Grants put spotlight on projects to boost Mid West

A night laser show at the Wind On Water Festival will be funded by a $40,000 grant to the City of Greater Geraldton this year.

Regional Development minister Alannah MacTiernan announced this, and several other Regional Economic Development grants for the Mid West , at an event at the Gerald Apartment Hotel in Geraldton this morning.

The Gerald itself has been granted $250,000 towards the building of a 300-person conference facility in central Geraldton.

Cue Shire received $135,000 to help construct a six-unit building at Heydon Place to support industrial development and expansion.

South Australian-based vegetable grower 4 Ways Pty Ltd was given $111,000 for a project investigating dam water evaporation and a renewable energy system for horticulture.

Southerley’s Tavern in Port Denison will get $110,000 to install a microbrewery and live lobster tank.

A grant of $102,000 has been made to Geraldton Fishermen’s Cooperative for a memorial to commemorate fishing industry pioneers, and a tourist shuttle bus.

Energy Farmers Australia gets $65,121 to develop a market-ready small scale gasifier and establish a bio-energy hub in the Mid West.

Ms MacTiernan said the projects were all approved for their ability to stimulate economic development.