POST Newspapers 20 September 2025 by POST Newspapers

Govt homes sat empty

By LLOYD GORMAN

A 100-year-old house in West Perth is facing demolition after it was allowed to become a derelict eyesore – by the state government.

The Department of Planning applied to Perth City Council recently for permission to knock down 56 Thomas Street, West Perth, which was built between 1918 and 1922.

It has been abandoned since May 2022 when architects who had been using it as ofﬁces moved out.

The property was added to

What about the homeless?

the council’s heritage list in 2008 and found to be in “fair condition” when it was rated Category 3 in May 2023, meaning “some/moderate signiﬁcance –contributes to the heritage of the locality”.

But according to the Department of Planning, because it was not included on the State Register of Heritage Places it did not warrant an assessment by the Heritage Council of WA.

A spokesperson for the DoP

said it had applied for demolition because extensive repairs required to bring the property to a safe and lettable condition “were considered not economically viable”.

In addition, the property was required for the future planned widening of Thomas Street.

The POST reported in July that a notice posted on the boarded-up property warned that trespassers would be prosecuted and this week the DoP conﬁrmed a prosecution

had been made.

The demise of No.56 follows a familiar trend in the immediate neighbourhood.

The ﬁrst house on the strip to be demolished, in 2016, was No.58, the scene of serial killer Eric Edgar Cooke’s seventh and penultimate murder, that of 24-year-old Constance Lucy Madrill in February 1963.

Six years ago the state applied for the demolition of Nos.66, 68 and 70 – all of which had been empty for some time and had become hotspots of antisocial activity.

At the time Perth city plan-

ners blamed the landowner for the poor condition of the houses (‘Death Row’ houses on borrowed time, POST, April 6 2019).

“It is noted [the WAPC] acquired the sites for road widening purposes and has not maintained the buildings, allowing them to remain vacant, which has resulted in this section of Thomas Street being blighted by the appearance of these buildings,” the planners said in their report to the council.

“It is considered that with greater foresight and attention, the buildings could have been

Date rape charge fails again

A Swanbourne man who stood trial three times over the alleged rape of a 19-year-old Dalkeith woman he met on a dating app has been acquitted after a four-year legal battle.

Guy McAuley Straker walked into the District Court on Monday facing a maximum 14year prison sentence but left a free man after a jury found him not guilty of raping the young woman during a “spa date” at his family’s Swansea Street home.

The woman told the trial that Mr Straker, then 23, pressured her into having sex with him after the pair shared a bubble bath during a COVID lockdown in July 2021, then choked her, slapped her face, and yelled at her to “stop pushing away” after she began crying in pain.

Mr Straker admitted choking and slapping the woman, but told last week’s trial: “I honestly thought she was consenting the whole time.”

His parents, both high-ranking academics, sat in the back of the court together for most of the latest six-day trial.

“Going through this process has been one of the most difcult experiences of my life,” the woman told the POST after Monday’s verdict.

“Yesterday’s outcome made me feel dismissed.”

The woman matched with Mr Straker, a young graduate of Scotch College and UWA, on Tinder in June 2021.

She consensually lost her virginity to him about two weeks later.

She agreed to his suggestion of a “spa date” about a week after that, and told the court she intended to have sex with him again.

But Mr Straker became “cold and withdrawn”, she said, after she initially demurred on his suggestion to move to the bathroom while the pair were watching a movie together.

After relenting, she said she became uncomfortable and scared when Mr Straker took a photo of her in the bath without her consent.

But that jury was hung on the rape charge, leading to a retrial in July.

The retrial was abandoned on its ﬁrst day after a technical issue with defence counsel Tom Percy KC’s opening address, resulting in a second retrial.

Another trial last November had already found Mr Straker guilty of choking the woman, for which he was ﬁned $4000 and placed on a 12-month intensive supervision order.

He then commented that she could not defend herself if attacked because of her small frame, she told the court.

“You’re so small I could put your whole foot in my mouth,” the woman recollected Mr Straker telling her, before he did just that.

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Mr Straker admitted choking and slapping the woman, but told last week’s trial: “I honestly thought she was consenting the whole time

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Home alone … 56 Thomas Street, pictured, has been empty for three years. In 2022 former planning minister Rita Saffioti and housing minister John Carey announced “lazy” government owned sites – like vacant blocks in Thomas Street, pictured bottom right – would be sold and developed as new homes.

Guy McAuley Straker leaves the District Court after being acquitted of raping a woman at his family’s Swanbourne house.

By BEN DICKINSON

Path crash looms

As an avid cyclist, walker and resident of Cottesloe I worry that the proposed walking/cycling path for the Cottesloe foreshore will be another waste of ratepayers’ money, with signiﬁcant inconvenience to the entire community, similar to the Eric Street walking/cycling path that is seldom used.

Cyclists move too fast to coshare walking paths, and there is a perfectly good Principal Shared Path alongside the train line to cycle along.

As a former chair of WestCycle I would encourage wider community consultation before Cottesloe council members ride off into the sunset and have another crash.

Neil Hackett Kathleen Street, Cottesloe

Allen Park question remains: Why?

In the Legislative Council on Tuesday night the forces of the Labor government, the Liberal opposition and the Greens combined to support the excision of an additional portion of Allen Park for a garden/playground for the hospice.

It emerged that prior to the debate the Government had assured the concerned parties that public access would remain “in perpetuity”.

How bizarre: Remove the A-Class reserve status, which does provide public access and protection, and replace it with something that is supposedly identical. Why?

The convoluted arguments were that;

• The Nedlands council had been dysfunctional. But it no longer exists.

• Disgruntled locals, supported by their community newspa-

per, had always been opposed to the children’s hospice. A blatant lie and an irrelevant argument for excision.

• There was a desire for the “administrative convenience” of having adjoining lots with the same classiﬁcation. Why? Adjoining lots often have separate classiﬁcations.

• The portion to be excised was “small”. Why was size a consideration?

According to the Government, protection and access “in perpetuity” are now guaranteed, but they were already guaranteed under A-Class reserve status.

We have witnessed a long, acrimonious process.

This could have been avoided if the A-Class status had not been challenged on spurious grounds amid collaboration between the interested parties.

Denzil McCotter Walba Way, Swanbourne

Those who are fixing to be mayor

I opened my letterbox on Tuesday to ﬁnd election ﬂyers from each of the two excellent and experienced candidates for the Town of Cottesloe mayoral position in the coming local government election – Melissa Harkins and Kevin Morgan. It is always interesting to compare and contrast the issues that opposing candidates intend to prioritise if elected, and, perhaps not surprisingly, there was a good deal of overlap between the two.

Both prioritise foreshore enhancement, connectivity, the Indiana, and efﬁcient management/governance.

However, the differences between them are quite profound.

For example, sustainability and greening, arts and culture,

sensible development and universal access are prioritised by Melissa Harkins but not by Kevin Morgan.

I take this to mean Mr Morgan does not prioritise universal beach access even though he claims to prioritise “ﬁxing” the beachfront.

However, his flyer goes even further since it is only the main beachfront he wishes to “fix”. What about the other beaches in the Town of Cottesloe? South Cottesloe beach has been needing a “fix” for many years. It seems to me, as a long-term Cottesloe resident, that the most appropriate future for the Town requires inclusive, sustainable, sensible development throughout and for all of its residents.

More letters pages 12, 18, 32

Dennis Rumley Marine Parade, Cottesloe

Mos Park pursues dying woman

By JACK MADDERN

Mosman Park council is demanding $11,000 in unpaid rates from a 73-year-old North Fremantle pensioner dying from terminal cancer.

But Suzanne Lemmey claims the council gave her a statement conﬁrming there were no outstanding rates when she sold her Glenn Avenue home three years ago.

She was shocked to be served with a legal notice last Sunday demanding the repayment of $11,250 in outstanding rates and fees.

Ms Lemmey has been battling breast cancer since her ﬁrst diagnosis at 42.

The cancer has since spread and is now terminal.

“I’ve got three tumours in my brain, a couple in my lungs and a huge one in my chest,” she said.

“I have no money. I can’t afford the $11,000. I’m pretty broke.

“Having cancer is pretty expensive and my husband left me, which is why I had to sell the house.”

She claimed her lawyer, real estate agent, bank, settlement agent and Mosman Park council were all satisﬁed the

property was debt-free when it was sold.

But she came home from the hospital on Sunday, when she noticed a bald man in a tracksuit snooping around her home.

When she confronted the man, he served her with papers informing her she was being pursued by Mosman Park for $11,250 in unpaid rates.

“I don’t understand,” she said.

“I’ve never, ever not paid my rates and, regardless, I have a document that says I have paid them.

“I’m traumatised by all this.

“I nearly ended up having to

Cop innocent but no job, house or kids

By BEN DICKINSON

A police constable acquitted of assaulting his infant son remains suspended from the force while he faces an internal disciplinary process.

Constable Cameron Smith was awarded $50,000 costs in Perth Magistrates Court on Tuesday after he was wrongfully accused of child abuse.

But despite the acquittal, a

police spokesperson said Const. Smith had not been reinstated.

“The ofﬁcer remains stood down pending an internal disciplinary process,” they said.

Two doctors at Perth Children’s Hospital in Nedlands reported Const. Smith to child protection authorities in 2023 when his premature baby, who suffered from oral ulcers, was observed bleeding from the mouth while being bottle-fed.

Magistrate Donna Webb found there was no evidence a laceration to the boy’s lip was deliberately inﬂ

Lawyer Katherine London said at the costs hearing that Const. Smith had “lost his job, his relationship, his reputation and his children”.

“He has been sensationally denounced in the media,” Ms London told Ms Webb.

“My client has had to lose his

Windsor stays in family hands

By BEN DICKINSON

The Windsor Cinema will remain in the hands of its original owners after Chrissie Hunt bought out the rest of her family.

Concerns that a property developer had bought the art deco Nedlands landmark were quashed this week.

The 1930s property will remain with late owner Roger Hunt’s widow who intends to retain it as a cinema. A lease to Luna Cinemas still has 10 years to run.

The cinema was spruiked as a high-rise development site when it was put up for sale last year.

But Ms Hunt paid $6million to buy out relatives’ shares in the cinema they inherited after Mr Hunt died in 2021.

The ownership move comes after 423 people signed a petition to add the Stirling Highway building to the State Heritage Register, something Mr Hunt vigorously opposed for 28 years.

The petition, organised by the Art Deco & Modernist Society, said: “Only through statutory protection can the

heritage values of the Windsor Cinema be assured and its long-term conservation guaranteed.”

Secretary Karl Haynes said the society would also approach Nedlands council’s commissioners to lobby them to add the Windsor to the council’s local heritage list, which currently only includes buildings on the State Heritage Register.

“The Windsor is an important part of a collection [of cinemas] from an era in WA in the 1930s when there was a small economic boom fueled by the gold boom in WA that followed the Great Depression,” he said.

Greens MP Brad Pettitt, who presented the petition to Parliament, told ABC Radio last week that he was on the

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93893999

www.cullenmacleod.com.au

mail@cullenmacleod.com.au

Mosman Park told Suzanne Lemmey she did not have a debt when she sold her house, top, but now claims she has unpaid rates.

Cameron Smith … Still facing an “internal disciplinary process”.

The Windsor on Stirling Highway, Nedlands, will remain as a cinema.

in Churchill Avenue, Subiaco, in 1977.

Readership of the locally delivered paper has grown from the original 9000 print run for Subiaco and now tops 50,000 copies every week – not including its fast growing online audience.

The POST remains fiercely independent, despite repeated attempts by media giants to absorb it.

First edition in September 1977.

Some of the same staff who celebrated the 20th anniversary in 1997 are still here.

Most recently, the POST took a step to secure its independence by launching its own printing press, helping to ensure a free and independent press continues in WA.

The POST still has a few years ahead of it to catch up to Berrow’s Worcester Journal, a UK paper which was founded in 1690 and has been printed weekly for more than 300 years.

