Nearly $26 million in improvements for WA tourism infrastructure

• Iconic tourism sites throughout Western Australia to share in $25.9 million of upgrades
• Rottnest Island, Cape to Cape Track and Karijini National Park to benefit
• Improvements to ensure sites remain world-class, attract interstate and overseas tourists, and support local businesses and operators

Nearly $26 million will be invested by the Cook Labor Government to upgrade and improve key tourism sites across Western Australia.  

As part of the recent 2023-24 Mid-Year Review, $25.9 million was allocated to the following tourism attractions:

• additional $10.7 million to enhance safe and ongoing access to Rottnest Island, under the Rottnest Island Main Jetty refurbishment and upgrade project;
• additional $5.2 million to deliver improved facilities at Karijini National Park including sealed road and car park access to the most popular gorge and visitor sites;
• $4.6 million for the replacement of the Hamelin Pool boardwalk in the Shark Bay World Heritage Area;
• $2.7 million to undertake repairs and upgrades to the Cape to Cape track in the South West region, including updates to signage; and
• $2.7 million to improve access to the Wellington National Park and pedestrian access to the Wellington Dam Mural.

This investment will help to ensure these sites remain world-class and continue to attract tourists, while also supporting the local tourism sector.

Western Australia has had a booming year in tourism, with close to 2.4 million people from interstate and overseas visiting in the year ending September 2023.

Of these, more than a third visited the Kimberley, Gascoyne or South West region.

Rottnest Island also had a record-breaking year, with nearly 730,000 visitors to the island in 2022-23 by ferry.

Comments attributed to Tourism Minister Rita Saffioti:

"Attractions and infrastructure are a critical part of tourism, and ensuring these facilities and sites remain world-class is so important.

"Places like Rottnest Island and regions like the South West, North West and Coral Coast are already tourism hotspots attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, so we need to make sure they remain fit for purpose.

"Importantly, these improvements will also support our local operators, who rely on good infrastructure to keep attracting visitors."

Comments attributed to Environment Minister Reece Whitby:

"Western Australia's natural environment is the most diverse of any state or territory in Australia.

"Through our ongoing support for WA's iconic tourism landmarks, the Cook Government is ensuring we look after our State while making it an accessible and appealing destination for local, interstate, and overseas visitors."