Margaret River Main Street Makeover

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From February - December 2020, Margaret River’s Main Street underwent a major transformation. The Main Street Makeover included a range of improvements designed to create an even more enjoyable place to shop, eat, drink and celebrate.

You can find project updates, frequently asked questions and other up to date information on this page.

Please note this information was correct at the time of publishing.

From February - December 2020, Margaret River’s Main Street underwent a major transformation. The Main Street Makeover included a range of improvements designed to create an even more enjoyable place to shop, eat, drink and celebrate.

You can find project updates, frequently asked questions and other up to date information on this page.

Please note this information was correct at the time of publishing.

  • Future of Fearn Avenue

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    Prior to Margaret River's Main Street Makeover, Fearn Avenue was a two-way road that intersected the main street of Margaret River.
    As part of the Main Street Makeover, it was built to be a one-way, shared vehicle and pedestrian space with a 10km per hour speed limit. This design was supported in an extensive consultation process prior to the project commencing.

    Pedestrians were able to enjoy exclusive use of the space between December 2020 and March 2021, on account of a delay in retractable bollards arriving that were needed in order to open the street to vehicles. As a result, community sentiment about the future use of this space may have shifted, with many in favour of keeping the space permanently closed to vehicles.

    The Shire initiated a consultation process for the future of Fearn Avenue, inviting community members and business owners have say via a short online survey.

    The survey was open for public comment from 9 - 23 April 2021 at www.yoursay.amrshire.wa.gov.au/fearn-avenue

    The results are being considered, with a Council decision due on 26 May 2021.
    To keep up to date, please subscribe to media releases or follow the project page at
    www.yoursay.amrshire.wa.gov.au/fearn-avenue

  • Fearn Avenue one way set to open with 10km/h limit

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    Vehicles can expect to drive through the new Festival Precinct, with a tentative date of Monday 15 March set for the one-way road to open.

    Access through the one-way street from Bussell Highway into Fearn Avenue was temporarily deferred until retractable bollards arrived, which were delayed due to global supply chain issues.

    A speed limit of 10 kilometres an hour will apply through the area.

    Shire Chief Executive Officer Stephanie Addison-Brown said the Festival Precinct was designed as a shared use space as part of the Margaret River Main Street Makeover.

    “Pedestrians have been able to enjoy exclusive use of this space on account of the delay in retractable bollards arriving," she said.

    “Now the bollards have been installed, vehicles will be allowed to drive through as originally intended and the area can be temporarily closed for special events."

    Ms Addison-Brown acknowledged calls by some members of the community to permanently keep the space pedestrian use only and said traffic modelling was needed to understand impacts of any potential future change.

    “We know a number of people would like the Shire to keep this area for pedestrians only after having experienced the space free of cars," she said.

    “However, this view is not shared by all segments of the community, especially businesses in the direct vicinity who have been impacted by lack of vehicle and delivery access.

    “Traffic modelling is required to understand the impacts of a permanent closure including the potential for congestion at other intersections and to enable planning for future intersection treatments.

    “An informed decision can then be made around any potential changes.

    “We ask drivers to keep to the speed limit, and for people to give way to cars in this area as the town gets used to the one-way street."

  • What's happening on the Main Street?

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    Whilst the new Margaret River Main Street is open to vehicles, there are some final bits of the project being completed including addressing any reported defects.
    You can expect to see contractors out and about working on these things in the weeks ahead:
    • Decommissioning and removing old street lights & infilling footings (after the school holidays)
    • Testing and commissioning new street lights
    • Installing new bin surrounds (we're waiting for them to arrive)
    • Installing retractable bollards at the Festival Precinct (there's a delay in these arriving due to the global supply chain)
    • Placing pedestrian safety signage at crossing points
    • Any minor defects for the contractor to fix (similar to handover of a new home or renovation, any defects are reported to the builder to address).
    We are also working on:
    • The pathway link to the Fearn Ave toilets
    • Wayfinding, parking and no smoking signage.
    The Shire will be applying to Main Roads WA for a 40km/h speed limit along the street. We're collecting some post-opening traffic data to support this request.
    Pedestrians, please remember to give way to vehicles at the new crossing points.
    Photo credit: Rob Ant All Walks Images
  • Margs Street Party - Fri 29 Jan 2020

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    FRIDAY 29 JANUARY ~ 3pm - 9pm
    Margaret River's Main Street Makeover is done and dusted.
    We'll be throwing one helluva street party to bring the whole community (COVID-safely) together, with live music, art activations, an art market, alfresco dining and other family fun!
  • Join parade on 23 Dec for official street opening

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    Get your Christmas kitsch on and come wave the works goodbye by joining a celebratory parade up the new street!

    Main Street business owners and community members are invited to join construction crews for a celebration walk up the completed street before it opens to vehicles.