Playgrounds great for parents too

Community playgrounds bring families together, support children’s wellbeing, and strengthen our community, Cottesloe mother Angele Moore told her council this week.

“I took my two small children to a local playground, and within minutes, they made new friends,” she said.

“I was chatting with parents that I’d never met before.

“To me, that’s the power of these public spaces.”

She had turned up at the meeting to support a 50% increase to $300,000 for an expanded new playground at Cottesloe Civic Centre.

“Playgrounds are one of the most visible investments council makes,” she said.

“They help kids develop social skills, confidence, resilience and creativity.

“They are building blocks for healthy development, and they happen most naturally through play.”

The extra $100,000 recommended by the council’s open space committee will

AI employment app becomes job judge and jury

ArtificiaI Intelligence is colonising work processes with such speed that even its own users are struggling to keep up.

A recent law graduate got on the wrong side of an AI employment tool that rejected her job application without providing a reason.

provide a design under the existing shade sail, picnic tables and modern versions of the old equipment, plus monkey bars.

“The current playground design may be within budget, but it reduces the size of the existing playground and risks delivering a space that feels underwhelming and doesn’t meet community expectation,” Ms Moore said.

She said the Civic Centre was an ideal space because it is already supported by toilets and barbecues.

“The extra investment doesn’t build a playground, it creates a complete, family friendly destination,” she said.

The meeting was told that $200,000 was budgeted, and the extra $100,000 would come from reserves. The

council will make a final decision later this month.

Cottesloe several years ago built the big pirate ship playground in Marine

Peter Poat was a legend in football writing and among printers, a versatile sportsman who developed his passions for sport and writing into a stellar career.

as larger than life and a true gentleman.

Devoted wife Liz this week recalled that his love for the printed word followed him to his last day on this earth as he struggled for breath in the intensive care unit.

“Did you tick the box identifying whether this was your final year or penultimate year at uni?” the staffer asked.

“If you said final year, the AI program would have rejected you automatically because that is what it does to reduce the number of applicants.

“That is a pity because I

The POSTie ran the firm after not hearing back for several weeks and was taken aback by a staffer’s response.

can see from your application and record that you would have been ideal for the job. You should have said penultimate and then fudged it at the interview!”

Tributes flowed when he died in hospital of leukemia earlier this year, aged 79.

He had trained in Bunbury as a printer and travelled Australia while polishing his skills before he and wife Liz returned to WA.

He made many friends and admirers as a prolific publisher of sports newspapers and newsletters, including for the Eagles, through Action Press, described by his friends

“Do you think his last words were ‘I love you and I’m sorry I’m going?’” she said with a laugh.

“No, his final words were: ‘The Subiaco POST is the best newspaper in Australia!’.”

Peter, who was a founding member of the WA Football Media Guild in 1979, will be recognised with an award in his name at the annual awards event.

Parade, a long nature-play space next to the railway line and rebuilt its playground on Broome Street overlooking Harvey Field.

Famous last words from a true POST fan Cottesloe Civic Centre’s current playground.

Peter Poat

Claremont in firing line

By JACK MADDERN

Claremont council has come under ﬁre from some residents for what they say is a string of incidents this year that revealed a trend of secrecy and poor communication from staff.

The Town said it has appropriately responded to residents in each incident.

Ian Satchwell is a neighbour of Side Piece Deli in Shenton Road, Swanbourne, who has delved into how the now-booming business was approved (Swanbourne frothing over ‘entitled’ cafe, POST September 6).

A local with planning experience, he sifted through heavily redacted council documents to discover Side Piece planners had split their application into three parts that they submitted separately.

This allowed a second commercial kitchen and a new disabled toilet building to be approved by council staff without a council vote.

The third “slice of the sashimi” was approval for the outdoor seating, which the council enthusiastically approved.

“My beef is not so much with

By LLOYD GORMAN

Sam [Kaye] and Pia [Prior], the proprietors, but with the Town of Claremont’s secrecy, ﬂawed processes and low capacities,”

Mr Satchwell said.

“Public consultation has been grossly inadequate; the real plans were never available and there was secrecy applied where it shouldn’t have been.

“Councillors could not know what the scale and implications

Safety on Swan supporters watched in Parliament as Nedlands MP Jonathan Huston implored Transport Minister Rita Safﬁoti to relocate a proposed ferry terminal from Matilda Bay to JoJo’s jetty in Nedlands.

Mr Huston moved the grievance motion in the Legislative Assembly to widespread applause from the public gallery.

But there is little prospect of the government changing its mind with Ms Safﬁotti saying she was bound to take expert advice that found Matilda Bay was the best location.

“As a minister of the Crown you ask for advice … and [when] that advice says central Matilda Bay is the preferred location because it contains less risk than Pelican Point and JoJo’s, that it has less environmental damage

of the planning were.”

Mr Satchwell said Claremont had been gamed, and if they did not address the ﬂaws in their planning process, they would be gamed again by other proponents.

written to the Town expressing issues with noise, smell and customers spilling onto the footpath and nearby gardens.

“I’ve spent years of my career working with developing

“You may want me to make a very political decision today and overturn the independent advice given to me but I don’t feel like I can do that because you have to take the advice.”

Mr Huston said there was no opposition to the expansion of the Swan River ferries but Matilda Bay was not

“Essentially, they have turned the footpath into an alfresco, land you would have to pay rent and get strong public liability insurance for,” Mr Satchwell said. He said it could leave the

“Two other cars had a similar problem, and other cars were crossing the road island to get through the road with their cars intact,” she said.

She lodged a claim with the council, who passed it to their insurance company, Local

ve locations proposed by the state government and already had a jetty which could be upgraded to suit the ferry service and was close to existing public transport links.

“We are here to put to you the environmental case, the community case,

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Proprietors Pia Prior and Sam Kaye standing in the Deli kitchen area before it was built.

The Side Piece Deli has customers spilling out its front doors.

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Rotto: My island home

By BEN DICKINSON

Cale McMillen will do just about whatever it takes to stay on Rottnest Island.

The 37-year-old photographer has scrubbed pots, pulled pints and frothed cappuccinos at Rottnest for 20 years – anything to keep him on the holiday island.

“You can never own your place – all accommodation is through the job,” he said. “But it’s kind of what I know. It’s home.”

Cale has published a coffee table book packed with spectacular photos of Rotto taken over a decade on his trusty Nikon D810.

The pictures capture the Rottnest we all know, bustling and radiant light on a summer public holiday, as well as the side of the island known only to Rotto lifers and the hardiest of tourists.

Forks of lightning crackle around Bathurst Lighthouse in one shot, while a huge storm front moves over Longreach Bay in another.

Cale found himself alone in the surf at Strickland Bay last Friday, a regular experience that he still ﬁnds “surreal”.

“You’ve got the Perth rat race just across the water, two million people, and yet somehow this untouched paradise just goes empty,” he said.

“There was quite a strong offshore and Stricko’s [surf break] is pumping and there’s no-one out but me.

“You look around and think, ‘where is everyone?’”

It was surﬁng that ﬁrst drew Cale to Rottnest at age 17.

He got a job at the island’s Red Rooster soon after ﬁnishing Year 12 at Churchlands Senior

High School. He stayed on the island, when he wasn’t travelling the world, for around 10 years.

Then he went on a trip around Australia on his motorbike, but always felt the call of Rotto.

“Halfway through the trip I ﬁgured I was coming back to the island,” he said.

“I always kind of want to know it as home.”

Cale thinks there are only “ﬁve or six” people who would have lived on the island longer than he has.

He and other long-term residents used to hang out at Gov’s Bar, an unassuming venue with no ocean views that closed in 2022.

“I stopped drinking quite a few years ago, so I didn’t mourn the loss of that,” he said.

He has lived as “the island hermit” since, content to spend his days surﬁng and documenting life.

“Call it a bit of the Peter Pan syndrome – I just never quite grew up,” he said.

But even Cale knows that time on Rottnest is never a certainty.

“Everyone has to leave, effec-

tively, and I don’t want to work hospo forever,” he said.

In preparation for the day he books a one-way ferry ticket, Cale bought a modest one-bedroom unit in Fremantle.

He can see the island from the balcony “when the containers aren’t stacked to the brim” at the port.

His book, Rottnest Island: The Cultural Landscape, is available at Open Book in Mosman Park, The Lane bookshop in Claremont, and other independent bookstores.

Rottnest is 20km and a million miles from the Perth rat race.

Rotto snapper Cale McMillen. Photo: Paul McGovern

Few tourists see this side of Rottnest Island. Photos: Cale McMillen

Rocky Bay rezoned

By JACK MADDERN

A new owner and a new scheme amendment granting greater residential density will unlock big changes for the Rocky Bay site in Mosman Park.

Curtin Heritage Living announced last week that it had bought 2.8ha of the McCabe Street land from Rocky Bay for $56million (Rocky Bay’s saviour, POST September 13).

This week, the site was given state approval to change the land use from social care facility to residential use, unlocking R-codes of up to R-160.

Planning Minister John Carey said this was an opportunity to increase density in the western suburbs and for the Town to meet

$56million sale

in quite a number of steps to determine how the site will be developed,” he said.

Curtin Heritage Living managing director David Cox said the site will most likely include independent living apartments and an aged-care facility, with possibly a dementia-care facility.

Mr Shaw has taken some conﬁdence about the new owners’ ability from their operations in Cottesloe, The Heritage Collective.

“We don’t know exactly what they have planned for the Rocky Bay site, but we are certainly encouraged about what they have produced in Cottesloe and the noises they have made about consulting the community,” he said.

Neighbour tells of ‘Bark Card’

By JEN REWELL

Autopsy results are still pending on two four-yearold golden retrievers that were poisoned in Barker Road, Subiaco.

Siblings indy and Chief both died a day after becoming ill suddenly.

Leanne and Brent Cooper, and their four children, are still coming to grips with the loss of their family pets.

Horrified POST readers responded to the report with anger, horror and an outpouring of grief (Dog poisoner strikes, POST, September 6).

Chief died too quickly for vets to do any toxicology tests on him, but Cindy was found to have prescription-only human medication, oxycodone and benzodiazepine, in her urine.

Those drugs were not kept in the Cooper household.

Ms Cooper said the tests showed Cindy had been given a “cocktail” of drugs.

Eamon Gu, who lives next door to the Coopers, said misleading information in a POST report, in which he was not mentioned or identiﬁed, had led to hostility towards him and his partner.

“We have received a threatening letter and experienced hateful behaviours,” he said.

“We have also done our best to assist with the investigation into this tragedy.

“All our front and backyard CCTV, with our activities on the event day recorded, have been supplied to both the police and the neighbour.”

Wembley Police said the CCTV footage collected during the investigation was being held on ﬁle. No charges have been ﬁled.

Mr Gu contacted the POST to clarify that he had complained to the Cooper family about their dogs’ barking.

“While we are sorry for their loss, there are a number of inaccurate and misleading points that I wish to clarify,” he said.

He had complained in writing twice to Ms Cooper about the dogs, once in May last year using a Bark Card available on download from the City of Subiaco, and once at 9pm on Christmas Day.

He said the Bark Card was not a forged letter but a free, printable “neighbourly notiﬁcation” form available from the Subiaco council website.

He said the dogs had been

“defensive and vigilant” on their side of the backyard fence.

“We … signiﬁcantly reduced our activities in our alfresco and backyard,” he said.

“We later decided to raise our concerns with the neighbour by sending them the Bark Card, in which we stated: ‘We understand that your dogs are still settling in and not familiar with us and we have waited patiently’.

“We considered the whole letter polite and reasonable.” He had not considered a complaint to the council.

Ms Cooper said she had been “mortiﬁed” to receive the Bark Card and had immediately checked with other neighbours who said her dogs were not noisy.

She said Mr Gu’s partner had also complained in person to her, about a week after the Bark Card was delivered.

