What's happening
The first stage of the Bypass was opened in April 2022. Work included seven km of new highway north of Calingiri Road, extending to Seven Mile Hill (south of Mogumber-Yarawindah Road).
The speed limit for the new section of highway is 110 km/h. Lanes may be closed intermittently as finishing works are completed.
Aboriginal owned and operated business Garli completed the work in conjunction with our network contractor LendLease. They are currently seeking Federal Safety accreditation to be eligible to undertake further works independently.
Read more in the latest Project Update.
Meet some of the project team and hear their experiences.
Procurement for the 11 km northern section is underway, with the 46 km southern section scheduled to start procurement in 2023.
Currently, triple road trains (53.5 metre trucks) travelling from northern regions on Great Northern Highway can only travel to Wubin. This requires them to stop and reconfigure to shorter vehicle combinations, resulting in extra truck trips to bring the extra trailer south to Perth.
This project will address this problem by enabling access by triple road train to travel the entire length of the corridor.
Upgrades will include:
- 62 km of new highway west of Bindoon, connecting Chittering Roadhouse and New Norcia Bypass.
- 2 km of improvements to the existing Great Northern Highway near Seven Mile Hill and connecting to the New Norcia Bypass.
- Connection to Brand Highway.
- Connections to the local road network through a mix of grade-separated and at-grade intersections.
- Overtaking lanes every 5-10 km.
- Four new rest stops for light vehicles and road trains.
Land requirements have been finalised, and land acquisition processes have started across the entire length of the project. We are working with all affected landowners to understand the impacts to individual properties and options to mitigate the impacts of the land acquisition where practicable.
Community and stakeholders have been involved in the development of the route. Further engagement will be undertaken during development of the detailed design.
Aboriginal participation
Transport Minister, Rita Saffioti, visited the project site in December 2021 where she met with workers and saw the progress of construction works.
A major focus has been Aboriginal engagement with the project so far achieving:
- 53 per cent Aboriginal employment
- Over 90 per cent expenditure by Aboriginal businesses
- 11 Aboriginal businesses procured
Training and employment have also been a strong focus with:
- 170 people employed
- 16 new starters to the construction industry
- 27 female employees
- 132 Nationally Accredited Plant Operator Tickets obtained
- 4 First Aid Certificates
- 15 Basic Traffic / Traffic Controller Tickets
The Shires of Chittering and Victoria Plains have benefited from the project, with over $1.5 million spent on local business procurement.
One of the key construction approvals, the Public Environmental Review document for the southern section, was submitted in August 2018 and was available for public comment in early 2020. Environmental approvals for the southern section are expected to be received in early 2022.
Environmental approval applications for the 18 km northern section from Calingiri Road to New Norcia is complete.
Bindoon Bypass Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) Referral
In September 2017, the southern section of the Bindoon Bypass was referred to the WA Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) under the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (EP Act).
The project was also referred to the Commonwealth Department Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE) under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
As the proposal was considered to have the potential for significant impact on both the EPA’s Environmental Factors and EPBC Act Matters of National Environmental Significance, additional surveys were undertaken and a range of information prepared in the form of an Environmental Review Document (ERD) to inform the assessment by the EPA. The ERD also meets the requirements of Preliminary Documentation which will inform the assessment by DAWE.
In accordance with the requirements of Part IV of the EP Act and Section 95A(3) of the EPBC Act, the preliminary documentation for the proposed action the ERD has been published for public review and comment with the review period commencing 25 May 2020. The review period closed on 6 July 2020.
In accordance with Section 95A(3) of the EPBC Act, the Original Referral and Preliminary Documentation for the proposed action was available for public comment from 25 May to 6 July 2020 inclusive. Six public submissions were received on the Preliminary Documentation and responses have been prepared by Main Roads.
In accordance with Section 95B(2) of the EPBC Act, the response to submissions, Original Referral and the final Preliminary Documentation is available for information only, for 20 business days from the date of advertisement.
