Living in Regional WA

Perth is just a small part of the vast State that sprawls over 2,500,000 square kilometres. The distance from the red rugged terrain of the northern tropical tip to the cool green forests of the south west corner is more than 2,500 kilometres.

Non-metropolitan Western Australia (WA) offers many investment opportunities and an enviable lifestyle. It generates the bulk of the State’s exports and is the foundation of the State’s vibrant economy.

More than 500,000 people live outside Perth in communities scattered from Kununurra, 2,300 km to the north of Perth, to Esperance, 720 km to the south east. Well developed transport and communications systems provide fast, economical links.

The State’s mineral output comes from the regions. Major products such as mineral sands, gold, alumina and coal come mostly from the south, but more than half by value come from the northern regions of the Kimberley and Pilbara, including diamonds, iron ore, oil and gas, lead, manganese, gold and salt. Exploration continues to reveal abundant reserves of many minerals, assuring production for many years to come.

Regional centres and towns provide full services and infrastructure to support business. Even most small communities have essential transport and power available at moderate cost and access to satellite communication.

The relaxed lifestyle and clean environment in regional WA provide excellent living conditions and attract tourists. The best parts of the unique natural beauty of WA's land and marine environment are protected for all time through its national parks and world heritage areas.

The culture of the first Australians, the Aboriginal people, is also protected in designated sacred sites. WA has become a world leader in land rehabilitation. Strict controls have been put in place aimed at ensuring that the process of extracting natural resources in the regions does not harm the environment.

Back to top

The Government has set up Regional Development Commissions (RDC) for the State’s nine non-metropolitan regions to promote investment and foster economic and social development. Investors considering setting up in regions may be eligible for incentives and other help.

Links to each RDC are provided in the regional overviews below.

Back to top

A subtropical climate, feeling of freedom and and spaciousness and a diverse economic base are just some of the highlights of the Gascoyne Region.

The Gascoyne Region is the centre of Western Australia’s prawn fishing and processing industry.

Game fishing, coral reefs and national parks such as the Shark Bay World Heritage Area and the Ningaloo Reef Marine Park combine with an average 320 days of sunshine a year to attract many tourists, especially between April and October.

Carnarvon is the commercial and administrative centre and also the base for a large horticultural industry.

With a population of around 10,300 people, the Region covers a land area of 136,110 square kilometres and is bounded by 600 kilometres of the Indian Ocean coastline, and the Pilbara and Mid West regions.  It enjoys a moderate arid tropical climate.

The five major industries operating in the Gascoyne are tourism, fishing, horticulture, pastoral and mining.

Currently, the Gascoyne Region does not have a Strategic Industrial Area (SIA) set aside for heavy industry.  The nearest SIA is located in the Mid West Region at the town of Geraldton (see Narngulu Industrial Estate).

The Exmouth Marina Village has been divided up into superlots for further development to provide facilities for the fishing industry, a commercial zone, a tourist resort and a residential canal development. 

The Gascoyne Development Commission's website provides detailed information on investing, living and doing business in the Region.

Back to top

In addition to being a world-renowned centre of expertise and innovation in technology and training for the gold and nickel mining industries, Kalgoorlie-Boulder's position on major rail and road links to Perth and eastern Australia gives the Region a further advantage.

The inland LNG pipeline from the Pilbara provides the region with plentiful competitively priced natural gas for mineral processing and other industries. Its regional port of Esperance serves inland mining, pastoral and farming exporters as well as a fishing fleet.

The healthy dry climate, good facilities and infrastructure and many historic mining towns combine with the spectacular pristine scenery along the south coast to make Goldfields-Esperance one of the most attractive and remarkable tourist regions in Western Australia.

With a population of around 59,000 people, the Region covers 770,488 square kilometres (including offshore islands). It is bounded by the Sandy and Gibson deserts to the North; the Wheatbelt region to the West; the Great Australian Bight to the South; and the South Australian and Northern Territory borders to the East.

Mining is the predominant industry in the central and northern Goldfields, with a well-established agricultural sector in the southern and coastal areas of the region, and a pastoral industry in the central and northern Goldfields.

The Goldfields-Esperance Development Commission's website provides detailed information on investing, living and doing business in the Region. 

