Preferred bidders announced for Exmouth Marina Village

11/2/04
Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan today announced the preferred bidders for three superlots in the $16million Exmouth Marina Village.
The Marina Village, located around an inner harbour constructed to connect to the Exmouth Boat Harbour, is poised to become a strategically-located development serving the Ningaloo Coast.
Ms MacTiernan said the development of the lots would result in direct investment in Exmouth of more than $40million and provide a platform for tourism growth on the Ningaloo Coast in the Gascoyne.
"This project will establish Exmouth as the gateway to the spectacular Carnarvon-Ningaloo Coast," Ms MacTiernan said.
The superlots are made up of a 5.5ha tourist resort site; a canal front residential estate of 28ha which can be subdivided into 128 canal and dry lots; and a mixed-use commercial/residential zone of 13.3ha.
Preferred bidders for the superlots are Balwyn Rockingham Pty Ltd for the residential site; City and Suburban Group Pty Ltd for the mixed-use lot and Sunrise Beach Resort Pty Ltd for the resort site.
All three preferred bidders are Western Australian companies.
Ms MacTiernan said Exmouth Marina Village had been a local dream for many years and the State Government had recognised that need and supported it with $16million in funding.
"LandCorp has worked with the community, Gascoyne Development Commission and Shire of Exmouth to deliver a development that has now won the endorsement of the private sector," she said.
"The ultimate beneficiaries of this project will be the people of Exmouth and the region."
The Minister said the resort site had the potential to be developed as one of the most significant resorts along the coast from Geraldton to Broome.
"Tourism is the Gascoyne's biggest and fastest growing industry," she said.
"In 2002, it attracted more than 280,000 international and domestic visitors and contributed $150million to the region's economy.
"Exmouth services a number of the region's world-class tourist attractions, including Ningaloo Reef, Exmouth Gulf, Cape Range National Park and the Murion Islands."
Ms MacTiernan said the Marina Village complex also included a marine industry precinct, providing mainly leasehold lots through the Department for Planning and Infrastructure.
Negotiations were continuing on the sale of a one-hectare lot offered for sale within this precinct.
All offers on the superlots were assessed by a selection panel including the Western Australian Tourism Commission, LandCorp, real estate agents CB Richard Ellis with the entire process reviewed by an independent probity auditor.
LandCorp would negotiate the sale of the superlots.
Minister's Office - 9213 6400