Preliminary Documentation, Response to Submissions and Original Referral
- Preliminary Documentation Part 1 - PDF (32.5 MB)
- Preliminary Documentation Part 2 - PDF (20.1 MB)
- Preliminary Documentation Part 3 - PDF (30.2 MB)
- Preliminary Documentation Part 4 - PDF (39.3 MB)
- Preliminary Documentation Part 5 - PDF (22.6 MB)
- Response to Submissions - Part 1 - PDF (2.81 MB)
- Response to Submissions - Part 2 - PDF (28.1 MB)
- Response to Submissions - Part 3 - PDF (2.6 MB)
- Preliminary Documentation - Environmental Scoping Document - Appendix A - PDF (2.07 MB)
- Preliminary Documentation - Further Information Request - Appendix B - PDF (808 KB)
- Preliminary Documentation - Change Request - Appendix C1 - PDF (10.7 MB)
- Preliminary Documentation - Variation Request - Appendix C2 - PDF (9.9 MB)
- Preliminary Documentation - Spring Flora Survey Report - Appendix D1 - PDF (14.5 MB)
- Preliminary Documentation - Flora - Appendix D2 Part 1 - PDF (14 MB)
- Preliminary Documentation - Flora - Appendix D2 Part 2 - PDF (11.1 MB)
- Preliminary Documentation - Flora - Appendix D2 Part 3 - PDF (11.9 MB)
- Preliminary Documentation - Wetland - Appendix D3 - PDF (11.8 MB)
- Preliminary Documentation - Flora - Appendix D4 Part 1 - PDF (43.1 MB)
- Preliminary Documentation - Flora - Appendix D4 Part 2 - PDF (14.7 MB)
- Preliminary Documentation - Spring Fauna Survey Report - Appendix E1 - PDF (13.4 MB)
- Preliminary Documentation - Targeted Fauna Surveys - Appendix E2 Part 1 - PDF (14.3 MB)
- Preliminary Documentation - Black Cockatoo Survey - Appendix E2 Part 2 - PDF (1.45 MB)
- Preliminary Documentation - Fauna Assessment - Appendix E3 - PDF (15.5 MB)
- Preliminary Documentation - Surface Water Assessment - Appendix F - PDF (7.44 MB)
- Preliminary Documentation - Groundwater Assessment - Appendix G - PDF (11 MB)
- Preliminary Documentation - AHS Report - Appendix H1 - PDF (7.31 MB)
- Preliminary Documentation - Historical Assessment Report - Appendix H2 - PDF (7.32 MB)
- Preliminary Documentation - Acoustic Assessment - Appendix I Part 1 - PDF (24.1 MB)
- Preliminary Documentation - Acoustic Assessment - Appendix I Part 2 - PDF (19.1 MB)
- Preliminary Documentation - Acoustic Assessment - Appendix I Part 3 - PDF (20 MB)
- Preliminary Documentation - Acoustic Assessment - Appendix I Part 4 - PDF (21.3 MB)
- Preliminary Documentation - Landscape Character and Visual - Appendix J Part 1 - PDF (10.3 MB)
- Preliminary Documentation - Landscape Character and Visual - Appendix J Part 2 - PDF (10.2 MB)
- Preliminary Documentation - Light Spill- Appendix K Part 1 - PDF (8.07 MB)
- Preliminary Documentation - Light Spill- Appendix K Part 2 - PDF (9.75 MB)
- Preliminary Documentation - Construction Environmental Management Plan - Appendix L - PDF (40.6 MB)
- Preliminary Documentation - Artificial Hollow Management Plan - Appendix M - PDF (14.4 MB)
- Preliminary Documentation - Offset Tool Worksheets - Appendix N - PDF (440 KB)
- Increase freight productivity and efficiency
- Shorter travel times through higher travel speeds on the Great Northern Highway
- Improve safety
- Reduce the number of heavy vehicles passing through Bindoon town centre
- Cost savings by reducing the number of daily freight trips
- Support the growth in production across the mid-west and north-west of WA, which is increasing freight and transport along the corridor
- Support Perth’s population growth and economic growth in regional centres
Project information and updates
- Project Update - July 2022 (1.19 MB)
- Project Update - April 2021 - PDF (1.54 MB)
Media Statements
- Project savings allocated to Bindoon Bypass - 7 June 2017
Funding
The $275 million project is jointly funded by the Australian Federal ($220 million) and State ($55 million) Governments.
freight productivity & efficiency
travel times
economic growth in regional centres