Shire of Augusta-Margaret River seeks $5 million funding for Cowaramup as consultation questions posed

The Shire of Augusta-Margaret River has asked the State Government for $5 million to address widespread community concerns about traffic in Cowaramup.

With consultation closing on its integrated transport strategy for the township today, the local government acknowledged broad future considerations remained — including the feasibility of a bypass.

It comes as the resident-led Cowaramup Community Road Safety Group voiced worries the latest consultation didn’t go far enough in meeting the town’s needs and omitted key considerations.

Shire sustainable development and infrastructure director Nick Logan told the Times the pitch for $5m was to guide priorities for the town’s main street.

“This includes relocating the school crossing, intersection improvements, and installing a permanent median island, pending the success of the current 12-month trial of the painted median island,” he said.

“Through our consultation process and discussions with stakeholders, including Main Roads, we aim to prioritise actions which will be funded and implemented as part of our future capital works programs.

“To do this, we need an agreed plan, with costed designs so we have clarity for budgeting purposes and for seeking external funding.”

CCRSG spokesperson Lisa Bell said it was important to consider the bypass now because too many features of the 2005 Cowaramup Village Strategy were still not delivered.

“Our population has more than quadrupled. Volumes of through-traffic have gone through the roof,” she said.

“Whole new suburbs were created without a footpath or cycle network to the main street and school.

“We now have over 2.5 million visitors passing through each year. Traffic issues have gone from bad to diabolical. Residents are very cranky. Will we have to wait 19 years and a string of fatalities for another strategy to say the same bloody thing?”

Mr Logan said the possibility of a bypass road was included in the strategy, “but is a longer-term option which would be subject to a thorough and detailed examination of a significant number of issues”.