The City of Busselton acquire 465ha of land for future recreational purposes

The City of Busselton and Tronox have agreed to finalise a contract for the City to acquire 465ha of land, with the aspirations to create new a recreational park. Located at Lot 100 Sues Road in Yalyalup, this is one of the largest areas of land within the City of Busselton. The idea started about two years ago when the Sues Road land was first available for purchase and the City sold 136ha in Ambergate to help fund the purchase of the property. A lease-back arrangement will now be in place to allow Tronox to continue its mineral sands mining operations on the property. The lease will provide revenue to the City, as well as allow for a staged handover of rehabilitated mining areas over the coming years. “Council has stressed that this land is not suitable for residential purposes due to the proximity of the airport,” outgoing Busselton mayor Grant Henley said. “It has been purchased for a future recreational park that will help meet the needs and aspirations of our community. “While it has been a lengthy process, it’s nice to see the acquisition come to fruition.” The City will now establish a working group to guide the development and progress of a master plan for the site. “It’s fantastic that we can contribute back to the community by progressively handing back this land and I hope that many generations of South West residents will enjoy the future facilities,” Tronox Southern Operations site director, Braam Rousseau said.