Mr Gu said he had also texted at 9pm on Christmas Day, as the Coopers had been out all day and had left the dogs at home.

The Coopers had replied to the text at 9.46pm and said they would be home soon, he said.

Although this marks a withdrawal of Rocky Bay’s disability support services in the area, it will maintain a 4200sq.m plot on

Cindy and Chief were poisoned at their Subiaco home in August.

Rocky Bay CEO Michael Tait will oversee the move of the disability provider from Mosman Park. Photo: Paul McGovern

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Cat crackdown on cards

The state government will introduce a law next year to crack down on roaming cats.

The proposal came as the government rejected Bayswater’s bid to introduce cat containment laws because they clashed with the existing Cat Act.

Communities and local governments calling for cat containment laws for years have been blocked by the Act.

But the new Bill could help local governments to manage their roaming cat populations.

Kirrilee Warr, the shadow local government minister, backed the announced Bill but warned that after eight years

By BEN DICKINSON

A swathe of Allen Park next to the new Swanbourne children’s hospice will be stripped of its Class A Reserve status after Parliament rejected a last-ditch bid to stop the excision.

A new Cat Act in being considered.

of inaction, local governments and communities should not be asked to wait any longer for

“This is the 27th time a local

ment cat containment laws has been blocked,” she said.

“Councils still lack the tools they need, including following the halting of the PETSWA portal.”

Councils can only implement cat bans for certain public areas like bushlands.

Fremantle is one of the ﬁrst councils to adopt a cat measure, while Mosman Park and Cottesloe have considered cat laws.

Cat groups and local governments have argued that this is not enough to prevent millions of native animals being killed by cats each year.

Land loses Class A status

The Government is moving to wrest the land from Nedlands council’s control in order to create “complementary parkland” for the partly-built hospice.

The move follows years of bruising fights between the Government, the council, and the Friends of Allen Park.

Animal Justice MLC Amanda Dorn moved to disallow the excision in the Legislative Council on Tuesday, but the push was rejected by Labor, the Liberals, and most of the crossbench.

Ms Dorn said she fully supported the hospice and the park project but rejected “the weak justiﬁcation given for removing its vital land protections”.

A highway sign erected by Nedlands council to fight to retain the Swanbourne land.

“This land holds immense environmental and cultural value, and its protection should never be compromised for administration convenience,” she said.

“What is at stake here is the principle of protecting our most valued public open spaces.”

Greens leader Brad Pettitt, who previously backed Ms Dorn’s push to block the excision, told Parliament he was satisﬁed by the government’s promise to keep the land a public park “in perpetuity”.

Former Nedlands MP Katrina

Townhouses for Tyrell Street

Two townhouse developments on the same Nedlands street block were approved within hours of each other on Wednesday.

Caroline and John Woodford’s four-home development at No.14 was unanimously approved by a development assessment panel in the morning, despite ﬁve objections from neighbours who worried about the bulk and parking impact of the two-storey complex.

“Personally I think the design

Stratton, now a member of the upper house, told Parliament the Government moved to excise the land “after another 18 months of unproductive talks with the City of Nedlands”.

“The City of Nedlands voted in 2022 to object to the hospice plans and, subsequently, also objected to Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation putting in a park next to the hospice for the children, their families and the community,” she said. Shadow planning minister Neil Thomson said he had received a “rock-solid guarantee” from Planning Minister John Carey that the land would remain coded as regional open space under Perth’s high-level Metropolitan Region Scheme.

“For the foreseeable future, for as long as we can imagine, this will be used for those children who will need this service,” Mr Thomson said.

Only Ms Dorn and One Nation MLC Philip Scott voted for the motion, which was rejected 31-2.

suits the site,” Nedlands chief commissioner David Caddy told the panel.

Mr Caddy chaired a council meeting several hours later that unanimously approved Reza Maneshkarimi’s plans for another four townhouses at No.22.

Six people lodged objections, but council officers said the design was an “appropriate transition” towards future high-rise at the north end of Tyrell Street.

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The best show in Perth is in Kings Park and Bold Park, according to those who love displays of everlasting daisies and qualup bells.

Horticulture project manager Ali Smith said it was difﬁcult to choose which ﬂowers were most spectacular, given the diversity of species.

“The iconic red and green kangaroo paws are certainly putting on a show,” she said.

A giant boab tree has been given a winter blanket, with a custom designed jacket around its base to replicate its preferred growing conditions in the Kimberley, and to prevent it from taking in too much water.

The boab is called Gija Jumulu and is estimated to be about 750 years old. It was transferred from the Gija people’s lands near Warmun in 2008.

Ryan Glowacki, acting manager of biodiversity conservation, said Kings Park and Bold Park’s bushland areas were seeing increased ﬂowering due to the cooler and wetter conditions this winter.

“However, we are still noticing some ﬂow-on effects from the two worse-than-average autumn rainfall seasons,” he said.

Visitors are asked to help maintain soil health by sticking to the paths and not picking wildﬂowers.

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Blooming beautiful … Kings Park horticulturalist Ali Smith admires some striking kangaroo paws. Photo: Paul McGovern

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Eight-storey for West Leedy

By JEN REWELL

An eight-storey apartment block is planned to replace two early 20th Century cottages in Abbotsford Street, West Leederville.

Space Collective Architects have designed the multistorey apartments for the site opposite Abbotsford Private Hospital, and the designs are online for community consultation.

The new building would have 16 apartments, basement parking and a stepped design with an arched pedestrian entry.

Six on-site visitor bays are required under local planning rules, but only three are planned.

The wooden house at No.12 was built in 1900, and its tuckpointed neighbour at No.10 dates from 1910.

The consultation period has closed.

Rocky Bay rezoned

• From page 7

McCabe Street that will continue to house a handful of residents.

“Mosman Park will always hold a dear spot in the organisation’s heart,” Rocky Bay CEO Michael Tait said.

“There are plenty of memories for staff, customers and the community from our 46 years at 60 McCabe Street. The value is not in the building, but in the people who have walked with us over the years.

“The reality is, we need to

change how we support people with disability to keep with the times of best possible support services, and the sale of 60 McCabe Street will help us to achieve that.”

Mr Tait said the ageing buildings and amenities helped make the decision to leave easier.

Street location in 1979.

A 12-month leaseback agreement with Curtin Heritage Living will give it some time to ﬁnd a new place to re-establish. Previous plans to relocate to Belmont fell through in 2023.

Mr Tait said a dedicated team would review relocation options and stretch the sale proceeds to have the greatest impact.

SECURING OUR ECONOMIC FUTURE AS THE CLIMATE WORSENS

“This sale is an important prerequisite to funding better facilities for people living with disability,” he said.

Rocky Bay ﬁrst moved into Mosman Park in the 1950s before taking over the McCabe

“We have the time to engage and plan our exit to be as stress-free as possible for staff and customers, while ensuring quality services continue irrespective of the move,” he said.

The Federal Government has finally released the first National Climate Risk Assessment report – a harrowing and comprehensive insight into what our climate future looks like if we continue with business as usual.

Every year, the case for action becomes stronger –insurance costs go up, the risk of fires and floods increase, and now we are seeing significant bleaching of our beloved Ningaloo Reef.

The report forecasts that by 2050 the annual economic cost of climate-related impacts on Australian taxpayers may be nearing $40 billion.

For decades, climate scientists have pleaded with of warming. Currently, we are on track for close to 3degrees of warming

Australia cannot solve climate change alone - no country can - but that is not a reason to do nothing.

The Federal Government will soon announce its 2035 emissions reductions target, in line with our international obligations under the Paris Agreement. This target will set our course for the next decade.

Setting an ambitious emission reduction target doesn’t just fulfil our international obligations, it also provides the investment certainty required to attract capital to the industries that will employ our kids and grandkids.

Australia has all the ingredients to prosper in a net zero world – sun, wind, space, critical minerals, a stable economy, experience with large projects and key resources including iron ore - everything global economies needs to transition to a more sustainablefuture.

Pulling back from net zero commitments, like the WA

would doom our economy to irrelevance at some stage in the coming decades and make it harder to attract capital.

Policy certainty gives businesses confidence to invest. With a credible plan, we can diversify and future-proof our economy.

I’ve pushed the Government to commit to a 2035 emissions reduction target of at least 75percent, which the Climate Change Authority says is achievable, because ambition is in our long-term national interest.

This 1910 cottage will be demolished to make way for an eight-storey tower, below.

Please email your letter to letters@postnewspapers.com.au, lodge online at postnewspapers.com.au or snail mail to: The Editor, 276 Onslow Rd, Shenton Park 6008. All letters must include writer’s full name, address and daytime phone no. for veriﬁcation. Boring letters or those over 300 words will be cut. Deadline: Noon Wednesdays.

It’s simple: DAPs are a disaster

Cambridge Mayor Gary Mack is quite right to assert (POST, August 30) that the planning system is broken.

It’s a conclusion I came to and publicly expressed about two years ago when I went through all of the information on development assessment panels, including:

A website, 55 pages of regulations, 86 pages of Training Notes, a Code of Practice, FAQs, a Flow Chart, Procedures Manual, Decision Maker Information, Standing Orders, and Guidance Notes on Lodging an Application.

The writers, inspired by Kafka, had also referenced Orwell when they created the Responsible Authority Report,

invented supposedly for the purpose of providing local input but planning authority actually resides solely with the DAP, or whatever its current manifestation is called.

The local council is legally bound under the Regulations to provide not only the Responsible Authority Report but also additional advice on demand to the DAP, for which the local council is denied compensation.

For local councils, the DAPs are “all pain and no gain”.

As for their “public participation” hearings – don’t get me started.

Gerard MacGill Harvest Road, North Fremantle Convenor, North Fremantle Community Association

Danger alley

I have received much support for my letter No action on road dangers (September 6) expressing frustration at the lack of council interest in the hooning and dangerous driving that is still occurring every day in Herbert Road, Shenton Park. Interestingly there has been no comment from the mayor, elected members or staff, yet the three nominees for the vacant South ward seat have all made contact.

Mary 0466 749 804

Clearing out the

Wake up to nature

Many POST readers are coast-lovers, and shared in the awe-inspiring sight of mother whales and their calves off Leighton Beach recently (80 tonnes of motherhood, POST, September 6). It was a reminder of the unique beauty that makes our corner of world special. It’s also a reminder of the growing threats they face.

Last month fossil fuel lobbyists successfully stymied a global plastics treaty that would have slowed the ﬂood of micro-

plastics threatening our oceans.

Political parties are also being pressured to expand gas and oil projects that are destroying the habitat and migratory paths of these beautiful creatures, and heating the sea.

The Leighton whale visit can inspire us all to push back against the forces closing in on the things we love, so they can exist to delight our children and grandchildren.

Protecting our environment is no longer a fringe issue.

Keep our elections above board

When considering what qualities are needed by a candidate for council, voters should understand just what a council is, and what it is not.

A local government council is not a board of directors. A company selects its directors carefully. They are paid well and expected to work together as a team.

A council is elected, not selected. Councillors can have a wide variety of experiences, skills, personalities and values. They are much more like a jury representing the range of people in their community. We still use the jury system for good reason – it works.

together as a board of directors, running a company that provides services to the public, not a democratically elected set of councillors.

A council should have nine to 12 members if the jury is going to work.

So my advice when considering who would be a good councillor is to look for someone whose values are clear and align with what you believe is needed. That is the best you can do.

Perry Dalkeith Road, Nedlands

This makes a huge difference. Three experienced local government experts have been appointed as commissioners in Nedlands.

To all intents and purposes they have been selected to work

Catherine Jackson Hawkstone Street, Cottesloe

Two southern right whales and their calves cruise in the relative shallows off Leighton Beach early this month. Photo: Saltysnapsbyscot

David Beaton Onslow Road, Shenton Park

Welcome to Herbert Road.

