staff accommodation will further support local businesses that operate on the island to grow and provide better services to visitors, while also strengthening the island’s economy.
“Of course, this development will also free up existing accommodation at places like Kingstown Barracks that currently house workers, which ultimately means more opportunity for Western Australians and tourists to stay on the island in the future.”
The public comment over RIA workers accommodation closes on October 28.
The update comes less than a month after Business News reported the $40 million Lodge Wadjemup redevelopment is expected to start opening in stages by December.
Place Development Australia has been working on the revamp of Karma Resort, which is expected to be fully transformed into Lodge Wadjemup by next year.