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  1. Climate ChangePremiumUpper house lock in Collie’s coal mine extension

  2. TOP 10 PremiumBunbury teenager continues to see success on Australian Idol

  3. WINEPremiumSouth West winery celebrates 40 years of community produce

  4. Regional WAPremiumWA servo asks customers for keys to prevent drive offs

  5. Scathing ReportPremiumBusselton city appeals Smith Beach resort approval

The driver of the red Toyota LandCruiser drove the wrong way on Margaret River's main street, narrowly missing onlookers.

RECKLESS DRIVINGPremiumMan charged after reckless driving spree in the South West

A 31-year-old man has been charged with a number of serious offences after a reckless driving spree in the South West – including allegedly tailgating another vehicle causing it to hit a tree. 

Madelin Hayes

Alishia Newling and Keely Smartt at the 2026 Busselton Senior High School ball.

IN PICTURES Year 12 students in Busselton gathered for their school ball

Year 12 students at Busselton Senior High School arrived in style at the Hilton Garden Inn as the kicked off their final year with their annual school ball celebrations. 

Rose Patane

Top: Waroona shire president Mike Walmsley, Capel shire president John Fergusson and City of Bunbury mayor Jaysen Miguel. Bottom: Bridgetown-Greenbushes shire president Stephen Carstairs, Nannup shire president Tony Dean and Manjimup shire president Donelle Buegge.

SHIRE MERGERSPremiumSouth West shires cautious to consider amalgamations

A number of shire and city leaders have voiced their opinion on whether future shire amalgamations are on the cards, with varying results. 

Will Corbett

Connor Wright celebrating as he crosses the finish line during stage three of the Tour of Tasmania.

CyclingPremiumLocal cycling wizard earns development team selection

After an outstanding summer on the bike local Connor Wright has earned selection for the AusCycling 2026 Under-19 European road development project.

Jack Penniment

528 patients were retrieved by the RFDS in the South West region in 2025.

ROYAL FLYING DOCTOR New report shares data on Royal Flying Doctor Service

A new independent report has found the Royal Flying Doctor Service is delivering double its value of funding invested, with the South West seeing an increase in patients retried in a 12-month period. 

Rose Patane

Shire of Capel has appointed a new chief executive officer, Samantha Chamberlain

Local government PremiumSamantha Chamberlain Capel’s new CEO

The Shire of Capel has a new chief executive running the region, with former Director of Community and Corporate Services Samantha Chamberlain taking on the role. 

Craig Duncan

Lyn Nixon’s artwork Pernicious.

EXHIBITIONPremiumPremiumBRAG to showcase South West artists in the new exhibition

Bunbury Regional Art Gallery will host artworks by 26 South West artists from March 21 for South West Biennial 2026.

Shire of Dardanup councillor Ruby Trevathan and senior ranger Paul Sydney-Smith, on-site at the new 24-hour caravan and RV stopover at Ferguson Hall.

NEW TRIAL New trial for 24 hour stop over bay

The Shire of Dardanup will be launching a three-month trial aiming to provide those traveling through the region a new spot to stop and rest. 

Queen and king of the ball Shae Barnett and Beau Falloon at the 2026 Australind Senior High School ball.

STARRY NIGHT PremiumPremiumAustralind Senior High School hosts annual ball

It was all glitz and glamour as students from Australind Senior High School it the red carpet at the weekend for their Year 12 school ball

Bunbury’s Nicola ‘Nick’ Bucchino died on December 9. 2025.

Local LegendPremiumNicola ‘Nick’ Bucchino remembered for his ‘heart of gold’

A titan of the Bunbury community, Nicola ‘Nick’ Bucchino, has been remembered as a loving husband, son and father with a heart of gold.

Craig Duncan

Connor Wright celebrating as he crosses the finish line during stage three of the Tour of Tasmania.

CyclingPremiumLocal cycling wizard earns development team selection

After an outstanding summer on the bike local Connor Wright has earned selection for the AusCycling 2026 Under-19 European road development project.

Jack Penniment

Subscriber Exclusive

Former NBL1 West basketball player Roosevelt Aaron Williams Jnr has been jailed for sexual assault.

