Investing in Our Community

How Rates will be Spent in the next 12 Months 

Rates are the community’s investment in making the Shire a great place to live.

They’re the primary way we fund all the things our community needs. They pay for road repairs and allow us to create parks for our kids, do work to protect our unique environment, and develop fabulous facilities such as the HEART and the Rec Centre for us all to enjoy.

Council has agreed to a conservative rate increase, which equates to around  $2 per week for the average household, and our draft budget for 2024/25 was presented at the June Council meeting. The draft budget outlines how we’d like to invest rate over the next 12 months. 

Close to $16 million has been allocated for projects and improvements around the whole Shire including new paths, road repairs, sporting ground upgrades and new play spaces. Another $268,000 has been allocated to designing and costing future projects. 

Some of the key projects proposed in the draft budget are:

• Augusta – Completion of the Cape Leeuwin Trail to The Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse 
• Cowaramup – Construction of playspaces at Cowaramup Hall, Cowara Heights, and Parkwater, plus improvements to Symphony Water Public open space
• Witchcliffe – Construction of recreational hardcourts and playground 
• Gracetown - Construction of playspace 
• Margaret River -  Football Club changeroom upgrades and renewal 
• Coastal -  Rivermouth Toilet Block upgrades ($256K), Wallcliffe Road Lookout Construction plus 
• Construction or renewal of roads in rural areas including Karridale, Forest Grove Rosabrook, Rosa Glenn and Scott River.

The final budget will be considered at the July Council meeting.