State tourism gains $26m boost

The state government will invest almost $26 million for Western Australian tourism assets, including Rottnest Island and Karijini National Park.

A $25.9 million tourism improvement package was announced today as part of the 2023-24 mid-year review.

The funding comprises $10.7 million for Rottnest Island’s main jetty, $5.2 million to improve facilities at Karijini National Park, and $2.6 million to replace Hamelin Pool boardwalk in the Shark Bay World Heritage area.

Other allocations include $2.7 million each towards the upgrades for the Cape to Cape track in the South West and improvements to the Wellington National Park and mural.

According to the state government, nearly 2.4 million people from interstate and overseas visited WA in the year ending September 2023, with more than a third going to the Kimberley, Gascoyne and the South West region.

Nearly 730,000 people visited Rottnest Island by ferry in 2022-23.

“We know Western Australia has really improved in relation to its tourism performance, reaching a record year last year,” Tourism Minister Rita Saffioti said.

“Rottnest, for example, reaching record highs when it comes to visitation.”

Environment Minister Reece Whitby said the investment would not only benefit the WA environment but gives opportunities to tourism operators and small businesses.

"We have a magnificent natural environment in Western Australia, we all want to protect it but it shouldn't be shut away and ignored," he said.

"It needs to be embraced, it needs to have visitation to create those opportunities for WA but also to create awareness and inspiration so people want to protect it."