City of Karratha calls for private sector to manage Roebourne Heritage Precinct

Management of the Roebourne Heritage Precinct could be taken over by private enterprise as the City of Karratha seeks to keep the “costly” historic site off its books. The council last month agreed it would ask the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage to undertake a registration of interest process, similar to the one recently completed in Cossack. The decision came as the department, which owns the buildings, made an offer for the City to have freehold title of the precinct. Mayor Peter Long said it would be a significant cost to the City if it was to acquire the buildings. “The City doesn’t own them so we haven’t spent any money on them and why would we use ratepayers’ money to improve something that’s not our own?” he said. “We have been discussing this with the State Government for a long time. They are happy to give it to us, but as soon as it’s given to us, by law we have to keep it up to a certain standard. “So it could be a real cost for the City and if those buildings aren’t being used, why should the City be paying to maintain them? Mr Long said the City would be a part of the registration of interest process. “We’d love some tourist operators to be working out of those buildings because they are pretty amazing,” he said. “You could do something pretty special out of the old prison with some audio visual and a whole range of things and it could be something that people come to Roebourne to see.” The State Government last year funded the $1.5 million conservation works at the site which included structural replacements and reconstruction, fresh paint, new security screens and removal of termite-damaged timber and asbestos. A department spokesperson said it was now considering options to undertake a future ROI process for the precinct.