Fire centre ‘excellent’ for region

The Dardanup Shire Council has voted to submit an application to host the Rural Fire Service’s Centre of Excellence.

Councillors voted unanimously for the motion when it was presented at last week’s ordinary council meeting.

Shire president Mick Bennett said he felt the council had identified a suitable location for the centre.

“We have several hectares where the council depot is, which has all the facilities that you would need for the Centre of Excellence,” he said.

“We feel we are in with a chance just like everybody else, so council is prepared to put its hand up and say we are happy to look at all sorts of arrangements. It would be excellent to have it here in the South West if that is the case.”

Cr Bennett said the centre would provide an economic boost to the region if selected.

“The economic development in our region would be fantastic and the extra jobs created would be great,” he said.

“The location is close to all the exits from the coast to inland areas including not far from the future Bunbury Outer Ring Road.

“We would think that we are not in a bad position to host the centre as we have all the communications in place in the area we have identified.”