Regional Development Minister Alannah MacTiernan visits Coral Bay as work begins on workers’ accommodation

Regional Development Minister Alannah MacTiernan made an appearance in Coral Bay last week to oversee the beginning of construction on a workers’ accommodation project. Ms MacTiernan was in Coral Bay on Friday as ground was broken for a project to house 60 people. The State Government invested $2.9 million to provide utilities for the building, including roads, water, power and sewerage. The project is part of the redevelopment of the RAC Ningaloo Reef Resort, which will also include the replacement of the beachfront facility with a new 90-room accommodation. Ms MacTiernan said the accommodation will help address Coral Bay’s labour shortage and relieve some of the stress put on the town in recent years. “Increased domestic tourism has placed significant pressure on accommodation supply within Coral Bay, which was already a significant challenge during the peak tourism periods,” she said. “Building new worker accommodation will support local businesses to attract and retain staff and house construction personnel upgrading the Ningaloo Reef Resort.” Coral Bay’s tourism industry is worth $138m, making it the town’s largest sector, and Ms MacTiernan said the government was eager to continue investing to bring opportunities to the region. “Coral Bay needs a significant seasonal workforce to enable this magnificent coastal village to be enjoyed by Western Australian, national and international tourists. The State Government said it was working with the Gascoyne Development Commission to further expand Coral Bay’s tourism infrastructure.