Shire president Julia Meldrum declares it’s ‘time to knock on doors’ as council hunts priority project support

Shire of Augusta-Margaret River president Julia Meldrum says it is time to start knocking on doors to advance a hit list of priorities ahead of next year’s State election.

The president this week said the adoption of a priorities list has paved the way for herself and shire chief executive Andrea Selvey to start engaging directly with “key government stakeholders” to advance the local government’s ambitions.

“We’ll be strategically knocking on doors, writing letters and ensuring the State understands our community’s needs and takes action,” she said.

Those actions come on the heels of advocacy efforts already undertaken during previous visits by State MPs which were starting to bear fruit, she said.

While the shire was yet to report back on any news from its pitch to Premier Roger Cook for a community social worker to service the region, there were green shoots of interest in a housing project for the disused Water Corporation depot on Willmott Avenue.

“We’ve heard that the Department for Communities has the first option to purchase the Water Corporation’s Willmott Avenue site and understand that the transfer of land is being progressed,” she said.

“This is great news for our community as the site is perfect for social and affordable housing.”

The site already had endorsed plans for a medium-density housing project favourably compared to White Gum Valley’s Evermore apartments.

However, the shire president said vital infrastructure beyond the shire’s means was also limiting the potential for infill development in townsites and needed State support.

“The absence of a reticulated sewer in parts of central Margaret River and Augusta is holding back urban infill development,” she said.

“While these areas have zoning and density codes that could support more development, the cost of extending the sewer network isn’t something we can progress locally so requires State Government investment.”

The report, endorsed by its committee last week, noted infill projects on Henning Avenue and Stuart Street had “stalled” because of sewerage issues, “delaying opportunities to increase housing density and meet population demands”.

Shire-wide sewerage was emerging as one of the big-ticket items in the council’s advocacy list.

“Equally important is upgrading outdated sewer systems to provide consistent service and prevent bottlenecks in both residential and commercial areas,” the report said.

“Furthermore, the treated wastewater network must be expanded to accommodate future growth, enabling more sustainable water management practices that support both environmental sustainability and economic resilience.”

The adequacy of waste-water treatment capacity at Gnarabup was already an issue if the proposed resort there goes ahead, with that project also increasing pressure on coastal facilities including beaches.

The report noted concerns focused on coastal communities and not just inland townsites, with funding to be sought for the long-dormant Gas Bay to Cape Mentelle Concept Plan.