New WAPOU Premises

Over the past two years, WAPOU’s Executive and State Council have been exploring options to upgrade our Mount Lawley base.

Since becoming a Registered Training Organisation and with our membership growing, the need for larger, more modern premises has never been greater.

At WAPOU’s 2-Day Delegate Conference in 2019, delegates directed the  WAPOU Executive to place an offer on suitable premises in Belmont. Unfortunately, the vendor of that property proved to be rather difficult to deal with. The offer was not accepted and any hope of achieving an acceptable deal on that property was lost.

Since then, our search has failed to find an alternative established property in an appropriate location with the office and training spaces that WAPOU requires.

WAPOU State Council recently endorsed a subsequent proposal to build suitable premises on a recently acquired block of land in East Perth.

The proposed premises sit between the East Perth Train Station and the East Perth Power Station site with easy access to the Graham Farmer Freeway.

Proposed plans were presented to State Council last month for a three-storey building with parking on the lower level, offices on the second level, and training and meeting spaces on the third level.

Should the plans be approved by the local council, it is expected that WAPOU State Council will endorse a tender process for the construction of the new premises, with an aim to complete construction within the next two years.

The project will be largely funded by the future sale of the Mount Lawley premises and will see WAPOU’s future needs sorted for at least 20 years.