Bunbury Outer Ring Road

Large infrastructure projects like the Bunbury Outer Ring Road (BORR) have a significant ability to influence economic, environmental, social and governance values and outcomes from a local to national scale.

BORR will create and unlock a range of benefits for the region. 

A new rural freeway-standard road will:

• Improve freight efficiency
• Create a safer road system by removing a significant number of trucks from local roads
• Reduce local congestion and create more reliable journey times for all road users
• Add sustainable infrastructure to support Greater Bunbury’s position as an industrial hub for the South West Region
• Generate long term job opportunities for locals
• Reduce travel time between the north and south of Bunbury
• Improve access to Bunbury Port as well as existing and proposed industry areas east of Bunbury 
• Allow vehicles travelling between Bussell Highway and Forrest Highway to avoid 13 sets of traffic lights and one rail level crossing
• Provide travel savings of between 11 and 18 minutes, depending on the destination and peak traffic conditions along the alignment
• Extending the service life of existing arterial roads, currently used by trucks, minimising future local upgrade treatments required
• Reducing the need for heavy vehicles to mix with local traffic on local roads by redirecting 10,000 to 15,000 vehicles a day onto the new road

• Spending a minimum of $450 million with local South West businesses and a minimum of $30 million with Aboriginal businesses
• Ensuring 5 per cent of all contracts over $50,000 are awarded to Aboriginal business
• Creating training and job opportunities for entry level positions
• Training and upskilling unemployed and job transitioning people in the community

We employed the services of KPMG to quantify the project’s direct contribution to the South West region’s economy, find out more by reading their Local Economic Impacts Summary.

Ongoing Roadworks

Discovery Road Opening
23 April to December 2024

• Opening of the new Discovery Road.
• Permanent closure of a portion of Waterloo Road
• Intermittent lane closures and traffic management in place until December 2024
• Access to the northern portion of Wireless Road will remain from South Western Highway
• Map
• Travel Map

Calinup Road
11 April until June 2024

• Modified road layout
• Traffic management in place
• Speed reduction
• Map

Woods Road, Eucalypt Drive and Yalinda Drive
17 April 2023 to 31 October 2024 - 7am to 5pm

• Road closure
• Temporary road closures 
• Detours in place via Gelorup Rise and Calinup Road
• Travel Map

Bunbury Outer Ring Road, Between Boyanup-Piction Road and South Western Highway
14 August 2023 to April 2024

• Intermittent lane closures when travelling northbound and southbound
• Travel Map

Moore Road, Davenport
From 12 February to April 2024

• Temporary single lane closure
• Automated traffic signals operational 24/7
• Map 

Travelling on Forrest Highway near Paris Road and Clifton Road
12 September 2023 until April 2024

• Reduced speed limits in place
• Traffic shifted onto temporary lane road layout:
  • Southbound traffic on Forrest Highway will be shifted onto temporary lanes 
  • Northbound traffic on Forrest Highway will be shifted onto temporary lanes (From October)

Lillydale Road (previously Centenary Road) between Bussell Highway and Parade Road
2 October 2023 to April 2024

• Road closure
• Travel Map
• Detour
  • The parking bay on Bussell Highway (southbound) will also be closed
  • Pedestrians and cyclists will be able to cross Lillydale Road from the existing shared path

Bussell Highway near Lillydale Road (previously Centenary Road)
4 December 2023 to April 2024

• From 5 December, traffic is shifted onto a temporary road layout, with two lanes open in both directions
• Reduced speed limits (60 km/h) in place
• Pedestrians and cyclists continue to use existing shared path

Travelling on Forrest Highway near Paris Road and Clifton Road
12 September 2023 until April 2024

• Reduced speed limits in place
• Traffic shifted onto temporary lane road layout:
  • Southbound traffic on Forrest Highway will be shifted onto temporary lanes 
  • Northbound traffic on Forrest Highway will be shifted onto temporary lanes (From October)

Lillydale Road (previously Centenary Road) between Bussell Highway and Parade Road
2 October 2023 to 31 May 2024

• Road closure
• Travel Map
• Detour
  • The parking bay on Bussell Highway (southbound) will also be closed
  • Pedestrians and cyclists will be able to cross Lillydale Road from the existing shared path

Bussell Highway near Lillydale Road (previously Centenary Road)
4 December 2023 to April 2024

• From 5 December, traffic is shifted onto a temporary road layout, with two lanes open in both directions
• Reduced speed limits (60 km/h) in place
• Pedestrians and cyclists continue to use existing shared path

Bussell Highway between Woods Road and Jaymon Road
From 12 October 2023 to May 2024

• Traffic switch 
• Traffic control in place at the Calinup Rd and Bussell Hwy intersection
• Banksia Rd (previously Woods Rd) will change to a Left in, Left out only access
• Detour 
• Travel Map

Sleaford Drive
18 October until May 2024

• Temporary long-term closures
• Detour in place via Maynard Parade
• Travel Map

Paris Road between Forrest Highway and the entrance to Spud Shed
4 February 2023 until June 2024 - 24/7 works

• Road closure
• Temporary road closure
• Detours in place along The Promenade, Kingston Drive and Grand Entrance)
• Travel Map

Martin-Pelusey Road and Golding Crescent
4 December 2023 to June 2024 -24/7 closure

