ABC Kimberley

05/01/2026

Tropical Cyclone Jenna has officially formed off the Cocos (Keeling) Islands coast.

The category 1 system formed to the east of the Islands early Monday afternoon local time, and is expected to move in a southerly direction.

The cyclone is forecast to produce gales with damaging wind gusts up to 100km/h over the islands Monday afternoon and evening, easing overnight.

Heavy rainfall is expected to continue as TC Jenna passes by, before easing overnight. Rough seas are likely, however the Bureau of Meteorology says the tide is unlikely to exceed the normal high tide mark.

By Tuesday morning, TC Jenna will be to the south of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, turning southwest and moving further away.

DFES has issued a cyclone advice for Cocos (Keeling) Islands, urging residents to prepare for dangerous weather, including flash flooding, and keep up todate.

05/01/2026

A Derby man charged with allegedly possessing a trafficable quantity of methylamphetamine has been released on bail.

Ross Thompson, aged 67, faced the Broome Magistrates Court this morning.

Police allege they found 1.8 kilograms of methylamphetamine in Halls Creek in November, last year.

While Mr Thompson is yet to enter a plea, presiding Magistrate Deen Potter told the court the allegations were serious, and set the 67-year-old's bail at $75,000.

Mr Thompson was ordered not to leave the state and to surrender his passport.

He is due to face court again in February.

For more news: https://www.abc.net.au/kimberley

05/01/2026

Here's one for our Kimberley birdwatchers from the ABC Pilbara team about the region's original FIFOers!

Each spring, several species of shorebirds migrate up to 10,000 kilometres from some of the coldest places in the northern hemisphere to the Pilbara and Kimberley.

They feed during the summer months, much to the delight of avid birdwatchers.

Dozens of shorebird species flock to northern WA for summer during their global migration.

05/01/2026

Residents on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands are being warned to prepare for more wind and rain as a tropical low is expected to pass the Islands over the next 24 hours.

Bureau of Meteorology Duty Forecaster Helen Reid said the hope is that the system will pass east enough of the Islands to have just minimal impact, but said residents will notice a change in the weather.

“There will be some gale strength winds so they are in a warning zone at the moment. We are not expecting full intensification to Tropical Cyclone strength until Tuesday later in the day and that’s when we’re expecting it to be to the south west of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands”.

“We are also expecting there to be some heavy rainfall with this system, and residents also need to be mindful of the seas which will become rough as the tropical low approaches and there could be some storm tides and flooding in low lying areas and strong currents in the lagoon.”

It is expected to reach a Category 1 system by Tuesday once it has passed the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

Once intensified, the system will be named Tropical Cyclone Jenna.
KEEP UP TO DATE: https://www.abc.net.au/kimberley

05/01/2026

Broome Police say they have located the missing 32-year-old man, safe and well.

04/01/2026

A fleeting burst of red light high above a Kimberley storm, in Western Australia's far north, has been caught on camera by a storm-chasing photographer.

The eruption of red, luminous sparks is known by meteorologists and weather enthusiasts as red sprites.

A storm chaser says he "screamed" when he captured an elusive natural phenomenon, known as red sprites, on video.

03/01/2026

A 44-year-old man, who allegedly travelled from Perth to Broome with the intention of sly grogging, has been charged.

Kimberley Police intercepted a vehicle on the Great Northern Highway in Broome, suspected of trafficking drugs and alcohol into the region on December 31, 2025.

Police said during a search of the vehicle, they found alcohol, including but not limited to 44 boxes of 4 litre cask wine, 120 cans of Emu Export Lager and 5 bottles of Jack Daniel's Bourbon.

It's alleged that 2.5 kilograms of cannabis were also seized.

Police allege the drugs and alcohol were going to be sold at highly inflated prices in remote Aboriginal Kimberley Communities.

The Bassendean man faced Broome Magistrates Court on January 2, 2026.

02/01/2026

Two men have been charged after methamphetamine and cash was found in a car at Cable Beach in Broome.

Broome Police say at around 9.30am on December 30 they conducted a traffic stop on a car towing a boat.

It’s alleged $7800 in cash and nearly 57 grams of methamphetamine was seized.

Two 39-year-old men, from Karratha and Pegs Creek, will face court on several charges related to the incident.

These include possession of stolen or unlawfully obtained property and having a trafficable quantity of methamphetamine with intent to sell or supply.

