Published 19 February 2026 | Parliament & Representation | Shire of Toodyay
Residents of the Shire of Toodyay — including Toodyay townsite, Morangup and surrounding rural localities — are represented at State level by Lachlan Hunter MLA, Member for Central Wheatbelt in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly.
The operation of his electorate office in Northam establishes a clearly accessible regional base for State-level representation within practical distance of Toodyay.
Office Opening
The Northam electorate office at 185 Fitzgerald Street was formally opened in November 2025. The opening was confirmed via official posts published on the Member for Central Wheatbelt’s public social media page at the time.
A subsequent update in early 2026 noted that both the Northam and Merredin electorate offices were operational and available to assist residents across the Central Wheatbelt electorate, including the Shire of Toodyay.
The Northam Electorate Office — Operational Significance
Central Wheatbelt is geographically extensive. Representation across dispersed rural communities depends heavily on physical accessibility and administrative presence.
The Northam electorate office provides a structured regional base for State engagement within practical reach of Toodyay residents. In geographically large electorates, office placement directly influences responsiveness and administrative continuity.
The Northam office provides:
- A permanent regional contact location
- Constituent appointment access
- Administrative liaison with State departments
- Formal casework escalation pathways
- Regional engagement within the Avon Valley corridor
For Toodyay residents, Northam already functions as a regional service hub for health, courts, education and policing. Locating the electorate office there aligns representation with established service infrastructure.
State Representation and Jurisdiction
The Shire of Toodyay governs local roads, local planning schemes and community facilities. However, many issues affecting residents originate within State legislation and State-controlled agencies.
Representation for Toodyay residents under Central Wheatbelt includes matters relating to:
- Main Roads WA highways and safety upgrades
- State planning frameworks and appeal processes
- Regional hospital and health service access
- Public education funding and regional schooling structures
- Emergency services policy and volunteer support systems
- Environmental and land management legislation
- Regional infrastructure funding allocations
Where authority sits under State Acts or State agencies, advocacy responsibility falls to the Member for Central Wheatbelt.
Political Context — Nationals WA
Lachlan Hunter represents Central Wheatbelt as a member of The Nationals WA. Public platform themes commonly associated with the party emphasise regional equity, agricultural sustainability, decentralised service delivery and infrastructure investment outside metropolitan Perth.
For Toodyay, this typically intersects with road durability, brigade resourcing, health access reliability and maintaining viable regional education pathways.
Electorate Contact Details
Electorate Office – Northam
185 Fitzgerald Street
Northam WA 6401
Phone: (08) 9622 2871
Email: Lachlan.Hunter@mp.wa.gov.au
Electorate offices assist with lodging representations, following up departmental matters, arranging meetings and escalating systemic issues affecting constituents.
Implications for Shire of Toodyay Residents
In large regional electorates, proximity directly affects responsiveness. A functioning Northam office reduces travel burden, shortens administrative pathways and provides a structured escalation point for State-level matters.
For residents of Toodyay and Morangup, State issues are directed to the Member for Central Wheatbelt through that office, while local government matters remain within the Shire’s authority.
Clear jurisdiction boundaries improve efficiency:
- Local matters — Shire of Toodyay.
- State matters — Member for Central Wheatbelt.