Published 29 April 2026
At its Ordinary Council Meeting on 28 April, Bunbury City Council considered a petition requesting the permanent removal of 89 Beach Road, South Bunbury from sale and the vesting of the land as Crown Reserve for public open space purposes.
After extensive deliberation and public presentations, Council resolved to not support the petition request, noting that:
- The lot is freehold land that cannot be vested as Crown Reserve under the Land Administration Act without the City ceding its ownership to the State
- The lot was rezoned to residential through a full statutory process in 2015 including community consultation, environmental assessment and WA Planning Commission approval
- The lot has no identified function as public open space, no recreational infrastructure, and no conditions on the title requiring its retention
- The sale is consistent with the City’s response to the current housing crisis and the City’s Local Housing Strategy
Council also noted that should an offer be received, the proposed disposal must be publicly advertised under the Local Government Act and referred back to Council for formal consideration, at which time all community submissions will be considered.
The City acknowledges the strong community sentiment on both sides of this issue and respects that not everyone will agree with last night’s decision. The community has been heard – through the 2015 rezoning process, through extensive engagement, through public question time at two Council meetings, and through the petition process considered this week.
The City acknowledges the strong community attendance at this week’s meeting. While the City welcomes robust community engagement in Council proceedings, it notes that some behaviour directed at Elected Members and staff during the meeting was inappropriate. Council meetings are a place for respectful democratic participation. The City expects that all attendees – regardless of their views – treat Elected Members and staff with the same respect they would expect in return.
Importantly, this week’s decision is not the final step. The formal disposal process ahead – if an offer is received – provides a further statutory opportunity for community input before any final decision is made. The City encourages all community members to participate in that process when it commences.