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  1. 103 and countingBrookton farmer Ken Hall celebrates 103rd birthday in town

  2. Crash Emergency services called to truck and car crash near Kulin

  3. science funNo school to small for Scitech’s Wheatbelt science tour

  4. Pool drama PremiumTrouble at Wagin pool after alleged assault of staff member

  5. Forest slumpShires consider axing services after plantation rate switch

Kendenup's Seb Ballard pictured after his brilliant 130 against Lions, is the GSCA’s cricketer of the year.

Top awards PremiumBallard crowned cricketer of the year for his stellar season

Kendenup’s Seb Ballard was named the Great Southern Cricket Association’s cricketer of the year at its vote count and awards night at Broomehill on Saturday.

Claire Middleton

Indie duo Old Mervs are set to bring country WA music to the United States in June.

International StagePremiumKojonup’s Old Mervs to rock New York City at music fest

Two farm kids from WA’s Great Southern are set for the big stage in New York City, playing along local Australian and international acts at the 2026 Governors Ball in June

Georgia Campion

A Boddington Football Club player and coach have been fined for indecent acts in public.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
COURTPremium
The West Australian exclusive
Country footy coach and player exposed genitals in pub

A Boddington Football Club coach and player who both exposed their genitals to staff and community members at the local pub, have been fined. 

Hannah Whitehead

Shire of Dumbleyung president Amy Knight at the new family daycare centre’s outdoor play area.

DUMBLEYUNG DAYCARE DELAYDumbleyung daycare delay after unexpected water damage

A Wheatbelt town’s new family daycare centre opening has been stalled after heavy rain caused substantial structural water damage, delaying the much-needed service’s inauguration.

Hannah Whitehead

Rio Tinto boss Simon Trott

MiningCommentsPremiumRio joins BHP in warning of ‘significant’ union burden

Rio Tinto chief executive Simon Trott has joined his arch-nemesis at BHP in condemning the ‘significant’ rise of union incursions into WA’s iron ore heartland.

Adrian Rauso

Jake Thomas Hardie, 29, allegedly led police on a car chase for more than an hour before being arrested in Williams.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
Crime Premium
The West Australian exclusive
Alleged home detention escapee caught and charged

A Great Southern man who allegedly removed his monitoring device and fled from his home detention bail address in Northam has been arrested, and charged with a raft of new offences. 

Jacki Elezovich

Emergency services were called to a truck and car crash near Kulin.

Crash Emergency services called to truck and car crash near Kulin

A truck carrying grain has rolled after colliding with a car near Kulin, spilling fuel and grain onto the road on Thursday. 

Men’s Shed members David Dewar, Ken Hart, Rick Vincent and Des Triat.

Welcome to NarroginPremiumPremiumIN PICTURES: Welcome to Narrogin helps community connection

Wheatbelt locals invited new arrivals to the region for the town’s Welcome to Narrogin event, held at the Narrogin Regional Leisure Centre on Thursday to showcase what’s on offer in the area.

Albany police auxiliary officer Juan-Piere "JP" Jordan inside one of the holding cells.

new recruitDay in the life of an auxiliary officer in regional WA

Auxiliary officers are the behind-the-scenes heroes of a police station, with the WA Police Force calling for more people to take on the role that is vital to so many regional areas.

A Boddington Football Club player and coach have been fined for indecent acts in public.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
COURTPremium
The West Australian exclusive
Country footy coach and player exposed genitals in pub

A Boddington Football Club coach and player who both exposed their genitals to staff and community members at the local pub, have been fined. 

Hannah Whitehead

Kendenup's Seb Ballard pictured after his brilliant 130 against Lions, is the GSCA’s cricketer of the year.

Top awards PremiumBallard crowned cricketer of the year for his stellar season

Kendenup’s Seb Ballard was named the Great Southern Cricket Association’s cricketer of the year at its vote count and awards night at Broomehill on Saturday.

Claire Middleton

Subscriber Exclusive

Hailee Hildebrand was allowed out on day release, only four days after another suicide attempt inside the hospital’s youth mental health ward.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
State PoliticsCommentsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
Grieving mum’s plea: ‘They were meant to save her’

Stacey Hildebrandt is brokenhearted but insists she wants change — not sympathy — in the wake of her daughter’s suicide while she was an inpatient at Fiona Stanley Hospital.

