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Roger Cook has defended not meeting with Indigenous families on his first visit to Hedland, the epicentre of the child protection crisis in the Pilbara, two months after it was thrust into the spotlight.

State PoliticsPremiumCook defends lacklustre itinerary in recent Hedland trip

Roger Cook has defended not meeting with the Indigenous families which triggered a national focus on the issues of child protection the Pilbara during his first visit to South Hedland.

Oliver Lane

Upgrades at Pannawonica playground and sports club are ready in time for summer.

Sport upgradesPremiumMajor upgrades at Pannawonica sports club and playground

Play time is ready to begin at Pannawonica this summer, with a fresh playground and revamped sports club open for business. 

Eliana Hullett

Hula Bar's Chaffing The Dream team.

CANCER FUNDRAISERPremiumHula Bar raises more than $84,000 for cancer research

Karratha’s Hula Bar team has taken part in this year’s MACA Cancer 200 in Perth, raising more than $84,000 for cancer support at the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research

Joshua Dowdall

KBSS Engineering managing director Cory Byers.

BUSINESS AWARDSPremiumKarratha company takes out WA Business Award

A Karratha-based company has taken out the growth award at the 2026 Telstra Best of Business Awards on Thursday, October 15, becoming one of the State’s most innovative small and medium-sized businesses.

Joshua Dowdall

The City of Karratha is recommending a concept design featuring 20 synthetic turf hitting bays, including two accessible teaching bays.

DRIVING RANGEPremiumKarratha golf course driving range to consider relocation

A proposed relocation of the Karratha Golf Course driving range could cost $3.16 million, with councillors considering whether to pursue a more expensive design before committing to construction.

Joshua Dowdall

The facility marks a step forward in how the region protects and promotes flatback turtles.

TURTLE CENTREPremiumPort Hedland Turtle Interpretative Centre to officially open

Port Hedland is set to open the town’s first tourism‑dedicated Port Hedland Turtle Interpretative Centre, celebrating a landmark achievement in environmental stewardship and regional tourism.

Joshua Dowdall

The project would consist of reconstructing more than 400m of Bathgate Road and 80m of Tambrey Drive, installing a roundabout, adding turning lanes and upgrading stormwater infrastructure.

ROAD UPGRADESPremium$12.8m upgrade proposed to Bathgate Road and Tambrey Drive

Karratha motorists could face months of detours, as the council proposed a multi-million-dollar upgrade to Bathgate Road and Tambrey Drive during a public briefing on Monday, October 19.

Joshua Dowdall

The proposal was discussed during the city’s public agenda meeting on October 19.

BUY LOCAL VOUCHERPremiumCity of Karratha proposes Christmas Buy Local voucher

More than 2200 Karratha households could receive a $100 Christmas Buy Local voucher under a proposed City of Karratha initiative designed to boost local spending during the quieter summer periods

Joshua Dowdall

Jenna Pickering was the 2023 Cossack Art Awards overall winner.

REGIONAL ARTPremiumRegional Arts WA to raise money funding travel costs

Renowned Pilbara-based portrait artist Jenna Pickering has become a campaign ambassador for a new program as regional artists continue to battle travel costs.

Joshua Dowdall

Australian Athletics interacting with Karratha schoolkids at Karratha Leisureplex on October 19.

AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICSPremiumAustralian Athletics touches down in the Pilbara

Australian Athletics has today been welcomed by the Pilbara community, as a line-up of Australia’s finest athletes headed to Karratha Leisureplex to run clinics for schoolkids

Joshua Dowdall

Cameo Rascale made an appearance bringing juggling, stilt walking and interactive entertainment throughout the evening.

FOOD MARKETSPremiumHedland locals flock to Sunset Food Markets

The Town of Port Hedland Sunset Food Markets returned on October 16, drawing plenty of people to one of the final markets of the year.

Joshua Dowdall

The Hedlands Hawks defeated the Hedland Kings by 11 points at Wanangkura Stadium.

Junior basketballPremiumHedland junior basketball round one wrap up

The under-18 boys Hedland Hawks and Hedland Taipans have opened their All Hedland Basketball Association season with emphatic wins.

