Caravan park base for miners

Mullewa residents will welcome a crew of new neighbours within the year, with a mining company successfully leasing a block of units for workers’ accommodation.

The City of Greater Geraldton Council unanimously passed a proposal from Mount Gibson Iron at its meeting on Tuesday to enter into a lease for the exclusive occupation of the accommodation units at the Mullewa Caravan Park.

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MGI proposed to upgrade the camp, including the addition of new amenities, to house workers for its new Shine Iron Ore project and Ruvidini rail siding operations.

Shine is 85km north of the company’s current Extension Hill operation, 260km east of Geraldton, with ore sales scheduled to start early in the September 2021 quarter.

City of Greater Geraldton Deputy Mayor and Mullewa farmer Cr Tarleah Thomas said the miner had a history of positively contributing to the local community.

“I’d like to welcome Mount Gibson back to Mullewa, they have proven before to be very obliging in the Mullewa community and they’ve just done so well in employment within the local community and upgrading,” she said.

“The money they plan to spend in upgrading this accommodation will only benefit the Mullewa community in the long term.

The money they plan to spend in upgrading this accommodation will only benefit the Mullewa community in the long term.

Cr Bob Hall said the move would offer employment in Mullewa and was a “wonderful” opportunity for Greater Geraldton.

“To have an asset which is basically sitting there going begging, to put them in there will put some life and some maintenance in and ensure its good use,” he said.

“I think it’s a great idea and again, it’s offering up employment for people in those areas and some wonderful opportunity for Mullewa and the City of Greater Geraldton as a whole.”

Mount Gibson will be charged a “peppercorn” fee of $1 a year in exchange for the upgrades, with the decision contingent on a public advertising period of 14 days.