Midwest Gascoyne big winners with BBRF

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Communities across the Durack electorate will benefit from a share of more than $4 million in funding under Round 3 of the Federal Government’s highly successful Building Better Regions Fund (BBRF).

Federal Member for Durack and Minister for the Environment Melissa Price said she is delighted that Durack has fared so well in this round and that the Government’s investment in local projects under Round 3 will help grow the economy and build a strong future for Australia’s regions.

“More than $3.2 million of this funding has been allocated to nine projects in the Midwest and Gascoyne, under both the Infrastructure and Community BBRF streams,” she said.

“The projects will benefit these communities which is a great outcome for Durack.

“It is projects such as these that make our regional communities even better places to live, work and raise a family - and also visit, and I’m excited to see the positive difference this funding will make to the community.

“In this round we are also investing more than $70 million in regional tourism infrastructure, to support those many regional communities that rely on tourism to bolster their economy,” said the Minister.

Midwest and Gascoyne successful projects include:

Under the Infrastructure stream:

  • Shire of Mt Magnet for Murchison Region Vermin Cell Fence: $2,250,000 
    The fence will be 1,400 kms, of which 1,074 kms has been constructed and 108 kms under construction. Will create a vermin proof cell encompassing 53 privately operated pastoral stations and nine pastoral stations managed by the WA Government, covering 
    6,536,198 hectares.

  • Shire of Mt Magnet for Extension of Mt Magnet Mining and Pastoral Museum $58,090 
    To generate economic growth in Australia's Golden Outback and increase tourism infrastructure available to visitors, whilst preserving significant historic relics from Western Australia's mining past. 

  • Shire of Meekatharra for Development of Lloyds Plaza: $500,000 
    To revitalise a 1950s building into a multi-purpose facility including visitors centre, cafe, indigenous art gallery, community resource centre, library/museum, conference/training room, hairdresser and two commercial spaces supporting tourism activity.

  • St John Ambulance Northampton: Beating Heart Project – Building community resilience in Northampton: $157,285 
    Aims to provide the best possible essential emergency service to the extended community. Improve facilities to continually meet increasing and changing community demands with a training room/hall, converting current space to reception/administration area and constructing a playground. Will provide inclusive access to amenities.

  • Carnamah North Midlands Project for The Exchange – Carnamah: $59,738 
    Renovation of historic garage building to accommodate local tourism office, local organisations, free community book exchange, co-working/incubation spaces, an arts studio, indoor and outdoor event venue and Indigenous nursery.

  • Shire of Chapman Valley for Bill Hemsley Park Groundwater Access Project: $28,000 
    To secure underground water access to the park community centre and surrounding areas. Parkfalls Estate in the White Peak locality is the fastest growing area within the Shire of Chapman Valley, and this project will support water collection and preservation at this new community hub location.

  • Cue Community Resource Centre for Construction of Cue Heritage Discovery Centre: $133,865 
    To expand tourism infrastructure in Australia’s Golden Outback through construction of Cue’s only heritage discovery centre.

Under the Community investment stream:

  • Gascoyne River ABC Foundation for Gascoyne Aboriginal Tourism Corridor: $61,995 
    To deliver a strategic plan and regional leadership program focusing on Aboriginal tourism in remote communities across the Gascoyne. Will involve meeting with regional stakeholders in different locations to assess needs to inform creation of the strategic plan. Upon plan’s completion, further consultation will be conducted with identified tourism operators to provide mentoring, training, and support regarding the plan.

  • Shire of Shark Bay – to measure the economic conditions of the local business sector in Denham: $20,000
    To commission external consultants to provide an economic study of the local business sector giving a better understanding in implementing sustainable economic strategic planning and employment creation.