News

At its December Council meeting, the Council considered an item of urgent business, a motion which requested consideration of using the City’s current cash reserves to fund the completion of Saltwater rather than proceeding with the previous Council decision to take out loans and increase rates to cover it. The Council resolved 6/3 to revoke and change parts of the previous decision made in November, and to enable the new funding approach to be implemented.

SALTWATER is now 78 per cent complete and the City of Busselton has been busy securing entertainment and confirming venue bookings for the opening year and beyond.

The City of Busselton has been honoured with the Judges’ Award at the 2024 WA Heritage Awards.

The City of Busselton’s Events Sponsorship Program will once again provide significant funding to continue with the successful delivery of several well-loved events within the City.

The City of Busselton is continuing with its commitment to improving the health of the Lower Vasse River through the assessment of a new aeration trial.

The City is proud to be partnering with the WA Police and a wide range of other local emergency response services to undertake a “real life” training exercise at the coast at Bunker Bay on Saturday 30 November.

On awarding the tender, the forecast project cost for Saltwater was $44.55 million, comprising $38million for construction and $6.55 million for contingency funding and other project costs, such as design.

In September 2024 the City acquired 465 hectares of land at Sues Road in Yalyalup for future outdoor recreational activities.

The City of Busselton proudly honoured the extraordinary achievements of its volunteer firefighters at the annual Emergency Service Volunteer Awards held on Friday evening. The event celebrated the unwavering dedication and heroic efforts of the City’s Volunteer Bush Fire Brigades, highlighting their crucial role in safeguarding the community.

On 16 October 2024, Council formally endorsed a brand new Council Plan 2024-2034. This comprehensive new plan outlines the City’s vision, outcomes and strategic priorities for the next ten years and details the specific priority projects which will be undertaken over the next four years.

The City of Busselton will soon be delivering a wide range of coastal strengthening projects at multiple locations along the Geographe Bay coastline during November, February and March. Works will include upgrade of sections of footpaths to double as levees, dune stabilisation and planting of new vegetation to be undertaken with the onset of winter.

After extending the trial of hireable e-scooters in the City of Busselton, the Council has now made the decision to allow them to stay.

A world-class Convention and Performing Arts Centre in Busselton, Western Australia is a step closer to becoming a reality, with the centre set to open in mid-2025. 

The City is proud to again be a part of the 2025 Auspire Community Citizen of the Year Awards, celebrating the remarkable achievements and inspiring contributions of individuals and groups who positively impact their community.

Community feedback is being sought on a planned trial of speed limit reductions across Busselton and Augusta Margaret River, which would measure the extent lower speed limits assist in preventing deaths and serious injuries on our roads.

The City of Busselton has issued its annual Bushfire Risk Reduction Notice for 2024-2025. This comes after the biggest review of the notice in ten years which was undertaken in collaboration with the community and key stakeholders.

The State Government has put in place restrictions to stop shark fishing from the Busselton Jetty and all nearshore waters (within 800m from shore) along the Busselton foreshore (between the Vasse Diversion Drain and the Georgette Street boat ramp) will come into effect from 1 October.

The City is aware of increasing community interest in the proposed works to seal the shoulders of the Vasse Yallingup Siding Road. This public update is to respond to a number of questions being received.

Nominations are now open for the City’s Annual Sports Awards to be held on 22 October 2024. The Annual Sports Awards recognises and celebrates outstanding achievements and contributions in community sport.

As part of our ongoing commitment to becoming more environmentally sustainable, the City is continuing to explore more environmentally friendly and cost-effective ways to manage its vehicle fleet.

The City of Busselton's new Convention and Performing Arts Centre, Saltwater, is nearing completion and we’re counting down to the highly anticipated opening forecast for mid-2025!

Local tourism organisation, Margaret River Busselton Tourism Association (MRBTA), is set to continue the delivery of its valuable visitor services, entering into a three-year funding agreement with the City of Busselton.

The City of Busselton’s 2024-2025 budget has now been adopted and work is already underway to deliver a multitude of projects and initiatives approved by Council for this financial year.

As young individuals embark on their journey into the workforce, ensuring they have access to the necessary Personal Protective Equipment to perform their job is paramount. ‘Boots for Youth’ initiative aims to provide safety equipment to young workers aged 14 to 24 to support their employment and training.

At its June meeting, the Council voted unanimously to explore a range of safety and amenity improvements to Hannay Lane in Dunsborough.

At its June meeting, the Council provided its unanimous support for the CEO to enter into a sublease with a local business to establish a new chocolate company on the foreshore. A number of submissions were received through the advertising period which the Council gave due consideration to before making a final decision on the lease.

At its June meeting, the Council voted unanimously to support a suite of new governance initiatives aimed at better meeting community expectations.

The City of Busselton Council has now publicised a range of correspondence sent to a number of politicians regarding the Federal Government’s Proposed Offshore Wind Area.

In preparation for the adoption of its 2024-2025 budget, the City is proposing a rate increase for all rating categories (excluding Holiday Homes) of 7% for the 2024-2025 financial year.

There is more good news for the south west community, with today officially marking the opening of a dedicated emergency services transfer facility and apron for the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) at the Busselton Margaret River Airport.