Photo: D. Beaton

Ken

NEWS

MARCH 2025

SEPTEMBER 2025

2025 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTION

The 2025 Local Government Election will be held on Saturday, 18 October. The Town of Cottesloe’s election will be conducted as a postal vote, managed by the Western Australian Electoral Commission.

Voting packs will be mailed to all eligible voters, arriving in late September. Completed ballots can be returned by post using the pre-paid envelope provided, by hand to the Town’s Administration office during business hours before election day, or on election day at the Lesser Hall (next to Cottesloe Civic Centre) before 6pm. Vote counting will begin at 6pm on 18 October, with results expected later that evening.

This is your opportunity to help shape the future of Cottesloe—make your voice count. Further information about the election is available at https://www.cottesloe.wa.gov.au/

NOMINATE SOMEONE GREAT!

Nominations for the 2026 Community Citizen of the Year Awards are now open. Each year the Town acknowledges individuals and local organisations that have made an outstanding contribution during the year or contribute to the local community year after year.

The Town of Cottesloe is calling for nominations for Community Citizen of the Year, Young Community Citizen of the Year (16 – 30 years), Senior Citizen of the Year (over 65 years) and Active Citizenship – Group or Event.

We encourage you to nominate someone who makes our community a better place! Find out more and make a nomination at www.citizenshipawards.com.au. Nominations close 31 October 2025.

COUNCIL MEETINGS

Council Agenda Forums are usually held on the third Tuesday of the month at 6pm and Council Meetings are usually held on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 6pm at Cottesloe Civic Centre, 109 Broome Street, Cottesloe. Full details of Council Meetings are available on our website at www.cottesloe.wa.gov.au/ council-meetings/. Agendas are available at the Civic Centre and on our website. The next Council Meeting is on Tuesday, 23 September.

TIME FOR A SPRING CLEAN

Spring is a great time for a clean up! For anything that can’t be donated or given away a Verge Valet service can be booked at a time that suits you. Up to two bulk waste collections and one green waste collection is available to households each year. If additional green waste collections are preferred, one or both of the bulk waste collections can be changed to green.

Verge Valet is for rubbish – before booking the service please check the options available to gift, sell, donate, ﬁx or swap items in the ﬁrst instance. Find out more about how to donate used items and how to book a Verge Valet collection at vegevalet.com.au or contact the Town on 9285 5000.

FREE MULCH FOR SPRING!

Through our membership with the Western Metropolitan Regional Council, Cottesloe residents are invited to collect free mulch from the West Metro Recycling Centre in Shenton Park. Location and opening hours are available at https://www.wmrc.wa.gov.au/ Bring a shovel, trailer or bags and help yourself. Your garden will thank you for it!

PET REGISTRATION RENEWAL

A reminder that dog and cat registrations expire on 31 October. If your pet was last registered for one year or is coming to the end of a three year registration, it’s time for registrations to be renewed. Renewals will be sent out in the mail. First time renewals can now be made online on the MyCottesloe portal. To ﬁnd out more visit the portal at my.cottesloe.wa.gov.au/do-it-online. Please don’t forget to register your furry friend!

Monk’s old diary reveals Subi secrets ts

By LLOYD GORMAN

A 175-year-old diary of a Spanish Benedictine monk who helped establish Subiaco and New Norcia is about to reveal its hidden history.

UWA academic Marta PerezRey’s translation of the Marsá Diary will be published for the New Norcia Library study day on October 17.

Ken Spillman, the author of two Subiaco histories, will draw on the historic diary for his latest book The Rodoreda Story, which will also be launched at the monastery event.

The diary was written by

Francisco de Asís Marsa and starts in Cádiz, Spain in October 1849.

It covers the 3½ years up to his departure from Fremantle and return to Spain in 1853.

Missionary monks, including Marsa, built a monastery at Subiaco in 1851 before relocating to New Norcia.

Subiaco developed rapidly with a train station being built in 1883 as settlers ﬂocked to the area.

The Marsa diary offers rare insights and an eyewitness account of events and developments from that era.

It was saved from obscurity

Then and now: These former stables in MercyCare’s Wembley campus on Barrett Street are all that is left of the Benedictine Monastery of New Subiaco (1851-1867) which was demolished in 1979. The surviving structure was restored in 2019.

Norcia and Perth until eventually ending up in Barcelona via Mauritius, London and Cadiz.”

Back in Barcelona, Marsa worked as a priest until he died, aged 75, in 1890.

by happenstance and serendipity and a tortuous complex trip around the world.

“[This] manuscript would have travelled with Marsa from Barcelona via Cádiz and

Fremantle to New Norcia,” said New Norcia achivist Peter Hocking.

“More than a century later his diary, in perfect condition, appeared in the stock list of a Barcelona antiquarian book dealer,” Mr Hocking said.

“Then it would have returned to Perth from New Norcia via Guildford then back to New

“A visiting American antiquarian dealer saw it, bought it and took it back to the United

• Please turn to page 68

Plata Bonita says adios

By SARAH McNEILL

The colourful mural of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo that dominates the wall of Plata Bonita in Mosman Park will disappear next month.

Plata Bonita is yet another retail outlet to close its doors this year.

tional trade tariffs has been a cause of great concern,” owner Leah Barrymore said.

“Shipping from Mexico has become very problematic and too expensive.”

Plata Bonita opened in 2010 to “embrace all things Mexican”, and Leah said that making the decision to close was difﬁcult.

“It is the end of an era,” she said. “Retail has changed substantially since we opened and we have always been very hands-on with our ceramics and homewares.

The loss of the Stirling Highway warehouse full of colourful Mexican homewares, ceramics, garden décor and silver jewellery is evidence of the far-reaching effects of US President Donald Trump’s chaotic tariffs.

“The uncertainty of interna-

“It has been 15 incredible years of fun-ﬁlled adventures and we are sad it’s time to say farewell.”

Catch it before it goes … The mural rubbed out by Donald Trump.

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Every vote matters

As a candidate for the Mosman Park local government elections, I believe our community thrives when we work together.

My focus is on strengthening community connection and harmony, improving our urban canopy, supporting sensible and balanced development, and ensuring safer streets for all residents.

Local government decisions shape our daily lives, and every vote matters, so I encourage all Mosman Park residents to take part in this important election and make your voice heard.

Together, we can build a greener, safer, and more connected Mosman Park.

Massive pushback tells Alcoa where to get off

Two weeks ago the Environmental Protection Authority of WA announced the largest-ever number of submissions for public comment by a company seeking environmen-

A staggering 59,000 submissions were received for the assessment of Alcoa’s request to mine a further 75sq.km, much of it in a water catchment area.

This was an amazing response from the people of our region.

The responses did not come just from conservation advocacy groups but from families and people who value the environmental and recreational beneﬁts of our biodiverse State Forests along the Darling Range.

How many of us have enjoyed the walking, mountain-biking, cycling or testing outdoor skills as one of the thousands of schoolchildren, many from western suburb schools, on school camps

every year?

Alcoa have skilfully managed to ﬂy below the radar about their past destruction of the Northern Jarrah forest for bauxite mining during the past 60 years.

The plethora of advertisements by Alcoa about rehabilitation during the period open for public comment were recently reported to the Advertising Council of Australia, which found they had breached four out of ﬁve sections of the Environmental Code. Now the word is out for the people of WA.

On behalf of all the trees and wonderful biodiversity of the forests, I would like to thank every individual, family, concerned local organisation and POST reader who took the time to make a submission. Future generations will thank you all. Jennie Wise Beagle Street, Mosman Park

Special trials for local special needs kids and families

Special needs children are currently robbed of any chance of a local, state-funded education in the western suburbs.

Currently there is nowhere to go. Parents and carers ﬁnd a way around this by having literally to export their child out of the area.

This doesn’t work well for anyone as the education support at both Mt Hawthorn and Sir David Brand School in Coolbinia can’t guarantee a place.

You apply and then hope your child is accepted.

The constant advocacy for your child is exhausting on top of their daily self care and health needs.

Medical parents are dealing with exhaustion.

State education authorities insist that your child can attend locally but here’s the rub – only if there is a specialist program that supports them.

I speak from experience because we

It’s just criminal how unsafe Claremont

How safe we feel in our own suburb goes to the heart of its liveability.

Claremont has faced safety concerns in the past, and now is not the time for complacency.

Recent ﬁgures show that, in 2024, Claremont recorded 876 offences, including 113 violent crimes and 535 property crimes.

Theft was the most common offence with 440 cases, followed by deception (146) and assault (97).

While the overall crime rate fell slightly by 3.5% from the previous year, Claremont still ranks in the top 20% of suburbs for crime in Australia.

The chance of becoming a victim of a property crime here is one in 17, compared to one in 26 nationally.

As a long-time resident, I’ve seen how much our community values safety and connection. Many locals have told me they feel uneasy walking through certain laneways, parks, and streets after dark – whether heading home from the train station, walking the dog, or simply enjoying an evening stroll.

With the local police station closed and the nearest one now kilometres away, it’s time for practical steps:

• A comprehensive safety audit of public spaces and laneways.

• Better lighting and CCTV coverage in key areas, especially near the town centre and train station.

• Community workshops to ensure residents’ voices shape the solutions. Claremont is a wonderful place to live, and with thoughtful planning and strong community input, we can keep it that way.

Ryan Fernandes Loch Street, Claremont

• The stats show areas with high theft rates have a high concentration of shops. – Editor

have driven our eldest grand-daughter to school each week for seven years. She lives ﬁve kilometres from central Perth in an established area. The bus comes through her area at 6.55am, and the children are then on the bus for up to two hours.

The teachers don’t control school buses. This is a transport issue and Minister Rita Safﬁoti’s responsibility. No neurotypical child is on the bus for two hours, so why is this deemed acceptable for special needs children? They arrive at school dysregulated and upset and the teachers have to calm them down.

Our grand-daughter catches the bus home on the days that she isn’t picked up early by her mum for therapy.

The children picked up ﬁrst in the morning are dropped home in the afternoon on a counter-clockwise route to keep time on the bus as fair as possible.

More money is required for the transport of these children, who already face enough daily challenges in life. They aren’t even guaranteed a spot on the bus – you have to apply and see if they will service this area.

Yours, or mine? ... The view from Mt Solus in the Northern Jarrah region of the Darling Range. Photo: HikeWest

Rebecca Coghlan Bulimba Road, Nedlands

Andrew Maurice Samson Street, Mosman Park

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A crook and a thief but not a burglar

A Casuarina prisoner has admitted to burgling properties in Dalkeith and Crawley in March after earlier pleading not guilty.

Leigh James Knapp, 41, has been behind bars since he was arrested over two Karrinyup burglaries in April, for which he was later convicted. He initially pleaded not guilty to the Dalkeith and Crawley burglaries – plus two associated stealing

charges – but changed those pleas in Perth Magistrates Court.

A separate stealing charge was discontinued.

“Yeah, it was my stuff” Knapp told Magistrate Elizabeth Langdon upon being told the charge had been dropped.

He took exception when Ms Langdon expressed concern about his criminal record for “similar offences” including a

home burglary in 2024.

“I’ve never burgled a house in my life,” he said

“That was trespass.”

His lawyer asked for a pre-sentencing report ahead of a sentencing hearing on September 23.

“Mr Knapp was not particularly happy with the idea that he would be remaining in custody for that time,” she said.

“F*****n’ bullshit,” Knapp concurred.

Wheelie bad case of grief impacts on cake shop

A former Cambridge council employee has pleaded guilty to smashing a window at the Cheesecake Shop in Wembley in the early hours of July 29.

Cameron Peter Ryan, 42, told Perth Magistrates Court that he was frustrated and angry after an argument with a family member when he swung a wheelie bin into the window of the

Cambridge Street cake shop.

“It was an unfortunate evening,” Mr Ryan said. “I’m aware that I need to sort out my unresolved issues with grief.”

Police prosecutor Pat Prest said a witness phoned police, who arrested Mr Ryan near the scene.

