Dedicated accommodation to house more than 400 workers will be built on Rottnest Island as part of a $150.5 million funding injection to “get the basics right” on the global tourism drawcard.
Around 137 units will be built over the next eight years, a move expected to substantially reduce pressure on the cheaper accommodation options — such as Kingston Barracks — that already exist on the island but are often booked out by business owners for their staff.
Boosting the number of workers who live on Rottnest will also allow tourism and hospitality providers to offer a much wider variety of services in addition to ferry timetables in the evenings and early mornings.
Some $98.5 million — the biggest single investment by a State Government in Rottnest — will be spent planning and developing the new staff accommodation, which will be rolled out progressively until 2032.
The other key pillars of the funding package are $31.9m to redevelop the Army jetty, $15.8m to upgrade wastewater infrastructure across the island and $4.3m to resurface the airport runway and install perimeter fencing.
Treasurer and Tourism Minister Rita Saffioti said the spending was designed to “get the basics right” so that the island could continue flourishing over the next decade.
“Rottnest Island is a globally recognised tourism destination for WA,” Ms Saffioti said. “To continue meeting the increasing popularity of the island, it’s essential we invest in infrastructure to support island operations and safety.”