Bunbury bypass ready in time for the Christmas rush to the South West

Drivers heading to Margaret River and Busselton for the holiday season will receive an early Christmas present in the form of a safer and faster journey thanks to the new Wilman Wadandi Highway (also known as the Bunbury Outer Ring Road) which is set to open on December 16. The new 27km four-lane highway links Forrest Highway to Bussell Highway and is expected to shave 11 to 18 minutes off travel time between the north and south of Bunbury depending on traffic conditions. By bypassing Bunbury on the new highway drivers avoid 13 sets of traffic lights and a rail level crossing between Bussell Highway and Forest Highway. The Wilman Wadandi Highway is the largest road infrastructure project ever undertaken in the South West. Construction on the $1.46 billion project began in February 2021 and it includes 10 bridges and four interchanges. During the construction, 7.2 million tonnes of fill, 44.3km of concrete pipe, and 76.5km of agricultural fencing was used, while 800,000 plants have been used to revegetate the verges. To ensure safe passage of native animals, two land fauna bridges, 14 fauna rope bridges, 12 fauna underpasses, and 74.9km of fauna fencing was included. What’s in a name? Names play an important role in identifying a place, its stories and the history that surrounds it. After extensive consultation with the project’s Aboriginal Heritage Advisory Group, Local Government Authorities, the Noongar Language Centre and Landgate it was decided that the new highway should be named Wilman Wadandi Highway in honour of the Wilman and Wadandi people, who have historically occupied the lands at either end of the project. Dual names for sections of the Collie, Preston and Ferguson Rivers were also chosen to reflect the Aboriginal/European heritage and Aboriginal names were selected for the four local bridges within the project. The river and bridge names are: Bilya Maardalup – Collie River, south of the Raymond Road Interchange. Bilya is the Noongar word for river. Maardalup is the Noongar word meaning the place to cross the river where the water comes up to your legs. Bilya Dardaliny – Ferguson River near Martin-Pelusey Road and Boyanup-Picton Road. Dardaliny is the Noongar word meaning place of mourning. Bilya Barajilup – Preston River, where it crosses the new Willinge Drive extension and the existing BORR Central Stage 1 works. The name Barajilup was identified during consultation with the project’s Aboriginal Heritage Advisory Group members and a Noongar Language specialist. It reflects the historical significance of the Preston River, as the name has been consistently recognised by multiple sources within the Noongar community. Djilba Bridge – located at the Wilman Wadandi Highway/Clifton Road/Paris Road Interchange, has been named after the artwork on the bridge and represents the Noongar season of spring. Booyi Bridge – located at the Wilman Wadandi Highway/Raymond Road Interchange, has been named after the artwork on the bridge, and with the word ‘Booyi’ being the Noongar word for the long neck turtle. May Holman Bridge – located at the Wilman Wadandi Highway/South Western Highway Interchange, is named after May Holman who was Australia’s first female Labor parliamentarian, Member for Forrest in the South West and a member of the WA Legislative Assembly from 1925-39. Boolyalla Bridge – located at the Wilman Wadandi Highway/Bussell Highway Interchange, is named after the artwork on the bridge, with Boolyalla being the Noongar word for banksia.