WHEN the first train rolled in to Yanchep station for the official opening on July 14, Julie Otremba was one of the Yanchep residents on board.
Earlier at Alkimos station Mrs Otremba, who was a member of the Yanchep rail extension reference group, along with her granddaughters Summer and Sierrah had watched a welcome to country by Barry Winmar.
Also among those lucky enough to be on the first train, which made a brief stop at Eglinton station, were Yanchep residents Lorraine Jackson, Paula Simmons and James and Kiki McCormack.
Although a light sprinkling of rain was falling when the train arrived in Yanchep a crowd of people were already there exploring the new station.
The Public Transport Authority (PTA) estimated between 8500 to 10,000 people attended the community fair held at the Yanchep station.
According to the PTA, on official opening day 1961 people boarded the train at the Yanchep station with 237 boarding at Eglinton station and 701 getting on the train at Alkimos station.
Transport Minister Rita Saffioti, who is also the deputy premier, said she was thrilled to see the Yanchep rail extension project reach completion.
“This extension will give more than 169,000 future Yanchep-Two Rocks residents another transport option to travel around Perth for work, study and recreation,’’ she said.
“It’s great to see how the public art in these state-of-the-art stations has come alive and created a great sense of place and identity for the area.”
The Metronet Yanchep rail extension was jointly funded by the Australian and Western Australian governments.
Back in September 2017 the then McGowan government said the Yanchep rail extension would cost about $521 million but this week Ms Saffioti confirmed the rail extension had cost $1.37 billion.
Labor has cited labour shortages as well as material and equipment price increases caused by Covid-19 and the invasion of Ukraine as reasons for the cost blowout.
On the weekend Opposition leader and Transport spokesman Shane Love criticised Labor’s focus on Metronet while “many families continued to struggle with housing and cost-of-living, and WA’s health system remained in chaos”.
WA Liberal leader Libby Mettam said the 14.5km Yanchep extension had cost WA taxpayers the equivalent of almost $460 million per station.
Butler MLA John Quigley said to be opening one of the biggest public transport projects the Yanchep community had ever seen in his final full year of service to the northern suburbs was the utmost privilege.”
Pearce MHR Tracey Roberts, who was involved in the city’s advocacy to extend the rail line to Yanchep when she was Wanneroo mayor, said it was a significant milestone for the community.
“The extension of the train line to Yanchep, with stations in Alkimos and Eglington will see an important connection to the metropolitan rail network, thanks to federal and state government funding,’’ she said.
“This highly anticipated Metronet rail extension will enable people who live in one of the fastest growing areas in Australia the opportunity to take a short journey from home to their local train station.
“Visitors will also be able to travel by train to see the beautiful local attractions.”
