|
|
|
|
|
|
Infrastructure & Services
The Mid West has well developed core infrastructure including transport, industrial land, communications, water and energy supplies, education and vocational training facilities and health services.
-
Roads
The Mid West is well serviced with a network of major sealed roads connecting Geraldton to Perth, the North West and the hinterland. Major arterial roads include: the Brand Highway linking Perth to Geraldton; the North West Coastal Highway from Geraldton to the North West via Northampton, Carnarvon, Karratha and Port Hedland; the Midlands Road between Moora and Dongara; and the eastern connection from Geraldton to Leinster via Mullewa, Yalgoo, Mt Magnet, Sandstone and Agnew.
Work on the $88 million Southern Transport Corridor (Stage 1) was completed in late 2005 to provide a new direct transport link to the port of Geraldton for both road and rail from the Narngulu industrial estate. Stage 2 (scheduled to commence in 2007/08) will further improve the road corridor to Narngulu and the Geraldton-Mount Magnet Road.
-
Rail
West Net rail and the Australian Railroad Group operates the rail network and rolling stock in the Mid West and throughout the southern half of the state. The haulage task in the Mid West Region is exclusively made up of bulk products, such as coal, grain, mineral sands and iron ore.
The main depot at Narngulu, 13 kilometres from the port of Geraldton, is the junction of the two railway lines that come from the south. Another line branches off at Dongara to service the mineral sand deposits at Eneabba.
-
Port
The Port of Geraldton is one of the most diverse regional ports in Western Australia with six land-backed berths. In 2003 a $103 million Port Enhancement and deepening of the harbour was completed.
In response to the increasing iron ore trade within the Region a $35 million upgrade to Berth 5 is in progress. This upgrade will establish Berth 5 as a dedicated iron ore berth capable of handling up to 10 million tonnes per annum (mtpa). This project is expected to be completed by late 2007.
Imports through the port include petroleum products, phosphate, fertiliser and urea. Exports include wheat and other grains, mineral sands, talc, stockfeed, livestock, copper and zinc concentrates and iron ore.
-
Air Transport
The Geraldton Airport is a Civil Aviation Authority certified aerodrome, owned and operated by the City of Geraldton-Greenough.
Services provided by the airport include apron parking for four large commercial aircraft, a helicopter pad, space provisions for three private charter operators, and maintenance/servicing for light aircraft. In 1999 the main runway was upgraded to accommodate aircraft up to B737-800. There are three terminals including the Greenough terminal constructed in 2001 at a cost of $3.6 million.
Regional air services are provided by Skywest. There are also a number of private charter operators based in the Mid West Region.
-
Industrial Land
There is an ample supply of serviced light industrial land in various lot sizes in the Geraldton/Greenough area.
Oakajee, located 20 kilometers north of Geraldton, has been acquired by the State Government and zoned for industry and a port. Preliminary planning and environmental appraisal for the estate and port were completed ahead of zoning. The estate is not presently serviced and awaits a major project to underwrite the servicing costs
Opportunities exist for industrial development in other towns in the Mid West Region outside the City of Geraldton.
-
Energy
Electricity to the Mid West Region is provided by dual 132kV lines via the interconnected grid from Bunbury, Muja and Kwinana power stations. Geraldton, Chapman Valley, Golden Grove, Three Springs and Eneabba each have 132kV zone substations. Power is then distributed by 33kV line to Dongara, Kalbarri, Northampton, Mullewa, Narngulu, and Nabawa and throughout the Geraldton-Greenough area.
Six new power stations were constructed in the Region in 2003/04 at Meekatharra, Cue, Yalgoo, Wiluna, Mount Magnet and Sandstone.
Western Power is currently assessing the need for an additional 330kv line from the South West to service the region.
Construction of the $210M Alinta wind farm at Walkaway 25k south east of Geraldton was completed in mid 2005. Consisting of 54 turbines producing 90 MW of power (enough for 60,000 homes).
The Mid West Region is serviced by four natural gas pipelines: the Parmelia Pipeline (Dongara-Pinjarra); the Dampier-Bunbury Natural Gas Pipeline (DBNGP); the Goldfields Gas Pipeline (North West Shelf-Kalgoorlie); and the Mid West Pipeline (DBNGP to Windimurra). A spur line from the DBNGP services Geraldton and industry in the Narngulu industrial estate.
-
Communications
The Mid West receives a comprehensive range of radio and television services. These include national and state ABC radio, such as Radio National and Triple J. ABC television coverage is also available in the Mid West, along with GWN, WIN and SBS television. Digital and subscription services are also available.
The Geraldton Guardian, Mid West Times and Yamaji News provide written media across the Mid West. State and national newspapers are available daily in Geraldton and in most areas of the Mid West.
The Mid West has access to full range of telecommunication services including ADSL broadband and wireless broadband. Although due to geographic isolation different technology including satellite and dial-up internet services are used to service parts of the region.
The commercial fishing fleet utilizes state-of-the-art satellite navigation equipment as well as Auto Sea phone facilities provided by OTC for communications between the Abrolhos Islands and Geraldton.
-
Education
The Government provides a range of education services. The region includes one government senior secondary college, one government middle college for years eight and nine, eight district high schools and 22 primary schools. In addition, the Holland Street School provides education support for children with special needs. Agriculturally based secondary education is available in Morawa.
There are a number of Catholic education facilities in the Mid West. There are three Catholic primary schools and a Catholic secondary school located in Geraldton. Mullewa and Northampton both have Catholic primary schools. The Christian Brothers operate a Catholic agricultural junior high school at Tardun.
There are two independent Co-Educational Colleges located in Geraldton both offering Christian education for students from kindergarten to year 12.
Additionally a community school provides primary education based on the principals of the Steiner education system.
Central West TAFE as a registered training organisation (RTO) is a provider of vocational education and training. The College works with individuals, industry and community stakeholders to identify, develop and implement a range of training, delivery and assessment services that meet the training and skills requirements of industry and the aspirations of individuals, families and communities.
Established in 2002, the Geraldton Universities Centre is a consortium of Curtin University of Technology, Edith Cowan University and the University of Western Australia. A new purpose built facility was opened in early 2006.The three participating universities offer a variety of courses across a range of disciplines.
Completed in early 2006 the Separation Point Marine Precinct is a world-class marine education, training and industry research centre.
-
Health
The Mid West Region has access to excellent health care facilities and services. General practitioner services, private dental, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, podiatry, clinical psychology, dietetics and chiropractic services are available in a range of service arrangements throughout the region. This includes the Royal Flying Doctor GP service in the remote areas of Wiluna, Sandstone, Cue and Yalgoo.
Geraldton is one of two non-metropolitan towns in Western Australia that has both public and private hospitals providing access to a broad range of specialist health services.
The Geraldton Regional Health Campus (redeveloped in 2005 at a cost of $50 million) is a 66-bed hospital that provides a 24-hour Accident and Emergency Department and has acute medical, surgical/paediatric and maternity wards. The hospital also has ten day-bed places, which cater for endoscopy, surgery, renal and chemotherapy services.
The St John of God Hospital is a 60-bed hospital established in 1935. The hospital facilities include operating theatres, general medical and surgical, a maternity unit, hospice, medical imaging and a specialist centre.
|
|