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  1. WHEELY GOOD FUNPremiumThousands turn out for Nautical Drive Festival in Busselton

  2. TOURISMMixed bag for tourism operators during summer boom

  3. FRESH PASTA PremiumNew restaurant to focus on Italian fare in Dunsborough

  4. SailingPremiumGeographe Bay Race Week returned for another successful year

  5. WA GOOD FOOD GUIDE PremiumSouth West dining scene recognised at GFG Awards

Renowned artist Leon Pericles said Margaret River Open Studios provides invaluable experiences to artists.

CALL TO ARTISTSPremiumArtists invited to register for Open Studios

Artists from Busselton to Augusta are being called to register for this year’s Margaret River Open Studios event. 

Madelin Hayes

Bunbury and Harvey councils are set to write to the State and Federal governments about community concerns on proposed offshore wind farms.

WIND FARMSPremiumSouth West councils urge community wind-farm consultation.

The City of Bunbury and Shire of Harvey Councils have asked for in-depth community consultation around the Federal Government’s proposed off-shore wind farms.

Will Corbett

The Busselton Beach Resort is anticipated to open in July, 2026.

RESORT REVIVALPremiumRevamp nears completion for Busselton Beach Resort

The finishing touches are falling into place at the newly renovated Busselton Beach Resort, with opening anticipated for July this year.  

Madelin Hayes

Acting South West Police Inspector Steve Principe has urged drivers to take care on South West roads.

Road SafetyPremiumThree dead in horror weekend for South West roads

Police have urged witnesses to come forward after three seperate lives were lost on South West roads in less than a week. 

Will Corbett

Flights between Busselton and Sydney at the Busselton airport started in 2024.

BUSSELTON AIRPORT Fuel issues force cancellation of a Busselton flight

Despite ambitions to take international flights one day, an interstate flight leaving Busselton failed to get off the tarmac last week after issues with the airport’s fuel services

Rose Patane

Over 100 people attended the Busselton Fishing Forum.

FISHING BAN PremiumBusselton fishers speak out at fishing forum

Mental health impacts, insufficient notice and a lack of accurate data were among the key issues raised at a fishing forum in Busselton on Friday evening. 

Madelin Hayes

The main events line-up for the Margaret River Readers & Writers Festival has been announced.

READERS & WRITERS FESTIVALPremiumPremiumHighlight events announced for Readers & Writers Festival

The Margaret River Readers & Writers Festival is set to return in May, with highlight events now revealed. 

William Jasper sends one down the ground for four

CricketPremiumPremiumClose finish and dominant performances in BMRCA A-grade

The Think Mental Health round brought a close finish and dominant performances in the Busselton-Margaret River Cricket Association A-grade on Saturday.

The Busselton council has approved changes to the city’s dog beaches.

PAW & ORDERPremiumPremiumCouncil backs more signage and changes to dog beaches

Man’s best friend has a clearer future on local shores after council this week approved long-awaited changes to dog beach regulations. 

Chef Aaron Carr will lead the new resturant at South West House hotel in Dunsborough.

FRESH PASTA PremiumNew restaurant to focus on Italian fare in Dunsborough

Dunsborough locals will have a new spot for fresh, hand-rolled pasta come the end of the year, with chef Aaron Carr set to lead a new restaurant at the upcoming South West House hotel. 

Madelin Hayes

Shelter Brewing Co.

TOURISMMixed bag for tourism operators during summer boom

The peak summer rush has delivered a patchwork of results for South West tourism operators, with some businesses reporting bumper trade while others felt the pinch after the New Year’s surge. 

Madelin Hayes & Will Corbett

Subscriber Exclusive

One of seven people charged over a massive cocaine haul found stashed inside a bulk carrier off Perth has had his charge dropped.

Courts & JusticePremiumNew twist as epic trial looms after huge drug bust off WA

One of seven people charged over a massive cocaine haul found stashed inside a bulk carrier off Perth has had his charge dropped.