Magistrate Robert Young said the vandalism was “very strange behaviour” for someone with virtually

Brothel charge for Neds woman

A 24-year-old Nedlands woman is facing a prostitution charge after police raided her house last week.

Ofﬁcers executed search warrants at her Nedlands home and an apartment in the Perth CBD on August 28, a police spokesman said.

They allegedly found about $30,000 in Australian and foreign currency “in

addition to drugs, mobile phones and pepper spray”.

The woman has been charged with using a rented premises for prostitution and unlawful possession. She has been summonsed to appear in Perth Magistrates Court.

no record apart from minor trafﬁc matters.

“Whatever issues you’re going through, one would like to think that you’re mature enough and intelligent enough to deal with it in a more constructive way,” Mr Young said.

He granted Mr Ryan a spent conviction and placed him on a community-based order for nine months.

This ad for a Kings Park festival is a scam, authorities say.

Warning over fake lantern festivals

Authorities have warned Perth residents not to buy tickets to fake lantern festivals being advertised on social media.

• Have you been a victim of crime? Please send details to the POST at ben@postnewspapers.com.au or call Ben on 9381 3088.

Rude shock outside Rodney’s

A Good Samaritan who intervened in a domestic violence incident was brutally bashed outside a Mosman Park bar last month.

The 30-year-old man was outside Rodney’s Bait ‘n Tackle around 10.40pm on Friday, August 29, when he tried to stop a confrontation between a 50-year-old man and a

woman.

Police allege the older man struck him with a wooden stake.

The 50-year-old man, from Subiaco, was charged with assault occasioning bodily harm. He has been remanded in custody and will appear in Perth Magistrates Court on October 3.

Online adverts are spruiking sky lantern releases at Kings Park and Langley Park this month, with tickets going for around $50.

But Consumer Protection says the events are fake, and that sky lantern releases are banned across Australia due to the ﬁre risk.

“Scammers know that if they make an event look popular by marking some dates as ‘sold-out’, people are more likely to rush into buying tickets,” commissioner Trish Blake said.

“Because the events are advertised for future dates, many consumers may not realise they’ve been scammed until it’s

too late – potentially even when they arrive at the venue expecting the event to take place.”

She urged consumers to check organisers’ websites on the online ICANN database before buying tickets to any event.

“If the site is new or hides this info, it’s best to stay away,” she said.

Similar sky lantern festivals are being advertised in major cities around Australia.

Last year, a company registered in Sydney advertised a water lantern festival by the Swan River foreshore in Nedlands that never went ahead.

“It’s not just a spectacle to behold; it’s an experience that will touch your heart and soul,” read the organiser’s website, which claimed the event was sold out. It was not clear if any tickets were sold.

Police Beat

With Ben Dickinson

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Personal motive for hair today, gone tomorrow

By JEN REWELL

A day of close shaves has raised more than $56,000 for the Cancer Council.

Newman College’s Year 12 class steered the fundraising project that culminated in more than 60 students cutting or shaving their hair.

For many students, including Year 12 college captain Liam, the fundraising had a personal signiﬁcance.

“My grandfather died from cancer because the doctors were unfortunately not able to ﬁnd the cancer before it was too late,” Liam said.

“I hope that raising money for the Cancer Council can help ensure this won’t happen as often, and lives can be saved.”

The students hoped their efforts would inspire others and become a school tradition.

“It provides an amazing sense of community and connection with fellow peers in their ﬁnal weeks of school,” Liam said.

Teacher David Husband praised the students for their commitment and compassion.

“They’ve set a new benchmark for what it means to lead with heart and purpose,” he said.

“It’s a moment in our college’s story that will be re-

A cut above … Newman College students Caleb and Jack do their part for the fundraiser.

students empathy, resilience, and the importance of standing in solidarity with those facing

tions, no matter their age, can have a real and lasting impact on the lives of others,” he said.

Grateful Shaw gets his second term

By JACK MADDERN

Mosman Park mayor Paul Shaw is grateful that he will remain in the top job for another term, but says “that will be it” for his mayoral ambitions.

The absence of any challengers meant Mr Shaw, pictured, won the position by default.

“It’s very gratifying to get another four years,” he said.

“But I don’t want to be one of those mayors who hang around forever. Two terms are enough to get done what needs to be done.

“I do look back and say I am blessed to have had my ﬁ years with a great team, and I look forward to continuing that with another great team.

“I know a lot of mayors aren’t that lucky.”

Mr Shaw said local government was a slow burn and he would have lamented leaving unﬁnished business on the table if he had lost the post.

“I do understand that process, but there are some things on which I would have liked to get the ball rolling quicker,” he said.

His loose ends comprised three areas – working on Glyde Street, reversing a declining tree canopy and creating an underpass at Wellington Street.

The ﬁrst stage of the Glyde Street work closest to Stirling Highway is set to start by the end of this ﬁnancial year.

“But that’s only stage one, and we are viewing it as a four-stage process,” Mr Shaw said.

“We also lost a lot of trees along Glyde Street to the shothole borer, so we are looking to

stall an underpass to connect Wellington Street to Curtin Avenue on the other side of the train lines, and remove the neighbouring trafﬁc blight on Stirling Highway.

“[Victoria Street] is famous as a nightmare intersection, so this is a solution integrated into a state government vision,” Mr Shaw said. He said the Leighton gravel pit and boarded-up McCall Centre could be turned into residential or commercial properties to make better use of the underused land.

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Turtle soup no laughing matter

By JEN REWELL

Rescuers have been kept busy shepherding tiny freshly-hatched turtles to safety as they cross busy roads and cycle paths.

Three girls from the Bold Park Community School were commended by the Friends of Galup-Lake Monger conservation group for rescuing a tiny turtle that was smaller than a 50-cent piece.

It was picked up from the path and carried carefully to the nearby water, with the girls marvelling at its size

“Great to see their care and concern for this little one!” Robyn Walshe said.

Reptile rescuers have seen hatchlings squashed by cars after the turtles took shelter in road puddles and asked

people to keep an eye out for stranded hatchlings.

Predators also are on the lookout for baby turtles, but their interest is more gastronomic.

Crows and kookaburras have been feasting on hatchlings making their way from gardens to lakes through open grass spaces with no shrub protection.

Adult female turtles are also on the move and have been spotted creating nesting sites for next year’s eggs, a spokesperson for the WA Gould League said.

“Adults are not lost,” she said. “If they need help, assist them in the direction they are heading and if it’s safe to do so, move them off roads.”

They might need help if caught up in roadside gutters and fence lines.

Claremont expert wants to avoid Nedlands fiasco

Five candidates will seek four council positions in Claremont with the only newcomer an audit expert inspired by the Nedlands saga.

While 16-year mayor Jock Barker is being challenged by Peter Telford, councillor candidate Ryan Fernandes will face stiff competition from incumbents Paul Kelly, Jill Goetze, Shelly Hatton and Sara Franklyn.

Mr Fernandes said his reason for “having a crack” was the saga at Nedlands that, in his view, demonstrated what happens when complacency sets in to local governments.

“What happened in Nedlands really heightened my sense of civic responsibility and to help out where needed,” he said.

“I don’t think there are signiﬁcant problems in Claremont.

“But complacency is setting in because councillors have been there a while uncontested, and I think a council remains strong when people justify why they are there.”

He will be up against seasoned councillors who eclipse his inexperience in elected roles.

He will rely on his experience from auditing councils such as the City of Kalamunda during a stint at the Auditor General’s Ofﬁce.

“I am a bit nervous with four incumbents, but at the end of the day, you’ve got to have a crack and try to knock one of them off,” he said.

“Reading councillors’ bios,

I think I have a lot more financial and governance experience.

“I used to audit a couple of councils, so I understand intimately how they work.”

Mr Kelly has been with the Town since 1994 and has more than a decade of experience as deputy mayor.

He is also WA Local Government Association deputy president, adding to a portfolio of professional experiences in a management capacity.

“I have ensured close scrutiny of budgets, greater administrative accountability to drive efﬁciency and better communication with ratepayers,” he said.

“The capacity to continue to provide high-quality services without signiﬁcant rate

A kookaburra makes a meal of a hatchling turtle at Herdsman Lake.

Photo: Dylan Spencer LEFT: A handful of tiny turtles.

Jill Goetze Sara Franklyn Shelly Hatton Paul Kelly Ryan Fernandes Claremont

By JACK MADDERN

Easy access? ... The

Ramped up at Claremont

Perhaps Roy Stall (Claremont needs a lift, or two, Letters, September 13) is unaware there is a ground-level ramped entrance and exit to and from Claremont station. It is at the opposite end of the platform to the steps and leads to paving on both sides of the station. Vivien Shoesmith Second Avenue, Claremont

Welcome addition to foodscape

I recoiled at the story Vacant blocks pay double rates (POST, September 6).

Misguided move on land rights Stuck in the bunker

The Town of Claremont is being asked by councillor Kate Main to consider imposing double rates for vacant blocks, in a completely misguided attempt to stop land banking.

The proposal appears based on little or no research and comes across as a thought bubble rather than a genuine attempt to encourage development of the fewer than the claimed 50 lots that this change would affect.

To create a penalty for vacant blocks would interfere directly with the rights of the property owner to use, sell, lease, mortgage, or transfer the land to anyone, including via a will.

The proposal also ignores the fact that there may be genuine reasons for not developing the land immediately, such as death of the owner, deceased estate issues, family court disputes and ﬁnancial constraints.

Your report says Claremont

has just 50 vacant blocks. I have researched this statement and I was unable to ﬁnd more than 25 lots that would qualify as residential building sites.

The majority of those appear to have been acquired within the past two or three years with the original dwelling demolished, suggesting that the owners are preparing plans for a new dwelling, waiting for planning approval or utility and services to be connected.

Many other lots are the result of subdivision of large blocks into two or three lots awaiting sale or building approval.

The remainder in most cases are designated for commercial or local government use and not genuine building lots.

I sincerely hope this proposal is buried quickly.

David Airey Graylands Road, Claremont

Email letters to: letters@postnewspapers.com.au

My priorities for our community

Community First

• Services for youth & seniors

• Community safety

• Traffic and parking management

• Arts & cultural activities

• Pedestrian-friendly town centre

Protecting Claremont

• Protect the foreshore and Lake Claremont precinct for wildlife,recreation & residents

• Maintain village & heritage character with sensitive development

• Enhance streetscapes, planting & tree retention

Accountable Leadership

• Responsible budgeting to minimise rates

• Better communication with residents

• Open, accountable decision-making

• Improved administrative efficiency

As both a Cottesloe ratepayer and member of Sea View Golf Club, I’m concerned by the stalled lease negotiations between the club and the Town of Cottesloe.

This deadlock has delayed long-overdue clubhouse upgrades and created real uncertainty for members and the wider community. With council elections just around the corner, it’s time for candidates to clearly articulate their position on the following question: Do you support a new lease for Sea View Golf Club, or would you prefer an alternative option/ provider?

Sea View’s Cottesloe members deserve a straight answer before we vote.

Stuart Coleman Brixton Street, Cottesloe

I’d like to address some of the recent vitriol directed at the new Swanbourne cafe Side Piece.

I have visited on three separate occasions during midmorning peak hour, and parked (happily) a block away along a quiet street.

Each time the cafe has been busy, but customers were waiting patiently on the pavement, quietly chatting or reading, and the staff were super friendly and helpful.

An independent local cafe is a privilege. No doubt neighbours have had to deal with a bit of disruption during renovations

and ﬁt-out, but now they’re lucky enough to be living next door to one of the best little cafes in Perth, selling gourmet coffee and pastries! I know where I’d rather be.

So, rather than throw blame at a new business – run by a family who have made a huge investment into the local community, provided dozens of local jobs, and created a new meeting place for friends and neighbours – how about we all get behind Pia, Sam and their team, and make sure they succeed?

