Published on Thursday, 3 April 2025 at 1…

Published on Thursday, 3 April 2025 at 11:50:04 AM

Wow, 2025 is flying along! It is hard to believe Summer has come and gone and Autumn is here. Although you wouldn’t think so with the soaring temperatures we are still experiencing. Heading into April, we thought it would be an opportune time to update the community on a few of the projects that we are currently working on or have recently completed.

Western Regions

Bill Hemsley Park & Community Centre - Contractors have recently installed a dedicated Wi-Fi through Southern Cross Broadband which will enhance the meeting capacity of the facility and for the community.

Construction of a new storage shed will commence soon, west of the existing carpark which will allow Council to store gardening equipment making it easier to access for Shire staff and reduce transportation times. (Funded via external grant)

Several minor maintenance issues have been dealt with by Shire staff and contractors as a result of increased vandalism occurring in the area such as shade cloth being slashed, flyscreens slashed, and continual graffiti scratched into the paint of the Public Access 24 hour toilet.

Council have recently purchased a new wall mounted chiller drink fountain which will have a “Yeti style” water bottle filler built in. It will be located near the kitchen and replace the existing upright water cooler. Installation will occur in late April. (Funded via external grant)

The spraying program for Walkaway Burr and other weeds throughout the park, road verges and bridle trails is continuing.

Coronation Beach Campgrounds - Several minor maintenance issues have been dealt with by Shire staff and contractors, timber maintenance/oiling of the timber boardwalk has been completed on all exposed surfaces.

Construction of a new toilet at the northern end of the campgrounds is currently underway and should be completed by the end of April. (Funded via external grant)

Council were proud to sponsor the Wave Rally World Championships (9-12 January 2025) & Oceania Youth Wave Titles (14-19 January 2025) with both events professionally run and successful. So much so that they have already booked a date for next year’s event.

Roadworks

East Nabawa - This is our first Regional Road Group funded roads and was completed in December which has involved vegetation clearing, formation of drainage, sub base and base, prior to sealing a 3km section which now completes the sealing of the entire road length at 7.2m wide.

Durawah Road – Works crews are currently working on upgrading the existing 4 metre seal to a 7.2 metre seal as well as an extensive upgrade to the drainage. Works are nearing completion with sealing works to be undertaken soon.

Nanson Howatharra Road – The final Regional Road Group funded road involves repairs to the existing seal, such as edge breaks and potholes, minor treatment to the shoulders, repairing a depression that is near a bend next to a culvert and resealing for a length of 7km. All works have been completed including the repairs to the depression on the bend near Bella Vista which has been dugout and replaced with cement stabilised base. The resealing works were recently completed now completes a reseal of the entire length of the road.

East Chapman Road – Contractors have been engaged to complete a 1.5km reconstruction and widening upgrade (7.2m) of the first section that is in the Shire of Chapman Valley. Works are expected to commence in April.

Eliza Shaw Drive – Works crew will soon conduct the final drainage works along the northern side of Eliza Shaw Drive from Parmelia Bvd to David Road. Traffic control will be in place during this time.

On top of the various construction works being carried out, there are also a number of maintenance works occurring throughout the Shire. Without moisture, maintenance grading is very difficult at this time of year but works crews are constantly completing routine road maintenance throughout the Shire. Major resheeting works are soon to commence on Murphy Norris, McNaught Mazzuchelli and Coonawa Roads to complete Councils 2024/25 Road program.

Plant Purchases

As part of the Shire of Chapman Valley’s 20-year Plant Replacement Program, Council recently purchased a new Cat 444-07A Backhoe Loader, replacing the existing Case Backhoe which will enhance Council operations.

Council also recently purchased a new side tipping trailer and offered its existing side tipping trailer of outright purchase. Delivery of both items will occur in April.

Yuna

Several minor maintenance issues have been dealt with by Shire staff and contractors including the installation of the grant funded coffee machine, removal of the overgrown garden bed bushes, site preparation and installation of synthetic turf to the alfresco area, replacement of the faulty roof mounted floodlight in preparation for the successful 100 Year CWA Event held in December 2024.

Nabawa

Nabawa Recreation Centre

New shade sails were replaced in the Playground at the Nabawa Rec Centre that were damaged during a recent storm event. (Funded via insurance)

Contractors have recently installed a dedicated Wi-Fi through Southern Cross Broadband which will enhance the building and use for the community. (Funded via external grant)

Nabawa Recreation Centre Redevelopment: The purpose of this project is twofold. Firstly, to redevelop the changerooms to provide inclusivity to accommodate male, female and non-binary players, and also accommodate players from other diverse cultures who require more privacy, improve the building accessibility to allow for wheelchair users and ensure the facilities are accessible for all. This will allow users with impaired mobility to use the facility with ease and confidence. Secondly, to increase the Shire’s capacity to respond during times of disaster, something that was severely limited by the lack of local infrastructure in the recovery period post the impact of STC Seroja.

Rising construction costs being experienced nationwide along with design changes to the existing plan to conform with disability access requirements have added cost to the project with Council currently seeking additional funding to ensure that the project goes ahead.

