/APRIL
02 - 10 : NEWS
Rabbit numbers getting worse.
“The Shire acknowledges the need for improvement and has developed action plans to address all issues.”
11 - 15 : LIFESTYLE
Cidery celebrates in style.
“For all your tree related needs” Mobile:0447 792 200 ajts@westnet.com.au www.adamjenkinstreeservices.com.au
18 - 20 : SPORT
Cricketers lose Grand Final thriller.
Aroutine visit by Worksafe has seen the Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes issued with Improvement Notices and Prohibition Notices about the unsafe storage of chemicals, and noncertified workers operating machinery.
The Shire admits that it’s known about the problem of non-certified workers for months after carrying out an audit late last year.
Safe storage of fuels, fertilisers and pesticides, along with traffic management issues in the depot have also been a problem for the Shire for years since the 2022 fires devastated the depot.
Shire CEO Garry Adams says certification of workers was already arranged in the week after the March 5th visit and that its staff are currently only operating machinery for which they hold the required certificate of competency.
The Shire refused an interview with the Bridgetown Greenbushes Star, but in a written statement said there had been no disruption to its services, and it didn’t anticipate disruptions in the future.
Mr Adams blamed “legacy systems” for not adequately capturing and managing certification for its employees New System
He said a new cloud-based Work Health and Safety management system was now recording certifications and notifying staff and supervisors before their certification expired.
The system, Skytrust, will also give staff the ability to report incidents and hazards immediately through iPads while they’re in the field.
This will improve management’s visibility over actions taken to address any issues, according to the Shire.
Training in Skytrust for Shire staff commenced late last year, with the system currently being rolled out across the organisation.
Work, Health and Safety Officer
Since late last year, the Shire also has a designated Work, Health and Safety Officer who has been working across the organisation to bring its safety standards up to industry benchmarks.
Some of Worksafe’s Improvement Notices and Prohibition Notices raised issues that the Shire already knew about and had plans to fix.
The long-standing problem of traffic management and chemical storage is already being addressed and will be better managed once the new purposebuilt depot facility is completed later in the year. Need for Improvement
The Shire said it acknowledges the need for improvement and has developed action plans to address all issues identified within the timeframes required by WorkSafe, Mr Adams stated.
Internal Health and Safety Representatives will also receive additional training to ensure regular inspections identify these types of issues and that they are reported and addressed in a timely manner.
The Shire said it views WorkSafe’s visit as a positive and helpful step in continuing to improve its safety culture, which continues to be a key focus area for the current Council and Executive Team.
See Editorial page 4
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Blackwood Biosecurity’s James Moyes spreads calicivirus bait.
If you think you’ve been seeing a lot of rabbits lately, you’re not wrong. They’ve been building up in big numbers largely thanks to good winter rains in 2025, along with a decrease in predators, according to Jason Dearle, Operations Manager with Blackwood Biosecurity.
Resistance to calicivirus has also been a major factor.
But if you think it’s bad now it’s going to get a lot, lot worse because of a lack of government investment in biological controls to replace calicivirus, which is losing its effectiveness.
So how bad could it get?
“Scientists are predicting that we could see plague proportions of rabbits
that we’ve never seen before in Australian history,” Mr Dearle said.
That’s a big call, but one that’s supported by the CEO of the Invasive Species Council, Jack Gough, who’s criticized the lack of government action to develop new control methods that could see a rabbit plague threatening biodiversity and farming productivity.
Biological Arms Race
Rabbit control has long been a biological arms race between the viruses released to control them and the rabbits’ growing immunity to those viruses.
Right now the rabbits are winning that race, and the big problem is that we’re starting from a long way back to develop new weapons to catch up.
The effectiveness of the K5 virus is decreasing, and while the old calicivirus is still effective in the environment, biosecurity agencies don’t have the control over it that they do with K5.
Myxomatosis is also still in the environment, but new viruses are needed.
“The government needs to invest money into research and development of future viruses that are effective to reduce rabbits,” Mr Dearle said.
It takes approximately 10 years to develop a new virus and have it safely released into the environment, he said.
