Local groups benefit from restoration of Australind Jetty with old timber being donated for community projects

The $3 million restoration of an Australind landmark is set to bring additional benefits to the community, with timber from the project to be repurposed.

Old timber from the Australind Jetty will receive a second set of life as a result of donations of the material to Eaton Primary School, Leschenault Men’s Shed, Brunswick Men’s Shed and the Shire of Harvey.

The material being gifted includes the parts of the decking, kerbing and handrails.

Eaton Primary School will use its allocated timber for vegetable gardens as part of an area made from 100 per cent recycled and repurposed material.

The announcement comes as the first stage of the jetty refurbishment is completed, with boardwalk kerbing and handrails now installed. A boardwalk entrance ramp is anticipated to be installed at the end of this month.

Stage two of the works will include broader structural repairs including those to the foot bridges and the filling and compacting of eroded sections of the sand groyne pathways.

Works are expected to be completed by December.

Water Minister Simone McGurk said it was fantastic to see local groups being given the chance to recycle and reuse part of the original jetty.

“The Australind jetty holds significant importance to the community (and) refurbishing it means the community will soon be able to enjoy the beauty and biodiversity of the stunning Leschenault Estuary,” she said.

Collie-Preston MLA Jodie Hanns said it was pleasing to see the broader South West community benefiting from the project.

“This valued community asset will soon be able to be enjoyed safely and I’m really looking forward to the works being completed,” she said.

The about kilometre-long jetty has been a popular fishing and recreation spot for decades, but has been closed since January 2021 after the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation and the Shire of Harvey determined the deteriorating structure was no longer safe for public use.