Work underway to repair One Mile Jetty to former glory, restoring 200m of ‘important community asset’

Nearly five years after cyclone Seroja wrecked Carnarvon’s historic One Mile Jetty, work has started on partially restoring the much-loved structure. The jetty was built in 1898, and suffered significant damage in the April 2021 cyclone. Since then, the State Government has dedicated $4.5 million to the project. The restoration will reflect the jetty’s original form, but not replicate the length. Up to 200m will be restored at the jetty’s original width of 4.8m. Dudley Maslen, chairman of the Carnarvon Heritage Group and a Shire of Carnarvon councillor, said he hoped the restored jetty would boost tourism in the area. “Everyone’s very excited about it,” he said. Cr Maslen said the works were in full swing, with construction workers “beavering away” at the jetty. The project is a collaboration between the Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure, the Gascoyne Development Commission, the shire of Carnarvon, and the Carnarvon Heritage Group. Minister Assisting the Transport Minister Jessica Stojkovski said the partially restored jetty would be an “ important community asset” that offered “insight to the region’s rich history”. “Significant effort is being invested in the heritage interpretation and telling the stories of this coastal infrastructure icon,” she said. “Some of the timber salvaged from the deconstruction of the original jetty will be showcased in non-structural applications on the restored portion of the jetty and also across the future heritage precinct. The shire of Carnarvon will also be repurposing timber for bench seating in the town.” Geraldton MLA Sandra Carr agreed the restoration honoured the Mid West’s history. “The One Mile Jetty is an icon central to the history and development of Carnarvon and the Gascoyne region,” she said. “I’m thrilled the jetty is being restored in a way that celebrates its cultural and historical value to the Carnarvon community.”