While viruses are just one tool for controlling rabbits, it’s a highly effective one, particularly in areas where baiting can’t be carried out.
Complex Problem
Controlling invasive pest animals, like rabbits, foxes and feral cats, can be a complex problem.
While foxes and feral cats can have a devastating impact on farms and native species and need to be controlled, they also hunt rabbits, which help to keep their numbers down.
So reducing the numbers of foxes and feral cats can inevitably cause some increase in rabbit numbers.
But they’re not the only predators. Birds of prey, raptors, also hunt rabbits, but their numbers are threatened by modern rodenticides that are used for controlling rats and mice.
The rodents eat the poison, the birds then kill and eat the rodents, then die from the poison in the bloodstream of their prey.
It doesn’t have to be this way, however.
P“Scientists are predicting that we could see plague proportions of rabbits that we’ve never seen before in Australian history”
- Jason Dearle
“People need to be mindful of the fact that there are different chemicals in poison baits that manage rats and mice, so different rodenticides, and they need to understand what impacts predatory birds,” he said.
Rodenticide Ban
The government is now moving to ban such second generation rodenticides.
Mr Dearle also said the tightening of gun laws could also increase rabbit numbers.
“Without landholders having another tool to handle pests, such as rabbits … they’ve lost one of their options,” he said.
“We like to think that everything we manage has its own toolbox, and in that toolbox you might have baiting, trapping, shooting, fumigating – all those sort of things – and if you take one of away it’s like a carpenter having his hammer taken away,” he said.
Disclosure: Author Mark Schneider is a committee member of Blackwood Biosecurity.
esticides that kill rats and mice can be lethally effective on them but also deadly on our native birds of prey.
Second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) certainly are.
Unlike older anticoagulants that require multiple doses to kill rodents, these kill with one dose.
The problem with them is that birds eat contaminated rats and mice. It then kills the bird in turn, with the the poison persisting in the environment in the long term to do further harm.
The following ingredients should be ringing warning bells and should be avoided: brodifacoum, bromadiolone, difethialone, difenacoum and flocoumafen.
The government is now looking to restrict the use of these second generation poisons.
First generation anticoagulants are safer, but for domestic use why not consider a rat trap bucket?
You’ll find plenty of cheap options online, but making one yourself is easy.
A rat-trap bucket uses a tall container and an unstable surface to safely contain rodents.
Start with a clean 20-litre bucket and place a spinning can or tilting plastic plank across the top on a rod.
Fill the bucket about one third full with water. Add a small smear of bait to the centre of the can or plank - peanut paste is perfect. Set a ramp so rodents can climb up.
When they step onto the unstable surface, they slip into the bucket, which is deep enough to prevent escape.
They then drown.
Check the trap frequently and dispose of the varmints.
By throwing them out on the ground you’ll give those useful birds of prey a free feed.
love journalism. It gives you a spotlight to shine in dark places, exposing injustice, wrongdoing, bad ideas and just plain old bureaucratic stuff-ups.
When it’s done well journalism holds governments and business to account and lets people know about issues that affect them.
But it’s not getting any easier. In an era when the orange toddler in the Whitehouse labelled journalists as the enemy of the people it’s been open slather on the so called “mainstream media” from a host of people who should know better. Interviewing people is the heart and soul of the profession.
It gives people the opportunity to tell their side of the story, answer questions, and to get to the nub of an issue.
When balance and fairness matter, and it always does, an interview is vital.
Well, it might be vital, but too often these days the default position for governments and corporations is either to outright refuse to answer questions, or to insist that you send them in an email, whereupon they’ll consider them before emailing back their answers.
It’s never in their best interests to do so, and it guarantees that all a journalist has to work with is dry, bureaucratic corporate speak that’s indescribably boring to read.
I don’t like that because I’m trying to give Bridgetown’s and Greenbushes’ people the best paper that I can.
So why do they do it? Well it’s an attempt to control the narrative, of course. And why do they want to do that? Well that’s usually because they have something to hide.
Until recently the Bridgetown-Greenbushes Shire didn’t play that game, and we could all be thankful for that.
