Round 7 of RED Grants Program Recipients

Round 7 was a particularly significant round, being a ‘double round’ that saw the Minister refer to it as “Mega REDs.” The funding available for projects was doubled, with $10 million up for grabs in total. This round also saw a record number of 90 applications, with only 10 projects ultimately successful.

Among the successful recipients is Jezebel Enterprises Pty Ltd, which has been awarded $150,000 for the construction of a new helicopter hangar at the Busselton-Margaret River Regional Airport. The new facility will provide space for up to 12 aircraft and enable the organisation to invest in a new helicopter to meet the growing demand for tours and shuttle services, driven by the introduction of regular passenger flights from Melbourne and Sydney. In addition, the hangar will include dedicated areas for aircraft servicing and maintenance, as well as increased capacity for pilot training in the South West, expected to create up to 10 new pilot jobs within the first two years of operation.

Another Round 7 recipient, Kettridges Pty Ltd, will use its $150,000 grant to expand its Picton manufacturing mill, supporting the growth of the South West’s premium stockfeed market. This expansion will double production capacity to 60,000 tonnes per year and create local employment during the construction phase, followed by the creation of four new full-time positions once the project is completed.

The La Colmena Hostel in Margaret River is also among the recipients, receiving a $150,000 grant to rebuild and expand its affordable accommodation to meet the growing demand for worker accommodation in the region. The expansion will increase the facility’s capacity to 94 beds, serving an additional 800 people per year and benefiting the tourism and agricultural industries in the region.

Lamb Chop Records, a recording studio based in Gelorup, has been awarded $100,000 to expand its existing studio. This funding will support the construction of a new, multi-functional arts facility and provide accommodation for visiting recording artists. The expansion is expected to attract up to 20 new clients per year, nurturing the local music industry and offering opportunities for interns and trainees in sound and audio engineering.

Bunbury-based Teamwork Contractors Pty Ltd will receive $94,562 to support the establishment of a new fencing manufacturing facility. This initiative is in response to increased demand from the domestic housing construction sector and will create sustainable local employment while providing opportunities for intrastate export of products manufactured in the South West.

Wilgee Civil, an Aboriginal-owned civil contracting company, has been awarded $147,100 to purchase and install advanced automated GPS and Universal Tracking Systems (UTS) self-leveling stations on its fleet of small earthmoving machinery. This technology will increase efficiency, reduce time and labour for site preparation, and reduce project completion times by up to 30%, allowing the company to take on more work and generate new employment opportunities.

These successful projects are contributing to the diversification of accommodation and agribusiness offerings in the South West, while also creating jobs in the manufacturing, training, tourism, and arts sectors. The successful recipients were announced at the Capel Marron Farm tourism facility, which received a $147,280 RED grant in 2022 to develop a hospitality and tourism experience centred around the iconic South West marron.

Successful Round 7 RED Grant recipients