Scenic drive ‘sensational’

A Liberal Party pledge to create a South Coast scenic drive from Balladonia to Walpole is an “absolutely sensational” idea, Albany Mayor Dennis Wellington says.

A scenic drive taking in about 1000km of the south coast, reminiscent of the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, has been promised by the Liberals if they are successful at the State election next Saturday.

The $305 million project would be broken up into three stages, with the first stage, between Albany and Munglinup estimated to be completed by 2020, to be built at a cost of $42 million and funded by the partial sale of Western Power.

Mr Wellington said there was a lot to like about the proposed route.

“It will help the agricultural sector with the delivery of grain to Albany, it will help the tourism sector with every tourist coming from the Eastern States being advised to get to Balladonia and turn left — what a sensational exercise for the South Coast region,” he said.

Mr Wellington said the South Coast Drive fitted nicely with the local government alliance between Albany, Denmark and Mt Barker and their Amazing South Coast tourism marketing project.

“There is grain, tourism and roads for the constituents and the fact that this covers all three is just sensational,” he said.

“You’d expect it to take a while to complete as there is a lot to do but the basic table project of $305 million is absolutely extraordinary and I couldn’t be happier.”

Colin Barnett said the works would also include upgrades to tourist facilities inclu-ding toilets, camping facilities and rest stops. The Premier said of the $305 million total cost, $17.2 million had been committ-ed to “high-priority works in 2016-17”.