They are due to appear separately in Karratha Magistrates Court in January and Broome Magistrates Court in February.

Broome Police are urging members of the community with information about illegal drug activity to contact Crime Stoppers.

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01/01/2026

“FIFO” MUSIC TEACHER LEAVES KUNUNURRA AFTER 37 YEARS

After 37 years as a music teacher in Kununurra, Ed MacNeill is leaving the Kimberley.

Mr MacNeill moved to Kununurra with his young family in 1989.

“I had been here about a month when I met someone who heard I was a new teacher and said 'you’ll do your two years and then you’ll be out of here,” he said.

“Well, 37 years later, I’m still sort of here.”

The town, the school and the music program have grown significantly since then.

“I introduced recorders, which I got a lot of flak about back then, but the school now has a 30-piece concert band - things begin small,” Mr MacNeill said.

He also started the instrumental program, learning to play different instruments to teach the students.

Four years ago, Mr MacNeill moved to Perth to be closer to his dad, becoming a “FIFO teacher”, mixing in-person with online classes.

He said he’s glad to have taught many talented students and seen them performing on stage at the Kimberley Moon and even in Perth.

“I only need to look at the success of our music program to know they don’t need to be in the big city to get opportunities,” Mr MacNeill said.

Mr MacNeill thanked the parents and the school community.

“I am going to miss the town of Kununurra and the people, particularly the students,” said.

"But I feel it was a job well done; I have done my bit.”

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01/01/2026

Remote communities on the Dampier Peninsula are assessing damage and starting the clean-up process as ex-tropical Cyclone Hayley moves further inland as a tropical low.

Most of Cape Leveque Road, connecting Broome to the Dampier Peninsula, reopened late yesterday, allowing residents of some communities to return home.

The section of road between Lombadina and Ardyaloon currently remains closed.

Cyclone Hayley caused extensive damage to those communities, with some roofs ripped off, powerlines down and the new basketball court in Djarindjin damaged.

As the weather system moves further inlands, it is bringing heavy rains to East Kimberley communities.

The chief executive of the remote community of Warmun Jack McHugh said they received about 80 millimetres of rain in one hour yesterday, causing some flooding.

“It was quite intense thunderstorms late last night and then the rain,” he said.

“The depression tended to settle just south of us in our catchment... and then the creek came up.

"The bridge was closed about 1:30am this morning but we just cleared it.”

The bridge is currently open, but it is damaged and missing the side railing.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services issued a flood advice for people in Warmun and the Turkey Creek catchment, saying flooding is in the forecast.

Mr McHugh is also asking community members to exercise caution and follow the advice from authorities.

“We're forecasting more thunderstorms this evening and now the catchment is full. We may have a repeat of last night,” he said.

“We ask people to stay away from fast-flowing water.”

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01/01/2026

Severe Weather Recovery Information ☂️
​​​​​​🌀Ex Tropical Cyclone Hayley has passed but for those who were impacted the hard work of recovery begins.
📰 ABC Emergency has useful articles with information that can help you recover ab.co/EmergencyRecoverym including the following:
⚬ What to do after a cyclone: ab.co/HowTo-CycloneRecovery
⚬ How to deal with a power outage after a storm: ab.co/WhatToDo-PowerOutage
⚠️Cyclone Advice - RETURN WITH CAUTION - DJARINDJIN / LOMBADINA to CAPE LEVEQUE LEVEQUE
⚬ Crews are still working in the area, so please slow down when driving to maintain their safety.

ℹ️ ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​It's important to stay safe if travelling and carefully plan your trip, or avoid travelling if you can:
⚬ Bureau of Meteorology: ab.co/BOMWA
⚬ DFES: emergency.wa.gov.au/
⚬ SES: https://wases.com.au/
🚧Road Closures: travelmap.mainroads.wa.gov.au/
📻️ Listen to ABC Kimberley 675AM, or on ABC listen: abc.net.au/listen/live/kimberley
📸Image: ABC News - Giulia Bertoglio. The SES begins the clean-up after ex-Tropical Cyclone Hayley.

30/12/2025

Tropical Cyclone Hayley has been downgraded to a tropical low, as it moves east across Western Australia's Kimberley coast.

Read more here - https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-30/severe-tropical-cyclone-hayley-crosses-kimberley-coast-downgrade/106187730