Special Report - Boom shire seeks identity

With a strongly growing population, tipped to double again in the next decade, Busselton is looking for the best way to provide for its future. Marsha Jacobs reports.

In the past decade, the Shire of Busselton has enjoyed one of the consistently highest growth rates in the nation, and the population is projected to nearly double again in the next decade.

Rapid expansion brings with it a series of growing pains, and the shire is now at a crucial time where inevitable growth can be guided and influenced, or the region can be swept along in the wave of people wanting to move to the region.

Even the identity of the region is in question, with locals divided between riding on the coat tails of the internationally recognised Margaret River brand, and deliberately trying to establish a separate identity for the Shire of Busselton.

The Shire of Busselton contains the towns of Busselton, Dunsborough and Yallingup, which all have different profiles and identities.

A name change has been mooted for the shire in an attempt to better encapsulate what the region stands for and shire president Troy Buswell acknowledged that more could be done to badge and distinguish it from the neighbouring Margaret River region.

Professionals principal Peter De Chiera said that if marketing or exporting produce, it was understandable to use the recognisable Margaret River name.

“This approach is not suitable for marketing to the Western Australian market though–the next level of sophistication is needed,” Mr De Chiera said.

“Busselton has lost its prominence and there is huge potential to re-establish the region.

“A new town entry would give a new focus and a beachfront identity is desperately needed.”

Well over 50 per cent of wineries based in the Busselton Shire market themselves as being in Margaret River, as do several upmarket tourism developments.

There is little doubt about the international success and recognition of the Margaret River brand, but some locals are adamant that Busselton needs to separate itself and develop an identity of its own.

Local Chamber of Commerce president Sue Wagner said that the Shire of Busselton needed to develop its own identity while capitalising on the Margaret River brand.

“We are a separate shire and there are a lot of positive changes happening that set us apart from Margaret River.”

Local independent MP Bernie Masters said that the Margaret River brand has taken more than 20 years to develop and that for Busselton to develop its own brand that would be even mildly as well known would take millions of dollars and at least 10 years.

“People don’t realise that Margaret River only has 1,400 tourist beds and Busselton has 4,300 – the strategy put in to place that Busselton is the gateway to Margaret River was, and still is appropriate.  We have to live off the Margaret River name,” Mr Masters said.

Wills Domain Winery managing director Darren Haunold said that a lot of wineries did use the Margaret River brand but also added that as the market grew more sophisticated that sub-regions would come in to play, much like France.

On a less existential level, basic services and infrastructure to the region have lagged behind the average 5.2 per cent annual growth rate the region has experienced in the past ten years.

Famously dubbed the Chardonnay Coast by WA State Cabinet member Jim McGinty, and insinuating the region is not in need of government assistance, the permanent population who reside in the holiday playground of Perth’s wealthy elite have a socio-economic standing well below average.

A recent audit found that there is “a significant proportion of the permanent population whose assets, education and personal income descriptors convey a picture of disadvantage”.

Adele Farina, Labor member for the South-West region said the area was in a very critical stage of its growth and the lower end of the market had to be protected to make sure that they could still afford houses in the region.

“It is very difficult to find rental properties in the region – the cost has skyrocketed disproportionately in relation to land price,” Ms Farina said.

“The region is lagging behind in terms of service provision, and more detailed planning needs to be undertaken.”

Troy Buswell said the shire did have plans to accommodate aspects of growth such as land use planning, infrastructure, and environmental protection, although the shire has come under criticism for not having enough vision or foresight to deal with the growth that is happening.

South West Development Commission CEO Don Punch said the region had been under significant growth pressure, which created an ongoing need to upgrade facilities.

“There are, however, good quality road routes, and groups have access to charter flights,” Mr Punch said.

Although the airport can currently take up to 737-sized planes, rumours of airport expansion have been hovering with no confirmation as yet.

“The airport’s use will always be predicated by visitors to the region,” Mr Punch said.

Tourism numbers to the region will undoubtedly be boosted by a series of five-star tourism developments recently opening in the region.

Several other existing tourist facilities are in the process of upgrading or redeveloping their facilities, including Caves House, Smiths Beach, the Dunsborough Broadwater Resort, and the Canal Rocks Resort.

Growth of any kind brings with it inevitable conflict as stakeholders try to preserve the things they love about the region, as well as implement infrastructure that can only reasonably be expected in a community.

How this conflict will be resolved, and how the region will deal with predicted growth remains to be seen, however, there is little doubt that it is the critical time where decisions need to be made if the region is to mature into a sustainable economic, social and environmental one.

BUSSELTON ISSUES

• The region’s identity has ridden on the back of neighbouring Margaret River, and locals are divided whether or not to try and establish Busselton as a separate identity.
• Busselton’s population has grown by over 5 per cent per year for the past decade.
• The population growth has driven house and land prices up significantly.
• It has also placed pressure on existing infrastructure and services.
• Vasse Newtown is seen as a way of dealing with the population and infrastructure pressures.