Perth
A new regional sports and community centre - including an aquatic centre and permanent training facilities - will be built for the Fremantle Football Club.
The $114 million complex will become a hub of sporting and community life in the area with both indoor and outdoor swimming pools for swimming competitions, water polo, hydrotherapy and children's activities. It will also include an indoor stadium with seven highball courts and a gymnasium.
The Gillard Government is contributing $10 million to the project through the Regional Development Australia Fund.
Once completed, the centre will also include community facilities such as walking and running tracks, playgrounds, picnic areas, a multi-purpose oval, cafe and spaces for meetings and functions.
Educational facilities will also be integrated into the project's design with a lecture theatre, health and wellness laboratories, sports medicine facilities and multi-media rooms to be constructed.
This project brings environmental as well as social and economic benefits to the residents of Cockburn and surrounding areas.
Importantly, the new centre will generate 400 jobs during construction and create 796 ongoing jobs in the area, providing the economic vitality that regional areas need for a prosperous future.
The initial investment will increase the area's economic output by $339 million.
Tourism will also increase, with the centre expected to receive 690,000 visits a year from spectators attending sports and recreational events that have previously not been possible, due to capacity constraints.
To be completed in February 2016, the new centre will replace aging infrastructure and integrate closely with Perth's public transport system.
Its central location will encourage visitors to arrive using public transport rather than private vehicle, setting the centre apart as a model of eco-efficiency.
The City of Cockburn Council is to be congratulated on its successful proposal under round four of the Federal Government's Regional Development Australia Fund.
The application process for this round of funding proved very competitive, with all proposals scrutinised against eligibility, risk, viability and value-for-money criteria.
The Federal Government places tremendous importance on strong, sustainable regional towns and communities.
Further information on the Regional Development Australia Fund can be found at www.regional.gov.au