Published on Thursday, 25 September 2025 at 12:00:00 PM
On Thursday 4 September 2025, the Shire of Merredin was proud to welcome His Excellency the Honourable Chris Dawson AC APM, Governor of Western Australia, and Mrs Darrilyn Dawson, wife of the Governor. This visit to our regional town is testament to the Governor’s investment in the regions.
The Governor and Mrs Dawson’s visit started with a tour of our historic Water Tower in Pioneer Park, which is in the last stages of an important restoration process and marks the final step in the revitalisation of our CBD. During the climb up our iconic landmark, Shire of Merredin Executive Manager of Infrastructure Services Brian Wall, Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Codi Brindley-Mullen, and Deputy President Renee Manning, explained the recent works and the significance of this landmark to our community. The tour continued through Merredin’s Town Centre to explore the rest of our spectacular $10.5 million redevelopment.
The tour concluded with a gathering in the Tivoli Room of our historical Cummins Theatre, an event bringing together representatives from some of the community groups vital to the fabric of our region. Acting CEO Codi Brindley-Mullen welcomed everyone, then the Governor spoke of his appreciation for the ongoing efforts of volunteer emergency services and the important contributions of regional towns. Mrs Dawson also connected with guests by sharing her background of growing up in a regional town.
Shire President Donna Crook then addressed everyone, updating the Governor and Mrs Dawson on some of Merredin’s recent achievements, such as our finalist placing in the Small Tourism Town Awards and 4-star rating in the Wildflower Excellence Rating Scheme. The Shire President also touched on significant infrastructure updates, including our Battery Energy Storage System and CBH port access upgrades.
Formalities were followed by an afternoon tea to honour the Governor and Mrs Dawson, providing a unique opportunity for Shire Councillors, executive staff and local emergency services to meet our esteemed guests. It was a pleasure to witness the shared enthusiasm for the Wheatbelt and celebration of life in regional towns.
The Shire of Merredin would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the Governor and Mrs Dawson for their generous visit to our town and ongoing advocacy for regional Western Australia.
Back to All News