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Town boasts growth amid pandemic

Catherine MasseyBusselton Dunsborough Times
A highly regarded shopping precinct and growing business park have finally put Vasse — a town once considered to be in the middle of nowhere — on the map.
Camera IconA highly regarded shopping precinct and growing business park have finally put Vasse — a town once considered to be in the middle of nowhere — on the map.

While many towns have felt the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic over the past 10 months, Vasse has experienced record growth.

With drastic increases in traffic, land sales, visitors and retail, Vasse has become a highly sought-after Capes spot.

Hanson Property Group director Zara Newman said the fast-growing town was an attractive option for visitors because of its central location.

“This includes tourists travelling into the region, but also locals from Cowaramup, Dunsborough, Margaret River and Busselton,” she said.

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“This expansive local trade catchment is a strong foundation for retailers looking to establish or grow their business.”

A highly regarded shopping precinct and growing business park have finally put Vasse — a town once considered to be in the middle of nowhere — on the map.

Testament to this is the 5000 cars passing through the newly established Vasse Village precinct every day.

In December, a 10 per cent increase in traffic was recorded compared with the same period in 2019, further highlighting the town’s growing number of visitors.

Ms Newman said Vasse had been “recognised as an advanced satellite development” area expected to greatly complement CBDs in Busselton and Dunsborough.

She said further variety in food, retail and professional services for locals and the region was an attractive point of the town.

“Vasse Village is a vibrant hub,” Ms Newman said.

“Its tree-lined main streets, feature arcade, numerous public artworks, historical walking trail, ample parking, growing events calendar, (and) number of established and highly regarded businesses ... create a great shopping experience that drives visitation.”

Vasse Village’s Larissa Boyanich said the great community vibe and convenience was an attractive point of the growing town.

“We have around 30 specialty stores in the Village, and it continues to expand, with more retailers due to open in the first half of this year, including a new car and dog wash,” she said.

Interest in building homes in Vasse has also grown over the past year, with a 245 per cent increase in land sales year-on-year in 2020.

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