The WA Government's decision to close two coal-fired power stations in Collie by the end of 2029 and instead plough billions of dollars into renewable energy and storage has caught local workers by surprise.

Third-generation coal miner Paul Moyses says the decision will change the whole fabric of the town but, more broadly, believes coal should co-exist with renewable energy sources, at least in the short term.

"Coal has been a reliable energy source for 100 years. We don't have blackouts in WA with coal as our energy source," he told Liam Bartlett on 6PR Mornings.

Collie Visitor Centre manager Janine Page says Collie has long been preparing for change but the town has always been optimistic, with a record 27,000 people stopping by the visitor centre in the past year.

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