The City of Karratha is seeking public feedback on a proposal to develop the first two stages of the Mulataga housing estate.
Background
The City’s Cumulative Impact Plan, completed in partnership with the Pilbara Development Commission, identifies a significant shortfall in residential dwellings needed to meet the demands of a growing population driven by major industrial projects in the region. Currently, there is a shortfall of over 900 dwellings, with projections indicating this will grow to over 2,000 dwellings in the next five years.
The community has identified housing as a primary issue. Failure to provide housing aligned with economic development negatively impacts the community, leading to soaring living costs and making Karratha unaffordable and unliveable. In recent years, the City has taken steps to address this issue, including building properties on underutilised lands, providing subsidised housing for service workers, and collaborating with developers and State and Federal governments to enable new housing.
In August 2024, the City submitted an application to the Australian Government’s $500 million Housing Support Program Community Enabling Infrastructure Stream (HSP-CEI) to assist with delivering development-ready residential lots to the market in Mulataga. In January 2025, the City successfully secured $22.1 million in HSP-CEI funding to support the delivery of residential lots in Stage 1 of the Mulataga subdivision.
Proposal Details
The proposal involves the City of Karratha partnering with DevelopmentWA to deliver the first stages of the Mulataga subdivision, addressing urgent housing demand. In addition to the City’s contribution of the HSP-CEI funding for Stage 1, DevelopmentWA will also contribute a significant sum to concurrently deliver Stage 2.
Stages 1 and 2 will provide over 130 lots, along with landscaped public open spaces, drainage, and fencing. The project also includes land allocations for social housing and Traditional Owners, as required by government policy and existing agreements.
DevelopmentWA will handle the planning and delivery of the subdivision works, while the City will manage the allocation and reporting of the HSP grant funding. This project aims to supply much-needed vacant land to support ongoing housing development and accommodate Karratha’s growing population. Additionally, it will deliver a new public park and enhanced community amenities.
Next Steps
The City has released a business plan for public consultation and will consider submissions at the June 2025 Council meeting.
Concurrently, the City and DevelopmentWA are finalising a Development and Project Management Agreement and the HSP-CEI Funding Agreement to govern delivery of the project.
Construction is expected to begin in the second half of 2025 and be completed by the end of 2026.
How to Provide Feedback
We invite residents and stakeholders to review the draft business plan and provide their feedback. The Business Plan is available for public inspection at the City’s offices and for viewing by accessing the document named 'Mulataga Business Plan' in the Document Library.
Submissions can be made using the form below until 5pm, 12 June 2025 and all feedback will be considered by the Council before making a final decision.
Why Your Feedback Matters
Your input is crucial in ensuring that the proposed development meets the needs of our community. By participating in this consultation process, you help shape the future of housing in our community.
