City of Karratha ceases control of Cossack to State Government over heritage town’s development

The Pilbara ghost town of Cossack that is now defined by its history of failed visions and empty plans will no longer be managed by the City of Karratha. After more than two decades managing Cossack, the local government ceased control recently because of longstanding issues that had prevented development of the heritage town. Once envisioned to become the Broome of the Pilbara, a swathe of plans for the town never reached fruition because of State Government concerns with flooding and bushfire management, as well as insufficient access to power, water and sewerage. Ambitions for the town go back decades and, despite several Cossack master plans proposed, none has been successful. In the 1990s landowners invested with dreams of building waterfront family homes. In 2005 WA Labor frontbencher Fran Logan hailed the potential for Cossack to become the “Broome of the Pilbara”, in 2007 the then Shire of Roebourne proposed ecotourism and outdoor recreation opportunities, and in 2010 former planning minister John Day said it was the government’s intention to develop a potential area for low-impact tourism similar to the Kimberley’s Eco Beach Resort. Despite the City spending about $10 million to manage and maintain the precinct and presenting many proposals for low-impact tourism over the past 24 years, it too was not successful in achieving its vision. The City of Karratha said it was not successful because the State Government failed to support its plans. “The council has endeavoured to progress this vision through State Planning processes but, to date, it has not been able to get the State’s support,” the City said. “While the City believes these issues can be resolved and has attempted to change the planning regulations for Cossack, the State Government did not support the City’s proposals to change the planning rules. These rules are currently preventing further development of Cossack. “The City remains eager to see its vision for Cossack delivered but is not willing to continue to spend significant amounts of its resources managing, maintaining and operating State-significant assets that it doesn’t own.” The Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage said future plans for Cossack needed to address heritage significance, land tenure, planning and the requirements for servicing a remote location for the full potential of the site to be realised. “DPLH recognises the potential for Cossack as a unique tourism destination in the Pilbara region, and is keen to explore opportunities through a registration of interest process to determine private sector and third party interest for its future activation and development,” the department said. The City entered a 21-year lease in 1996 and extended it for three years in 2017. In 2017, it entered into a sub-lease with Ngarluma Yindjibarndi Foundation Ltd to outsource management of the town. For the life of the lease, the State Government contributed $120,000 a year towards conserving heritage values and the City was also awarded an additional $69,000 a year for the past three years by the Heritage Council. Cossack landowner Stuart Otto said he was concerned the State Government was not going to do anything to advance the town. “I am right behind the City of Karratha handing back the responsibility of Cossack to the State Government, considering that the State Government have nothing to advance Cossack being a tourist location,” he said. “The City have done everything right. They put forward a proposal for ecocamping, caravans being able to stay and people being able to walk around the site.” “At the end of the day, The City of Karratha have to wear the cost of upkeep for no return, and it’s the same with the landowners, you’ve got no opportunity.”