An artist’s impression of the proposed oat-processing facility. Source: Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale

SWAN Milling P&E is progressing plans to construct an oat-processing facility at Oakford in Perth’s southern suburbs.

The proposal aims to build a facility for cleaning, drying, storing, and transporting oats to supply food manufacturers making a range of products.

Application documents lodged with the Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale indicate the facility will have the capacity to receive about 420 tonnes of raw oats per day from Monday to Saturday, with limited receivals on Sunday.

The development includes infrastructure to unload and store raw oats, machines to remove chaff and weed seeds, impact-hulling machines to strip the outer shell, and a drying system using steam-heated pipes.

Documents argue the project would be beneficial to the economy in the local region as a source of new employment and could enable “‘value add’ ancillary businesses to establish in the Shire”.

“The proposal is for a facility that supports primary production and by association the local community,” the application documents said.

The project appears to be the brainchild of Jonathon Morton, who is listed as director and secretary of Swan Milling P&E Pty Ltd in ASIC filings.

Mr Morton was the owner of Morton Seed and Grain which sold to Unigrain, now known as Essantis, in November 2014.

Operating in WA since 1990, the business included oat mills at Wagin and Bibra Lake, as well as a pellet mill co-located with the oat facility at Wagin.

As part of the transaction, Morton’s retained its site and activities at Hope Valley, which included processing and trading grains, pulses, oilseeds and other agricultural products.

Now known as Morton Nutrition, the Hope Valley site is now owned by Demeter Grains, a WA-based grain handling and exporting company.

Other shareholders in SWAN Milling P&E Pty Ltd include Swan Milling Investments Pty Ltd, an entity owned by retired representative rugby union player Dane Haylett-Perry.

Public consultation on the project plans closes tomorrow, with the proposal then set to go before the WA Development Assessment Panel for a final determination.

Australia is forecast to produce about 1.2 million tonnes of oats in 2024-25, according to ABARES December Crop report.

WA is by far the largest producer at an estimated 600,000t, followed by New South Wales at 310,000t.

According to the Grain Industry Association of WA’s December 2024 crop report, about 335,000t of WA’s 2024025 oats have been grown in the Kwinana Port Zone, which includes Perth.

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