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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

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.

PropertyCommentsPremiumWA suburbs where house sellers are raking in biggest profit

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

Kim Macdonald

WA continues to draw a crowd, with the Australian Bureau of Statistics confirming the State’s population is growing faster than anywhere else in the nation. pictured is crowds at Cottesloe beach.

WA NewsCommentsPremiumWA packed to brim as population growth exceeds other States

WA continues to draw a crowd, with new statistics confirming the State’s population is growing faster than anywhere else in the nation.

Brooke Rolfe

The football villain Docker fans love to hate - Rory Lobb - has sold his Hamilton Hill house, walking away with nearly $800,000 in profit after only a few years.

House That!CommentsPremiumCommentsPremiumEx-Docker Rory Lobb cashes out of Perth with $800k profit

The football villain Docker fans love to hate - Rory Lobb - has sold his Hamilton Hill house, walking away with nearly $800,000 in profit after only a few years.

Brodie Dewar, right, outside court on Thursday. He is accused of killing Tim Picton (left).

Court & Justice PremiumPremiumTim Picton’s accused killer avoids jail after bail twist

The 20-year-old man charged with fatally coward-punching Tim Picton has avoided being returned to jail despite returning a positive breath test to alcohol.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks during a press conference on US military action in Iran, at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, on March 2, 2026. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP)

Middle EastCommentsCommentsWar will end ‘at President’s choosing’: Hegseth

RECAP: US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth has refused to comment on when the Israel-US-Iran war will end, after three major oil refineries were attacked by airstrikes across the Middle East.

Regional News

The Shire of Augusta-Margaret River council.

COUNCILPremiumCouncil to venture south for March meeting

The Shire of Augusta Margaret River Council are set to venture beyond their Margaret River base for their first Augusta council meeting of the year. 

Will Corbett

Grace Robyn Forrest McDonald has pleaded guilty to rampaging through Kalgoorlie-Boulder streets in a stolen road train.

Courts & Justice Premium‘Full GTA’: Road train thief’s reckless act heard in court

A woman told police she ‘went full GTA’ after she stole a triple road train, narrowly avoided crashing into a police car with three officers inside, and ploughed the truck through an ex-boyfriend’s fence.

Tegan Guthrie

Kalgoorlie Courthouse.

Fuel shortage PremiumMagistrate concerned how fuel shortage may impact court

A Kalgoorlie magistrate has raised concerns about the potential impact fuel shortages across Australia could have on court proceedings in the Goldfields.

Tegan Guthrie

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 MERGERSPremiumPremiumSouth 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. 

Bunbury City Council voted against mandatory voting and four-year full spills.

MANDATORY VOTINGPremiumPremiumWA’s largest regional city says no to mandatory voting

Western Australia’s largest regional city has voted against compulsory voting and four year full spills, joining shires across the state in voicing their opinion. 

Ampol Brunswick is now asking for keys before you fill up.

Regional WAPremiumPremiumWA servo asks customers for keys to prevent drive offs

A WA service station is asking motorists to surrender their car keys before fuelling up in a bid to reduce drive offs. 

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

Roger Cook on Friday justified the Government’s open-ended timeframe to the new laws by reiterating a “phased approach” was necessary to achieve reform.

State PoliticsPremiumGovt stalls on coercive control laws despite scathing report

Coercive control laws in WA remain an idea in waiting, with no fixed date even after a scathing review of the State’s family and domestic violence system.

Hannah Cross

Travel influencers Lauren Thompson and Jet Wilson are among those reconsidering their plans, admitting they are feeling ‘nervous’ about an upcoming interstate road trip. 

WA NewsCommentsPremiumWest Aussies ditch Easter road trips over soaring fuel costs

West Aussies are hitting the brakes on Easter getaways, with soaring fuel prices and supply concerns forcing many to rethink travel plans.

Caitlin Vinci

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.

The child abuse squad, following extensive work by detectives and local police in the Pilbara and Perth regions, charged a 34-year-old man with 204 offences this week.

Courts & JusticePremiumPremiumPolice charge WA man with 204 child sex abuse offences

A WA man has been charged with more than 200 horrific offences related to the alleged sexual abuse of 13 children — including his own.

Professor Robertson expects grocery retailers will try to keep their prices competitive but said WA residents should anticipate increases in the near future. 

WA NewsCommentsPremiumCommentsPremiumWA families warned of grocery price hikes amid fuel shortage

West Australians are being warned skyrocketing fuel prices could soon have a serious flow-on effect to the price of groceries if the Middle East conflict continues to drag on.

Exclusive images obtained by The West Australian showed the frightening aftermath after the Cessna 441 Conquest twin turboprop crashed into shallow waters at Broome’s Roebuck Bay about 11.25am Thursday.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
Oil & GasVideoCommentsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
New details reveal where plane was heading before crash

A light plane that dramatically crashed near to Broome mangroves on Thursday with seven people onboard was engaged by a Singapore oil and gas company.

Simone Grogan