The Shire of Shark Bay will form a local committee to help develop celebration plans for the 400-year anniversary of the landing on Dirk Hartog Island.

The anniversary will fall in October 2016 and has been identified as an important event for the region.

The Western Australian Government previously contracted the state director of national commemorative events, Richard Muirhead, to develop anniversary plans.

CEO Paul Anderson says a local committee will also be formed to ensure the community has a say.

“We are opening it up to expressions of interest from people, we have a few councillors on there, people from the tourist committee and … local interested community citizens,” he said.

“Mainly focusing with the local committee on what we can do here in Denham to make it a great event and provide for the economic sustainability of anything we do to make sure it benefits the town and the community long-term.”