With its planned completion date of March 2025 now well and truly in the past, one can’t help but wonder when the much-anticipated Bindoon Bypass will actually come to pass. It might be front of mind for the community, who collectively noted the federally funded project as a top priority for the region at a recent Business Breakfast organised by the Shire of Chittering – but when? And who is paying for it?
The project page on the Main Roads’ website, last updated over 12 months ago in August 2024, explains that the Northern section has been under construction since 2021, with the first 7 km of the 62 km of new highway completed – and a further 11 km ‘underway’. Indeed, initial works undertaken by Aboriginal construction contractor Garli have seen substantial clearing take place along the Great Northern Hwy north of Calingiri Road – leaving a wasteland awaiting the delayed development.
The Government has long blamed COVID for the grinding halt of progress on the heavy haulage route, and while the pandemic may have contributed, suggestions that the funds and crews allocated for the $275 million project may have been diverted to other projects such as Metronet as part of a ‘smoothing’ process are not exactly promising.
Andy Graham, CEO of the Civil Contractors Federation of Western Australia, urged the Government to push ‘go’ on the works when he spoke on ABC back in June, citing concern that a lull in transport infrastructure development might see a movement of skilled workers from the sector. He referred to the Bindoon Bypass, saying, “That’s been fully funded since 2019. So it was decided as part of the smoothing process to push that back until after Metronet. But in the state budget, we say there’s no major work set for until 2027, 2028. So, you know, I think it’s time now to get on with that project.”
Since the recently revealed budget allocates just $5 million to the Bindoon Bypass for the next financial year (26/27), it seems unlikely much will happen for at least two years until the $60 million allocation for 2027-2028 and $61 million for 2028/29 kicks in. But even then, it would seem that the allocation falls seriously short in the current economic climate. With acquisition yet to even be finalised, one can only postulate on the dizzying heights land prices may have risen to since the original budget was forecast.
Member for Midwest, Shane Love MLA, has persistently probed the Minister for Transport, Rita Saffioti, for details on the recommencement of the project as well as asked for a review of the funding on behalf of his electorate – with little tangible response.
During the last sitting week in September, Hon Julie Freeman MLC had a more promising result, with the Hon Samantha Rowe acting on behalf of the Minister for Transport, at least confirming that the northern section is expected to be completed by mid-2026, and that the “Bindoon South land take is complete” while also admitting that “price negotiations are still progressing.”
In response to the question of whether Main Roads was taking review to see if additional funding was required, she stated that, “The review is ongoing, with an estimate to be undertaken prior to commencement of the procurement process for the southern section.”
Shire of Chittering CEO Melinda Prinsloo is clear in advocating for the timely completion of the project, recently writing to the Ministers for Transport; Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development; Wheatbelt; and Regional Development, seeking answers and expressing the Shire’s concern. She also points outs out that the Great Northern Highway will soon see even more of an increase in heavy usage due to the impending construction of wind farms.
“It has come to our attention that, under current plans, each wind turbine could require up to 12 separate heavy-haul truck movements. With dozens of turbines proposed, this could mean hundreds of heavy trucks passing directly through the town of Bindoon – often at night – disrupting sleep, wellbeing, and road safety for an extended period. This is not a hypothetical inconvenience; it is an imminent and unacceptable impact on our community, especially when a known and shovel-ready solution exists.
Ms Prinsloo is leading a group of local stakeholders who will meet on a fortnightly basis to advocate for the bypass to be a funding priority and for the delivery of the southern section.
Meanwhile, those big semi-trailers keep on rolling by… leaving landowners of properties adjoining the proposed new route waiting in limbo to plan buffer zones, locals contending with compromised road safety on a daily basis, and potential customers along the retail strip deterred by constant noise and pollution.
Watch this space for the next update…
