Supercomputer, Geraldton West End projects get $5m each in State Government Investment Attraction Fund

A plan to build one of the world’s biggest supercomputers in Geraldton and a multi-million-dollar project to transform the city’s West End into a cultural precinct are among 40 projects to share in $148 million from the State Government’s Investment Attraction Fund. The two Geraldton-based ventures have received $5m each to help diversify the economy and provide local jobs. Company DUG Technology is developing a high-performance computing campus in Geraldton, which will sort through the huge flow of data expected from the multi-billion-dollar Square Kilometre Array radio telescope under construction in the Murchison. The company detailed the supercomputer project in a statement published to the Australian Securities Exchange on Tuesday. The computer will be capable of processing 400 quadrillion operations per second, which would place it among the top five in the world and be dramatically bigger than DUG’s existing supercomputer in West Perth. Money will be distributed over a two-year period, with the data hall the first of 10 pegged for a 44.5ha campus. The grant will fund about half the data hall’s construction with the remainder to be funded through DUG’s existing cash reserves. DUG managing director Matt Lamont said the project would have “transformational” potential for the company as well as WA’s data processing and storage capabilities. “Geraldton is an ideal location for this campus with ready access to renewable power from wind and solar and a large physical space for expansion,” he said. “The latency from Geraldton to Perth is just three milliseconds hence the user experience will be near identical to working with the existing West Perth data centre.” Hospitality group LocalsCo will put their $5m State Government boost towards the refurbishment of the Radio Theatre building on Marine Terrace and construction of a food and beverage venue in Geraldton’s West End. The joint venture, between Margland Pty Ltd, Burt Cooper Pty Ltd and LocalsCo, have partnered with Euphorium Creative to take the lead on the arts, culture and theatre aspects of the West End development. It will include transforming the Geraldton Radio Theatre into a cultural hub and entertainment venue, as well as building a retail market with local seafood and produce, a bottle shop and a family-friendly food and beverage venue. The headspace building will also be re-roofed to provide 400sqm of office and function space in a bid to activate the western part of the city. Margland Pty Ltd director Blair Armstrong said the development was an exciting and beneficial cultural project for the Geraldton community. “This project will transform and activate a key part of the town centre, creating a significant community cultural hub and a unique tourism precinct,” he said. “The Geraldton Radio Theatre is a much-loved local landmark with a rich history and we are proud to be revitalising it into a vibrant venue that will continue to be enjoyed by everyone in the community.” Premier Roger Cook said more than half of the 40 projects were either in regional WA or had Statewide operations. “As we diversify our economy, our economy becomes more resilient,” he said. “We can ride out the boom-and-bust cycles which we’ve been a victim of for so many years because of our reliance upon the resources industry.” Geraldton MLA Lara Dalton said the State Government grants ensured the Geraldton economy remained strong by providing local jobs. “Our abundance of wind and solar is proving to be a real asset for Geraldton, positioning our city as the epicentre for renewable energy and green industry jobs going into the future,” she said. “(LocalsCo) have demonstrated their experience in building award-winning family-friendly dining and entertainment venues in both regional and metro locations across the State,” she said.