New Wilman Wadandi Highway eases slog to Perth, creating smoother access for Lower South West residents

Lower South West residents travelling to Perth will skip five sets of traffic lights and eight permanent speed zone changes via the new Bunbury bypass. Setting the map from Manjimup to Perth at 2.16pm on Friday showed taking Wilman Wadandi Highway (Bunbury Outer Ring Road) — which opened on December 16, 2024 — would save five minutes of drive time. Travellers are directed north on South Western Highway from Manjimup until Willinge Drive, where a third-exit roundabout turn diverts travellers onto the four-lane highway. When taking this route, Manjimup residents can reach Perth CBD without driving through a single set of traffic lights. Manjimup resident Kirsten Butler — who utilised the new highway on her recent trip to Perth — said she liked the new drive. “It’s so much better and easier,” she said. “Not needing to go through Bunbury is great — it flows rather than being bumper to bumper.” A Main Roads spokesperson said final roadworks — south of the Willinge Drive and Lillydale Road roundabout, and east of the Willinge Drive roundabout on the Wilman Wadandi Highway — would be completed by March. “Opening the highway before Christmas has benefited holiday travellers and the local community,” they said. “We appreciate their patience as we complete these final works.” Traffic signals on some legs of the Willinge Drive and South Western Highway roundabouts will operate during high demand to manage traffic flow once the final roadworks are completed.