The Shire’s CEO and successive Presidents have always been forthcoming with interviews and willing to explain the Shire’s position on matters.
Now that’s all changed, with the CEO and President insisting upon written questions that they can respond to in writing as they attempt to control the narrative.
They did that this month when I wanted to interview them about the depot’s safety issues, and last month on the story of the state of the Steere Street footpath.
That’s just not good enough when residents deserve transparency and accountability from the Shire President they’ve elected.
This journalist will continue to call it out whenever it happens.
And the same goes for mining companies playing the “send me your questions” game. I’ll be calling them out for it too.
Mark Schneider, Editor
That’s just not good enough when residents deserve transparency and accountability from the Shire President they’ve elected.
The Labor government welcomed long-awaited reforms to Environmental Protection legislation last year, but how much do they protect internationally recognised biodiversity hotspots like the Dalgarup forest when it’s threatened by mining?
Bridgetown’s environmentalists may be in for a long hard fight in their battle to save the Dalgarup forest from the threat of lithium mining, and recent amendments to Federal environmental legislation may not help them very much.
While changes to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act requires the government to assess projects that are likely to impact threatened species and ecological communities, a lot hinges on amendments and standards that are currently being developed.
What’s more the laws often provide governments with loopholes that give them the flexibility to give projects with significant environmental impacts the go ahead when they want them to, even if they clash with international environmental agreements, according to the Environmental Defenders Office (EDO).
Nevertheless, the EDO is cautiously hopeful.
“We completely understand community concerns that our environmental laws are broken and fail to protect nature, and hope amendments to federal laws are the start for correcting this,” said Jess Border, the EDO’s Managing Lawyer. Stopping Exploration
Bridgetown’s environmentalists hope to stop mining at the exploration stage in the Mining Warden’s Court, but the scope for this may be limited.
According to the EDO, the WA Government’s Mining Act isn’t there to protect the environment, and it can be difficult to successfully raise environmental issues within the objection mechanism under these laws.
However, in WA the Environmental Protection Act does give community members the right to refer proposals to the WA Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).
“It’s important that people know their rights to participate in environmental law, including making comments on assessments and the ability to lodge
“Ultimately, the government has the final say on whether projects are approved, and as citizens you have a right to raise concerns with your local MP and the minister and demand better environmental protection”
- Jess Border
objections against mining tenements,” Ms Border said.
It’s a right not granted to the public under the Federal environmental legislation, where it’s left to the government to start an assessment of projects that have, or are likely to have, a significant impact on a Matter of National Environmental Significance (MNES) – including threatened species and ecological communities.
While a proposal to develop mines in the forest would probably be referred for assessment under State or Commonwealth laws, it’s most likely that any project would be approved with conditions to reduce the environmental impact, rather than be rejected outright.
PHOTO: MARK SCHNEIDER
Crucial amendments and standards are yet to be developed, so the timing of mining applications becomes crucial if they’re to be challenged.
The EDO’s position is that the government and proponents should wait until the new provisions come in before assessing projects in such high conservation value areas as a matter of good faith.
“Ultimately, the government has the final say on whether projects are approved, and as citizens you have a right to raise concerns with your local MP and the minister and demand better environmental protection,” Ms Border said.
It was a dog day afternoon for dingoes at the Regen Fest with the Grumpy Old Men of the Bridgetown Men’s Shed taking good care of some splendid examples of Australia’s very own native dogs.
The Bridgetown’s Mens Shed opened in 2006 and has been providing a venue for men to make new friends do a bit of woodwork, have a cuppa and enjoy themselves.
And if you’re inexperienced at woodwork, don’t worry, because there are blokes with decades of experience to help you on your woodworking way.
The shed is open on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday FROM 8.00am to 12.00pm.
The Mens’ Shed is always looking for new members, so ring the cub’s Secretary Rob on 0452 398 595.
The Grumpies looking after Dingoes at their display stall at the Regen Fest on Saturday.
EV owners now have a very good reason to stop and spend a little time in town with the official opening of the new EV charging station outside the newly revamped Puzzletown.
Speaking at the opening, BGTA President, Tessa Dittrich, took a long view of the history of the spot by noting its history as a “refuelling” spot for the original owners of the land, who gathered, travelled and sustained themselves for countless generations.
