ABC South West

12/10/2025

Did you see the bull burn?🔥The tradition of burning the wooden bull at the Dardanup Bull & Barrel Festival definitely sparked some joy from onlookers last night.

It has been a busy weekend of events around the South West.

Send us your best pics📸👇

11/10/2025

Turbines for Scott River ?⚡State-owned energy provider Synergy has put forward detailed plans for a wind farm of up to twenty turbines in the Scott River region.

In plans released to WA's Environmental Protection Agency, Synergy has outlined its intention for a 100 megawatt wind project on mostly-cleared farming and plantation land north east of Augusta.

The WA Government is relying on onshore wind farms to help keep the lights on when state owned coal-fired power stations are retired by 2030.

The EPA is calling for public submissions on whether or not it should assess the project.

10/10/2025

WARNING: This story contains graphic content some readers may find this distressing.

The Bunbury Magistrates Court hears how Stanley J Clemons shot his neighbour's dog and discarded its body, which still has not been found.

Get the news that matters to you straight from the source. Download the ABC NEWS app: https://ab.co/abcnewsapp

The Bunbury Magistrates Court hears how Stanley J Clemons shot his neighbour's dog and discarded its body, which still has not been found.

10/10/2025

One of Western Australia’s biggest disability therapy providers, Therapy Focus, has gone into voluntary administration.

Therapy Focus has offices in Perth, Bunbury and Margaret River.

Therapy Focus said the decision was made as a result of "sustained financial pressure", made worse by recent cuts in National Disability Insurance Scheme pricing for therapy services.

“It was a significant reduction, and resulted in a multi-million dollar cut in our revenue with just two weeks’ notice,” Therapy Focus Board Chair Fiona Payne said in a statement.

She added that the cost of service delivery had also significantly increased.

“The most significant impediment to this work has been the inability to match our pricing, which is set by the NDIA, with the cost-of-service delivery," Ms Payne said.

"This is compounded by the failure of the pricing for therapy to reflect increased operational costs.”

McGrathNicol has been appointed as administrator.

Therapy Focus is assuring clients that there will be no interruption to services or appointments.

Chief Executive of National Disability Services Michael Perusco said Therapy Focus was a vital part of the disability landscape in WA.

“They provide a quality service, they work with about four thousand people, and two-thirds of those are children,” Mr Perusco says, speaking with Mark Gibson on Perth Breakfast this morning.

He says the administration is emblematic of what is happening in the quality provider market more broadly.

“We are seeing a situation where the quality providers who have been around for decades ... are under immense financial pressure, and are making very difficult decisions," Mr Perusco said.

10/10/2025

: About 170,000 customers have been overcharged a total of $40 million by WA's state-owned energy retailer Synergy since 2009, as its chief executive apologises.

Get the news that matters to you straight from the source. Download the ABC NEWS app: https://ab.co/abcnewsapp.

About 170,000 customers have been overcharged a total of $40 million by WA's state-owned energy retailer Synergy since 2009, as its chief executive apologises.

09/10/2025

Five years ago, 16-year-old Tyler Hastie was hit by a car and killed while crossing the Bussell Highway. Now WA's biggest road transport authority wants to remove his memorial, citing safety concerns.

Get the news that matters to you straight from the source. Download the ABC NEWS app: https://ab.co/abcnewsapp.

Five years ago, 16-year-old Tyler Hastie was hit by a car and killed while crossing the Bussell Highway. Now WA's biggest road transport authority wants to remove his memorial, citing safety concerns.

09/10/2025

Bunbury massage therapist Anthony Brain is on trial for allegedly sexually assaulting 18 female clients, most at his clinic.

Mr Brain allegedly told them of his French nudist colony lifestyle, his swingers’ club rejection and said massage therapy in intimate areas would relieve tension.

Get the news that matters to you straight from the source. Download the ABC NEWS app: https://ab.co/abcnewsapp

Bunbury masseuse Anthony Brain told women clients he needed to work on intimate parts of their bodies to relieve tension, but in reality it was for his own pleasure, a Perth court hears as his sexual assault trial gets underway.

09/10/2025

What! No Western potatoes!? 🥔🥔

The last time you went to do your weekly food shop, you may have noticed the potato shelves looking a little bare, and in some supermarkets, spud prices may have doubled.

Potato Growers Association of WA executive officer Simon Moltoni said the state's shortage of potatoes has been caused by the "long, wet winter" in the south, where most of WA's potatoes are grown.

"It's not just the amount of rain we've had, but it's also the reduced amount of sunshine during the winter season," he said.

"Overall, we've seen nutrient leaching and we've seen some areas of production that have been unable to harvest due to inundation."

Mr Moltoni said he was hopeful supply would increase "quite shortly" as the weather warms up.

"The feedback from our growers is that conditions have been better recently and we're seeing the ground certainly drying out," he said.

"As we then get in towards summer over the next three months, we'll find that we'll be back into full supply."

09/10/2025

Meet this week’s Local Legend 🏆

Bridgetown teen David Muap has just returned from London after participating in the Chelsea Football Club youth camp.

The opportunity came about when David attended a soccer camp in Bunbury last year where some Chelsea coaches were present. They recognised his talent and invited him to be a part of the camp.

“When my friends first heard about it, they were so hyped... they were telling me that if I got into a premier league team they would support that team for the rest of their lives.”

From kicking a ball around with his mates in the local competition to playing on the hallow turf of Cobham training grounds, David says he's very grateful.

“The experience has been very intense but very exciting," he says.

“We went to Chelsea stadium and we also went to their training grounds.”

13 year old David says Chelsea wasn’t initially his favourite soccer team but now is and even managed to grab a photo with Chelsea captain Reece James (pictured).

The future star soccer player credits his friends and family in both Bridgetown and Papua New Guinea for their ongoing support and fundraising.

Listen live: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/listenapp

09/10/2025

What would you change about your town?

The Shire of Manjimup is launching a new project, inviting residents to contribute ideas on how to improve their town and make a change.

Community engagement for the project will run from 10 October to 9 November 2025 in the form of surveys, workshops and an online interactive map you will be able to add to.

Shire President Donelle Buegge says the project represents a once-in-a-decade opportunity for every resident to influence the Shire’s long-term direction.

So what are residents passionate about?

Northcliffe general store owner Mark Edwards says all Northcliffe needs is improvements on the essentials.

"What comes up every election is our water supply. We are one of the wettest places in the world and we get our water trucked in every day, and twice a day in Summer," he says, speaking with ABC South West's Breakfast presenter Stan Shaw this morning.

"There are three or four towns within the Manjimup Shire that have to get their water trucked in," he says.

The project is funded by the Native Forest Transition Community Small Grants Fund and the Shire of Manjimup, with draft Blueprints to be released for community feedback before final adoption by Council in early 2026.

What do you think? What does your town need?

Listen live: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/listenapp

09/10/2025

"Makes you feel alive."

Here's an interview from last Friday with Maritia AKA ‘Rish the Fish’ from Swimming Women. She talked to News Breakfast about finding community in the water.

💻News Breakfast — Stream on ABC iview: https://ab.co/StreamABCiviewk

08/10/2025

Not all heroes wear capes!

A group of mates rescued a galah trapped in a power pole in WA's north.

One of the men involved, Henry Mickle, tells ABC News Breakfast's Nate Byrne how it all unfolded.