Wilman Wadandi Highway has officially opened

Heading down south this summer? Your journey will be up to 20 minutes quicker with the official opening of the Wilman Wadandi Highway today.

The 27-kilometre four-lane highway links Forrest Highway and Bussell Highway – diverting a predicted average of 15,000 vehicles from Bunbury roads every day and bypassing 13 sets of traffic lights between Perth and the South West.

“The Wilman Wadandi Highway will slash congestion in the South West, getting cars off local roads in Bunbury, improving road safety and shaving up to 20 minutes off travel times around the region,” said WA Premier Roger Cook.

“We’ve seen significant growth around Bunbury and the clash of local traffic, with tourist and freight traffic heading to the South West was no longer sustainable,” added WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti.

Previously known as the Bunbury Outer Ring Road, Wilman Wadandi Highway includes five bridges, four grade-separated interchanges and 19 fauna crossings. The original concept for the ring road was developed in the early 1970s, with land acquired in the early 1980s.

While it’s been opened to the public, ongoing works will be completed in 2025 – including pavement and kerbing works, finishing works to some roundabouts and intersections, signage installation, portions of the shared pedestrian and cycle path and artwork on noise walls.

Construction on the highway began in February 2021, with a rise of labour and construction costs during COVID pushing the project’s final budget by over $600 million to $1.46 billion. This was jointly funded by both the State and Federal governments, with the Australian Government committing $1.1 billion to the project’s, and the WA Government contributing almost $360 million.

Of that $1.46 billion, $558 million was spent with South West businesses, and $54 million spent with Aboriginal businesses.