The City of Geraldton-Greenough wishes to establish a sister city relationship with a Chinese city, to share unprecedented development opportunities in the Midwest region of Western Australia, and to support and facilitate cultural exchange.
The Mid West region of Western Australia is on an unprecedented growth path. Encompassing some 470,000 square kilometres, roughly the size of Sichuan Province of China, the Mid West Region has a strong and increasingly diverse economy built around mining, agriculture, tourism, fishing and generation of renewable energy.
Its mineral resource mining and export industry is growing very rapidly, with substantial investments in the development of iron ore mines by Chinese companies including Sinosteel, Ansteel and Asia Iron.
Strategic infrastructure in the City (400kms north of Perth) and surrounding areas supports the export trade on which the Mid West economy thrives. As the Region’s commercial, administrative and innovation centre, Geraldton already has a significant export Port, and has exceptional economic potential with the construction of new strategic infrastructure such as the Oakajee Deep Water Port and Industrial Estate, the Murchison Rail Link, major wind, solar and geo-thermal energy plants, and other dedicated investment. The region also offers potential for transformation of its agricultural hinterland, currently based on crops for food export, but with research already identifying major potential for oilseed crops for production of bio-fuels. Geraldton will soon be connected to Australia’s new national broadband network, enabling world class telecommunication with global markets.
Geraldton sits on the globally acclaimed Coral Coast of Western Australia, stretching from Exmouth and its stunning Ningaloo Reef to the north, south past Kalbarri and Geraldton to Jurine Bay, with the uniquely beautiful Abrolhos Islands offshore from Geraldton. The islands, famous for Rock Lobster and cultured Pearl production, but as yet not developed for international tourism, offer a unique wilderness environment for visitors. The Coral Coast offers many opportunities for tourism development.
The city’s population is expected to increase from 37,000 to between 80,000 and 100,000 inhabitants by 2020. Already a multi-cultural society, Geraldton boasts fine hospitals, a tertiary education campus, schools, and excellent business, social, cultural and sporting facilities.
Strong economic growth will yield investment opportunities in many areas as a result of the flow-on benefits from mining industry investments and the world class strategic infrastructure. Geraldton-Greenough seeks dialogue with Chinese partners to establish a formal sister city relationship, to share the climate of opportunities in the rapid growth of the Mid West region.
