58 Draft

Greater Bunbury Strategy

4.6 EconomyThe economy of the Greater Bunbury sub-region is diverse, reflecting the range of heavy and general industries in the locality, mining, agricultural landscapes, services for the growing population, key transport links and the influence of Perth. Our success as a regional centre will depend on building on our current diversity and prosperity.

The mining and mineral processing sector remains the main economic driver for the Greater Bunbury sub-region ($2 billion annual turnover). The agriculture sector however, remains vitally important as the value of production is approximately $146 million per annum (South West Development Commission, 2005/6 data) which equates to approximately 30 per cent of the entire South West’s agricultural production. Other industries that are vital to the economic well-being of the Greater Bunbury sub-region include retail and service industries, building industry, timber production and tourism.

The Bunbury Port will continue to be the centre of economic activity for the Greater Bunbury sub-region with the flow of goods through it to and from all parts of the world. The proposed expansion of the port, as identified in the Bunbury Port Inner Harbour Structure Plan, will promote further economic growth for the region, and may in time be an economic stimulus for the corporate support and ancillary services associated with port-based industries locating to Bunbury city centre, further strengthening its role as a regional city.

It is anticipated that 17,000 new jobs will be required in the Greater Bunbury sub-region over the period to 2031, to support the projected population growth. The amount of land required to accommodate this number of jobs will be influenced by the extent of suitable industrial land already available, the industries where job growth is likely to occur, options for the growth of activity centres, and alternative choices for employment.

Unemployment may be considered an issue, particularly youth unemployment which is generally significantly higher than for older workers. However, encouraging new economic development relies on many factors including available workforce, infrastructure, as well as capital and entrepreneurial skills. This strategy can’t influence the latter but can ensure that adequate land is available for housing and employment generation to provide opportunities for new or growing industries and services.

Improving the relationship between where people live and where they work can reduce commuting time and cost and the associated impact on the transport systems and the environment. The compact and connected growth scenario expects to build on existing and proposed activity centres to improve levels of employment self containment throughout the Greater Bunbury sub-region. It is also vital to acknowledge and provide appropriate and efficient access to the proposed new industrial areas, as well as employers and industries outside of the Greater Bunbury sub-region, such as those located at Collie.

Gnomesville, Shire of Dardanup

Dardanup Bull and Bush Festival 2010

Tree plantation logs transported to the Bunbury Port for export

Retail and commercial industries, Bunbury CBD

Mixed use development, Marlston Hill

Inner harbour, Bunbury Port

Bunbury Port

Small businesses in Boyanup

Agriculture and complementary tourism are an important part of the economy

59Draft

Greater Bunbury Strategy

4.6.1 Protection of agricultural landAgricultural production contributes significantly to the economic wealth of the Greater Bunbury sub-region and therefore the retention of land is paramount in the planning for the Greater Bunbury sub-region and for the State as a whole. The Department of Agriculture and Food has previously identified large areas of the strategy area as Strategic Agricultural Resource Policy Area and this has been supported by the subsequent policy within the Greater Bunbury Region Scheme. This priority area generally reflects the irrigated land, but there is now consensus between the Department of Agriculture and Food and the Western Australian Planning Commission that all rural land is seen as priority and should be protected as such. The increasing demand for agricultural land within the Greater Bunbury sub-region has been highlighted by the rapid expansion of market garden activities, particularly in the Shire of Harvey. This is likely to increase as more market gardens areas are lost in the Perth Metropolitan area.

Along with vegetable production, traditional fruit production and dairying still remain strong industries. Processing of primary products sourced from local supplies such as the dairy in Brunswick, abattoirs in Harvey and Bunbury and wood chipping facilities at the Bunbury Port all add significant value to the local economy. Continued agricultural productivity minimises the State’s reliance on imports and maximises export earnings.

4.6.2 Protection of mineral resourcesMineral resources are also vitally important to the economic well-being of the Greater Bunbury sub-region. The area historically has been the centre of mineral sand deposits in the South West with the processing of the mineral being undertaken in Capel at the Iluka P/L North Capel site and the previous RGC processing plant located to the south-west of the Capel townsite. Mineral sand extraction and processing have employed large numbers of local workers for many years and continues to be a significant contributor to the employment either directly or indirectly through ancillary industries supporting these operations.

While bauxite is not located within the Greater Bunbury sub-region, it is found on the eastern side of the scarp and at Wagerup and is being processed at the Worsley Alumina plant near Collie. Like the mineral sands industry the alumina industry employs large numbers of local workers directly and indirectly.

Both the alumina and mineral sands industries are major clients of the Bunbury Port with all of the products being exported though this facility. The high volume of product through the port enables it to remain economically viable and now looks at expanding to provide a more far reaching service to the entire South West.

4.6.3 Basic raw materialsThe supply of basic raw materials in the Greater Bunbury sub-region is diminishing. Some existing basic raw materials sites are located near urban activity, and as with most of the other sites, are generally constrained by the presence of remnant vegetation. At the same time, large amounts of basic raw material, particularly sand, are required to fill low lying areas of land to facilitate future development. The Department of Planning will review State Planning Policy 2.4 Basic Raw Materials and prepare a basic raw materials strategy to address these issues. This will inform a review of the Greater Bunbury Region Scheme - Minerals and Basic Raw Materials Policy.