Rebecca Le May

Marius Sabau, president of the WA Mongols. unknown

Courts & JusticePremiumWA Mongol boss jailed for sophisticated drug operation

Marius Sabau was found guilty for his role in a drug trafficking syndicate, just days after fellow Mongol member David Pye was jailed for organising the assassination of Rebels boss Nick Martin.

Ben Harvey

A council plan to run a tram line through Perth’s CBD and merge two busy train stations has been branded a waste of money by Rita Saffioti who won’t support the proposals.

State PoliticsCommentsPremiumSaffioti slaps down ‘wasteful’ CBD tram and station merger

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti has slammed a City of Perth plan to merge two rail stations and build a CBD tram line, branding the proposal a ‘waste of money’ ahead of a council vote this week.

Charlton Hart

Perth is poised for a radical transformation that would see the city centre shed its reliance on cars to become a pedestrian paradise.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
PerthCommentsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
Dynamic plans to transform Perth into pedestrian paradise

Perth is poised for a radical transformation that would see the city centre shed its reliance on cars to become a pedestrian paradise.

Caitlin Vinci

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In Case You Missed It

Yu Xiao Feng CREDIT: Maxi Alonso / shipspotting.com

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
AUKUSCommentsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
China sees red over British submarine spy fears

A senior Chinese diplomat has sternly rejected suggestions a cargo ship that recently berthed near the Garden Island naval base is posing any threat to a visiting British submarine.

Andrew Greene

Better Homes and Gardens will now air twice a week.

TVCommentsMajor change coming to popular Aussie TV show

The development comes in the show’s 32nd year.

Zach Margolius

An apology letter disgraced obstetrician Rhys Bellinge sent to Elizabeth Pearce’s family and Muhammad Usman just days before his sentencing has been described as ‘terribly inapt’ by a judge

WA NewsPremiumPremiumBellinge’s ‘inapt’ apology to victims days before sentencing

An apology letter disgraced obstetrician Rhys Bellinge sent to his victims just days before his sentencing has been described as ‘terribly inapt’ by a judge, who also noted a degree of self-pity in his remorse.

Lorde deliveres a powerfully raw performance at RAC Arena.

review
review
MUSICComments
review
CommentsPop star Lorde bares all in emotional RAC Arena show

Some might argue she’s drifting out of the mainstream with her recent releases, but can the Kiwi still get a whole arena to dance and sing all night?

“We used to be able to talk about things without going off the Richter Scale” with Ben Harvey.

Up LateVideoPremiumPremiumWe used to be able to talk without going off Richter Scale

Ben Harvey outlines the bomb scare which led to Anthony Albanese being evacuated from The Lodge and looks back at historical threats to PMs, including John Howard who was forced to wear a bullet proof vest.

Regional News

Homicide squad detectives are still in Albany with the investigation into the murder of a 69-year-old woman now in its third week.

murder investigationPremiumAlbany murder investigation a ‘slow grind’, cop says

The homicide squad’s lead detective in the investigation of the murder of a Spencer Park woman has vowed it is far from over, with hundreds of exhibits under forensic scrutiny and dozens of people questioned. 

Melissa Sheil

More than a dozen blocks of residential land in Norseman will be on the bidding table, after owners of the properties failed to pay rates and service fees.

Land auctionPremiumYou snooze you lose

More than a dozen blocks of residential land in Norseman will be on the bidding table, after owners of the properties failed to pay rates and service fees.

Jessica Antoniou

The completed mural dedicated to the beloved dingo, Marley.

Honouring an IconPremiumBunbury’s Dingo of the Harbour immortalised in mural

Bunbury’s beloved dingo Marley has been immortalised in mural created by Year 10 students of Bunbury Senior High School.

Yousuf Shameel

Tom Davies, Mark Crispin and Chris Jenour from Burekup Brigade at the Millbridge fire site.

