An $8.1-million investment is expected to deliver a $67 million return after historic lease agreements were finalised for an archipelago off the WA coast.
The Western Australian Government has now finalised the leases to permit overnight tourism accommodation on the Houtman Abrolhos Islands for the first time in the archipelago’s history.
The agreements, covering North Island, Wallabi Group, Easter Group, and Southern Group, authorise tourism operators holding aquatic eco-tourism licences to provide short-term hosted accommodation.
The development package includes a new public access multi-purpose jetty on Rat Island linked to the existing airstrip, refurbishment of a fishing camp for visitor facilities, and 10 new public moorings supported by a booking system.
The government secured strategic acquisition of the Rat Island camp with a $250,000 allocation in 2023-24, building on $16.8 million already delivered for islands’ management and infrastructure, plus a $4.5 million investment in Geraldton’s Eastern Breakwater Jetty for mainland access.
The $8.1-million investment, part of the 2024-25 State Budget, is projected to generate $67 million for the Mid West economy and create 250 long-term jobs over the next 25 years.
The development is expected to unlock more than $30 million of private sector investment on the islands and mainland in the same period.
Declared a national park in 2017 and located 60km offshore from Geraldton, the 210-island archipelago was first documented in 1619 when Dutch East India Company Captain Frederick de Houtman nearly collided with its treacherous reefs.
The chain has claimed at least 49 vessels and hundreds of lives, including the infamous 1629 Batavia shipwreck, which has left a legacy of maritime archaeology that draws significant tourist interest.
Initial moorings will be installed at North Island and White Bank by March, while tenders for the Rat Island developments are expected to be released in coming months.
Current tourism activities include small-scale cruises and day visits, with infrastructure limited to fishing camps and basic facilities, presenting substantial opportunity for commercial development.
Tourism minister Rita Saffioti said the agreements represent “a huge milestone in our vision for sustainable tourism on the Abrolhos Islands,” adding that the location offers “opportunities for many new globally significant eco, adventure, agricultural and cultural tourism opportunities off the Geraldton coast.”
The proposed infrastructure developments are expected to support growth in agritourism and new aquaculture products, leveraging established events that currently attract more than 23,000 visitors and contribute $2.5 million to the Mid-West economy annually.