Back to top

A well-established sense of identity and entrepreneurial networks in the Great Southern Region has fostered growth in a diverse range of industries, including tree farming, wine making and meat processing for international markets.

The Great Southern Region attracts tourists with a unique combination of natural attractions, fine foods and wines and a beautiful coastline facing the wild Southern Ocean.

The dominant industries of the Great Southern's regional economy include wool, broadacre cropping, livestock production, tourism, timber production and fishing. In recent decades the economy has diversified to include both horticulture and viticulture.

Albany, the Great Southern’s beautiful regional centre, has a natural deepwater port and mixes local service and processing industries – such as essential oils – with a thriving tourist trade.

With a population of around 53,700 people, the Region is located on the south coast of Western Australia and covers an area of 39,007 square kilometres (including offshore islands).

The Great Southern Development Commission's website provides detailed information on investing, living and doing business in the Region. 

Back to top

Proximity to Asian markets, combined with the Kimberley's strong mining, irrigated agriculture, pearling, tourism and pastoral industries, makes it an excellent investment location.

The Kimberley Region, covering the northernmost part of the State, supports almost half the State’s cattle on large pastoral properties which supply the growing market for live cattle in nearby Asian countries.

The Ord River irrigation scheme, near the rapidly growing town of Kununurra, is in the process of expanding its area of irrigated land from 11,200 hectares to as much as 45,000 hectares. It is a major supplier of fruit, vegetables and field crop products such as cotton and sugar to southern Australian and export markets. The water dammed upstream in Lake Argyle also provides hydroelectric power for regional industry, including the Argyle diamond mine, the world’s biggest producer.

The region’s fresh and marine water resources are beginning to realise their great potential for aquaculture fish production. The State’s most valuable aquaculture industry is cultured pearling, based at the historic pearling town of Broome. The town is a major tourist destination and the starting point for tourists to see the Kimberley’s spectacular untamed environment and to learn about indigenous Aboriginal culture.

Minerals and petroleum resources (particularly bauxite-alumina, diamonds, lead, natural gas, nickel, tantalum and zinc) is another dominant industry in the Region.

The Kimberley is the most northern of Western Australia’s nine non-metropolitan regions.  It covers an area of 421,451 square kilometres and is bounded by the Timor Sea, Indian Ocean, Northern Territory and the Pilbara Region of Western Australia. It has a tropical monsoon climate with two dominant seasons – the “wet” from November to April and the “dry” from May to October.

The Kimberley Development Commission's website provides detailed information on investing, living and doing business in the Region.

Back to top

With a diverse economy built around mining, agriculture and fishing, the Mid West region is also a popular tourist destination due to its relative closeness to Perth and easily accessible coastal areas, outback features and unique wildflowers.
The Mid West Region, with a population of around 51,300 people, covers an area of 472,336 square kilometres and is bounded by the Indian Ocean and the Gascoyne, Goldfields-Esperance, Pilbara and Wheatbelt regions.

The coastal areas experience a mild Mediterranean climate with hot/dry summers and cool/wet winters. Inland  areas are subject to an arid climate with very hot/dry summers and cold/dry winters. A semi arid climate is transitional between the two.

The Mid West region’s centre and port, Geraldton, is home to one of the largest mineral sands processing facilities in the southern hemisphere.

Western Australia’s major agricultural area covers all or part of four regions and stretches from just north of Geraldton to Esperance on the south coast, growing a wide variety of crops and animal products mainly for export. This diversity of production and accessibility to Perth and major ports creates many possibilities for new industries to process food, wool and hides.

The region is an important producer of oil, gas and gold and has enormous potential for the further discovery and processing of many minerals – for example, nickel and steel.

Almost half of Western Australia’s fishing fleet is based in the Mid West. The most valuable product is rock lobster, much of it for export.

The Mid West has well developed core infrastructure including transport, industrial land (including land for heavy industry), communications, water and energy supplies, education and vocational training facilities and health services.

The Mid West Development Commission's website provides detailed information on investing, living and doing business in the Region.

Back to top

In addition to fine wine, rural and city lifestyles and some of the best forests and beaches in the world, the Peel Region also offers jobs, infrastructure, a robust economy, great commuter lifestyle and strong vibrant communities to live and work in.

The Peel Region, just south of Perth is where all of Western Australia’s bauxite is mined and much of it is converted to alumina in two large modern refineries.