BUSHFIREPremiumPremiumMillbridge fire put out by career and volunteer firefighters

A fire burning approximately 15 hectares of land in Millbridge and Roelands on Monday, February 23 was put out by career and volunteer firefighters.

Shannon Winduss spotted the Australind at the Cookernup train station on Monday.

STEP CLOSERPremiumPremiumThe Australind train has been spotted on the tracks

Excitement is starting to build in the South West as the much-anticipated Australind Train was spotted in the area earlier this week. 

Gold Fields chief executive Mike Fraser.

Cashing inPremiumPremiumCash flows in for Gold Fields’ WA mines in 2025

Gold Fields’ four WA mines have all enjoyed a strong 2025 in terms of free cash flow generation, according to the South African giant’s latest financial results.

News Flash

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Before the Covid pandemic, Chinese consumers accounted for about one-third of the global luxury goods market.

CNBC newsPremiumLunar New Year gives brands chance to win back big spenders

Luxury brands from Harry Winston to Loewe are going all in on Lunar New Year collections in a bid to attract Chinese customers.

Hayley Cuccinello

China’s property market, once accounting for more than a quarter of the economy, has seen its annual sales volume halve in just four years.

CNBC newsPremiumS&P bets China property slump will be worse than expected

S&P Global Ratings has lowered its forecast for China property sales this year, barely two months into 2026.

Evelyn Cheng

Chinese coffee giant Luckin opened its first flagship with premium drinks as the company takes on Starbucks Reserve.

CNBC newsCommentsPremiumThere’s a coffee war brewing in China (and now in the US)

As Starbucks sells off most of its China business, local rival Luckin Coffee is expanding into higher-priced cold brews and other drinks. It’s also expanding its footprint in the US.

Evelyn Cheng

Elon Musk's mega-merger

CNBC newsCommentsPremiumSpaceX primed to make Elon Musk the first trillionaire

Elon Musk’s net worth soared past $US800b last week after he merged SpaceX with xAI in a deal that valued the combined entity at $US1.25 trillion.

Robert Frank and Lora Kolodny

WA News

Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA chief executive Aaron Morey pictured at CME’s Perth office on Thursday.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
Federal PoliticsCommentsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
New environment laws ‘risk thousands of WA jobs’

The environmental standards that will underpin a new assessments regime are ‘unworkable’ and could put thousands of West Australian resources jobs at risk, the State’s peak mining body will warn senators.

Katina Curtis

Georgia was struck by lightning in today's storm.

Disaster and EmergencyCommentsPerth teen details scary moment she was struck by lightning

A 16-year-old girl has told of the terrifying moment she was struck by lightning in the city’s north-east, describing the freak ordeal as like being ‘stabbed with 1000 needles’. 

Jessica Evensen

Thousands of unwitting WA drivers have been pinged by AI cameras which have detected passengers not wearing seatbelts properly.

WA NewsCommentsPremiumCommentsPremiumOutcry as AI cams dish out $20m in ‘unfair’ seatbelt fines

Thousands of unwitting WA drivers have been pinged by AI cameras which have detected passengers not wearing seatbelts properly.

Police Commissioner Col Blanch was first in line to grab a snag as the mighty 102-hour marathon began.

WA NewsCommentsCommentsWA’s top cop joins record-breaking Bunnings snag fundraiser

WA’s top cop has enjoyed a Bunnings snag to help break the cycle of suicide as he joined several volunteers kickstart a monster fundraising and record attempt.

Rottnest and Esperance were crowned WA's best in the list.

WA NewsCommentsCommentsWA beaches dominate nation’s top 10 coastal list

Australia’s top beaches for 2026 have been crowned and the West has shined with two coastlines being ranked among the nation’s best. 

Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas has defended a confrontation with a female Labor MP.

state politics CommentsPremiumZempilas defends confrontation with Labor MP after backlash

Basil Zempilas has defended a confrontation with a female Labor MP — triggered by frequent power outages in Bullsbrook — after the Cook Government accused him of ‘intimidating’ behaviour. 

Jessica Page