Mayor, CEO to meet potential investors

BUNBURY Mayor Gary Brennan and chief executive officer Andrew Brien are setting up face-to-face meetings with potential developers.

They plan to meet 50 people, including investors and bank representatives, to encourage investment in the city.

Those targeted will also include property developers, real estate agents and town planners in Greater Bunbury.

The identities of those within the group have not been revealed.

Mr Brennan and Mr Brien will have about 40 minutes during each meeting to pitch Bunbury's benefits and hope they will be able to encourage investment in the city.

"We are going to demonstrate to these people what is happening in our city, what things we have initiated through our town planning changes," Mr Brennan said.

"The idea is that at the end of the four-week period, they will be more informed than they are today about the opportunities in our city.

"They will then talk among their networks to say 'have you thought about Bunbury'."

Some of the opportunities include property developments at a block of land at the old Punchbowl Caravan Park, on Hollywell Street next to Ocean Drive.

Mr Brennan said the council assumed people knew about Bunbury's assets including the Leschenault Inlet, Koombana Beach, the Bunbury Wildlife Park and Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre.

"I wonder how many people in our population have seen all that," he said.

"I don't know the answer to that question. But if we assume people know stuff then invariably they don't know it and you have missed an opportunity."

Mr Brennan said they would also discuss the potential of private investment into a proposed tourism hub on Back Beach.

A 3.5ha strip along Bunbury's prime beachfront was rezoned by the council last year and it is hoped it will spur investment into an area that could include hotels, motels and shops.

The rezoning, designed to meet market expectations and trends, is still to be approved by the Western Australian Planning Commission.