More recently it was the site of Zinnecker’s Garage, built by Alfred Maximillian Zinnecker in 1927.
His descendants were present at the opening.
Today it’s the location of one of Western Australia’s fastest EV charging stations, with 300kw enabling most owners to top up their vehicles in 20 minutes or less.
“Which is just enough time to grab a coffee, perhaps take a peek at Puzzletown6255, and to discover why Bridgetown is worth lingering in a little longer,” Ms Dittrich said.
The station is powered 100 per cent by renewable energy and will operate around the clock.
“This Project hasn’t happened overnight,” she said “It’s taken vision, patience, persistence - and more than a few meetings.
“We are sincerely grateful to the State Government, Talison Lithium and the Shire, for their generous support in making it possible.
“Your investment is helping position Bridgetown as a forward-thinking destination ready for the growing number of EV travellers exploring our beautiful region.”
Talison CEO Rob Telford said the charging station was yet another plus for the town, and Talison was proud to be a part of it.
Jodie Hamms MLA described it as a fantastic community project that would bea real asset for Bridgetown events.
Never underestimate the flu, its impact is not to be sneezed at.
We might still be blessed with balmy Autumn weather, but have no doubt, winter - the sneezin’ season - is looming.
And with winter’s chills comes coughs, colds and sore throats – what most people mistakenly call “the flu”.
Well Bridgetown’s pharmacy has a serious message for you: the common cold is not influenza, or “the flu”.
Because while the common cold can make you feel lousy for a few days, influenza can kill you.
Yes, seriously! According to figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Influenza killed 1701 Australians in 2025.
That’s a big jump from the previous year’s toll of 1,045, and again from 2023’s toll of 611. So there’s no doubt that the influenza death toll is on the rise.
But it doesn’t have to be this way because the influenza vaccine is safe, effective, and affordable.
The Bridgetown Pharmacy’s Sehaj Johal said the vaccines will arrive in early to mid-April, and that’s the best time to get it, before flu season starts in earnest in May.
“It lasts you for about three-to four months, so it gives you that coverage over that peak influenza season,” Ms Johal said.
The peak season for flu runs from about May to July.
She said everyone should get it, but especially people over the age of 65, those who are immunocompromised or have certain medical conditions, young children, or those working around them.
Pregnant women are also at a particularly high risk.
The good news for those groups is that the vaccine is free, while for others it’s $30.
It’s been around for decades and has been extensively researched, so it’s very safe.
“Of course you have the risk of adverse events, as you do with any vaccination, so that’s’ where the pre-screening questions come into play, making sure you have a good thorough check of your
is urging everyone to get the flu vaccine this winter.
history to make sure if you’ve ever had a reaction to the flu vaccine before.”
While the vaccine is egg-based, for people allergic to eggs there’s an eggless version.
This year there’s a fast-spreading mutation of the flu known as Super-K which can appear abruptly and be more intense. So with that getting around flu vaccinations just make more sense than ever.
This year’s Regen Fest offered information and entertainment.
Sustainability was firmly on the agenda at Bridgetown’s annual Regen Fest at the Ashbil Community Garden on Saturday the 21st of March.
Now in its fourth year, it brought together a range of experts to speak about everything from native plants for medicines, to the Shire’s adoption of renewable energy, strategies for resilient living, and much more.
Among the stallholders were Permaculture displays, an electric Tesla car, wildlife, and wool spinning.
Poultry advice was provided with Gone Clucky, and there was even a mud wall incorporating plastic waste.
In short, there was something for everyone. Even the kids had a ball smashing into a pinata.
Kylie Garde from the Bridgetown Community Landcare Nursery gave an enlightening talk on native plants for medicines, describing the virtues of Blood Root, which is a food source as well as being recommended for gut health.
She described how all the parts of Sandalwood –the nuts, bark, leaves and roots – have their uses for ailments ranging from colds to arthritis.
Resilient living expert Sussane Peet asked the question: “Are you prepared for the unexpected?”
She stressed that income did not equal resilience, and that anything can be unexpected.