CourtPremium‘Sexual piece of meat’: WA basketballer admits raping friend

Vile text messages a NBL1 basketballer sent to his mates after raping a female friend have been aired in court as he’s jailed for the horrific crime. WARNING: DISTRESSING DETAILS

Hannah Cross

Dramatic images captured the bloodied aftermath of a light plane crash in Broome, showing a person being airlifted from the wreckage by a rescue helicopter and blood smeared across a wing. 

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
WA newsCommentsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
Bloodied photos taken moments after Broome plane crash

A man who escaped the wreckage managed to pose for a photo on the wing as blood was dripping from his head. 

Caleb Runciman, Cain Andrews and Simone Grogan

Brodie Jake Dewar is accused of attacking the respected Labor strategist outside the Paramount nightclub in Northbridge about 5.30am on December 27.

Court & JusticeVideoPremiumTim Picton’s accused killer allegedly breaches strict bail

The 20-year-old man charged with fatally coward-punching Tim Picton has allegedly breached his strict bail conditions, prompting prosecutors to call for his return to custody.

Rebecca Le May

The RAC Rescue helicopter was sent to a road crash in Beaufort River to airlift one woman, while the other died at the scene.

updated
updated
fatal crashCommentsPremium
updated
Crash kills woman, second being airlifted to Perth

A woman has died after a serious car crash on Albany Highway in Beaufort River, with a second woman flown to Perth with critical injuries. 

Jacki Elezovich

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In Case You Missed It

US actor and martial artist Chuck Norris has died aged 86, his family has confirmed. (EPA PHOTO)

EntertainmentHollywood action star Chuck Norris dies suddenly

US action ‌star Chuck Norris ‌has died at the age of 86, ‌his family has announced in a social media post.

Staff Writers

Donald Trump says the US is considering winding down its military efforts in the Middle East

Middle EastVideoCommentsTrump says US ‘very close’ to ending war with Iran

Donald Trump says the US is considering winding down its military efforts in the Middle East, saying his country’s objectives against Iran were ’very close’ to being met.

David Johns

The Rats of Tobruk dig in.

Untold History CommentsPremiumCommentsPremiumRats of Tobruk fighting spirit was Diggers at their best

Hemmed into an impossibly hot, dry, dusty and dangerous slice of north Africa in World War II, the Diggers faced seemingly insurmountable odds.

Domain data shows Perth recorded the highest proportion of profit-making house resales nationally — 99.5 per cent — and second-highest for units behind Brisbane at 96.8 per cent.

PropertyCommentsPremiumCommentsPremiumWA suburbs where house sellers are raking in biggest profit

Almost every property sale in Perth earned the owner a profit, according to new research.

Survivors perched on the plane's wing while the awaited rescue crews.

WA NewsVideoCommentsPremiumCommentsPremiumWATCH: Helicopter rescues Broome plane crash victims

Footage has emerged of the rescue effort involved in winching the victims of the Broome plane crash to safety.

Regional News

Kalgoorlie Courthouse.

Courts & Justice PremiumDV-accused to be electronically monitored on bail

A Kalgoorlie-Boulder man who unsuccessfully sought to have the court closed when he appeared on domestic violence charges has been released on bail but will be electronically monitored. 

Tegan Guthrie and Isabella Davis

Psychology student Kalie Ashenden with occupational therapy students Amy Donaldson and Phoebe Gaudoin.

Occupational therapyPremiumOT students sing praises of Full Circle Therapies

Occupational therapy students completing practical work placements in Kalgoorlie-Boulder say working at Full Circle Therapies is “the most incredible experience”.

Isabella Davis

Social work students Jaden Delaney, Radha Sivasankaran and Myfy Walster-Jones

Social workPremiumPerth social work students get experience in Kalgoorlie

A group of Perth-based social work students are learning what it’s like to work in regional health as part of a Curtin University placement program in Kalgoorlie-Boulder.

Isabella Davis

Rosie Henderson will open her first solo exhibition, Tune In, at the Cannery Arts Centre in Esperance.

