Fishing and Recreation

To facilitate the new port facilities, recreational activities at the Naval Base beach in the Kwinana Industrial Area will be directly impacted. Please see Naval Base horse beach and Diving tabs below for more information.  

Otherwise, recreation in Cockburn Sound is planned to continue and co-exist with commercial shipping, like it does now at Fremantle Port, and will be managed by the Harbour Master. 

Once the new port facilities are completed and operational, there may be some areas in the immediate vicinity of the berths and breakwater that cannot be accessed for recreation. These areas are likely to be relatively small and the surrounding waters outside of the port footprint will remain accessible for fishing, boating and other recreation such as kayaking, windsurfing, sailing and boating.

For safety reasons, during construction and dredging there may be some additional temporary access restrictions at specific locations. We will provide more information about this as planning progresses.

Westport recognises that Cockburn Sound is a popular fishing location. Key activities to protect and enhance fishing in the Sound include:

• The WAMSI-Westport Marine Science Program includes a Fisheries and Aquatic Resources project. This research is helping us to understand and plan to minimise impacts to fish species and their habitat in the Sound.
• Planning to support healthy marine conditions during construction through activities like staged dredging, shut-down periods and water quality monitoring to reduce impacts on seagrass and marine species. Read more about Seagrass Planning and Management.

All reports from the WAMSI-Westport Marine Science Program are being published following a rigorous peer review process. Our Science Reports page lists all published reports with a summary of key findings and what they mean for Westport. Remaining reports are on-track to be completed by the end of 2024 and made publicly available by early 2025.

The WAMSI- Westport Science Program will inform significant decisions around infrastructure design, development and mitigation planning to minimise environmental impacts. And will be a key input into the environmental impact assessment process.

The new port will be located between Barter and Mason Roads in the Kwinana Industrial Area. The land required to build the port includes the Naval Base beach – known as the horse beach, accessed via Riseley Road.

This means that public access to the Naval Base horse beach will eventually close. The timing for this closure has not yet been determined, however development activities are likely to commence in the late 2020s.

Whilst not a dedicated or official horse beach, Westport recognises this land has been used informally by the horse-riding community for many years and is consulting directly with the community.

Horse beach webinar information session

In March 2024, Westport hosted an online webinar to share information and answer questions.

View the webinar recording.

Horse Beach Survey

Westport asked the people who use the Naval Base horse beach to complete a survey, to better understand how the beach is currently used, how it compares with other dedicated horse beaches in Perth, and what facilities make for an ideal horse beach. 

The survey was open 12 March to 31 May 2024 and received 646 responses.

Read the survey report. 

Next steps

Westport is using the findings of the survey to explore opportunities to support long-term horse-riding activities in the region ahead of an eventual closing of public access to the beach.

We will continue to update the community as this work progresses.

Register for Horse Beach Consultation

To receive updates about the Naval Base Horse Beach and engagement opportunities please register your details here: Horse Beach Consultation

Westport’s proposed port facilities will directly impact the Naval Base beach, where the decommissioned Kwinana Bulk Terminal Jetty is located, accessed via Riseley Road. 

Whilst not a dedicated or official beach for public use, we know it is widely used by the community and is popular for scuba diving.

To facilitate the new port facilities, public access to the beach will eventually cease. The timing for this closure has not yet been determined, however Westport’s works are likely to commence in the late 2020s. 

Bulk Jetty Dive Site  

All diving activities at the old Kwinana Bulk Terminal (KBT) Jetty, also known as the Bulk Jetty Dive Site, are prohibited due to safety concerns. The structure, owned and managed by Fremantle Ports and located within Port waters, has been assessed as unsafe, and will not be repaired as its removal is expected to be aligned to Westport’s development activities.  

The safety of the WA diving community is a top priority for all parties involved. Fremantle Ports is in the process of updating signage at the beach and areas surrounding the jetty, and penalties will apply to any person caught trespassing into the “no diving” zone. The “no diving” zone includes a 50-metre maritime hazard safety zone around the jetty. If you need further information on the jetty and diving restrictions, please contact Fremantle Ports at mail@fremantleports.com.au. 

