The Cumulative Impact Model (CIM) provides a long-term forecast of how major projects may influence population growth, workforce requirements, housing demand, infrastructure needs, services, utilities, and the local economy within the City of Karratha.
Developed in partnership with REMPLAN, the updated CIM uses the City’s major project pipeline and economic data to assess potential growth impacts from 2025 to 2046. The model evaluates how different levels of project delivery may affect the region under various growth scenarios, helping inform strategic planning and investment decisions.
The CIM considers the combined impacts of major projects across two key phases:
- Construction phase – workforce requirements, FIFO demand, temporary accommodation needs and short-term economic impacts.
- Operational phase – ongoing workforce requirements, residential population growth, housing demand, service needs and long-term economic contributions.
The model forecasts impacts across key areas including:
- Population growth – projected resident population changes resulting from additional residential workers and their families.
- Workforce requirements – direct workforce demand associated with major projects, including residential and FIFO workforce requirements.
- Housing and accommodation – demand for permanent dwellings, workforce accommodation camps and short-stay accommodation.
- Community services – projected requirements for health, education, safety and emergency service professionals.
- Utilities and infrastructure – additional demand for water, electricity and household waste services.
- Economic impacts – potential employment, economic output and value-added contributions generated through major project activity.
The CIM incorporates the City’s known project pipeline, comprising 36 major projects with a combined capital value of approximately $89.9 billion (based on information available as of June 2026). Projects are assessed based on their likelihood of proceeding, allowing the model to provide realistic growth scenarios rather than assuming all identified projects will be delivered.
By understanding potential future pressures and opportunities, the CIM supports evidence-based decision making and helps identify the housing, infrastructure and service requirements needed to support sustainable growth in Karratha.
Explore the full Cumulative Impact Model, including methodology, assumptions and forecast results, below:
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