South-West businesses and communities have received a funding injection to build sustainable economic growth and jobs, with the latest round of Regional Economic Development (RED) grants announced in Bunbury today.
A total of 15 recipients from throughout the region will share in just under $1.2 million allocated from Round 3 of the McGowan Government's long-running business stimulus initiative.
Manufacturing businesses feature in this funding round, with Nannup motorcycle business Vee Two to receive a $113,000 grant to expand its custom built engine parts enterprise supplying Ducati enthusiasts from around the world.
New manufacturing equipment will be purchased, enabling the businesses' master mechanic to pass on unique skills to two more full-time and two part-time employees.
Bunbury-based Geographe Enterprises will use its $81,000 grant towards the installation of a temperature controlled plant room to aid the manufacture of high-quality, precision replacement parts for plant equipment used in the State's mining industry.
A $60,703 grant to the Bina Maya Yallingup Escape will help complete and expand the businesses' new gallery, to provide a cultural tourism experience showcasing local Noongar art and indigenous cuisine, generating an expected five new jobs.
Planted Passion near Manjimup will use its $49,543 grant to install monitoring equipment, sensors and software to expand its protected cropping horticulture enterprise.
The site will also serve as a demonstration site for other agricultural businesses in the region, offering an alternative production option that can improve water use and fertiliser efficiencies and accelerate premium products to market.
Harvey Cheese will receive $62,000 to expand its product range and develop packaging to showcase South-West botanicals paired with gourmet cheese.
This latest round of RED grants is in addition to the $1.275 million provided to 18 projects in the South-West from the previous two funding rounds.
The McGowan Government has committed an additional $5 million to extend the RED grant program for another year, with a total of $33.8 million to be delivered to regional communities over the six years.
As stated by Regional Development Minister Alannah MacTiernan:
"The RED grants initiative is delivering transformational change to regional businesses throughout the State, generating sustainable jobs and flow-on benefits to local economies and communities.
"This year - like no other - has been one where regional businesses and communities have been challenged and now require certainty and confidence to take their endeavours to the next level to ensure continued viability and vitality.
"We welcome the focus on manufacturing in this round's South-West REDs - businesses like Geographe Enterprises and Vee Two are moving to the next stage, highlighting the region's strengths in this industry.
"Congratulations to the South-West RED Grant Round 3 recipients and we look forward to seeing their projects realised."
Successful Round 3 RED grant projects for the South-West:
| Applicant | Project | Funding |
| Arm Nursery (Capel) | Automated robotic grafting - to purchase technology to increase product quality and efficiencies when grafting root stock for wine and table grape varieties. | $120,960 |
| Vee Two (Nannup) | Business expansion - to acquire manufacturing equipment for the Nannup operation to produce complex custom motorcycle engine parts for international Ducati enthusiasts. | $113,000 |
| Shire of Nannup (Nannup) | Mountain Bike Park Stage 2 - to construct Tank 7 and 8 of the Nannup Mountain Bike Park trail and provide access to the townsite including signage. | $100,000 |
| Yelverton Protea Farm (Busselton) | Propagation nursery facility - to construct a propagation tunnel, a shade house and install automated systems to satisfy increasing demand in the potted plant market. | $96,776 |
| Mila Holdings (Manjimup) | Tall Timbers Brewing Company - to install fermentation tanks and a cool room to expand brewery capacity and to diversify production. | $92,714 |
| Hesketh Quarrys (Bridgetown) | Yornup quarry - to secure the site and enable the operation to commence production of black basalt road base material for South-West infrastructure developments. | $81,398 |
| ATC Employment Solutions (Bunbury) | Electrical Centre of Excellence - to install electrical and gas instrumentation and equipment to train and upskill professionals to deliver commercial, heavy industrial, gas and renewable installation services in the South-West. | $81,250 |
| Geographe Enterprises (Bunbury) | Temperature controlled inspection room - to install a temperature controlled plant room to manufacture precision replacement parts for mining plant and equipment throughout the State. | $81,000 |
| House of Sharday (Harvey) | Perfumery expansion - to transfer to a new facility in Harvey to enable the business to expand its capacity and product range and create a retail outlet. | $78,960 |
| Realview Holdings (Busselton) | Origin Market - to build a commercial grade kitchen for stallholders to manufacture products on site, as well as provide two incubator stalls to support start-up businesses. | $70,000 |
| Harvey Cheese (Harvey) | Unique cheese packaging - to expand the product range to showcase South-West botanicals paired with gourmet cheese. | $62,000 |
| Bina Maya Yallingup Escape (Yallingup) | Aboriginal art gallery expansion - to complete and expand the gallery to provide an all-inclusive cultural tourism experience, collaborating with local indigenous artists, tour operators and chefs. | $60,703 |
| Margaret River Nougat Company (Margaret River) | Production and interpretive centre expansion - to expand the Cowaramup facilities and visitor experiences associated with nougat production. | $59,049 |
| Bunbury Geographe Motor Museum (Bunbury) | Motor museum - to support marketing and product development in establishing the new, tourism experience showcasing historic cars and motorbikes. | $50,000 |
| Planted Passion (Manjimup) | Production expansion - to purchase and install monitoring equipment, sensors and software to expand the Manjimup protected cropping horticulture enterprise. | $49,543 |