Commissioners off on right foot

I was pleased to read the Commissioner’s Update (full-page advertisement, POST, September 13), a commitment Nedlands chief commissioner David Caddy made when ﬁrst appointed.

This kind of transparency sets the right example for the next elected Nedlands council.

The commissioners’ balanced and methodical approach has been refreshing to watch – pro-

How to Vote

Town of Claremont Election

KELLY Paul 1

My Experience

• Claremont Councillor and Deputy Mayor (10 years)

• 25 years in Senior Executive and Business Management

• Current Deputy President of W.A. Local Government Association (4 years)

• Director and Chairperson of Business and Community boards e.g Insurance Board, Citizens Advice Bureau, Australian Building Code Board, Australian Local Government Association Board

• Chair/member of many council and community committees

• Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors

tecting staff when required and holding them to account when necessary.

The commissioners are steadying the City’s administration, but serious challenges remain. I hope to see a more collaborative – and importantly, democratically elected – council build on this foundation in 2026. Leonie Browner Tyrell Street, Nedlands

arrow points to the pedestrian crossing, accessed by the ramp to the Claremont station platform. Photo: Paul McGovern

Ebony Frost Berkeley Crescent, Floreat

Late call-up for new soldier

By LLOYD GORMAN

Shenton Park man Jonathon Moody has begun a new career as an army ofﬁ ing hand help from another Jonathan.

Canberra last Monday to start his training at the Royal Military College Duntroon, where his

grandfather was a Sword of Honour graduate.

Another Duntroon graduate had a lot to do with his career choice and making the cut for Mr Moody had already signed on the dotted line for the Australian army when his father Bill asked Nedlands MP Jonathan Huston to help his son prepare.

Trees to enhance park life

A new Subiaco public park will have a grassy knoll, garden beds, drink fountain and bird watering station.

The Rupert Street pocket park – on the site of the recently demolished Bagot Road community centre – will be designed to help locals and visitors to connect with nature and be a safe, accessible, shady and cool space.

New trees will be planted alongside a mature lemon scented gum.

Subiaco mayor David McMullen said the design of the park was shaped by strong community feedback.

“The park design clearly represents our community’s priorities, helping the City to deliver a park that will be a welcoming and sustainable addition to our existing network of parks, gardens, and green spaces,” he said.

Building works will start soon and are expected to take about 12 weeks to ﬁnish.

Mr Huston suggested a slight change of course.

“Originally Jono was thinking about being an enlisted man, or as a private soldier and I really felt he had the qualities of an ofﬁcer in him,” he said.

“We went to the army and asked them to reverse that decision.

“He applied as an officer, which is a much higher threshold, and he got it.

“I’d like to help anybody in the electorate, because it’s quite daunting embarking on a career with the army, navy or air force.”

Mr Huston entered Duntroon at 16½ for a four-year ofﬁcer course and went on to have another 14 years in uniform, before retiring with the rank of major.

“I was expecting maybe a phone call about what to expect but it ended up being multiple sessions and a short mentorship,” Mr Moody said.

“A week after the state election in March (Mr Huston) came over to our house and sat down for three hours with us.

“He had never met me before, he didn’t know me from a bar of soap but he was happy to do that.

“Over the course of three or four sessions we must have accumulated between 15 or 20 hours which is a huge amount of time for a man so busy, I must say.

Mr Huston said: “He’s going in at an age when many of the guys of the same age will be captains or majors. When I was his age I was a major already.”

Mr Moody was undeterred and said it was “a welcome delight”

people in the selection group was 25.

“This is probably characteristic of my generation compared to (Mr Huston’s),” he said.

“I was lucky enough to have other people who had studied university degrees in their early to mid-20s and then decided to go for the army like me, which is always encouraging.”

He has a university degree, a lot of life experience – and a family tradition – to fall back on.

John Moody, his grandfather on his father’s side, graduated from Duntroon in 1958 and later became principal at Guildford Grammar School. His great-grandfathers Cecil

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served in Europe during World War II.

His grandfather Geoffrey Stokes on his mother’s side was an RAAF/RAF rear gunner from 1942 to 45, and his greatgrandfather Colin Elliott was with the AIF in the Middle East, including Tobruk.

They all returned home to Australia after the war.

“My grandfather who was a rear gunner in World War II survived about 60 missions which was remarkable, he was incredibly lucky,” Mr Moody said.

“I gather I’m very close to having people listed here on the War Memorial (in Kings Park) but thankfully not.”

Jonathon Moody, right, has joined Royal Military College Duntroon after advice from graduate Jonathan Huston. Photo: Paul McGovern

A new pocket park in Bagot Road will add green lungs to Subiaco.

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Mint honours Show vollies

By JEN REWELL

Volunteering at the Perth Royal Show always comes with a free ticket, and long-term volunteers will receive a special medallion this year to thank them for their long hours.

Amber Frost, a 15-year volunteer, said the most important assets needed were “decent shoes and a lot of water”.

But the Perth Mint will give 250 returning volunteers a specially minted medallion to

recognise their contribution.

CEO Paul Graham presented medallions to some of the volunteers his week.

He said the Mint’s designers had created a medal featuring intricate details of show scenes with animals and rides.

Floreat resident Dane McCarthy said he was looking forward to getting in early to help in the animal nursery.

Dylan McCabe Horne, a 10-year volunteer, said his favourite show space was the

quiet space for people with special needs.

“It’s nice and quiet, and people can eat in peace and kids can put headphones on, and the mums and dads can de-stress,” he said.

Peter Rudd, who has volunteered for 20 years, is at the Show every day from open to close.

“Some people can’t read a map so I put it right in front of them and say, ‘Go this way and turn left’,” he said.

Subi hangs on at Colonnade offices

By LLOYD GORMAN

Subiaco council has struck a secret deal with its landlord to extend its stay at rented ofﬁces in Hay Street “over the next few years”.

It will sign a new lease with the owners of The Colonnade after a conﬁdential motion passed without discussion at the council’s full meeting on August 26.

It was not listed on the agenda for the previous week’s brieﬁng forum, but appeared on August 26 simply as “leasing matter – conﬁdential”.

When the meeting came out from behind closed doors mayor David McMullen read out the decision: “It was resolved that the City enter into a lease with Realside 388 Hay Pty Ltd consistent with the terms contained in this report and otherwise on terms acceptable to the city.”

The POST was told the terms of the City’s lease of 388 Hay Street were subject to commercial conﬁdentiality.

ﬂexibility in the City’s favour towards the end of the lease.

“This will equip staff with the working environment they need for continued high quality service delivery and give some continuity to community members who wish to visit our service desk and attend council meetings over the next few years,” he said.

The council voted to build new council chambers and ofﬁces on the site of the old one and to revamp the civic precinct around it.

There was no answer to questions about how long the lease was for.

After a fire in the old council building in Rankin Gardens in September 2022, and a short stint of being effectively homeless, the City relocated to the second floor of 388 Hay Street on a four-year lease (Colonnade to house Subi council, POST, January 22, 2023).

Mr McMullen said the leasing arrangements would ensure stability and tenure, with some

rm of architects that produced a concept drawing have been retained and paid $3.3million to design the new building and upgraded civic precinct.

The City is currently tendering for a quantity surveyor for the project.

The tender says a concation will start early in October and take about 20

Detailed design will take 26 weeks, with a further 26 weeks required for construction documentation.

About 12 weeks have been allocated for the pre-contract phase, but no timeframe is given for construction.

Also behind closed doors at the August meeting, councillors endorsed a business plan to sell a medical centre the City bought in 2019 in Midland.

They also approved a plan to ﬁnd a new tenant for the selfstorage business in Harborne Street, currently occupied by National Storage.

David McMullen

Dane McCarthy, left, and Perth Mint’s Paul Graham meet Royal Agricultural Show favourite Splash, a partclydesdale who loves the spotlight. Photo: Jen Rewell

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Odd couple doing shadow laps

Local ocean photographer Curtis Ramsay spotted an odd couple doing tandem laps of Cottesloe beach this week.

One was a person but the other was a nomadic dusky shark

“Swimming with a friend you didn’t know you had,” Curtis said, describing the image he took from his drone camera.

The swimmer, wearing black speedos and blue ﬂippers, was churning through freestyle action while the 1.5m shark swam in the same direction about 20m away.

While clearly visible from above in the pristine water, only the tip of the shark’s dorsal ﬁn broke the surface.

“Sharks are the true locals,” Curtis said.

“It’s their neighbourhood, their turf and we’re just visitors.”

The shark was not detected by the state’s Sharksmart app.

Shannon’s bills could cost $45k

By BEN DICKINSON

Cambridge ratepayers will pay up to $45,000 of former mayor Keri Shannon’s legal bills as she ﬁghts a raft of misconduct ﬁndings.

Ms Shannon was represented by barrister Venetia Bennett in the State Administrative Tribunal last week, where the mayor-turned-Nedlands-CEO appealed five adverse findings by the Local Government Standards Panel (Shannon blames Cambridge staff, POST, September 6).

Keri ShannonGary Mack

have been incurred by the Town in relation to Ms Shannon’s SAT matters”

Some of the disputes were resolved in mediation.

The panel found in 2023 that Ms Shannon breached the local government code of conduct nine times in the preceding two years by publicly denigrating council staff, hiring a town planner without authorisation, calling fellow councillors “misogynists”, and instructing a lawyer to threaten former councillor Rob Fredericks with a defamation lawsuit.

Cambridge confirmed this week that it would pay up to $5000 – its insurance excess – for each of the matters Ms Shannon appealed.

“Ms Shannon has lodged claims under the Town’s mutual indemnity insurance policy in relation to her appeals to the State Administrative Tribunal,” a Cambridge spokesperson said.

“As part of this process, the Town pays up to $5000 per individual matter.

“To date, no additional costs

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The council in January published on its website a cryptic public apology on behalf of Ms Shannon.

“I contacted a legal adviser engaged by the Town to seek an update on the time for delivery of advice sought by the council on an urgent basis,” it read.

“I acknowledge that I should have not engaged in the relevant conduct and I now apologise to the Town.”

Ms Shannon called the ﬁndings “spurious and vexatious” at the time and accused the standards panel of timing their release to sabotage her re-election campaign.

She was defeated at that election by current mayor Gary Mack.

The shark and swimmer in tandem at Cottesloe beach.

RIGHT: A close-up of the dusky shark. Photos: Curtis Ramsay

An evening of heavenly music

Enjoy sacred choral music inside the beautiful Serbian Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity in Perth at 5pm on September 27.

The A’Capella Orthodox vocal ensemble, led by musical director Evgenia Moore, will present a concert called Agios o Theos A Sacred Choral Evening featuring sacrament chants.

The program will include traditional church spiritual songs

sung in languages such as Greek, Slavic, Latin and English.

Composers include Sergei Rachmaninoff, Irina Denisova, Stevan Mokranjac and Gennady Lapayev.

The evening is to raise money for the vocal ensemble’s concert visit to South Australia next year.

Refreshments including soft drinks and beverages will be available in the church hall

after the concert.

The church is at 38 Marlborough Street, Perth.

Tickets are $50 and can be purchased in advance by searching “Fundraising concert Agios o Theos”. Concession tickets are $30, available only at the door. Children under 16 years free.

For more information about the vocal ensemble search A’Capella Orthodox on Facebook or phone 0449 192 165.

Science for the birds

How many birds of which variety can you spot in 20 minutes?

Bird lovers across Australia are being urged to join the 2025 Aussie Bird Count from October 20 to 26.

It involves taking 20 minutes to record the number and species of birds you can see and enter the results on the free Aussie Bird Count app.

Observations can be made anywhere, including backyards or parks.

There is no limit to the number of observation periods a participant can do, as long as each one is 20 minutes and the results are logged separately.

Last year more than 57,000 people submitted almost 130,000 checklists, logging more than 4.1million birds across the country.

The three most common birds seen were the bold and adaptable rainbow lorikeets, noisy mynahs and Australian magpies.