    We'll be inviting the media to be there too, so come along and be part of the fun.

    When: Wednesday 23 December at 2pm.
    Where: Meet at the new Festival Precinct on Fearn Ave.
    Wear: Drape yourself in tinsel or wear your best Christmas kitsch!

  • Project update - 18 Dec 2020

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    We're almost done! The street is due to open at 2pm, 23 December 2020.

    Main Street business owners and community members are invited to join construction crews for a celebration walk up the completed street before it opens to vehicles.

    When: Wednesday 23 December at 2pm.
    Where: Meet at the new Festival Precinct on Fearn Ave.
    Wear: Drape yourself in tinsel or wear your best Christmas kitsch!

    Stage 3 (Willmott Ave to Wallcliffe Rd)

    • Final asphalt works are done!
    • Over the weekend, a troop of gardeners will be onsite planting out garden beds.
    • Street furniture, bike racks and flag tracks will be installed early next week.
    • Line marking will be done on 22 Dec.

    All the fences will come down on 23 Dec in preparation for Bussell Hwy opening to traffic in the afternoon.

    Stage 2B update (Fearn Avenue - New Festival Precinct)

    Whilst we were hoping to open the Festival Precinct to pedestrians this weekend, crews will need full access to the site to safely finished the job.

    • Retic to service the garden beds is being finalised.
    • Garden beds will be planted and mulched this weekend.
    • Furniture will be craned in early next week.
    • Line marking of roundabout near Coles carpark on 22 Dec.

    The Festival Precinct will be open for pedestrians only over the Christmas period

    Due to global supply delays, bollards for the Festival Precinct have not arrived yet. The decision has been made not to let vehicles through the Festival Precinct's new one-way street until early January to keep the area safe.

    Vehicles will be able to use the small roundabout to enter the Coles carpark and the laneway connecting to the Settlers carpark from 23 Dec.

    Water barriers will go up on either side of the Festival Precinct to prevent vehicles entering.

  • Margs Street party in the pipeline

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    Event website at www.margsstreetparty.com.au


    As Margaret River’s Main Street Makeover nears completion, a street party is being organised for the whole community to celebrate its brand-new street.

    The Margs Street Party will run from roundabout to roundabout on the upgraded main street, from 3-9pm on Friday 29 January 2021.

    The whole street will be closed off to vehicles, allowing everyone to enjoy a festive atmosphere with live music, street performances, local food and entertainment for all age groups.

    Shire President Ian Earl said the free event was a chance for everyone to come together after a very testing year.

    “We faced a string of challenges in 2020, one of which included major works in our town centre for an eleven-month period,” he said.

    “We’re putting on a huge street party to bring the whole community together to celebrate on the new street.

    “We want to thank those involved for constructing it, and most importantly thank local businesses and our community for their patience throughout the year as we delivered the project.

    “This is our chance to come together after the busy summer holiday period and take a fun breather.”

    Local events company Ahoy Management has been awarded a contract to run the event.

    Shire Sustainable Economy Officer, Saul Cresswell said the contractors were highly experienced in their field and had a great track record of delivering dynamic, high-quality events.

    “With a series of large-scale events under their belt, we’re confident Ahoy Management will deliver a fantastic street party for the community to come together,” he said.

    “Over the past couple of weeks, they’ve been engaging with traders on the street to make sure the Margs Street Party helps support local businesses in town, giving them a boost before the school year starts.

    “We’re keen to make this event as sustainable as possible.

    “Local residents are encouraged to walk or cycle to town and try out the new bike racks on the street.

    “The Shire will be working hard to make this a plastic free event.“

    Businesses in the Margaret River town centre who want to be involved or receive important information about the party including road closures, parking, entertainment schedules and trader specific information can sign up here http://eepurl.com/hlHYJP

    For further information about the event please contact hello@ahoymanagement.com

    The Main Street Makeover is due for completion prior to Christmas 2020 and is funded by the State Government of Western Australia and the Shire of Augusta Margaret River.

  • Project Update - 11 Dec 2020

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    Not long to go now! Over the coming weekend and next week BCP will continue to work like a colony of ants to get the street ready for school holidays. Here's an overview of the changes that will take place over the following week.

    Stage 2B (Fearn Avenue - New Festival Precinct)

    • Continue installation of timber cladding onto Vine Arbor structural steel.
    • Wash and Seal Pavers - you should notice the colour darken up after this.
    • Final Street Furniture installation - keep your eye out for the large timber sun lounge, constructed locally from Jarrah.
    • Finish wiring electrical switch board.
    • Install tactiles to pedestrian crossings.

