04 April 2023

Shire President Update

As many of you are probably aware the Shire recently acquired a new loader and new grader that will be used by our operations team on rural road maintenance and construction projects.

A key priority for Council is the upkeep and management of our rural roads and the safety of all road users, which is why, along with the machinery upgrades, we have employed a Rural Roads Supervisor to oversee these works. I would like to welcome Jerome Criddle to the Shire of Irwin team.

Jerome and the operation’s team have been working on Mount Adams Road and are aiming to complete maintenance grading of the entire network of unsealed, rural roads by the end of June.

Further to this our operations team have employed two new parks and gardens officers – we welcome them, and with our expanded capability we can now tackle long standing issues such as the weed problem at the cemetery.

We are also working to resolve the ongoing issues at the Transfer Station, it is a complex situation that we hope to have settled as soon as possible.

This month the Shire also employed two new customer service staff to assist the community in the Shire Admin Building – I welcome them also.

In May we will be holding Community Consultation sessions where you can come and give feedback on our priorities, projects, plans and aspirations.

You can give your opinion on major local projects such as the recreational jetty and the boat ramp design and hear progress updates on how we are tracking with our Strategic Community Plan.

You can also have your say on community priorities, local planning strategies and waste management.

The consultation sessions will also feature Arrowsmith industry developments with information for local businesses and the community.

At this month’s council meeting we were presented with the yearly Budget Review and I am pleased to say that our zero based budget is on track. You can read the Budget Review in the March council meeting minutes here

I was pleased to see so many people take the opportunity to express their concerns at the recent Western Power community feedback session. I thank the Western Power staff and their CEO for reaching out to our community and I encourage people to continue highlighting these issues to Western Power when they arise. 

I would like to acknowledge Dongara resident  Joy Sherlock who was a recent WA finalist for the 2023 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award that acknowledges and supports the essential role women play in rural industries, businesses and communities. Joy was recognised for her project that uses unique tools to increase the understanding of farmers’ individual property/paddock soil nutrient balance and associated factors and how this impacts on the uptake of nutrients by crops or pasture. Congratulations Joy.

Congratulations also to the Denison Bowling Club’s Joel Leeson, Peter Leeson, Ian Payne and Paul Hitchcock for winning the AFGRI Men’s Countryweek Fours Final. The group also took home, for the first time ever, courtesy of the Fours victory and a quarter final performance of Paul Hitchcock in the Singles, the PS Bignell Perpetual Shield for the most outstanding club in 2023. Well done to you all.

And finally, I would like to acknowledge the Dongara/Denison RAG who this month celebrated their fiftieth anniversary. Congratulations to all volunteers past and present who have contributed to this remarkable publication that has served our community for five decades. A fabulous achievement, your dedication and commitment is truly admirable.

On behalf of the Irwin Shire Council and staff I would like to wish everyone a very happy and safe Easter. If you are travelling, please take care on the roads.

Dongara Easter Races

The Dongara Easter Races are BACK for 2023 and we are proud to sponsor the Fashions on the Field competition.

There is both a Men's and Ladies Division and fantastic prizes on offer, but places are limited.

For more information or to purchase tickets for the day visit the Dongara Irwin Race Club Facebook page.

Prescribed Burns

Please be advised that the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions will be conducting prescribed burning activities within the Mount Adams area beginning Monday April 3.

Burning activities will be conducted under favourable conditions over the following days and weeks.

For further information please contact the DBCA Jurien Bay Parks and Wildlife office on 08 9688 6000.

Easter Closures

The Shire of Irwin advises of the following Easter closures - 

Shire Admin Office will be closed on Good Friday, April 7 and Easter Monday, April 10.

Irwin Recreation Centre will be closed on Good Friday, April 7 and Easter Monday, April 10.

Transfer Station will be closed on Good Friday, April 7. The Transfer Station will operate as normal on Saturday, Sunday and Monday of the long weekend.

Containers for Change will be closed on Good Friday 7th of April and Easter Saturday 8th April. The Transfer Station will take “drop offs” on behalf of the CDS, as normal on Saturday, Sunday and Monday of the long weekend. Please ensure your bags are labelled correctly with your complete scheme number.

Rubbish Collection there will be no rubbish collection on Good Friday, April 7 - these bins will be collected on Saturday, April 8.

We apologise for any inconvenience that may be caused.

Please call 9927 0000 or email reception@irwin.wa.gov.au for further information.

Industry News

Construction continues on the Waitsia Project.

The Mid West community may have heard that in recent months there have been discussions regarding the contractor Clough and the Waitsia Gas Project Stage 2 (the Waitsia Project). Last month Mitsui E&P Australia (MEPAU) and Joint Venture Partner Beach Energy received news that the Italian company Webuild would acquire Clough assets. This included the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contract for the Waitsia Project, which confirmed Clough would continue construction of the project. MEPAU

CEO Ken Yamamura said this marked the beginning of a new chapter for Waitsia and was an excellent result for the local community and the Mid West region.

To download a copy of the March Community News click here