This will be the Aussie Bird Count’s 12th year.

It is run by national bird conservation charity BirdLife Australia to track urban bird populations and guide conservation priorities and awareness campaigns.

For more information and to register visit aussiebirdcount. org.au.

The A’Capella Orthodox vocal ensemble pictured inside the Serbian Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity.

You may well spot a pink and grey galah in the Aussie Bird Count.

Photo: Georgina Steytler

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Vet to mark 50 years since Vietnam War ended

Vietnam War veteran and former state and federal MP Graham Edwards will be guest speaker at the Australian Institute of International Affairs Western Australia on Tuesday September 30.

In a discussion marking 50 years since the end of the Vietnam War, Mr Edwards will speak of his experiences and how Australia’s relations with Vietnam and South-East Asia have changed since he deployed there.

The war ended in 1975 after decades of conﬂict.

Australia entered the conﬂict in 1962 and by the end of it 60,000 Australian service personnel had been involved, with more than 500 killed and 3000 wounded.

Mr Edwards joined the Australian Army and served

with the 7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment in South Vietnam in 1970 and 1971. He returned from Vietnam severely wounded.

He became active in the Returned Services League and was elected to ofﬁce at local, state and federal government levels, working in the defence and disability areas.

He worked to improve veterans’ welfare, and foster reconciliation and stronger bilateral ties between Australia and Vietnam.

Doors open at 6pm for the 6.30pm presentation at Forrest Hall, 21 Hackett Drive in Crawley. Cost $10 members and $20 non-members.

To secure tickets go to internationalaffairs.org.au, select “Western Australia”, click on “Events” and double-click on the photo.

How social media affects our health

How we use and see ourselves on social media, and how that alters our mental health, will be the topic of a free public lecture at the University of Western Australia this Monday.

The lecture will look at evidence of links between social media use and mental health, in particular body image and psychological wellbeing. It will be presented by University of Sydney School of Psychology senior lecturer Jasmine Fardouly, who studies how social media can change the

mental and physical health of young people by affecting their body image, mood and eating habits.

The discussion will cover the content and online activities that are harmful and those that can be beneﬁcial, and what makes each so.

Her presentation, from 5.30 to 7pm on September 22 in the UWA Social Sciences Lecture Theatre, is the annual 2025 Robin Winkler Lecture, For more information, and to register, search online for “2025 Robin Winkler Lecture: Social Media and Mental Health”.

Make a will at the Salvos

The Salvation Army in Floreat is holding a community wills day on Tuesday, September 23.

The day offers people the opportunity to have a simple will prepared or updated by a professional solicitor.

The Salvos will provide the service in return for a donation to the church of $150 per individual will or $250 per

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The community wills day is an effort to address confusion and anxiety around making a will, while raising funds for the church to support the local community and people in crisis. Places are limited and bookings are essential.

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US Army helicopters land to pick up 7RAR soldiers in South Vietnam August 26, 1967.

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Photo: Australian War Memorial

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Gym for Gen Z

Teenagers are invited to jump in for a new eight-week fitness program at Lords Recreation Centre in Subiaco from October 13.

The program is for young people aged 12 to 16 years to develop their conﬁdence, strength, coordination and overall ﬁtness in a supportive gym environment.

The classes will be led by a coach and include machine work, free weights, partner exercises and team circuits.

They will be Mondays and Wednesdays from 3.45 to 4.30pm.

Subiaco Mayor David McMullen said the program was to offer young people a friendly and supportive entry to the gym.

“Lords’ new teen fitness program is a great way to encourage young people to have a go, build conﬁdence in the gym, and learn tips and tricks from qualified professionals in a relaxed setting,” he said.

In need of a dark comedy?

The Grads Theatre Company is to present the Tom Stoppard classic Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, at the New Fortune Theatre at UWA in Nedlands.

Stoppard created the darkly comic play by taking two minor characters, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, from Shakespeare’s Hamlet and turning them into the leads.

Hamlet has a minor role.

It is described as an absurdist tragi-comedy and presents Rosencrantz and Guildenstern as bewildered by the events they see unfold around them within the plot of Hamlet.

It was first staged at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 1966 and premiered in London at the Old Vic in 1967.

Grads Theatre Company president Tony Petani is director of the New Fortune Theatre production.

October 8 to 11, and October 15 to 18, at 7.30pm.

“The program is launching at the perfect time, with exams just around the corner.

“Learn how to exercise with gym equipment safely and effectively, and then incorporate gym visits into study routines for more healthy and active exam periods.”

Participants can join one session a week for eight weeks for $115, or two sessions a week for $200. Parental consent is required to sign up.

For more information, and to sign up, go to lords.com.au.

He said the play shows Rosencrantz, played by Alex Comstock, and Guildenstern, played by Thomas Dimmick, stumbling towards their inevitable demise.

They grapple with their lack of control and purpose in a story they don’t understand.

“Standing in contrast is a mysterious Player, acted by Jeff Watkins, whose macabre antics point to a sticky end for the unlucky duo,” he said.

“Stoppard’s play might just be the most hilarious exploration of fate, free will and the nature of reality that our stage has ever seen.”

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead will be staged from

The open-air New Fortune Theatre is a permanent replica of an Elizabethan theatre. Tickets are $20 to $35 and can be purchased by going to grads. org.au.

For more information email info@ticketsWA.com or phone 6488 2440 from midday to 4pm weekdays.

Thomas Dimmick, left, as Guildenstern and Alex Comstock as Rosencrantz.

Lucy Brown, left, Milla Grieve, and Ruby Pegler prepare for the teen fitness program.

Chris Shellabear, Kate Gale, Nick Holt, Tracy Lee, Andy Nye, and Rachel Cann are Shellabears Real Estate specialists,

Chris Shellabear

Kate Gale

Chris Shellabear

Shop, mend, sew and save in Subi

Set off on a walking trail around Subiaco next month to shop sustainably for clothes. Or bring new life to worn clothing by learning how to mend it in fun and original ways.

These are just two of the textile-themed eco-friendly events offered by the Western Metropolitan Regional Council in Subiaco during October.

The Textile Retail Trail is a self-guided tour of shops that encourage the reuse of clothing to help save textiles from landﬁll.

Participants are invited to collect a stamp at six stops on the trail map between October 6 and 12, to be in with a chance to win a gift card from one of the stores.

Or sign up for a series of three workshops to learn the fundamentals of hand sewing

Put forward a talented trailblazer

Do you know a high-achieving woman you would like to see included in the WA Women’s Hall of Fame?

Online nominations are now being accepted for women forging ahead in areas such as health, community, science and technology, engineering and maths, technical trades, culture, education, the arts, sport and business.

Nominations are also being invited for the “Roll of Honour”, for women who are no longer living.

The WA Women’s Hall of Fame is calling for members of the public to put forward the names of talented, trailblazing women from cities and rural areas. An event was held on Thursday September 11, to call for nominations. It was attended by inductees including UWA Emeritus Professor Samina Yasmeen of Dalkeith and Royal Agricultural Society of WA CEO Robyn Sermon. Robyn is RASWA’s first and only female CEO in the organisation’s 193-year history. “I encourage you to nominate

the remarkable rural and regional women in your life, to ensure their contributions are recognised as part of our state’s rich and diverse story,” she said.

Samina is a professor of political science and international relations and director of the Centre for Muslim States and Societies at UWA, working to promote understanding of Islam.

The portal is now open and will close at 5pm on December 8.

For more information go to wawomenshallofame.com.au.

CONNECT LEARN SAIL

AN EVENING OF SAILING CONNECTIONS!

Wednesday, 24 September | 18:00 - 20:00 | Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club Athol Hobbs Room

Curious about learning to sail?

Join us for SailLink, an exciting new evening where sailing dreams take shape and connections are made.

Whether you’re an experienced sailor, someone looking for a boat to hop on board or a newcomer interested in Learn to Sail Keelboat courses, this night is for you.

Skippers can meet potential crew for the upcoming season

with Studio Thimbles at 437 Hay Street, Subiaco. There will be two classes at Studio Thimbles, on September 26 and October 3 from 6 to 8.30pm. The third will be on October 11 from 9.30 to 11.30am at Evelyn H. Parker Library in Rokeby Road.

Or join forces with sewers across Perth to be part of The Great Global Mend on Saturday October 11 from 10.45am to 12.30pm.

This is free of charge and will be at the Evelyn H Parker library.

The Textile Retail Trail is free but register in advance by going to humanitix.com and searching “Western Metropolitan Regional Council”.

For more information including class costs, and to make a booking, go to wmrc.wa.gov.au and click on Events.

Crew and Newcomers can connect with skippers and find their place on a boat

Bring a group of friends!

Want to learn to sail together—perhaps after school drop-off? We can help tailor a course for you

Visit the Lucy in Disguise vintage boutique, pictured above, on the Textile Retail Trail.

Inductees Dr Samina Yasmeen, left, Dr Parwinder Kaur, Dr Renu Sharma and Robyn Sermon at the launch event.

Just Listed

Move In Ready on Boundary Road

For Sale by Openn Offers - By 5.00pm on 15 October 2025 (the owner reserves the right to sell prior to).

Experience effortless living in this beautifully presented two bedroom home, thoughtfully designed for those who value comfort, convenience and a hint of style.

Both bedrooms are generously sized and come complete with built-in robes, offering practical storage. Enjoy a sleek, contemporary bathroom with a walk-in shower, a separate laundry room with excellent storage and a light-filled open-plan living, dining, and kitchen area. With windows at both the front and rear, the home is bathed in natural light, creating a bright and airy atmosphere throughout.

Whether you’re starting up, scaling down or simply seeking a fresh start, this home is ready to welcome you.

What we love about the property:

• Lock and leave property

• Move-in ready

• Light and bright

• Secure lock-up carport

What we love about the location:

•535m approx. to Mosman Park beach (dog friendly)

•160m approx. to Stirling highway after Wellington Street bus stop

•420m approx. to Victoria Street train station

•80m approx. to Rope Works Park

Styled in a neutral palette, there is nothing to do but move in and make yourself at home. Step outside to private front and rear courtyards, perfect for morning coffees or evening entertaining and take advantage of a secure lock-up carport, an additional parking space and a handy storage room.

Trent Vivian

Fifty years of fun and fundraising

City Beach resident Cass Leamen and her Pokemonthemed car have done WA proud.

Cass recently completed the National Bash – a motoring fundraising event organised by the Variety Club children’s charity to beneﬁt children in need.

The National Bash kicked off in Hamilton, Victoria, and ﬁnished 10 days later in Darwin, to mark 50 years of the Variety charity in Australia.

Entrants drove their own vehicles – decorated in bright colours for the festive event – through regional towns and along outback tracks and coastal roads.

Along the way they delivered Variety Club grants to schools and communities to pay for vital equipment, inclusive programs, and playgrounds.

This was Cass’s sixth Variety Club Bash, but not the ﬁrst time she’d entered in her Pokemon themed car with her driving buddy Jason Parin.

“My cousin ﬁrst got me involved in the Variety Bash; he has done more than 10 events,” she said.

“Once I went along, I realised the amazing work that the charity does in ﬁlling the gaps for families of kids with disabilities.

“It’s a massive family and it hooked me in, and I love it,” she said.

She’s also raised a signiﬁcant amount of money.

“Over the years I would say we have raised around $80,000 for the children’s charity,” she said.

Variety WA chief executive ofﬁcer Chris Chatterton said: “The total amount raised by the Bash this year was $1.17million, a commendable amount to support kids who are sick, living with disability or experiencing disadvantage.”

Registrations are now open for the 2026 Variety WA Bash, from Kalgoorlie to Fremantle. For more information email bash@varietywa.org.au or visit variety.org.au/wa.

From China to Lord Howe

The next meeting of U3A Western Suburbs Branch will be this Monday at the Grove Library.