Solo exhibition PremiumPremiumEsperance artist to open first solo exhibition

A multidisciplinary artist is preparing to open her first ever solo exhibition, inspired largely by nature in her hometown of Esperance.

City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder chief executive Andrew Brien.

Contract extended PremiumPremiumActing CEO extended as CEO remains ‘unable to return’

Council extends the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder’s acting chief executive’s contract by four months, with substantive chief Andrew Brien indicating he is unable to return to work before April 6, at the earliest. 

Peter Young addresses the Harmony Week crowd in St Barbara’s Square on Thursday night.

Harmony WeekCultural song and dance in St Barbara’s Square

A vibrant display of culture and community transformed St Barbara’s Square on Thursday night as part of the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder’s Harmony Week celebrations.

News Flash

More Stories

Rising oil prices are lighting a price fire under local petrol prices.

EnergyCommentsPremium$US166 a barrel? Middle East clue on where oil is heading

Traders are looking at Dubai’s price as potential harbinger of what could be ahead for other crude benchmarks if the situation doesn’t improve.

Alex Harring

People look at collectable designer art toy Labubu at a Pop Mart pop-up store in Siam Center shopping mall in Bangkok on May 6, 2025. (Photo by Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP)

CNBC newsPremiumLabubu movie on the way as Pop Mart expands toy franchise

Collectible toy maker and IP powerhouse Pop Mart is teaming up with Sony Pictures to bring its wildly popular Labubu doll to movie theatres. 

Justin Solomon

A cargo ship sails in the Arabian Gulf towards Strait of Hormuz in United Arab Emirates.

CNBC newsCommentsPremiumWho’s moving through Hormuz and who’s still stranded?

Iran’s de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has stoked fears of the gravest disruption to global oil supply in history, as the Middle East conflict stretches into its third week.

Anniek Bao

A general view of the Port of Kharg Island Oil Terminal, 25 km from the Iranian coast in the Persian Gulf.

CNBC newsPremiumOil’s war-driven volatility pulls in record retail money

The Iran war news flow-driven oil moves are drawing retail investors into the world’s most traded commodity, further fuelling volatility.

Lee Ying Shan

WA News

Designs for the proposed AI data centre in Hazelmare.

WA NewsCommentsPremiumResidents rage over data centre planned next to Perth school

Residents of a quiet pocket in Perth’s north-east are up in arms as the local council considers plans for a three-storey data centre next to a school.

Fraser Williams

Jennifer Turner, is worried about the exposure to secondhand smoke and vape drift in apartments. Sandra Jackson

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
Public HealthCommentsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
‘Serious risk’: Pressure mounts on stalled strata smoke laws

The second phase of a review into WA’s strata laws is overdue by at least eight months, with Cancer Council WA warning that delays were putting the community’s health at risk. 

Claire Sadler

Energy Minister Amber Jade-Sanderson has directed government agencies to purchase power from emerging windfarms.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
State PoliticsCommentsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
CommentsPremiumWA signs wind farm deals in major step to ditch coal by 2030

The State Government has signed contracts to buy future energy supplies from emerging windfarms, in a major step towards exiting coal and powering WA with renewables and gas.

Fuel prices in Perth on Saturday 21st March. Caltex on Lynwood Avenue, Lynwood Stuart Quinn

analysis
analysis
Bowser painCommentsPremium
analysis
CommentsPremiumRecord fuel prices in Perth likely to be smashed again

Petrol and diesel prices in WA have smashed historic records, FuelWatch data confirms. 

Convicted domestic violence offender Rory Vassallo has sensationally stood aside from an executive role of a WAFL club, just 72 hours after he was appointed.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
WAFLPremium
The West Australian exclusive
PremiumConvicted DV offender stands aside as WAFL club patron

A convicted domestic violence offender has sensationally stood aside from an executive role of a WAFL club, just 72 hours after he was appointed. 

Port to pub event. Pictured - Team of 10 Champions Subiaco Sport Steam

Big swimCommentsPort to Pub swim draws 4000 people in stunning conditions

‘Everyone has said they’ve been able to see the bottom of the ocean the whole way —the water has been so clear,’ race boss said. 

Caleb Runciman