Explore:

Metropolitan planning

Port Kennedy development

a   a   Print this page

Click one of these links to skip down:

Project

The Port Kennedy project is a coastal residential development located on the southern extent of Warnbro Sound at Port Kennedy, in the City of Rockingham. This innovative development is intended to provide regional leisure and recreational opportunities, integrated with a residential development and is being carried out by Western Australia Beach and Golf Resort Pty Ltd under provisions of the Port Kennedy Development Project Agreement.

The project is designed as an integrated coastal holiday development, providing a range of high quality tourism, commercial, residential, recreation and leisure opportunities that will be accessible to the community. New recreation and leisure facilities include planned beach facilities and dual-use paths, boat launching facility, boardwalk network, public jetty, inshore boat moorings, and a 9-hole public golf course. These will be integrated with the existing Port Kennedy 18-hole golf links, Port Kennedy Scientific Park and the Shoalwater Islands Marine Park.

The project will result in several residential precincts and a town centre, all designed to provide a range of accommodation types including short-stay tourism accommodation. The development also specifically provides for tourism accommodation through a planned eco-tourism site, golf hotel and land allocated for a strategic tourism development. The agreement provides for the State Government to call expressions of interest for development of the strategic tourism development.

All land-based elements of the development have been given conditional environmental clearances and several state government agencies are involved in monitoring the on-going compliance.

Most of the land covered by the agreement will remain in public ownership, such as foreshore areas and the boat launching ramp, several conservation reserves, both golf courses and the eco-tourism site. The agreement provides for the golf courses and eco-tourism site to be leased to Western Australia Beach and Golf Resort Pty Ltd, and it may sub-lease these sites to operating managers.

Land for residential development is to be granted to Western Australia Beach and Golf Resort Pty Ltd on the basis of it providing the state with specified "public works" and cash equal to the value of the land. The state oversees this process with independent assessment of works and land values by commissioned licenced quantity surveyors and the Valuer General.  Additional scrutiny is provided through specialist staff in the Department of Planning, and oversight by the Port Kennedy Management Board ( 156kb).

As this point the development is estimated to be completed in 2017.

back to top

Current situation

Under the agreement, ratified by an Act of Parliament, the State Government has entered into a partnership with private enterprise to fund the integrated development of this area of public land. In 2004, the state re-assigned the project development rights. With Parliament's endorsement, the state and the Western Australia Beach and Golf Resort Pty Ltd agreed to a revised development arrangement, including a decision to discontinue proposed development of a major marina at Port Kennedy, an ecologically sensitive coastal location.

The Western Australia Beach and Golf Resort Pty Ltd appointed Mirvac as its project manager and detailed planning has been undertaken for a three-stage development.  Initial works involved completing streetscaping of the existing Longbeach Estate and also extending some public facilities elsewhere in the project area.

Mirvac submitted a detailed stage proposal for stage 1 which was approved by the then Minister for Planning in June 2008. Mirvac will commence construction of the approved public works during 2010 and a great majority of the stage 1 public works are anticipated to be completed by 2013. Stage 1 public works include the following:

  • public boat launching ramp (estimated for completion in late 2010);
  • establishment of new public open space (west of Longbeach Estate) including public amenities;
  • improvements to the scientific park;
  • western foreshore footpath/boardwalk network;
  • western beach access, public toilets and a car park adjoining the scientific park;
  • four ‘keyholes’ located in public open space areas to allow study of the area’s unique geomorphology.

Mirvac will also develop the western residential precinct during stage 1, for release to the market.

Key aspects of stage 1 approvals include environmental and planning approvals for the marine component (boat launching ramp) and ministerial approval of the stage 1 development detail.

Further information on the project

back to top

Background

In March 1986, the State Government called for expressions of interest to develop a marina harbour and tourist development on Crown land at Port Kennedy.

In 1992, the State entered into the Port Kennedy Development Project Agreement with Fleuris Pty Ltd for the purposes of developing the project and the agreement was ratified through the Port Kennedy Development Agreement Act 1992. Copies of the Act can be obtained from the State Law Publisher. With the consent of the then Minister for Planning, the rights and interests under the agreement were assigned to Port Kennedy Resorts Pty Ltd (PKR) in 1995.

PKR proceeded to fulfil its obligations under the agreement, and by 1998 had substantially completed the main access road to the development, the first of two proposed 18 hole golf courses, the first stage of freehold development (Longbeach Estate) and servicing and infrastructure headworks. However, due to financial and contractual constraints, PKR was unable to complete the project and subsequently entered voluntary administration. In 2002, the State assigned the project development rights to Western Australia Beach and Golf Resort Pty Ltd.

Since that time the Western Australia Beach and Golf Resort Pty Ltd, in conjunction with the Port Kennedy Management Board and the State Government, has undertaken a complete review of the project.

back to top

Revised development plan

In November 2004, a deed of variation to the Port Kennedy Development Project Agreement passed through both Houses of Parliament in accordance with the Port Kennedy Development Agreement Act 1992.

The deed included a revised development plan ( 457kb) for Port Kennedy as an integrated coastal tourism development comprising the following elements:

  • Mixed use town centre including tourism, retail, recreation and public facilities.
  • Boat launching ramp, public jetty and short stay swing moorings.
  • Protected wetlands and conservation areas.
  • 18 hole championship standard golf course.
  • 9 hole public golf course.
  • Golf course hotel and self-contained golf course villas.
  • Eco-tourism facility and beachfront serviced apartments.
  • A 1.5 hectare site for possible future tourism development.
  • Residential development in various locations throughout the project area, including within the proposed nine-hole public golf course.

The revised plan represents the culmination of an extensive process of project review and community consultation carried out by Western Australia Beach and Golf Resort Pty Ltd and the State.

With Parliament's consent, in 2006 some small changes were formally made to the agreement.

back to top

Management board

The Port Kennedy Management Board ( 156kb)  is an advisory board appointed by the Minister for Planning.  The board, which meets bi-monthly, is responsible for:

  • Advising the Minister on this project, its progress in accordance with the agreement and any future development of the development area.
  • Monitoring the development including compliance with environmental conditions.
  • Advising the Minister on protection and management of the Port Kennedy area’s natural history values and environment.
  • Facilitating further study and educating the public on the environmental values of the area.

The nine-member board includes representation from the local community, the Western Australia Beach and Golf Resort Pty Ltd, City of Rockingham, Department of Environment and Conservation, Department of Fisheries, Department of Regional Development and Lands (State Land Services) and Conservation Council of WA.

Further information on the board's role can be found in the Port Kennedy Activity Report 2005-2006 ( 1mb) and the Port Kennedy Activity Report 2006-2007 ( 1mb).

back to top


This is a printer friendly version of the web page available at http://planning.wa.gov.au/660.asp