The good news was that increasing food security didn’t take a huge time commitment, and that growing what you eat is important.
Three steps are vital: Auditing your food – starting with knowing what food you need; preserving the surplus, whether by pickling, dehydrating, turning it into jam or even freeze drying, and managing your pantry to reduce waste.
But she also said that a community of people to share produce was also important for resilience in a world of uncertainty.
In the midst of a housing crisis it was refreshing to hear from two people who’ve found their own solutions...
In the midst of a housing crisis it was refreshing to hear from two people who’ve found their own solutions to sustainable homes and were keen to share their lived experience.
Dianne Nelson gave us the nitty gritty detail of living in her tiny home, describing how the steep learning curve of making such a space work, and about the practical challenges of building and insurance.
“I’m loving the journey despite the challenges,” she said.
In her case small is affordable. Her home was built in Queensland for $140,000. Getting it here cost a further $15,000.
Wendy Trowe’s housing journey was a self-built strawbale house that she built for just $112,000 back in 2005.
She walked the audience through the process from straw bales through to finished home, all of which she accomplished in remarkably quick time.
Water was the biggeest threat to straw bale homes.
Hers came together with the help of chicken mesh, three coats of render, and yes, even a whippersnipper.
The talks were followed up with a lively question and answer session.
Renewable Energy
Morgan Gillham, Director of Projects and Environment with the Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes, described the work the Shire has done to improve its energy sustainability, while reducing its carbon emissions, and lowering energy costs over the long term.
Energy audits were carried out on Shire buildings which identified areas for improvement.
Funding from Talison Lithium saw the installation of solar panels and batteries on the Administration building, the Library, the Leisure Centre, and the all-important Incident Control Centre.
As a result, running costs have been reduced over the last two years.
Electric vehicles are also on the Shire’s agenda, replacing existing vehicles wherever possible as the current fleet ages and needs to be replaced.
Permaculture is the essence of sustainability, and Charles Otway spoke about Syntropic agricultural systems that emphasizes biodiversity, succession, and ecological balance.
The right plant in the right location is the key to abundance, he said.
He pointed out how grasses can be used as companion plants, providing mulch which fed the soil.
“Grasses are good green manure,” he said.
Even weeds have their place as the start of a process in vacant lots, as they cover the soil.
He favoured fast growing native trees, and emphasized the importance of animals, either wildlife or domestic.
Water was the key, with the aim of banking it, storing it and catching it.
His aim was to create a system that didn’t rely on compost or fertilizer that was sourced from outside, finishing on a theme that could have summarized a lot of what the Regen Fest was about – the aim for greater self-reliance on a personal and community level.
Disclosure: Author Mark Schneider is a committee member of Transition Bridgetown.
Three years of hard work for Pete and Rachel Galvin came to fruition with the official opening of their Black Cockatoo Distillery on Saturday the 21st of March.
Guests gathered on the lawn of their Eedle Terrace property to celebrate the opening and enjoy the Distillery’s award-winning gins which are now available in over 120 independent liquor stores in WA.
The distillery’s name was inspired by the couple’s love of WA’s endangered black cockatoos, with 10 per cent of all profits supporting the work of the Karaakin Black Cockatoo Conservation Centre.
While the Galvins and local tradies have been working on the cellar door, fitting windows painting walls and installing art rails, they’ve also installed three nesting boxes for the visiting local birds.
Flocks of the distillery’s namesake can be seen feeding on the local marri nuts.
Minister for Regional Development, Stephen Dawson, did the official opening, while Bevan Eatts MLA for Warren Blackwood also attended.
The local support in the Southwest has been heartwarming to the couple and they say they can’t wait to be a part of the local art and music scene.
Rachel Galvin in particular is thrilled to have local artist Rozie Johnson with them for the Blackwood River Art Trail for 10 days after being with them from the start.
Those who have already enjoyed Black Cockatoo gin will already know her work from their award winning, beautiful labels on the bottles.
The distillery’s cellar door is now open from Friday to Sundays but the Galvins hope to open for longer hours over peak periods and local events.
