Collie’s main street gets a makeover as the town sees 140 per cent increase in visitors

The $1.1 million makeover to 11 of Throssell Street’s buildings gives Collie residents and visitors a nostalgic streetscape to enjoy. Premier Mark McGowan unveiled the completed facelift on Friday, also announcing booming tourism statistics as the town continues to transition from traditional industries. It is hoped the decades-long shift from coal will make the town a focal point in the South West. This shift has been helped by an unexpected tourism boom with visitor numbers up by more than 140 per cent as WA residents explore the town’s art scene, world-class mountain bike trails and the biggest dam mural in the world. Monthly visitors to the Collie Visitor Centre between March and September this year have increased by 77 per cent since pre-pandemic levels. Much like the Wellington Dam mural, the town’s latest shift is another visual element in the State Government’s Just Transition Plan, the main strip having undergone major restoration works to give Collie’s historic street facades a facelift. Last month alone 2699 people checked in at the centre, a 140 per cent increase compared to the 1126 people who visited in September 2019. Mr McGowan said the Throssell Street upgrades provided yet another piece of the puzzle in Collie’s transition into a tourism hotspot in the South West. “The historic feel of the street will be further encouragement for visitors to park the car and spend time walking around town during their trip to the murals, lakes, forests and trails,” Mr McGowan said. “This restored streetscape gives Collie a nostalgic feeling of stepping back in time, as it steps forward into its growing tourism industry, which is one of a number of new industries taking off in Collie. “The record-breaking numbers of tourists visiting Collie is proof that my Government’s investment in Collie to diversify the local economy is working, with terrific results in a few short years.” The project was funded from the Government’s Collie Industry Attraction and Development Fund with contributions from local businesses. Collie-Preston MLA Jodie Hanns said it was wonderful to see Throssell Street’s transformation. “Every day has brought something new to the streetscape, from verandas being unveiled to hand-painted signwriting in progress,” she said. “It’s heritage renewal at its best and is appreciated by visitors and locals alike.”