Wyndham Historic Port Precinct

We know that the Historic Port Area is where it all started for the town of Wyndham, way back in 1880’s. For a long time the area was considered the economic and social hub of the East Kimberley from early beginnings as an access point for the Halls Creek gold rush and subsequently a service town for the pastoral industry, and of course, the meatworks. The area is rich in history and stories of yesteryear, which continue to be treasured in the hearts of the Wyndham community. Unfortunately, due to development barriers and a decline in investment, the historic port is no longer living up to its full potential. 

The area remains a key point of interest for tourists, however, there are things we could do to encourage visitors to stay longer and spend money at Wyndham businesses, and at the same time create a place for Wyndham residents to celebrate their history, recreate, and tell their stories. 

The revitalisation plan will consider three main things, which will all be driven by engagement with the Wyndham community and other stakeholders.

1. A proposed vision for the Historic Port Area – How should the area look and feel?
2. A sewerage treatment plan – How can we remove the current barriers to development?
3. An investment strategy – How can we use the plan to attract investment to the area?

The Kimberley Development Commission is leading the Wyndham Historic Precinct Revitalisation plan, with funding support from the state government.

The KDC engaged Pracsys through a competitive tender process to assist with project delivery. The Pracsys team includes Economists, Engineers, Architects, and Engagement specialists with extensive experience, including in the Kimberley, in similar projects.

We know it’s frustrating when people come and talk to community about what they want to see, they create a ‘plan’, and then nothing happens. This happens time and time again. Unfortunately, in areas like the East Kimberley, developments and new community assets often rely on external investments, such as grants from the State and Federal Governments or other agencies. This can lead to frustration, because without a good plan, it’s impossible to attract the investment, but there are also occasions where you make the plan, and the investment never comes. 

We will creating this plan in a way that maximises the chances of investment to make it happen based on what has worked before in our region. This includes creating the plan based on a shared community vision, being realistic in what might be possible, talking to potential investors throughout the plan’s development, and structuring the plan to allow us to target specific investment opportunities as they arise.