Photo courtesy of Iluka Capel Library Capel Dairy Photo courtesy of Iluka Capel Library

60 Draft

Greater Bunbury StrategyFi

gure

17a

: Ex

trac

t fr

om t

he B

unbu

ry P

ort

Inne

r H

arbo

ur S

truc

ture

Pla

n –

Loca

tion

Pla

n

Figu

re 1

7b:

Extr

act

from

the

Bun

bury

Por

t In

ner

Har

bour

Str

uctu

re P

lan

– St

ruct

ure

Plan

San

ctua

ry

The

Plu

g

Poi

ntM

cLeo

d

Mill

Poi

nt

Turk

eyP

oint

Poi

ntM

orni

ngto

n

PIG

ISLA

ND

Poi

ntC

asua

rina

COLLIE

RIVER

Pel

ican

Poi

nt

BERTH

1

WE

STE

RN

PO

WE

R

BERTH

2

CA

SUA

RIN

AB

OA

T H

AR

BO

UR

Boa

t lau

nch

ram

p

Poi

ntB

usac

o

Koo

mba

na B

each

Poi

ntH

amila

BU

NB

UR

Y P

OR

TA

UTH

OR

ITY

BU

ILD

ING

MIN

ER

AL

SA

ND

SFA

CIL

ITIE

S

WO

OD

CH

IPFA

CIL

ITIE

S

VIT

TOR

IA B

AY

INNER H

ARBOUR BASI

N

OU

TER

H

ARBO

UR

KO

OM

BA

NA

B

AY

LESC

HEN

AULT

INL

ET

Vitto

ria H

eigh

ts

Moo

rland

s

Gle

n Iri

s

BU

LK S

TOR

AG

EFA

CIL

ITIE

S

WO

OD

CH

IPFA

CIL

ITIE

SA

LUM

INA

FAC

ILIT

IES

ALU

MIN

AFA

CIL

ITIE

S

ALU

MIN

AFA

CIL

ITIE

S

Sub

ject

tofu

rther

pla

nnin

gE

ast B

unbu

ry

Pel

ican

Poi

ntG

rand

Can

als

Pel

ican

Poi

ntLa

ke E

stat

e

Pel

ican

Poi

ntG

olf C

ours

eE

stat

e

TIM

BE

R A

ND

WO

OD

CH

IPS

TOR

AG

E

CO

AL

STO

RA

GE

BERTH 4

BERTH6

BERTH 8

BERTH 3

BERTH 5

BERTH 7

BERTH 9

BER

TH11

BER

TH 1

0BE

RTH

12

BERTH 14

BER

TH 1

3

BERTH15

Port Access Road

IND

ICAT

IVE

LAN

D U

SES

Low

imp

act

use

s

Med

ium

imp

act

use

s

Hig

h im

pac

t u

ses

Co

nta

iner

s

Hig

h im

pac

t use

s an

d/o

r Co

nta

iner

s

Co

nta

iner

s (li

mit

ed o

per

atio

n)

Med

ium

imp

act u

ses

and

/or

Co

nta

iner

s (li

mit

ed o

per

atio

n)

Tan

ks

Tan

ks a

nd

/or C

on

tain

ers

Sto

ckp

ilin

g

N

Inne

r H

arbo

urSt

ruct

ure

Plan

Sept

embe

r, 2

009

500

0 met

res

STR

UC

TUR

E P

LAN

Gen

eral

ind

ust

ry

Wat

erw

ay

Bert

h

Op

en s

pac

e an

d re

crea

tio

n

Port

sec

uri

ty fe

nce

Port

pro

per

ty b

ou

nd

ary

Bo

un

dar

y o

f Str

uct

ure

Pla

n

Rai

lway

Road

Emer

gen

cy a

cces

s g

ate

Pro

po

sed

pu

blic

loo

kou

t

Site

op

tio

n fo

r Le

sch

enau

lt H

om

este

ad

Du

al U

se P

ath

Cour

tesy

of

the

Bunb

ury

Port

Aut

horit

y

Cour

tesy

of

the

Bunb

ury

Port

Aut

horit

y

61Draft

Greater Bunbury Strategy

Figu

re 1

8: N

atur

al re

sour

ces

incl

udin

g St

rate

gic

Agr

icul

tura

l Res

ourc

e Po

licy

area

s, S

trat

egic

M

iner

als

and

Basi

c Ra

w M

ater

ials

Res

ourc

e Po

licy

area

s an

d St

ate

fore

sts

Wel

lingt

onD

am

Logu

e Br

ook

Dam

Lesc

hena

ult

Estu

ary

Lake

Pres

ton

Stirl

ing

Dam

Har

vey

Dam

IND

IAN

OC

EA

NH

arris

Riv

er D

am

Ha

rve

y

Da

rda

nup

Bunb

ury

Ca

pe

l

Co

llie

Buss

elto

n

Wa

roo

na

Do

nnyb

roo

k-Ba

ling

up

0

Lege

ndN

Base

info

rmat

ion

supp

lied

by:

