RIO GETS THREE YEAR EXTENSION FOR FIFO VILLAGE

Courtesy Google Maps.

GEOFF VIVIAN

The City of Karratha is giving Rio Tinto three years to transition work camp populations at its Wickham accommodation village to a residential workforce.

At a meeting last night councillors voted to grant a three-year extension to the company’s ageing 302-bed facility located on the town’s main street.

Rio had asked for a five-year extension to the 15-year-old village which houses a third of Wickham’s population.

“Three years allows them to do the work that they want to do and sends a message that this is enough,” Mayor Peter Long said. “Eighteen years is plenty.”