Home
Search
thewest.com.au
CountrymanChevron Right Icon

Countryman News

The CWA conference had 200 members gather from across the State.

Annual conference PremiumCWA State Conference brings together WA’s regional women

The Country Women’s Association of WA State Conference held this year in Albany, brought fond memories of years gone by and a taste of the future for members. 

Jacki Elezovich

Trees infested with polyphagous shot-hole borer are destroyed at Hyde Park in Perth. Inset: WA Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis.

INVASIVE PESTCommentsPremiumREVEALED: How much Governments spent on shot-hole borer

The State and Federal Governments spent $57 million inspecting 2.9 million trees and trying to eradicate polyphagous shot-hole borer from the Perth metropolitan area.

Cally Dupe & Harriet Flinn

The Port of Albany has been allocated $11 million in the State Budget for the design and redevelopment of the ageing Berth 1 and Berth 2. Inset: Southern Ports chief executive Keith Wilks.

Port plansPort of Albany upgrades years away despite Budget funding

Bigger grain ships could one day berth at the Port of Albany, but it will take “several years” and more than $10 million in planning before the project breaks ground.

Georgia Campion

Melissa 'Millie' Milligan, Louise O'Neill, Debra Pearce, Ellen Smith, Fleur Thompson, Elizabeth Brennan, and Naomi Evans.

Celebrating Regional WomenPremiumRRR Network gearing up to celebrate 30th anniversary in 2026

The Rural, Regional, Remote Women’s Network of West Australia is gearing up to mark its 30th anniversary of championing rural, regional, and remote women across the state in 2026.

Georgia Campion

Hayden Ballantyne

MEATY ROLEPremiumFormer Fremantle forward Hayden Ballantyne joins AWN

Former Fremantle Dockers forward Hayden Ballantyne as a new role on the agricultural field after taking up a role as a cattle agent at Australian Wool Network. 

Cally Dupe

WA Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis (inset top) and Federal live sheep export transition advocate Dr Chris Rodwell (inset bottom) are set to meet to discuss the live sheep export ban.

Sheep meetingDr Chris Rodwell and Jackie Jarvis to meet on live sheep ban

WA Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis is set to meet the Federally-appointed live sheep export ban transition advocate this week after accusations the State Government had “walked away” from the industry.

Georgia Campion

GEN Ethan Stirrat who has started a new charity, Hurt to Help. He has organised a major charity run in the Wheatbelt. Iain Gillespie

WA YOUNG ACHIEVER AWARDSPremiumWA Young Achiever Awards: Hurt 2 Help’s Ethan Stirrat wins

The hyperlocal nature of Wheatbelt-founded charity Hurt to Help has resonated with thousands of people across WA. 

Cally Dupe

Treasurer Rita Saffioti speaking at the state budget lockup at Dumas House on Thursday afternoon.

Diabolical HighwayPremiumGS farmers frustrated with half of promised highway funds

Great Southern farmers are frustrated the full $50 million promised prior to the State Election to upgrade nearly 12kms of the “death sentence”  that is South Coast Highway was not released at the State Budget.

Georgia Campion

WA Agricultural Research Collaboration director Kelly Pearce (inset). Main: Polyphagous shot-hole borer.

UP FOR THE FIGHTPremiumPolyphagous shot-hole borer: Researchers up for the fight

WA Agricultural Research Collaboration director Kelly Pearce says the organisation is up for the challenge after investing in projects to stop polyphagous shot-hole borer from spreading into farming areas. 

Cally Dupe

WA sheep producers’ confidence has grown despite a wariness of growing their flocks.

Sheep resilienceWA sheep producers’ confidence grows despite growth wariness

WA sheep farmers’ confidence is improving on the back of high sheep prices, but many are still wary about building their flocks.

Georgia Campion

New CWA honorary life members Lesley McNee and Ellie Eaton.

top honoursPremiumCWA of WA awards night spotlights members’ dedication

The Country Women’s Association of WA honoured some of its hardest-working members last week at its annual State Conference at the Albany Entertainment Centre, with two people receiving life membership. 

Jacki Elezovich

Red Meat Advisory Council independent chair John McKillop described the industry’s 2030 goal of reaching carbon neutral as “unachievable”, but said the industry remained committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions intensity.