It was lights, camera, action, in Greenbushes when the crew shooting the Netflix production Breakers moved into town between the 16th and 20th of March, using the historic town as a backdrop for the surfing story.
Shooting took place between Blackwood Road and Stanifer Street, with trucks, vans and equipment causing some disruption to traffic throughout the week.
Breakers tells the story of two best friends from the US who go backpacking in Australia and are soon drawn into a seemingly perfect community of surfers led by a charismatic but mysterious figure.
The Southwest has been selected as a location for its distinctive landscapes and proximity to world-class coastline and surf locations.
Producer Caeley Wesson said the region offers an authentic backdrop for the story’s coastal setting, while also providing access to experienced local crew and strong production infrastructure in Western Australia.
Greenbushes was specifically chosen because of its unique character and gritty charm, pertinent to the themes in the show.
The production is working closely with the local community, with Western Australian crew, suppliers and regional businesses contributing to the shoot.
The project is expected to employ more than 100 Western Australians across cast, crew and production roles, while also engaging local services and locations throughout the South West.
Breakers is the largest television production ever filmed in Western Australia and the first Netflix series to shoot in the state.
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It’s no bigger than a grain of rice, but the polyphagous shot hole borer is shaping up to be one of WA’s biggest biosecurity threats.
Experts are warning it could devastate South West forests, orchards and home gardens once it spreads beyond Perth.
First detected in East Fremantle in 2021, the pest has continued to expand across metropolitan suburbs despite containment efforts.
While current quarantine zones remain north of the Peel region, authorities say the Southwest’s climate and vegetation make it particularly vulnerable.
The beetle attacks more than 400 tree species worldwide, including jarrah, marri, peppermint and paperbark, as well as fruit and nut trees such as avocado, citrus and stone fruit.
It bores into trunks and branches, cultivating a fungus that blocks the tree’s vascular system and ultimately kills it.
“This is tragic news not just for Western Australia, but potentially for native trees, towns and cities, and the horticultural industry across the entire country,’ Dr Carol Booth, Invasive Species Council Policy Director said.
Highly susceptible
“15 native tree species in Western Australia have already been identified as highly or very highly susceptible to the polyphagous shot-hole borer – including iconic species like figs, paperbarks, banksias and eucalypts.
“Another 23 species are moderately susceptible, and that’s just in the Perth region. It implies hundreds of native species across the country could be at risk if the borer spreads,” she said.
Local horticulturalists are also concerned, with avocado orchards around Manjimup and Pemberton particularly exposed. It’s no bigger than a grain of rice but could do massive
The region’s forests are already under pressure from climate change and dieback, and the loss of peppermint trees — favoured by the beetle — would affect both town amenity and wildlife such as the western ringtail possum.
Authorities say long distance spread is most likely to occur through the movement of infested
firewood, mulch or green waste, prompting renewed warnings for residents not to bring firewood from Perth.
They say slowing the beetle’s spread is still possible if the community remains vigilant and reports suspicious tree dieback, small round entry holes, frass or sap staining.
Among the standout performers was musician Kathy Carver, whose heartfelt vocals and easy charm drew enthusiastic applause from festival goers.
The Downunder Country Music Festival brought the Showgrounds to life from Friday, March 20 to Sunday, March 22, filling it with the warm, welcoming spirit of traditional country music.
They came from far and wide to listen to the music, get together, and line dance.
The annual Bridgetown Easter Tennis tournament is a major fixture on the WA tennis calendar.
It attracts many of WA’s top players, but it’s also firmly focused on social tennis, appealing to players of all ages and abilities.
Saturday and Sunday feature the qualifying and knockout rounds, with finals played on Easter Monday. Spectators for the tournament are free and the competition runs from 8am until late.
FRIDAY APRIL 3rd - SUNDAY APRIL 6th
Bridgetown Tennis Club
On Good Friday Bridgetown’s churches will again gather together to reflect in words, music and prayer on the events of the first Easter.
It’s a devotional practice that meditates on the fourteen key events of Jesus Christ’s Passion.
The service starts at 10am at the Memorial Park in Hampton Street.
Please bring flowers from your garden to mark the Way of the Cross.