• Road closure
• Martin-Pelusey Road temporarily closed between Harris Road, Copplestone Road and South Western Highway
• Golding Crescent temporarily closed between Nicholson Road and Martin-Pelusey Road
• Detours in place via Harris Road, Boyanup-Picton Road and Waterloo Road

Travelling on South Western Highway (south) near Lillydale Road
29 February until July 2024

• 7pm to 7am
• Traffic shifted onto temporary lanes
• Reduced speed limits in place
• Map 
• Travel Map 

Clifton Road, Australind
From 29 January to July 2024

• Temporary single lane closure
• Traffic signals operational 24/7
• Map 
• Travel Map

• Traffic shifted onto temporary lane road layout
• Reduced speed limits in place
• Map
• Travel map 

• The speed limit will be reduced from 100km per hour to 80km per hour.
• Lane Closures & Speed Reduction

Training

To support greater opportunities on BORR, we are running training programs like the Yaka Dandjoo program, which was developed in collaboration between Main Roads and the South West Gateway Alliance. The program has two primary objectives – creating a pipeline of skilled people to support ongoing infrastructure delivery and boosting sustainable employment opportunities.

The six-phase program includes an accredited course (Infrastructure Ready Skill Set or the Heavy Haulage Program) providing life skills and on the job mentoring to help participants build a sustainable career, including industry-specific traineeships and apprenticeships.

The program will provide participants with an opportunity to gain sustainable employment through Group Training Organisations and traineeships or apprenticeships.

 If you would like to find out more information or register your interest in joining the program, you can call us on 138 138, or email enquiries@mainroads.wa.gov.au.

Local business and Aboriginal industry briefings

We regularly host local business briefings and Aboriginal industry briefings in Bunbury, to provide businesses with current information on upcoming work packages and project progress.

Latest Business briefing presentation - August 2022
Latest upcoming work packages – September 2023 - Delivery Strategy

If you'd like to be invited to future business briefings and receive information on upcoming opportunities, please sign up to our Business Register.

If you need help registering, you can give us a call 138 138 or email enquiries@mainroads.wa.gov.au  

In January 2021, we established the Bunbury Outer Ring Road Community Hub as a dedicated space for the community to engage with the project. Centrally located at 75 Victoria Street, Bunbury, the Community Hub is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 11am to 3pm. We will be closed over the Christmas break from Friday 22 December, reopening Tuesday 9 January.

This space is also used to host various project events like business briefings, one-on-one landowner meetings, community open days and much more. The Community Hub is complete with detailed maps, fact sheets, a broad range of information on the project, and dedicated staff members to assist in answering any questions the broader community may have.

We welcome everyone to come visit and have a chat to one of our friendly team. 

FAQs

 How can I get involved in the delivery phase?

We will continue to involve local communities, particularly in areas where construction may have an impact.

Subscribe to our mailing list now to receive updates and be notified about opportunities to be involved.

As we continue preparing work packages, we may invite community representatives to nominate for construction reference groups. If so, we will call nominations via local media and the subscriber mailing list.

 What is the best way to keep up-to-date?

Subscribe to our mailing list to receive project updates. You'll also be the first to know about upcoming information sessions and opportunities to get involved.

This project page will be continually updated with information, pictures and videos of progress as we build Bunbury Outer Ring Road.

A full list of Frequently Asked Questions are provided to answer any other questions you might have about the project. 

 What if I have a question that's not answered here?

 Project information 

• BORR - Project Update - March 2024 - PDF (602 KB)
• BORR - Project Update - Jan-Feb 2024 - PDF (557 KB)
• BORR - Business Update - March 2024 - PDF (552 KB)
• BORR - Business Update - Jan-Feb 2024 - PDF (562 KB)
• BORR - Aboriginal Business Update - March 2024 - PDF (552 KB)
• BORR - Aboriginal Business Update - Jan-Feb 2024 - PDF (547 KB)

Please visit our Past Publications page to see anything previously published by the project team.

 Funding

The Bunbury Outer Ring Road (BORR) will deliver significant benefits to the region, including time saving, road safety, freight efficiency and improved port access.

A significant portion of the funding from the project’s $1.35 billion is being spent within the region, creating further local jobs, business opportunities and supporting local economic growth.

The $1.35 billion project is jointly funded by the Australian and Western Australian Governments, with the increased investment aligning with the project’s scale and complexity, reflecting the current market pressures.

We have made a series of sustainability commitments on BORR. Some of these commitments include:

Employment, training, and local business

• Giving new opportunities by targeting 10 per cent of the workforce to be previously unemployed.
• Creating sustainable workforces for local businesses
• Collaborating with TAFE and other local training organisations

Construction

• Minimising waste generation and maximising reuse and recycling using sustainable products
• Sourcing materials from local businesses to reduce transport distances and emissions
• Utilising local recycling facilities
• Seeking to use renewable energy options when sourcing construction equipment

Environment

• Salvaging valuable vegetation from areas to be cleared such as orchids, grass trees and zamia palms
• Constructing fauna underpasses and overpasses in line with environmental regulators’ requirements that cannot be used by vehicles and offer shelter to possums from predators and allow for dense vegetation planting

Aboriginal Heritage and Culture

• Working closely with Aboriginal heritage monitors to identify significant areas or items and promote heritage values
• Creating urban design outcomes that include significant Aboriginal cultural components, such as integrated artwork, interpretive signage, naming of project aspects, trails, and nodes