Oval

Extensive damaged occurred to one of the lighting towers at the Nabawa Oval during Cyclone Seroja. Insurance funds, along with additional Council resources were able to replace and upgrade the tower to a 25m, 6 light unit which will complement any future upgrades. Installation will be completed in late April.

The Nabawa Oval has recently been verti-mowed in readiness for the 2025 GNFL football season. Minor works were also carried out to the turf wicket by the local Cricket Club.

The Shire in conjunction with the Chapman Valley Football Club were successful in obtaining funding to fully fund the purchase and installation of an Electronic Scoreboard which can be utilised by both football and cricket clubs. Installation will occur in late April. (Funded via external grant)

Nabawa Tennis Courts

Faulty tennis court lights have been replaced and repaired, the north-east tower has had two new LED sports lights installed and the drive gear from the existing old light was used to repair the south-west tower light.

Nabawa Community Centre

After an interior refresh in last year’s budget, the lesser hall is being equipped to increase its functionality. Contractors have recently installed a dedicated Wi-Fi through Southern Cross Broadband which will enhance the building and use for the community.

In addition, a large TV Screen has been installed in the lesser hall/meeting area to enhance the meeting capacity of the facility. (Both funded via external grant)

Nabawa Hill Radio Tower

Council has recently engaged external contractors to complete renovation works to Nabawa Hill Radio Tower to improve emergency communication. The job includes installing new guy wires and concrete footings which will secure the asset for many years.

Council Depot Office/Crib Room

Construction on the Nabawa Works Depot Office and Crib Room is nearing completion. This transportable facility, built by a local company, is designed to provide staff with a safe and ergonomic office space that also functions as a training area. Additionally, it offers a comfortable and well-equipped space for staff to relax during breaks.

Refuse Site

Works are nearing completion on the Nabawa Refuse Site Caretaker office. It is expected that once the caretaker’s office is installed, Council will ensure that the refuse site is fully manned in an effort to reduce the misuse of the site and better address Council’s waste management responsibilities. (Funded via external grant)

Nanson

Nanson Golf Club – Damage to the Golf Club, following Cyclone Seroja has resulted in all Asbestos-Containing Material (ACM) requiring removal. This has been completed, along with various plumbing and electrical works and a new corrugated iron cladding to the external of the building.

Nanson Showgrounds - Several minor maintenance issues have been dealt with by Shire staff. Further subterranean power cables have been installed at the request of the Chapman Valley Agricultural Society. Three phase power outlets on the large open trade display shed will be used as join boxes and extended to five remote pole locations as per request. The showground office, connected to the main exhibition hall is scheduled for new ceiling and wall relining and installation of bulk insulation at request of the Ag. Society. (Funded via external grant)

Fire Brigades

The Yetna Fire Brigade recently took delivery of a new Toyota Landcruiser Light Tanker and completed the required training to operate the vehicle.

A recommendation at the recent Bush Fire Brigade Advisory Committee meeting held in March requested the Shire to apply to DFES via the Emergency Services Levy (ESL) for an additional 4.4 Broadacre Tanker for the Howatharra brigade. An important outcome from the recent Howatharra fire debrief, held in December 2023 outlined the limited fire resources in the Western Regions and an increase in fire incidents such as pole top fires and vehicle burn outs along the Northwest Coastal Highway.

Administration

Recruitment – We are hiring!!! Council is currently seeking qualified individuals to fill the following positions. Finance & Corporate Services Officer, Plant Operator (Construction & Maintenance) Grader Operator (Construction & Maintenance). Competitive salaries apply and the chance to contribute to our vibrant community. See employment section of website.

 https://www.chapmanvalley.wa.gov.au/council/council/employment/employment.aspx

New President – The Shire of Chapman Valley proudly congratulates former President, Kirrilee Warr on her historic victory in the 2025 Western Australian State Election, securing the seat of Geraldton for the Nationals WA.

Kirrilee, and long-serving Councillor recent Shire President, has been a tireless advocate for regional communities during her 12 years of leadership in Chapman Valley. With Kirrilee’s election to state politics, Council was required to elect a new Shire President. Current Deputy President, Nicole Batten was elected at the recent Council meeting having served nearly 8 years on council, as well as working with the Shire in the Community Development space, contributing on a number of community groups, boards and running a successful farming operation.        

Strategic Community Plan - In August 2022 Council endorsed its Strategic Community Plan 2022-2032 (SCP). The plan was informed through a community engagement program, which documented the community’s priorities, aspirations and vision. A legislative requirement is to complete a desktop review of the plan every two years which commenced in February 2025. The desktop review is currently out for advertising and comment and closes on Friday 4th April.

Contact Us – We value your feedback and aim to provide exceptional service to our community. Whether you have a question, suggestion, or would like to report an issue, our online enquiry and feedback form is here to assist you. Please take a moment to fill out the form below, and our dedicated team will address your inquiry promptly. Your input helps us continuously improve and better serve the residents and visitors of Chapman Valley. https://www.chapmanvalley.wa.gov.au/contact/online-form.aspx

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