Our hearts go out to all those affected by the COVID-19 Coronavirus around the world. For the latest information and advice from the Western Australian Government please get this information direct from here.
For our valued visitors to the Wheatbelt Way we ask that you postpone any non-essential travel to our region and we have prepared the following information to share with you what COVID-19 may means at present:
- Non-essential travel between WA regions will be restricted from midnight on Tuesday 31 March 2020. Western Australians will not be permitted to leave their regional boundary of the Perth-Peel, Kimberly, Pilbara, Gascoyne, Mid-West, Goldfields-Esperance, Wheatbelt, Great Southern and South West. (Exemptions apply).
- The age profile of most of our communities are elderly who are most vulnerable to the impacts of COVID-19. We are on a double edged sword, being rural communities it may take longer for the virus to get here, but once its here it will be harder to treat due the small size of our communities and the lack of/limited healthcare services. The safety and well being of our community members is our priority for the foreseeable future. If it is possible to defer your trip, we would greatly appreciate that you come and visit another time once this situation passes.
- Our communities have identified the high traffic areas in the communities and are implementing the recommended hygiene and cleaning practices to keep everyone safe, but as this pandemic situation changes some services and facilities may be limited or may close and not be available in our communities.
- Panic buying – whilst not as intense as Perth – has spread to and impacted the region and our local shops ability to access products. There may be limits on items or items not available and obviously we want to make sure that our local community members have access to these items first.
- Most events across the Wheatbelt Way have been suspended, postponed or cancelled. The Wheatbelt Way Events page has the current status of each event and can be viewed here.
- Many accommodation as of the 23 March 2020 is currently temporarily closed including Shire of Trayning Caravan Park, Shire of Mukinbudin Caravan Park, Shire of Westonia Caravan Park and Watson’s Way Country Stay, Bencubbin Caravan Park and Beacon Caravan Park. Also some local governments have closed their free campsites, including Marshall Rock, Lake McDermott, Elachbutting Rock and Baladjie Rock. We will keep you advised of this via the Wheatbelt Way website.
We ask that if you are coming to the Wheatbelt Way during this time that you are informed, prepared and are considerate of the needs of our communities in these challenging and uncertain times.
For the time being we have made the decision to pause our marketing of the Wheatbelt Way to visitors and when the time is right we will reboot and encourage West Australians to holiday in WA and come to the Wheatbelt Way and support local our local communities as it deals with the impacts of the coronavirus outbreak – where the locals will warmly welcome you (instead of social distancing)!
