Oakajee Port is a proposed deep water port to be built in the Mid West region of Western Australia, north of Geraldton, to service the region's growing iron ore industry.
History Between 1879 and 1957, Oakagee was a siding and locality on the Northampton railway line. The site was first considered as a port and railway terminus in the 1980s.
Opposition to the project from local residents centred on environmental concerns, especially in relation to nearby Coronation Beach. Coronation Beach between Drummond Cove and Horrocks see page 69
Advocacy for the project was from a partnership known as Geraldton Iron Ore Alliance, which included miners Mount Gibson Iron, Midwest Corporation, Murchison Metals, Gindalbie Metals, Golden West Resources, Royal Resources, Asia Iron Holdings and Atlas Iron.
An alternative project considered by the government was to deepen and enlarge the existing Geraldton Port. However, environmental factors associated with the proposal being relatively close to Geraldton militated against it.
Including an associated rail project, the project was estimated to cost about $4 billion. The port was to have an initial capacity of 45 million tonnes of iron ore annually. Construction was expected to start in 2011, with completion possible by 2014.
In 2012, media speculation about cancellation of the project increased with announcements of delays and cutbacks.
Despite increasing speculation in 2012 that the project would be cancelled following delays and cost-cutting measures, Premier Colin Barnett maintained that the Western Australian government would continue working with the project proponents and other interested parties to advance the project.
In June 2013, Mitsubishi Corporation announced that work was to be suspended until an investment partner could be found. the project was mothballed.
In November 2019, Sinosteel purchased Mitsubishi's shareholding.Sinsoteel acquires stake in Oakajee Port and Railway Project in Western Australia Shanghai Metals Market 3 January 2020 In January 2022, Fortescue announced it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Sinosteel to investigate the feasibility of reviving the project.Fortescue looks at Sinosteel's Midwest and Oakajee projects Mining Weekly 21 January 2022Fortsecue Metals Group joins pursuit of Oakajee mine and port vision The West Australian 21 January 2022
Location The port and facilities were to be constructed within approximately of land owned by the state government. The property had been used as farmland but was zoned for heavy industrial and zoned for support industries.
It is bordered approximately by the Buller River to the south, Coronation Beach Road to the north, and the Moresby Ranges to the east. Railway The port was intended to be served by a 570 kilometre standard gauge railway line. To facilitate this Brookfield Rail rebuilt part of the existing narrow gauge line with dual gauge sleepers.Brookfield Rail transforming MidWest rail infrastructure Rail Express 27 June 2012Mixed fortunes for Western Australian rail projects International Railway Journal 16 November 2012
References
External links Oakajee Port & Rail