Joshua Dowdall

Black Swan’s The Pool will explore friendships, connections and shared experiences growing up by the pool.

Immersive theatrePremiumSouth Hedland to have immersive theatre space

The South Hedland Aquatic Centre is set to be transformed into an immersive theatre space when The Pool comes to town next month.

Joshua Dowdall

Locals participating in the 2026 Runathon 4 Telethon.

TelethonPremiumDampier’s Runathon raises $50,000 for Telethon

Dampier’s Runathon 4 Telethon has smashed last year’s tally, raising $50,000 and almost doubling the amount raised in its inaugural event.

Joshua Dowdall

Trouts Basketball Club against the Roebourne Magpies.

BasketballPremiumKarratha Basketball Association round two summary

Round two of the Karratha Basketball Association’s senior division one featured plenty of close games, with multiple matches decided by five points or fewer.

Joshua Dowdall

MinRes Principal Communities and Stakeholder Engagement Tegan Read, MinRes Community Engagement Officer Claire Wheeler, and Waalitj Manager Onslow Family Support Suzanne Wilson.

PartnershipPremiumLife-changing school attendance program renewed

A program supporting school attendance in the West Pilbara has been renewed for three more years, off the back of a renewed partnership between the Waalitj Foundation and Mineral Resources.

Joshua Dowdall

The expansion follows the delivery services push to expand across regional Australia bringing convenience and economic opportunity to more than 410,000 regional Australians.

Delivery servicePremiumDelivery service expands to the Pilbara

Karratha has been named one of four regional towns in Western Australia to have benefitted from DoorDash’s push into regional communities across the country, from October 12.

Joshua Dowdall

RSPCA WA chief operating officer Hannah Dreaver.

Animal safetyPremiumPilbara revealed as animal cruelty hotspot

The number of animal cruelty complaints investigated in the Pilbara have jumped by 73 per cent, as RSPCA WA revealed WA’s animal cruelty hotspots for 2025-26.

Joshua Dowdall

A couple of available rentals in Newman listed on reiwa.com.

Rental surgePremiumEast Pilbara rent prices rise six per cent from last year

East Pilbara renters are facing mounting housing costs, with median house rents climbing to $795 a week, according to Domain’s September 2026 Rental Report

Joshua Dowdall

The City of Karratha council voted 8-0 on September 28 to call for the proposed lots to be removed before release or allocation.

Social housingPremiumMinister hits out over Mulataga social housing proposal

Housing Minister John Carey has criticised the City of Karratha after councillors unanimously passed a resolution calling for proposed social housing lots at Mulataga to be reconsidered

Joshua Dowdall

The beach in Cape Range National Park received an average rating of 4.87 stars out of five from 141 reviews.

Beach ratingsPremiumExmouth beach ranked among Australia’s best

Exmouth’s Sandy Bay has been ranked the second best-rated beach in Australia, according to a new analysis of Google Reviews.

Joshua Dowdall

The case was brought against the WA Department of Housing and Works over its alleged failure to provide housing to a remote tenant that meets basic standards.

Court appealPremiumCalls for WA Government to ensure public housing safety

The Council of Aboriginal Services WA has called for the State Government to fund a regionally based public housing repairs and maintenance program delivered through Aboriginal community organisations

Joshua Dowdall

The Morrgul Team and business representatives at Australia’s premier Indigenous business event, Connect 2026.

Business supportPremiumMorrgul supports more than 390 Indigenous entities in a year

A Broome-based Aboriginal Economic Development not-for-profit organisation has helped Indigenous entities in regional Western Australia secure more than $31.3 million in contracts in the last year alone

Joshua Dowdall

Despite their narrow grand final loss, the Pythons had a successful campaign winning their first two games.

Women’s footballPremiumNorth Pilbara Pythons ‘oh so close’ to grand final glory

The North Pilbara Pythons narrowly lost to Peel Football and Netball League in the Women’s Country Championships grand final on Saturday at Mineral Resources Park, 4.3 (27) to 2.8 (20).

Joshua Dowdall