Wes

tern

Aus

tralia

n La

nd In

form

atio

n Au

thor

ityLI

430-

2009

-4

kilo

met

res

GEOC

ENTR

IC D

ATUM

OF

AUST

RALI

AGE

OCEN

TRIC

DAT

UM O

F AU

STRA

LIA

12

34

5re

gion

al o

pen

spac

e (G

BRS)

natio

nal p

ark

stat

e fo

rest

othe

r DEC

man

aged

land

stra

tegi

c ag

ricul

tura

l res

ourc

e po

licy

area

Sout

h W

est I

rriga

tion

licen

ce a

rea

stra

tegi

c m

iner

als a

nd b

asic

raw

mat

eria

ls re

sour

ce p

olic

y ar

ea

basa

lt ex

tract

ion

area

basa

lt ex

tract

ion

area

buf

fer

loca

l gov

ernm

ent b

ound

ary

Cop

yrig

ht ©

May

201

1F:

\dgn

\bun

-wel

l\gre

ater

bun

bury

stra

tegy

\nat

ural

reso

urce

s.dg

n

DEC

man

aged

land

dat

a su

pplie

d by

:D

epar

tmen

t of E

nviro

nmen

t and

Con

serv

atio

n

Min

eral

reso

urce

s da

ta s

uppl

ied

by:

Dep

artm

ent o

f Min

es a

nd P

etro

leum

Agric

ultu

re p

olic

y ar

ea d

ata

supp

lied

by:

Dep

artm

ent o

f Agr

icul

ture

and

Foo

d

Cap

el

Bo

yan

up

Dar

dan

up

Mya

lup

Bin

nin

gu

p

Pep

per

min

tG

rove

Bea

ch

Yar

loo

p

BU

NB

UR

Y

Har

vey

Bru

nsw

ick

Jun

ctio

n

Ro

elan

ds

Au

stra

lind

Bu

reku

p

Prod

uced

by:

Car

togr

aphi

c Se

ctio

nSo

uth

Wes

t Pla

nnin

g Br

anch

Dep

artm

ent o

f Pla

nnin

gPr

oduc

ed o

n be

half

of:

Wes

tern

Aus

tralia

n Pl

anni

ng C

omm

issi

on

62 Draft

Greater Bunbury StrategyFi

gure

19:

Map

of w

ater

and

sew

erag

e in

fras

truc

ture

Cap

el

Dar

dan

up

Mya

lup

Bin

nin

gu

p

Pep

per

min

tG

rove

Bea

ch

Yar

loo

p

BU

NB

UR

Y

Har

vey

Bru

nsw

ick

Jun

ctio

n

Ro

elan

ds

Ha

rve

y

Da

rda

nup

Bunb

ury

Ca

pe

l

Co

llie

Buss

elto

n

Wa

roo

na

Lesc

hena

ult

Estu

ary

Lake

Pres

ton

IND

IAN

OC

EA

N

0

Lege

ndN

Base

info

rmat

ion

supp

lied

by:

Wes

tern

Aus

tralia

n La

nd In

form

atio

n Au

thor

ityLI

430-

2009

-4

kilo

met

res

GEOC

ENTR

IC D

ATUM

OF

AUST

RALI

AGE

OCEN

TRIC

DAT

UM O

F AU

STRA

LIA

12

34

5

Do

nnyb

roo

k-Ba

ling

up

dam

was

tew

ater

trea

tmen

t pla

nt

wat

er tr

eatm

ent p

lant

des

alin

atio

n pl

ant

Stirl

ing

Dam

Harv

ey D

am

Logu

e Br

ook

Dam

Wel

lingt

onDa

m

Harr

is R

iver

Dam

Bo

yan

up

des

alin

atio

n pl

ant p

umpi

ng st

atio

n

Au

stra

lind

Bu

reku

p

Po

ten

tial m

ajo

r exp

an

sion

of

exi

stin

gw

ast

ew

ate

r tre

atm

en

t p

lan

t fo

r wa

ter

rec

yclin

g a

nd

reu

se f

it fo

r pu

rpo

see

.g. i

nd

ust

ry re

use

/ag

ricu

lture

.

prop

osed

was

tew

ater

pip

elin

e

was

tew

ater

trea

tmen

t pla

nt b

uffe

r

loca

l gov

ernm

ent b

ound

ary

Cop

yrig

ht ©

May

201

1F:

\dgn

\bun

-wel

l\gre

ater

bun

bury

stra

tegy

\infra

stru

ctur

e_w

ater

.dgn

Wat

er in

frast

ruct

ure

data

sup

plie

d by

:W

ater

Cor

pora

tion

Prod

uced

by:

Car

togr

aphi

c Se

ctio

nSo

uth

Wes

t Pla

nnin

g Br

anch

Dep

artm

ent o

f Pla

nnin

gPr

oduc

ed o

n be

half

of:

Wes

tern

Aus

tralia

n Pl

anni

ng C

omm

issi

on