Gracetown community frustrated at long path to Cowaramup connection

The Gracetown-Cowaramup Bay Community group has lamented slow progress on long-held ambitions for a dual-use path connecting Cowaramup to the coast. Group president Richard Muirhead said after a councillor briefing session attended by members on October 11, it was disappointing that despite more than 10 years of advocacy, the most recent consultants had not approached the residents’ group. “We were pleased to note Shire councillors acknowledged the ‘main game’ was to get the path all the way through to the rapidly-expanding town of Cowaramup as Gracetown/Cowaramup Bay is in fact the ‘local beach’ for all the current and future residents of Cowaramup, Parkwater, Symphony Waters and other new and proposed suburbs,” Mr Muirhead said. But members were dismayed to hear demand for the path questioned. “We know there is very high demand and would welcome the opportunity to work with both the Shire and the consultants to accurately quantify this demand and also demonstrate the societal and direct economic benefit of building it,” Mr Muirhead told the Times. “We felt that some members of the Shire’s executive seemed to see only problems, when there were in fact opportunities.” Simmering tensions boiled over at the end of that briefing led by Shire of Augusta-Margaret River assets manager David Nicholson who outlined potential steep costs, delayed timelines and logistical difficulties to bring the path’s full vision to fruition. The Department of Transport’s Leeuwin-Naturaliste Cycling Strategy 2050 had slated the bulk of the planning work on the 11km route to be finished this year. However, that had not been done, and external funding options were still to be explored for the project, with a first stage focus on a 4km stretch between Gracetown Caravan Park and the bay rather than the whole route. The meeting also heard 2022 estimates put a possible $750,000 price tag on the 4km connection if it required a boardwalk to navigate terrain challenges. GCBC’s longstanding frustrations that the Shire had not yet delivered the path came to a head when group deputy president Laurie Keene voiced concern extra questions were not asked. Mr Keene labelled fellow Cowaramup Bay regular David Binks “weak” when the Shire councillor declined to ask two questions emailed to him before the meeting. The muttered comment sparked demands for an apology from veteran Cowaramup-based councillor Ian Earl. The remark concluded the meeting and did not result in a direct apology. Mr Muirhead declined to comment on the stoush, saying his group was focused on the non-delivery of the path and concerns not all options were yet explored. On October 11, Mr Nicholson briefed councillors on the fresh consultant’s report outlining numerous challenges to the pathway, including protected flora, difficult intersections, narrow road reserves and the steep and dangerous entry to Cowaramup Bay itself. At the same time, the popularity of the bay’s boat ramp which saw dozens of vehicles and trailers line Bayview Drive during peak periods added to the logistical puzzle. A 2007 National Trust investigation provided only “high level detail” and did not consider costs or the challenges of the terrain, Mr Nicholson said. A more detailed study was still required, he said, noting City of Busselton work on the Wadandi Track included Aboriginal heritage surveys and three years of study of rare orchids.