    The Festival Precinct is going to be an outstanding community asset during the Christmas break, and will only get better with age as the new trees come up in height. There is now pedestrian access to Egberts, the Barber Shoppe and Yonder Bar, and pedestrian access will open to the whole square at the end of next week once the pavers have been sealed.


    Stage 3 (Willmott Ave to Wallcliffe Rd)

    • Next week will see asphalt works completed Wednesday, Thursday and Friday - the road will look completely transformed after this. A decision has been made to keep the road closed until line marking is finished on 22 December. While this delays through traffic for a few more days it will support road safety and negate the need for multiple road closures.
    • Continue pouring exposed aggregate at pedestrian crossings (see photo from today).
    • Final kerbing works over the weekend and completed by Monday.
    • Light Pole installation Monday and Tuesday.
    • Other electricals including up lights completed.
    • Footpath works completed up to Reuther Park on the Western side.
    • Footpath works continued on the Eastern side.
    • Irrigation installation continued.
    • Landscaping continued.
      Pedestrian crossings being poured in Stage 3

  • Project update - 4 Dec 2020

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    With the project due to wrap up in time for school holidays, here's an overview of what's planned for this weekend and next week.

    Stage 3 (Willmott Ave to Wallcliffe Rd)
    KEY DATES

    5 & 6 December

    • The road will be profiled and stabilised preparing the base course for installation of the road’s final asphalt layer. You can expect dust, noise and vibration whilst the stabilisation is undertaken.
    • There will be limited to no pedestrian crossing points from the Margaret River Hotel/ACTON up to the Wallcliffe roundabout whilst the works are undertaken due to heavy vehicles doing their work up and down the street.

    7- 11 December

    • The stabilised base course will be compacted by rollers and trimmed into shape.
    • Pedestrian crossings will be built in this area, ready for the final asphalt layer (booked in for 17 and 18 December).
    • Construction of the median islands will continue.
    • Exposed aggregate footpaths up to the Commonwealth Bank and Fudge Factory will be done.
    • The last of the private storm water connections from businesses to the main drainage system will be completed.
    • Crews will continue to install retic to garden beds, electrical connections and light poles up the street.
    • Crews will also start planting landscaping in some of the garden beds.

    Stage 2A (Tunbridge St - Willmott Ave)
    This weekend there will be temporary closures in this area. Thanks for your patience everyone.

    • Saturday - temporary lane closures for the installation of final street furniture and fitting of the street flag system to light poles.
      7am Eastern lane (South bound) will be shut until about 9:30am
      9:30am Western lane (North bound) will shut until approximately 3:30pm
    • Sunday - there will be temporary closures of Bussell Hwy (from Tunbridge St intersection to Willmott Ave) to allow heavy vehicles that are profiling the Stage 3 area to turn around (approximately 5-10min every hour). Traffic control will be in place.


    Stage 2B update (Fearn Avenue - New Festival Precinct)
    The new paving and final asphalt around the new roundabout has really transformed this area! Next week crews will:

    • Complete the paving works.
    • By mid week, we are aiming to open pedestrian access to Egberts and The Margaret River Barber from Bussell Hwy.
    • Electricians will be installing the light poles and the last of the street furniture will go in.

    The new steel arbour above the community tables will have its timber cladding installed.

  • Project update - exciting milestone - 27 Nov 2020

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    Stage 2A done and dusted!
    Today is an exciting milestone the whole town has been waiting for. Later this afternoon, the street will open up to cars and bikes from the peanut roundabout on Tunbridge Street up to Willmott Avenue. Crews have been working hard against the clock to complete the final touches in this section, ready for the fences to come down - thank you!

    To support pre-Christmas trade, we've been actively rallying media interest to get the message out far and wide that a big part of the street is opening. This morning GWN7 crews were down, and ABC will be down later today.

    Stage 2B update (Fearn Avenue - New Festival Precinct)

    Crews will steam ahead with the following in this section next week:

    • Paving of the whole site will begin. The one way road that will run through this area will be paved, creating a visual distinction from the rest of the street. This will help create a beautiful event space for the community that can be closed off to traffic for special events.
    • Asphalt will go in around the small roundabout between the Coles and Settlers/IGA car parks. Asphalt works will happen on 1 December.
    • Two steel arbors have been installed over the new community tables. These will eventually have beautiful foliage growing over them.

    Stage 3 (Willmott Ave to Wallcliffe Rd)
    Next week crews will continue on with kerbing and footpath works. We are working with businesses to coordinate the installation of footpath works to best suit their different needs. This is why they are being built at different spots and not sequentially up the street.

    • Kerbing will continue up past the Urban Bean and Fudge Factory with the majority already completed.
    • Rectic and electrical works
    • Median islands from Wilmott Ave to NAB will be poured next week.
    • Crews will continue to install retic and electrical connections in garden beds.
Page last updated: 14 Sep 2021, 01:15 PM