Jessica Page

Laurence Escalante arrives at the Perth Magistrates Court today. Michael Wilson

Courts & JusticePremiumDramatic scenes as billionaire faces nine new drug charges

Perth billionaire Laurence Escalante has been hit with a raft of new criminal charges as his minder clashed with media outside court in dramatic scenes.

Rebecca Le May

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

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In Case You Missed It

Georgia was struck by lightning in Thursday’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

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.

TVCommentsCommentsMajor change coming to popular Aussie TV show

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

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?

Regional News

Go Girls foundation helps women gain skills to become ready for employment.

Employment supportPremiumLimited spots for women empowerment program

Women in the Goldfields will have a one-of-a-kind opportunity to join a free program set to lead them on the pathway to employment. 

Jessica Antoniou

About 7500 people attended the 2025 Coolgardie Outback Festival.

Coolgardie festivalPremiumCoolgardie rodeo festival will return in August

The Coolgardie Outback Festival will saddle up again this August, with organisers hoping to top last year’s record crowd of 7500.

Isabella Davis

Asbestos tailings at Wittenoom.

Mining Banjima Traditional Owners vs the State Government

Traditional Owners of Country including Wittenoom have launched a $1.5 billion legal claim against the Western Australian government

Phoebe Solon

Mid West Academy of Sport athlete Reuben Chapman.

AthleticsPremiumPremiumChapman continues stellar athletics golden run

Geraldton’s golden boy Reuben Chapman has added another gold medal to his season’s tally after blitzing ahead in the 400m hurdles at the Junior Track and Field State Championships in Perth last weekend. 

An 18-year-old has been sentenced after driving at speeds of more than 140km/h.

Courts & Justice PremiumPremium18yo jailed for reckless driving to escape police

An 18-year-old drove at speeds of more than 140km/h in an attempt to escape police before losing control of his car, which was carrying four passengers, and crashing into a road train. 

Geraldton's Callum Williamson prepares for his homecoming this weekend

MotorsportPremiumPremiumLocal racer gears up for weekend speedway action

Local speedster Callum Williamson is gearing up for his homecoming at the Geraldton City Speedway, as the Maddington Toyota Sprintcar Series touches down in the Mid West this weekend. 

News Flash

More Stories

President Donald Trump

CNBC newsPremiumTrump insists trade deals safe as ruling upends tariffs

President Donald Trump defended his tariff agenda during his State of the Union address even as a Supreme Court ruling striking down his emergency tariffs cast fresh confusion.

Anniek Bao

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

WA News

Trees and grass on the shores of the Swan River in Perth.

WA newsCommentsPremiumTrees the key to keeping WA path users cool in summer

WA’s leading urban design experts are calling for urgent tree canopy targets as they look for ways to make shared paths cooler in a bid to make cycling, walking and running more comfortable. 

Jessica Evensen

WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch said other “like-minded” and “white supremacist” Australians participated in the group discussions on the messaging app Telegram.

CrimePremiumWA Police allege other Aussies in white-supremacy group chat

WA’s top cop says multiple other Australians with links to an encrypted group chat are being investigated by after a Bindoon man was charged with planning mass casualty terror attacks. 

Caleb Runciman

Not Supplied

NewsPremiumPremiumShock new theory on missing MH370 flight

A new possible search location for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has been put forward off Australia’s west coast.

Counterterrorism authorities in Western Australia have disrupted an alleged act of terrorism linked to a group operating on the encrypted messaging platform Telegram. NewsWire/ Sharon Smith

NEWSPremiumPremiumCops used app to stop alleged terror act

WA police have charged a 20-year-old man with preparing an act of terrorism, after intelligence allegedly uncovered activity on an encrypted Telegram chat.

GEN Supplied photo of 18 years old Hailee Hilderbrandt who took her own life. Iain Gillespie

State PoliticsVideoCommentsPremiumCommentsPremiumGrieving mum’s mental health plea: ‘Advocate harder’

A mystery code black has added to grieving mother Stacey Hildebrandt’s questions over her daughter Hailee’s suicide, only hours after she left Fiona Stanley Hospital, while still an inpatient. 

Not Supplied

NewsPremiumHeartbreaking image after teen hit by cars

A tragic incident near a high school in Perth’s south suburbs has triggered a major investigation by WA police major crash unit.

Euan Kennedy