The City of Mandurah says the Falcon Bay shark barrier proposal is not off the table but needs more planning time to make sure it is the best beach location.
The City received written confirmation from the State Government, via Fisheries Minister David Kelly, on June 28 that a one-off grant of $200,000 would be made available to provide a safe area for swimmers at Falcon Bay.
However, Mayor Marina Vergone stressed that to get this project right from the start, the proposal must go through the correct council processes.
“This is an important project for our local community, and will go a long way towards making people feel safe while swimming and enjoying other water-based activities,” Mayor Vergone said.
“Yet to make this proposal the success that we all want it to be, we must get it right, and that firstly includes the City and Council taking the correct measures to assess the project in full detail, as well as other associated financial costs that may come with it.
“The Falcon Bay shark barrier project is definitely not off the table, nor is the City trying to hold up the process.
We recognise the community support and understand the demand for such initiatives, and similar facilities may be needed at other locations throughout the city.
“We hope to make this proposal the most effective it can be.
The only way to do that is to take the time, care and consideration to look at all the factors of this proposal.”
The Council will consider the project in greater detail over the coming months, and will also likely consider the potential impacts on the amenity of the area, the capacity of the site to accommodate a likely increase in visitors to the beach, and ongoing maintenance requirements.
The City is also working closely with the State Government to work through the details of the proposal, including the finalisation of the grant agreement.
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