My name is Tenille and I am a resident of Howatharra in Chapman Valley, along with my partner and our 8 year old son. We have lived on our beautiful property for three years now, which we bought for the peace and quiet, away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Not three weeks after we had moved in we received a letter from Main Roads stating their intentions on building a new highway between Dongara and Northampton. There were different options you could vote on, but the one Main Roads supports is to build a whole brand new highway right through the middle of my property. This would also go straight through a nature reserve and very close to others. We also have the rare and endangered Black Carnaby Cockatoo frequent our area foraging for food, what will happen to them if we take more of their land? I did not buy my property to then have to sit on my front porch and watch and listen to trucks and cars pass by, I'd have stayed in Geraldton if I wanted that. Yes I believe we need to get the trucks and heavy vehicles out of Geraldton and Northampton, but why spend all that extra money building a new highway went there is one already there that can be expanded on!

As a concerned community we have formed a group called the Chapman Valley Highway Opposition Group. But don't let the name stop you, we welcome all affected communities to join us: Northampton, Dongara and Geraldton. Did you know that if they build a new highway the old existing one gets "gifted" to the relevant shires. And what does this mean? Rates go up to cover the maintenance and upkeep of the old road. Who needs to be paying more rates?!

We have a community meeting Wednesday 22nd August at the Nabawa Hall at 6pm and we welcome everyone to join us! We have petitions circulating the area and will be at both the Chapman Valley and Northampton Shows to answer any of your questions. For more info, & a list of petition locations & info on what you can do to help, you can email cvhighwayoppositiongroup@gmail.com, find us on Facebook - Chapman Valley Highway Opposition Group, or our website is https://cvhighway.wixsite.com/oppositiongroup

Tenille Webb
Chapman Valley Highway Opposition Group
0409 372 774