Freight fears for Rockingham heritage cottage

A State Government push to extend the Kwinana freight railway could have disastrous effects for a heritage-listed building, according to Rockingham Museum curator Wendy Durant.

Mrs Durant said she was concerned vibrations caused by heavy haulage trains could destabilise the delicate Ellendale House, also known as Day Cottage, which lies right on the boundary of the proposed rail extension.

Built in 1857 by pioneer Jabez White, Mrs Durant said the cottage was later owned by William Day, who went on to marry Susan Hymus and raise 14 children there.

She said she was shocked to find the Department of Transport project planned to extend the Kwinana Rail Loop into Rockingham.

"The extension will cut across Mandurah Road and onto Dixon Road," Mrs Durant said.

"The vibrations will wreck the property; there will be dust and other pollution."

Rockingham Mayor Barry Sammels said the City was opposed to the Western Australian Planning Commission bid to rezone parts of two lots at Mandurah Road and lot 150 Dixon Road for the railway extension.

Cr Sammels said the former railway reservation, which was earmarked for rail in the early 1960s, was dropped from the metropolitan region scheme in the 1990s because it was deemed no longer required for future rail use.

He said the City's major concern was the proposed railway would bisect conservation parkland which separated houses from industry, designed as a community parkland buffer.

"The basis of this proposal has not been adequately communicated to the city or the community," Cr Sammels said.

Department of Transport executive director for integrated transport planning Stephen Beyer said freight railways accessing the Kwinana Industrial Area would potentially have capacity problems within the next 20 years.

He said the department would undertake traffic modelling, design work and analysis to define the rail corridor.

Submissions can be made to WAPC until Friday, January 29.

Forms are available at Rockingham Museum.