Register to receive information for divers

We have created a registration form specifically for the Naval Base diving community to share relevant information for divers. To stay informed about Westport please register your details.

Like other ports around the world, recreational and competitive sailing will continue to co-exist with port operations.

Race events in the Inner and Outer harbours are currently managed by the Fremantle Port’s Harbour Master and monitored in real time.

Racing safety and communications will continue to be assessed annually by Fremantle Ports in collaboration with Yachting Australia.

Westport is working closely with Fremantle Ports in the planning for new infrastructure in Kwinana and will continue to do so through the definition and construction phase.

Will I still be able to fish in Cockburn Sound?  

Yes. Access to Cockburn Sound for recreational fishing will continue and Westport is exploring new community amenities.  

Once the new port facilities are completed and operational, there may be some areas in the immediate vicinity of the berths and breakwater that cannot be accessed for recreation. These areas are likely to be relatively small and the surrounding waters outside of the port footprint will remain accessible for fishing.

How many container ships will visit the new port facilities?

About 850 ships and carriers currently visit the Kwinana Outer Harbour annually.

From the late 2030s, Westport will add around one container ship per day. Container ships are getting larger, and this trend will continue, which means the number of container ships arriving in WA is projected to remain about the same for the next 15 years. Beyond 2040, the number of container ships is expected to gradually increase, reaching 12 per week around 2051.

How will Westport manage impacts to Cockburn Sound? 

The construction and operation of new port facilities in Cockburn Sound will have some impact to the local environment. We are using a science-based approach to understand potential impacts and opportunities of the port development.

When assessing the shortlist of port design options, the environmental impacts of each design was a key consideration. The preferred design offered the lowest environmental impact for Cockburn Sound, including the lowest dredging footprint, and includes planning for further mitigation and restoration activities. The preferred design has no direct impact on existing seagrass meadows in Cockburn Sound.  

Westport has partnered with the Western Australian Marine Science Institution (WAMSI) to deliver a comprehensive $13.5 million research program giving us the most extensive understanding of the Cockburn Sound ecosystem and marine life we have ever had. The research Program was developed to address knowledge gaps and define baseline environmental conditions, improving Westport’s ability to avoid, minimise, rehabilitate, and offset environmental impacts and increase Government’s ability to manage other pressures acting on Cockburn Sound into the future. 

What are the expected impacts to seagrass in Cockburn Sound?  

The port footprint avoids existing seagrass meadows in Cockburn Sound. The channel footprint, which runs through Gage Roads, Owen Anchorage and the Deep Water Channel, is estimated to impact 1.5% of the total seagrass across those 3 marine zones. 

We recognise that seagrass can be impacted by dredging. Through the WAMSI-Westport Marine Science Program, research has been undertaken to better understand conditions required for healthy seagrass. Activities to reduce impacts, such as staged dredging and water quality monitoring are being considered as part of the dredge program planning, which is still underway.  

You can read more about Westport's seagrass planning and management efforts here.

What are the expected impacts to snapper and fish species in Cockburn Sound?  

Seagrass beds are critical habitat for many fish species. In Cockburn Sound this includes snapper, whiting, and blue swimmer crabs.

Through the WAMSI-Westport Marine Science Program and our stakeholder consultation process, Westport is engaging with the local recreational fishing community to identify ways to support healthy fish stocks and habitats. 

Why is the offshore breakwater necessary? 

A breakwater is required to protect ships accessing the port facilities from disruption by wave energy.

As the project moves into the detailed design phase, it is expected there will be additional refinements to the proposed breakwater, and we will be exploring how the breakwater may support marine habitat.

When will the port be ready? 

It is expected the new port facilities and supply chain will need to be operational by the late 2030s. We know it will take at least a decade to build.

Westport is currently developing the business case for the new port facilities and supply chain, which will be submitted to Government by mid-2024 for review and a funding decision. The project will then move into detailed design followed by construction.

The environmental impact assessment process for the proposed marine and landside port infrastructure has commenced. The Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority will undertake the highest level of assessment for the proposal. This two-year process will include a Public Environmental Review stage, where the community can provide feedback.