Five year plan to expand community facilities at Perth’s Whiteman Park

The Western Australian Planning Department has released a plan to upgrade facilities and community access at Perth environment and heritage attraction Whiteman Park.

Developed to maintain Whiteman Park as a major community and tourist centre, key objectives of the final Whiteman Park Strategic Plan 2017-2021 include providing interconnected meeting places, creating a destination of significance for visitors, and conserving the environment and heritage for future generations.

Whiteman Park includes Caversham Wildlife Park, the Motor Museum of WA, Tractor Museum of WA, Heritage Electric Tram Rides, Whiteman Explorer tours and Bennett Brook Railway vintage train rides.

It was named the top major tourist attraction in Western Australia at the 2016 WA Tourism Awards in November.

Introducing the Strategic Plan, Western Australian Planning and Disability Services Minister Donna Faragher stated “Whiteman Park is one of the State’s leading tourist attractions with more than one million visitors each year and it is important that we have a plan for the park’s future that focuses on its best attributes – community access, the environment and heritage.

“Accessibility of the park for the wider community is also to be enhanced, with funding to allow detailed planning for a new Changing Places bathroom facility, and an all abilities playground near Mussel Pool, to be delivered by the State Government in partnership with the Pia’s Place project and the Touched by Olivia Foundation.”

The Minister said that the park could accommodate more visitor services and attractions that aligned with the strategic plan, and an expression of interest would soon be open to businesses and that $100,000 would available for planning of a new recreation facility with the Park.

In the past year Whiteman Parks’ Village playground has had a $250,000 upgrade, added carparking and toilet facilities, bike and footpath improvements, and a visitor information bay added.

The strategic plan outlines four key objectives for Whiteman Park:

• Provide interconnected meeting places for communities to meet, recreate in and enjoy
• Provide improved community access to the park’s activities
• Create a destination of significance for local and international visitors
• Conserve the environment and Whiteman Park’s heritage for future generations.

The Metropolitan Cemeteries Board is undertaking detailed site investigations to look at the feasibility of developing a parkland cemetery on Marshall Road.

At 4,000 hectares, Whiteman Park is one of the biggest capital city regional parks in the world and nearly 10 times the size of Kings Park.

For more information go to www.planning.wa.gov.au/WhitemanPark

Image: The Caversham Wildlife Park at Whiteman Park.

5th December 2016 - REDEFINING THE ORIGINAL LIVVI’S PLACE

29th May 2014 - PARKS FOR PEOPLE FUNDING BOOSTS WESTERN AUSTRALIA’S NATIONAL PARKS

4th June 2012 - WHITEMAN PARK HITS MAGIC MILLION MARK 

26th November 2010 - WESTERN AUSTRALIAN ENVIRONMENT MINISTER URGES PEOPLE TO ‘REDISCOVER PARKS’ 

8th November 2010 - WA COCKATOOS BENEFIT FROM NEW PURPOSE-BUILT FACILITY

19th May 2010 - WORLD-CLASS CONSERVATION FACILITY AT WHITEMAN PARK