Northampton council approves Seroja-damaged Blue Holes and Jaques Point repairs before DFES grant deadline

Concept plans for infrastructure along two Kalbarri beaches damaged by cyclone Seroja in 2021 have been endorsed by the Shire of Northampton, paving the way for procurement and construction to begin. Concept plans at Blue Holes and Jacques Point (known as Jake’s by locals) were presented at the council meeting on Friday, August 18, where councillors voted to endorse the plans and proceed with reinstating the project procurement. The Blue Holes car park will be retained in a similar form, but will be protected by a limestone wall and rock revetment, see a shade structure replaced and a concrete footpath in front of the parking added. The proposed car park at Jacques Point will replace the destroyed bottom car park with a similar number of bays provided previously while allowing beach access. A retaining wall will be installed for parking safety, a shade structure replaced, repairs will be made to an existing shelter and a general tidy-up will be undertaken. The Shire has systematically addressed public infrastructure damage since the cyclone hit in April 2021, through insurance and Disaster Relief Funding Arrangements Western Australia (DRFAWA), jointly funded through the Commonwealth-State. Projects must be completed in the second half of 2024 to be eligible for the DRFAWA grant, which is why it was recommended the council endorse the plans and enable the projects to be completed within the deadline. GHD consultants have been engaged to assist the Shire to address damage to infrastructure along Kalbarri’s coast caused by the cyclone. GHD is also assisting with the creation of a temporary workers accommodation site off Anchorage Lane, Kalbarri, and repairs on Chinamans Drive, announced in the July meeting. A State Government spokesperson confirmed as of July 2023, $3.042 million has been disbursed under the Recovery and Resilience Grants scheme, $2.571m under the Primary Producer Recovery Grants scheme, $993,464 under the Small Business Recovery Grants scheme and $62,511 under the Cultural and Heritage Assets Recovery Grants scheme. Applications closed on June 20, but payments will continue to be dispersed to eligible applicants until June 30, 2024.