The region also has a very large gold mine at Boddington.

The city of Mandurah, rapidly approaching a population of 71,000, is a resort centre, retirement haven and home for industrial workers and commuters to the metropolitan area.

With a population of around 83,000 people, the Peel Region covers an area of nearly 5,500 square kilometres and is located immediately south of Perth.

The region has a Mediterranean climate with warm dry summers and cold wet winters.  Most of the rainfall is between June – August.

The Peel Region has a diverse economy, predominantly based on mining and mineral processing, although agriculture, the equine industry, timber production, fishing, manufacturing, construction and tourism also make valuable contributions.

The Peel Development Commission's website provides detailed information on investing, living and doing business in the Region.

Back to top

Blessed with immense reserves of natural resources, stunning natural beauty and a rich and diverse cultural heritage. The north west Pilbara Region has large-scale mining operations, mostly for iron ore, and equally large oil and gas operations.

The two major towns in the region are Port Hedland and Karratha, the processing and service centres for the mining sector. They have abundant power, water, serviceable industrial land, deep water ports, airports and road links to support their expanding industrial base.

The Pilbara is a major tourist destination, offering unique wilderness experiences, including Millstream, the Karijini National Park and the islands of the Dampier Archipelago. The region is supported by well-developed roads, accommodation and services. The area’s massive mining activity is also a drawcard for sightseers.

With a population of around 39,000 people, the Region covers more than 500,000 square kilometres and is bounded by the Indian Ocean and the Gascoyne, Kimberley, Mid West and Goldfields Esperance regions.

It is a semi arid region characterised by high temperatures, low and variable rainfall and high evaporation.

While the mineral and petroleum sectors continue to be the mainstay of the Pilbara’s economy, the Region is continuing to diversify and expand its economic base through tourism, retail, trade and agricultural industries.

The Pilbara Region is supported by a modern and efficient infrastructure, with energy, water, transport and communications services assisting local businesses to remain competitive with other towns and cities in Western Australia.

The Pilbara Development Commission's website provides detailed information on investing, living and doing business in the Region

Back to top

A prime tourism destination with its mild climate; exquisite wines and gourmet foods; craft industries; caves; some of the world’s tallest forests; and a spectacular coastline with mighty surf beaches.

The South West Region, centred on the city of Bunbury, is the most populous outside of the Perth metropolitan region. The region features majestic forests and intensive farming for wines, fruits, livestock and dairy products. It’s also a major producer of quality timber and wood chips; coal-fired electric power; alumina; mineral sands; tin and tantalite and related minerals; and chemicals.

Kemerton, an industrial estate near Bunbury, is a major mineral treatment centre. Land is available for other projects and there are many sophisticated construction, manufacturing and maintenance companies to support heavy industry.

With around 127,000 people, the South West has the largest resident population of Western Australia's (WA) nine regions.

The Region is located in the south west corner of WA and covers an area of 23,970 square kilometres.  It is bounded by the Great Southern, Peel and Wheatbelt regions.

The South West has access to transport networks (including road, rail, air and port facilities), appropriately zoned industrial parks, significant coal and gas reserves and connection to power, water and gas.

The South West Development Commission's website provides detailed information on investing, living and doing business in the Region.

Back to top

The Wheatbelt Region is the State’s main grain-growing area. It is sprinkled with major towns – such as Merredin, Moora, Narrogin and Northam – that have all the services and infrastructure to support new ventures.

Tourism is important to the region’s economy, with well-known attractions like the Pinnacles and Wave Rock, accessible by day trip from Perth.

With a population of over 72,000 people, the Region covers an area of 155,256 square kilometres (including islands).

The Wheatbelt Region partially surrounds the northern and eastern parts of the Perth Metropolitan Area. It extends north from Perth, and is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the west, where it meets the Mid West Region. The Wheatbelt extends east from the metropolitan area to the mining dominated, Goldfields- Esperance Region. The Region is also bordered by the Peel, the South West and Great Southern regions on its south-west and southern borders.

The Wheatbelt’s economy has historically been based on agriculture, particularly cropping, which remains the most dominant industry in the Region. Mining, commerce, manufacturing, fishing and tourism industries also make notable contributions to the regional economy.

The Wheatbelt Development Commission's website provides detailed information on investing, living and doing business in the Region.

Back to top