Northam final stop on governor's four day road trip

Northam was the governor’s final stop on a four day road trip which saw her visit Gingin, New Norcia, Cunderdin, Corrigin, Wickepin and Wagin.

“It has been exciting seeing a broad perspective,” she said. 

Ms Sanderson has a connection to the Wheatbelt with her father being born in Kunjin, near Corrigin.

The trip has seen the governor visit hospitals, schools and volunteers.

One of her stops last Thursday included the new Wheatbelt Health Centre.

There, she met with centre staff and doctors, with a tour of the facilities then given.

“I think it’s a fantastic concept bringing everything together into one place,” she said.

“The better the interaction, the better the treatment.”

Ms Sanderson said she was excited for Northam given how well the town was served medically.

The WA governor also spent time at Burlong park, walking along the Avon River as part of her first official visit to the Wheatbelt.

Burlong Pool, one of many permanent Avon River Pools, just west of Northam, has been transformed over the past seven years with the help of at least six different organisations including Wheatbelt NRM, the Shire of Northam and the local Aboriginal community.

The governor spent time walking through the park next to the pool with some of the people who helped rehabilitate the site and congratulated them on their ability to work together.

Peter Weatherly, president of the Avon Valley Environmental Society helped instigate a clean up of the area.

“There has been a real awakening of the importance of this site as a decade ago it was just a dumping ground for rubbish, but now again it’s an important site for both the Aboriginal and broader Northam community,” Mr Weatherly said.

Northam’s Yvonne Kickett spent time with the WA Governor and spoke about some of the fish and turtles living in the river.

“I’m happy Her Excellency visited the site, as it gives recognition to the work that has been done here,” Ms Kickett said.