FRIDAY APRIL 3rd 10am
This year’s Blackwood River Arts Trail brings a fresh burst of colour and creativity to the region, with artists opening their studios across Bridgetown, Greenbushes, Balingup and Nannup.
Come and enjoy an intimate look at painting, sculpture, textiles and woodcraft, along with workshops and demonstrations.
The trail continues to strengthen the Southwest’s cultural identity, attracting locals and travellers alike.
Memorial Park Hampton St. SATURDAY MARCH 28th - MONDAY APRIL 6th
It’s all about the Ladies on Ladies’ Day at the Bridgetown Cup.
The gates open at 12pm for the start of the day’s racing at 1.00pm.
With an on course Tote, a licensed bar and canteen, and a Bouncy Castle to keep the little ones entertained, a great day out for all the family is guaranteed.
Win, lose, or draw, you’re sure to have a great day out at one of the highlights of the Bridgetown social calendar.
SUNDAY APRIL 12th 12pm
Bridgetown Sports Ground
Join Bridgetown RSL again in 2026 making a difference by fundraising for Legacy WA.
Run Army is a great way for people to come together for a fun running event, alongside those who commit their lives to protecting them.
It’s a chance to say thanks for the job they do, and to show support for their efforts on this one special day of the year in the lead up to Anzac Day.
SATURDAY APRIL 19th
8.30am
Blackwood River Park
It promises to be a petrol head’s paradise when the Classic Car Show and Parade departs at 8.30am from the River Park, heads down Hampton Road, then motors down the highway to Greenbushes.
It will then return to Bridgetown’s Town Square at 11.30.
The cars will then be on display till around 1pm.
Entry is free.
SUNDAY April 19th 12pm
Bridgetown River Park and Town Square
By Mark Schneider
Bridgetown’s Camera Club is a great place to learn skills and meet fellow enthusiasts.
On the first Wednesday night of every month a group of keen Bridgetown residents gather round a computer screen in the darkness with a quiet air of anticipation.
They’re members of the Bridgetown Camera Club, and they share a love of photography that for this old shutterbug at least, reaches back to the bad old days of black and white photography, and agitating trays of chemicals under the glow of red safe lights.
Aahh yes, I can still smell that acetic acid!
These days everything’s digital of course, and photography is so much better for it.
Nostalgia for film? Bah! You can keep it. Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be, you know.
It’s a sentiment shared by club president Jennie Stock whose passion for photography was really sparked in 2011 after she picked up her husband’s digital SLR and decided it was fun.
She’s been hooked ever since.
She thinks digital photography makes it much faster and easier to learn the techniques of photography.
The settings used by the camera are kept with the image, and it’s certainly a lot cheaper than the days of film.
Most of the club’s 17 members are experienced amateurs keen to practice their art and develop their skills.
“Getting into the camera club scene was what really pushed me to develop and learn and I think that’s a very important part of camera clubs is that it pushes you to try different things that are outside your comfort zone, and think about what you’re doing,” Mrs Stock said.
Making people get out and photograph the subjects in the monthly competitions is good, and the critique of judges is valuable in developing skills, she thinks.
Everyone’s happy to share their experience and help people learn more.
“You might not like what the judge said but you can take it on board, give it a whirl, read what they said, and it’s the camaraderie of talking to other people who are interested in cameras and photography,”
“That’s what’s good about the club, is that other people help and everyone’s happy to help other people if they’re having a technical problem … everyone’s happy to share their experience and help people learn more.”
She’s keen to see new members come along to meetings and you don’t have to have the latest, greatest digital camera Today’s mobile phones can take extraordinary images.
“It doesn’t matter if you have a phone only, as long as you’re prepared to learn, I think that’s the big thing, that we like to expand people’s horizons.”
It was 26 years up for The Cidery on St Patrick’s Day, with one of Bridgetown’s most venerated watering holes celebrating its birthday with panache.
Green was the theme, with patrons putting on the style to celebrate the heritage and culture of the Irish.
The Sisters of Corn were there to keep an appreciative crowd entertained, and the Bridgetown-Greenbushes Star’s camera was there to capture the occasion.