Meat CarbonPremiumRed Meat Advisory Council drops 2030 carbon neutral goal

The red meat industry has abandoned its goal of achieving a carbon neutral status by 2030, with Red Meat Advisory Council independent chair John McKillop describing the target as “unachievable”. 

Georgia Campion

Rabobank state manager for Western Australia Steve Kelly.

Business transition planningPremiumRabobank brings succession planning to the Wheatbelt

WA Wheatbelt-based primary producers are invited to develop family farm succession and business transition skills at three venues in August.

Bob Garnant

Kathy Nelson, Robynne Mummery, Judy Hawter, Ros Price, and Lozz Williams at the dinner.

Conference smiles PremiumIN PICTURES: Hundreds enjoy CWA State Conference dinner

The Country Women’s Association of WA held their annual State Conference in Albany this week, with more than 200 members attending from a range of branches.

Jacki Elezovich

Police are investigating a crash on Great Eastern Highway, which left a car destroyed.

Disaster and EmergencyPremium4WD destroyed, driver injured after crash in Perth’s east

The crash happened in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Claire Sadler

News of the infestation comes just a week after the state government announced it would be transitioning from eradication to management of the pest.

EnvironmentCommentsWanneroo reports first case of destructive shot-hole borer

News of the infestation comes just a week after the state government announced it would be transitioning from eradication to management of the pest.

Liam Murphy

Grass Valley farmer and President of the WA Working Sheep Dog Association, Grant Cooke with five of his dogs in 2015. More than 200 working sheepdogs will take over the Northam Recreation Centre in August.

Dog ShowWorking sheep dogs to take over Northam in August

More than 200 working sheep dogs and their handlers will take over the Northam in August to compete for the top honour at one of  Australia’s largest sheep dog trials.

Georgia Campion

Works have commenced at Hyde Park to remove trees infested with the polyphagous shot-hole borer from the islands at the park.

OPINIONPremiumOpinion: Shot hole borer disaster is complacency to disaster

WA has entered the most shameful chapter of its biosecurity history with the State Government waving the flag on eradicating polyphagous shot-hole borer.

Lachlan Hunter

Farmers in western Victoria are concerned about the impacts of a proposed rare earths mine. (Tracey Nearmy/AAP PHOTOS)

MiningFarmer fury over rare earths mine approval

A newly-approved rare earths mine has drawn the ire of farmers, who say the US-backed miner and the state government have failed to property consult community.

Adrian Black

The conference organising committee of the Great Southern’s Country Women’s Association branches.

friends farewelledGreat Southern CWA branches highlight of State Conference

As the annual Country Women’s Association of WA State Conference reached its conclusion at the Albany Entertainment Centre on Wednesday, the Great Southern women behind the three-day event took centre stage. 

Jacki Elezovich

The study tour will showcase practical innovations in climate adaptation.

Climate adaptationPremiumWA ag professionals invited on drought innovation tour

WA farmers, researchers and agronomists are being invited to tour farms and research sites in Victoria and Tasmania to gain drought resilience, agtech and water-smart farming knowledge.

Melissa Pedelty

Nationals WA leader Shane Love pictured in Kalgoorlie-Boulder in June, 2025.

WA BUDGET PremiumWA Budget 2025: ‘Agriculture’s been left off the map’

WA’s opposition and farming leaders have poked holes in the State Budget, labelling it one of “missed opportunity” that shows the regions continue to “bankroll vanity projects” in the city. 

Cally Dupe and Josephine Hingst

CBH Group's upgraded Broomehill receival site.

Contractual DisputePremiumCBH and Martinus Rail to battle it out in court

A nearly $6 million legal stoush over a payment schedule dispute between West Australia’s biggest grain handler and a New South Wales-based railway infrastructure company will be battled out in Supreme Court.

Georgia Campion

CY O’Connor’s 122-year-old water pipeline. Inset top right: WA Treasurer Rita Saffioti. Inset bottom right: Albany Port

WA BUDGET 2025PremiumWA Budget 2025: What’s in it for regional WA?

Poles, pipes and ports were the main talking points of this year’s State Budget, with WA Treasurer Rita Saffioti unveiling a $10.3b pipeline of regional infrastructure investment. 

Cally Dupe