• Paspaley Pearling Company was established in the1930’s. It has various pearl farms spread out along 2,500 kilometres of north-west coast. 47 • Willie Creek Pearls came to pearl farming from pearling tourism and continues to offer unique experiences for customers in Broome and Perth. 48 The Kimberley Aquaculture Development Zone (KADZ) spans 2,000 hectares in King Sound with capacity to produce 20,000 tonnes of finfish annually. Government has identified potential for several northern species of finfish aquaculture in the Kimberley, including: silver cobbler, some cod species, gold band snapper and the sooty grunter. 49 The industry is supported by three main research facilities, including Kimberley Marine Research Station, the Ardyloon Hatchery and the Broome Aquaculture Centre (BAC). 50 The Kimberley Training Institute (KTI) operates a barramundi stocking program in that has released over 400,000 juveniles released Lake Kununurra. 51 Food Hubs The Kimberley has an abundance of the key natural resources necessary for a strong agriculture and food industry: climate, soil and water. As such, agriculture is already one of the Kimberley’s most progressive, vibrant and promising industries. The industry has large potential for future growth. It has excess capacity, scope for growth and has attracted large-scale foreign investment. 52 These include: • The diversity of products grown/produced for Australian and export markets such as beef, fodder, table grapes, asparagus, mangoes, papaya, melons, pumpkin, chickpeas, maize, cotton, beans, sandalwood, gubinge, etc. • Key asset for Northern Australia including the Kimberley Meat Company’s abattoir, Kilto Station’s micro-abattoir, and Roebuck Export Depot. Key food regions include the Ord River Agricultural Area in the East Kimberley, the Ord River Irrigation Area is the State’s largest irrigated agricultural project. In the West Kimberley, the introduction of intensive centre pivot and taped irrigated systems has enabled the expansion of fruit and vegetable cropping into the area. The pastoral industry spans the region and requires investment to reach capacity. 53 Development projects in the Ord include: • Kimberley Cotton Company – the Commonwealth’s Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) board has approved a $32 million loan to the Kimberley Cotton Company to construct Stage One of a cotton gin. 54 • Knox Creek Plains for Ord Stage 3 is currently under development The Kimberley’s substantial surface water resources are less than 70% allocated. The greatest volumes are carried by the two largest rivers – the Fitzroy River in the West Kimberley and the Ord River in the East Kimberley. The Canning Basin and a number of smaller aquifer systems also have significant underutilised capacity. A number of enterprises have been established to make productive use of these water resources, but there are opportunities to grow. 55
www.paspaley.com
47 48
www.williecreekpearls.com.au
49 Aquaculture in the Kimberley, Kimberley Development Commission https://kdc.wa.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Kimberley- Aquaculture-2016-forum.pdf 50 www.northregionaltafe.wa.edu.au/features/specialised-training-facilities 51 Aquaculture in the Kimberley, Kimberley Development Commission https://kdc.wa.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Kimberley- Aquaculture-2016-forum.pdf 52 https://kdc.wa.gov.au/our-region/live-kimberley/primaryindustries 53 https://kdc.wa.gov.au/our-region/live-kimberley/primaryindustries 54 www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/McGowan/2021/09/Kimberley-cotton-gin-one-step-closer-to-reality.aspx 55 https://kdc.wa.gov.au
62 | WA Investment Prospectus
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