State eyes Midland station residential hub

Major works have begun to shunt Midland’s ageing rail terminus up the track to a new train station in a move the state government hopes will fulfil a longstanding ambition for transit-oriented residential and commercial development.

Among the $330 million works package awarded to a consortium of Georgiou Group, McConnell Dowell, Arcadis and BG&E is a three-platform station, 12-stand bus interchange, and multi-storey car park.

About 320 jobs will be created during construction, starting this year with the car park before moving onto the station development by early 2024.

The project, slated for completion in 2025, will bring passengers closer to Midland's town centre, hospital and shops by moving the station east of Helena Street.

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti on Sunday said the project would ensure the heritage line had capacity to deal with population growth in Perth’s east and could accommodate the new C-series railcars.

“It is also about making sure we have new housing opportunities right here close to the new station,” she said.

“That is why we are creating three new development blocks, new housing precincts.

“We saw the revitalisation of this station … was unfinished business, and that is to make new infrastructure supporting new homes and creating a safer, far more accessible station.”

Ms Saffioti said the existing station would operate until the new facility was ready.

The move falls under the government’s flagship Metronet program, which since 2017 has grown from nine to 18 projects.

2023-24 WA budget papers revealed a $1.2 billion cost blowout on the Morley-Ellenbrook, Yanchep and Thornlie-Cockburn lines, and the recently opened Bayswater station, which are now expected to cost a combined $4.4 billion.

The Armadale and Thornlie lines will close later this year for 18 months so work can begin on raising the rail from Victoria Park to Cannington, extending the Armadale line to Byford, and linking the Thornlie line up with Cockburn.

The first tracks to bring a rail service to Ellenbrook residents were laid earlier this year, with the line due to be operational by the end of 2024.

Premier Roger Cook said Metronet projects were moving ahead across Perth.

“Work is well advanced on the Yanchep rail extension and on the Morley-Ellenbrook extension,” he said.

“The Byford rail extension and Thornlie-Cockburn link are well under way.

“And of course we have the new elevated Armadale line ... undergoing extensive reinvention as we look to take out the rail crossings right across the project.”

The Midland station serves as a hub for TransWA’s Avon, Wheatbelt and Kalgoorlie train services and is the closest station to the Bellevue Railcar Facility, where WA's new C-series cars are being manufactured.