The Pilbara mining town of Onslow in Western Australia will become the recipient of a huge WA state government investment in social and critical infrastructure projects over the next three to four years.
Key infrastructure projects will include a new hospital, a shire administration centre, an all-weather access road into the town, an airport terminal and runway, government employees’ housing, a power station, a water plant a community pool.
The operation will be delivered by almost a dozen state agencies in an effort to make sure people in Onslow are benefiting from local mining projects, like the Wheatstone and Macedon natural gas developments. Premier and State Development Minister Colin Barnett said, “Onslow is a small and geographically isolated town, and together these projects will improve liveability and help ease some of the challenges associated with the increase in population due to major resource developments”.
While the WA government would be contributing about $70 million distributed through a number of agencies, the Wheatstone project, operated by US company Chevron, would be committing more than $250 million towards improved infrastructure. However, the Chevron’s contributions will be managed by the government to help progress the town’s social, health and economic outlook.
BHP Billiton, which recently finished initial work on the Macedon domestic gas project, is also granting $5 million toward the project. This money will be put towards a basketball centre and skate park in to be delivered in late 2015.
Add Comment