WA Seeks Bids to Expand Kwinana Bulk Jetty From 10 November; Western Trade Coast Supports 43,000 Jobs
Kwinana Bulk Jetty EOI opens 10 November, closes 23 December. The Western Trade Coast supports 43,000 jobs. Live Rockingham and Perth logistics ads on 7 Nov.
The WA Government will release an expression of interest on Tuesday 10 November 2026 for private firms to finance, build and run extra capacity at Kwinana Bulk Jetty, inside a precinct the state says supports about 43,000 jobs. The Western Trade Coast, which runs from Henderson to Rockingham, is WA's largest industrial area.
What is the Kwinana Bulk Jetty EOI?
The EOI is a market test, not a construction contract. The 6 November media statement from Ports Minister Stephen Dawson, Treasurer Rita Saffioti and State Development Minister David Michael says it will show government how much appetite and capability the market has to finance, develop and operate extra infrastructure at the jetty.
The statement says the jetty handles many of the fertiliser products that WA farmers depend on, plus industrial commodities imported for businesses across the state. It describes the goal as easing capacity constraints at the jetty and making supply chains at Kwinana Port more resilient.
The EOI will test a range of near-term solutions and delivery models. The government says any infrastructure that follows must align with the Westport program and support employment, investment and growth across the Western Trade Coast State Development Area.
In the statement, Mr Dawson said the jetty "is a critical piece of State infrastructure that supports the movement of commodities relied on by Western Australian businesses and communities every day."
How many jobs depend on the Western Trade Coast?
The government puts the figure at around 43,000 direct and indirect jobs, with the precinct contributing up to $20 billion a year to the state economy. Fremantle Ports quotes the same numbers on its Kwinana Bulk Terminal redevelopment page, and describes the precinct as stretching from Henderson to Rockingham.
These are existing jobs, not new ones. The EOI does not announce any new positions. What it does is signal where the next round of port construction and operating work in Perth's south could come from, if a private proposal is taken up after the EOI closes.
How does this fit with Westport and the Kwinana Bulk Terminal?
Kwinana Port already has a bigger project underway next door. Fremantle Ports says the Kwinana Bulk Terminal is nearing the end of its operational life and must be rebuilt and relocated to make room for the future Westport container terminal.
Fremantle Ports is responsible for the landside terminal and topside works on that project. Westport handles the marine infrastructure and the planning of the container terminal. Both are subject to approvals and final investment decisions. The terminal is WA's only import facility for clinker, the key ingredient in cement.
The jetty EOI builds on that redevelopment, which the government calls a critical enabling project for Westport. In the statement, Mr Michael said declaring the Western Trade Coast a State Development Area was "a critical enabler to identifying this opportunity".
What does it mean for Perth job seekers?
Nothing changes for workers until a proposal is chosen, and the EOI runs until 23 December. But the port precinct is where logistics, trades and engineering employers in Perth's south are concentrated, and our feed shows how thin direct hiring in those fields is right now.
On 7 November 2026, Jobs In Perth listed 22 live direct ads in Rockingham. South Metropolitan Health Service posted 9 of them. Of the 22, 14 were part time and 7 casual, with only 1 full-time role. Ten of the ads quoted an annual salary, with a median midpoint of about $99,000. Five close within the next week.
| Hub (Perth, direct ads) | Live ads 7 Nov | Most active employer | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Logistics and warehouse | 20 | Mineral Resources (5) | 15 of 20 full time |
| Truck driving | 8 | KTrans (4) | Includes MC drivers for bulk and container work |
| Engineering | 22 | Mineral Resources and Curtin University (4 each) | 5 quoted pay; median midpoint about $131,000 |
| Forklift | 1 | KTrans | Transport depot role in Welshpool |
The truck driving ads are the closest match to port work. KTrans is advertising MC driver roles for bulk operations and container haulage out of Perth and Welshpool. Only one of the 8 truck ads quoted pay, an hourly rate of $30 to $35 from Criterion Industries in Canning Vale.
Any construction work from the EOI is still at least a year of approvals away. Workers in civil, marine and plant trades should watch which companies respond after it closes on 23 December.
How we reported this
- EOI dates, purpose, the 43,000 jobs and $20 billion figures, and all quotes come from the WA Government media statement of 6 November 2026.
- Kwinana Bulk Terminal details, the Henderson to Rockingham extent of the precinct and the clinker import fact come from Fremantle Ports' redevelopment page, viewed 7 November 2026.
- Jobs In Perth figures are live direct-from-employer ads observed on 7 November 2026. Agency and aggregator ads are excluded. These are advertised vacancies, not people employed.
- Cover image: AI-generated illustration, not a photo of the event.
Sources
About this reporting
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