Bridgetown’s Autumn trotting season got off to a good start on Sunday 22nd of March with a well-attended race meeting with six events.
It’s a Bridgetown tradition that stretches back to 1927 when races were run at the Showgrounds.
A need to lengthen the track several decades ago saw the move to the current location where the football oval is today, where events were run in winter under lights for some time.
In those times people used to stand around fire drums to keep warm, according to veteran trainer Graeme “Grumpy” Waters, who’s been going to the races since he was a kid.
“It was bloody cold and wet sometimes,” he said.
Racing is in his blood, but he’s unhappy about the state of country racing, and says Perth’s Gloucester Park isn’t fit for purpose.
“Country racing has been strangled by RWWA (Racing and Wagering Western Australia) at Gloucester Park, because all they want to do is get rid of all country tracks,” he said.
“The loss of country racing will be a real kick in the guts to many country communities doing it tough right now.”
“Harness racing right now is the poor cousin of Racing WA, and we’ve already lost a lot of clubs.”
“The Board of Directors of Racing WA is actively reducing the number of races in country
WA and isn’t acting in the best interests of the industry.”
“There needs to be a clean-up of the industry as a whole, with country racing better represented.”
Right now, however, the show goes on, with Ladies Day and the running of the Bridgetown Cup looming on the 12th of April.
As always it promises to be one of the highlights of the Bridgetown social calendar, with fun for all the family and a chance for the Ladies to come out in their finest.
Gates will open at 12 noon and there’ll be an on-course Tote, a licensed bar, and a canteen.
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At the end of 41.2 overs Bridgetown had set the reigning champions a target of 183.
In reply, Forestry’s Mark Natale was the bedrock of their innings with an unbeaten 65 not-out off 104 balls.
Forestry’s cause was ably assisted by Blake Johnston’s scintillating 37 off just 38 balls, including two sixes and four fours, before being caught by Chris Bolton.
Searching for a wicket
With Forestry’s runs slowly piling up, the Bulldogs were desperately searching for a wicket.
The breakthrough came when Forestry’s Josiah Smith was caught by Thomas Clynch off the bowling of Matt Wheatley, followed one run later, when Kallan Fall and Braden Gibellini both fell for ducks.
One more wicket, that’s all Bridgetown needed, while Forestry were still chasing another 33 runs for victory.
But Forestry weren’t done, and that one wicket proved one too many, with Forestry’s Mark Natale and Reece Edwards doggedly hanging on to hit the winning runs off 43.2 overs.
The Player of the match was awarded to Forestry’s Mark Natale, whose 65 not out was vital to Forestry’s winning performance.
An all round winner, his 1-13 bowling performance cramped the Bulldogs’ batting style when it counted.
After six Grand Finals in a row, Forestry remain a very, very hard team to beat.
Despite the Grand Final dissapointment it’s was a solid year of cricketing success for the Bulldogs, however, with Decan Schembri winning the bowling average for the Warren Blackwood Cricket Association’s seasonal awards with a remarkable 8.39 for his total of 23.
Boyup Brook’s Braydon Ridley took out the Association’s Cricketer of the Year Award, while also carrying off the batting awards after scoring 814 runs to take home the batting aggregate and batting average awards.
Reigning champions Forestry just fell over the line against the Bulldogs in the Grand Final.
In a nail-biting finish to the season, Forestry snatched a last gasp win over the Bridgetown Bulldogs to claim the premiership for an extraordinary 6th
year in a row at Manjimup’s Collier Street Sporting Complex on the 28th of February.
In intermittent drizzle, cloudy conditions, and a stiff breeze that seemed to blow from Antarctica, Bridgetown’s innings was off to a shaky start.
Jake Dickson was bowled for a duck, followed by Josh Power caught by Brock Tempra for just seven runs.
It took Craig Glancy to steady the ship for the Bulldogs, with 22 off 26 balls, while Thomas Clynch set about Forestry’s bowling with relish, belting 70 off 89 balls, including six fours and a six.
He was ably assisted by Mitchell Clothier’s resolute 52 off 55 balls, including seven fours and a six.
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