At 1pm September 22 Peter Flanigan will discuss the remarkable life of Marco Polo along the Silk Road from 1271 to 1295.

At 2.30pm Gabor Bedo will discuss the world heritagelisted Lord Howe Island in NSW.

The island’s pristine marine park is home to animal species such as the Lord Howe woodhen and the giant phasmid stick insect.

For more information about the U3A Western Suburbs branch phone Sath Moodley 0413 212 513 or email sath. moodley@gmail.com.

For when dementia strikes early

There is a new source of support for people with early-onset dementia.

The Dementia Foundation, to be officially launched on September 25, is described as WA’s ﬁrst organisation dedicated to serving younger people with the condition.

An estimated 2900 West Australians have been diagnosed with early-onset dementia –which is when it strikes people under 65 years of age.

The annual cost of care for someone with early-onset

dementia can range from $50,000 for community care, to more than a million dollars for complex care in a specialist home.

Existing dementia services are designed for people in their 80s, not those aged 52 with teenage children and a mortgage, and who might be at their peak earning capacity.

A statement from the Dementia Foundation said early-onset dementia affected almost 30,000 Australians under 65, and WA numbers were expected to almost double by 2054.

The foundation aims to offer in-home daily care, supported independent living accommodation, family respite, advocacy and community programs designed for younger people with dementia. Healthcare professionals are invited to the Dementia Foundation launch at the University Club of WA on Wednesday, from 6 to 8pm.

For more information about the Dementia Foundation phone 1300 865 282, email hello@ tdfwa.com.au, or go to tdfwa. org.au.

256 Osmington Road, Bramley

Cass Leamen of City Beach and Jason Parin on the Variety National Bash.

Beehive all abuzz for Montessori birthday

The students and teachers at Beehive Montessori School in Mosman Park paid tribute recently to the school’s Italian founder, by celebrating her birthday.

The school held its annual Maria Montessori Day on Friday August 29.

Students were encouraged to bring along any item that represented Italian culture.

All classes gathered in the “piazza” for morning tea and Italian snacks, before being treated to Italian music and songs by performer Frank Miranda, known as “Mr Accordion Man”.

to the music.”

In the lead-up to Maria Montessori Day, students held an exhibition in the school hall to display items they had created during Italian classes this term.

Maria Montessori graduated as a medical doctor from the University of Rome in 1896 to become one of the ﬁrst female doctors of the time.

But during her medical training she began to develop her ideas about the stimulation and activities children needed.

She opened her ﬁrst Casa dei Bambini or Children’s House in 1906 to teach children from three years of age.

Montessori Australia claims there are Montessori schools in 154 countries, and more than Beehive Montessori is at 2

For more information go to

Art reflects a world of beauty

A solo exhibition by artist Laddawan Wong is now on show in Floreat.

The collection, titled Passage of Time – A Journey in Watercolour is on display inside The Boulevard Centre until October 30.

Laddawan, who lives in Floreat, said she had spent 10 years working as a graphic designer in Singapore.

She completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts at Wichita State University in Kansas in the US and studied with teachers in different locations during her years as an expatriate.

Laddawan paints a variety of subjects including portraits, landscape, birds, still life and abstracts.

“I paint in watercolour for its luminous translucency and the

magic that unfolds as pigments and water interact,” she said.

She has been inspired by the people, cultures and nature she has experienced in her travels.

“Birds, in particular, captivate me,” she said.

“My art reﬂects the beauty I discover in life’s journeys.”

The exhibition is free and open 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday.

A spoonbill at Herdsman Lake, painted in watercolour by Laddawan Wong.

Performer Frank Miranda entertains students on Maria Montessori Day.

Make waves, save lives at Cottesloe

Find out all about Cottesloe Surf Life Saving Club at the open day this Sunday.

Meet members and volunteers on September 21 from 9 to 11am explore the clubhouse and ﬁnd out what surf lifesaving is all about, whether you’re keen to join the Nippers program or patrol the beach.

Ask about memberships, competitions, surf sports, training, education and social events.

Check out the gym, the shop and the cafe, and enjoy the free sausage sizzle.

Cottesloe Surf Life Saving Club is at 87 Marine Parade. For more information go to cottsurf.com.

Mosman Park pays tribute bute to those who served

An ex-serviceman who is the third successive generation in his family to serve in the Australian defence forces was guest speaker at the Mosman Park RSL sub-branch on August 20.

Sub-branch member

Dominic Letts fought in Afghanistan, his father fought in the Vietnam War, and his grandfather fought the Japanese and was a prisoner of war in Changi Jail, Singapore.

Dominic spoke at a ceremony to commemorate the anniversaries of the end of World War II in the Paciﬁc, and the Battle of Long Tan in Vietnam. He reﬂected on the importance of remembering these events and the men and women who were part of Australia’s military commitment overseas.

Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia WA branch president

David Cockram also attended as guest speaker.

Dr Cockram joined the Australian Army in 1969 and served in the Vietnam War, attaining the rank of full colonel.

He gave an account of how Australian recruits were prepared for warfare in Vietnam, the experience of ﬁghting an enemy in their terrain, and the after-effects for soldiers returning from battles such as Long Tan.

The Last Post and Rouse were sounded and there was a minute’s silence and laying of wreaths to reﬂect on the occasion.

Each speaker emphasised the need to recognise the service and sacriﬁce of the soldiers who fought on behalf of Australia and

Guest speaker and Vietnam veteran Dr David Cockram at Mosman Park.

the allies.

They said it is important for following generations to acknowledge the enduring values that connect veterans and Australians of all ages today – courage, resilience, sacriﬁce and a commitment to peace.

For more information about the Mosman Park RSL email Gary Kalem on gjkalem@smartchat.net.au.

Cambridge

Monday September 8: First Garry Dare and Bruce Adnay; second Dave Sladen and Bob Gauntlet; plate winners Keith Grainger and Frank Honey.

Wednesday September 10: First Steve Parsons, Jay Medhat, Dae Miller and Chuck Belotte; second Geoff Parker, Cliff Racey, Cheryl Honey and Audrey Belotte.

Friday: First Frank Honey, Ken Adford, Dae Miller and Marilyn Boss.

Saturday: First Brian Dick and Mark James.

Dalkeith Nedlands

Fine conditions on Thursday September 11 saw 51 players do battle in Sets play. Alek Gryta, Ian Freedman, Margi Jordan and Pauline Kelly were

Bone up on bone health strategies

A registered nurse will offer tips on how to live your best life with arthritis at a meeting in Floreat next month.

Anita Clayton will be guest speaker at the Western Australian Self Funded Retirees Association meeting at Cambridge Bowling Club, 10am on Friday October 10.

She will discuss how to ease and manage joint stiffness and inflammation, diet and exercise strategies, how to maintain an active

lifestyle, and how to detect the condition early.

Arthritis is most often seen in people over 50 years of age.

Cambridge Bowling Club is in Chandler Avenue, Floreat.

The guest presentation will begin at 11am after the main meeting and morning tea. Visitors are welcome and parking is available onsite.

For more information phone Ron de Gruchy on 9447 1313 or Margaret Harris on 0417 991 947.

Bowling

the best performers winning two sets with a 7-shot margin. Second were Rick Mapley, Maureen Davison, and Chris Osborn 2 sets +5; third Tod Allen, Jeff Irwin and Tom James 2 sets +4. Other winners were Andrew Foster, Brian Page, Sally Day and Rob Wood 1½ sets +4; Rob Kelly, Doug Cross, Helen Gray and Ken Brooke 1 set +7; Alan Davison, David Broadfoot, Phil Golding and Chris Biris 1 set +2. Heather Hince, John Shaw and Les Pedder drew with Ian Day, John McCormack and Esther Scott after each won one set and 0-shot margins.

Rain set in after eight ends on Saturday, with 26 bowlers turning out. First

were Lindsay Richardson, John McCormack and Les Pedder with an 8-shot victory. Second Gof Bowles, Richard Verco, Julia Wallis and Chris Biris +6; third Ross MacKenzie, John Shaw and Leigh Richardson +1. Brian Page, David Mildenhall and Sally Day drew with Rick Mapley, Fran Farrell and Tony Payne, both teams with 8 shots.

Hollywood Subiaco

Renovating or repairing your home?

Each week, the POST lists tradespeople who provide every kind of household service, from unblocking drains to unravelling the mysteries of your new television.They’ll do your books, clean or paint your house, landscape the garden, do handyman repairs or build an entire house.

Readers tell us they’ve carried out major extensions and renovations just by using the POST Trades & Services directory near the back pages of every edition. To advertise, email robyn@postnewspapers.com.au

So support POST advertisers - they make your free local paper possible.

EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST TOWN OF CAMBRIDGE DESIGN REVIEW PANEL

The Town of Cambridge is seeking Expressions of Interest from suitably qualified professionals to join as a member or as Chair, of its Design Review Panel for a two-year term. Professionals with experience in, but not limited to, architecture landscape architecture urban design, planning, heritage, and other related fields are encouraged to apply.

The Design Review Panel assists with providing independent and expert design advice on a range of proposals in accordance with its Terms of Reference and supporting draft Local Planning Policy 1.3: Design Review Panel. How to apply

To apply, please include your CV, cover letter and any supporting documentation, and submit a Nomination Form available on the Design Review Panel webpage at www.cambridge.wa.gov.au/ designreviewpanel. Nominations must be received by 5:00pm Friday, 26 September 2025.

For any enquiries or more information, please contact the Town’s Strategic Planning team via email to mail@cambridge.wa.gov.au, telephone (08) 9347 6000, or visit the Town of Cambridge Administration Centre at 1 Bold Park Drive, Floreat WA 6014, during business hours.

LISA CLACK CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Have Your Say

On Tuesday September 9 the ladies played Cambridge. Margaret McHugh, Betsy Tapley, Nada Bonny and Anne Ormsby lost 14-17, and Usha Nigam, Dot Leeson, Lesley Langley and Ron Palmer lost 11-20.

INVITATION TO COMMENT DRAFT LOCAL PLANNING POLICY 1.3: DESIGN REVIEW PANEL

The Town of Cambridge is seeking public feedback on proposed amendments to draft Local Planning Policy 1.3: Design Review Panel to better align with the State Government’s updated Local Government Design Review Manual. The draft Policy outlines the scope, in addition to the role, responsibilities, and Terms of Reference for the Town’s Design Review Panel members including the Chair.

To view the draft Policy and to make a submission, please visit the Town’s ‘Have Your Say’ webpage at www.cambridge.wa.gov.au/Community/HaveYour-Say-Community-Consultation.

Submissions on the draft Policy must be lodged by 5:00pm Friday, 26 September 2025, via the submission form on the Town’s ‘Have Your Say’ webpage, by email to mail@cambridge.wa.gov. au, or in writing to PO Box 15, Floreat, WA 6014. For any enquiries or more information, please contact the Town’s Strategic Planning team via email to mail@cambridge.wa.gov.au, telephone (08) 9347 6000, or visit the Town of Cambridge Administration Centre at 1 Bold Park Drive, Floreat WA 6014, during business hours.

LISA CLACK CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

On Thursday September 11 three-bowl triples winners were Mark Petterson, Mike Basford and Rob Campbell against Richard Keeves, Alan Evans and Milton Byass 18-10, and pennant practice saw Mick Canci, Ron Palmer, David Leeson and Mike Hatch beat John Horsfall, Paula Hatch, Scott Smith and Ray Fells 12-10.

On Saturday David Allport and Billy Gerlach dominated Glen Morey and Ron Palmer 19-6. Sunday Scroungers were a washout.

Mosman Park

The bowling season is getting under way with pennant practice on Thursdays and Saturdays. Thursday September 11 winners were Mark Robertson, Graeme Hughes, Jeff Adams and Chris Hughes.

Saturday pennant practice winners were Del Adams, Jeff Simper and Graeme Pope.

Ladies’ pennant practice starts with play against North Beach on September 30.

Ladies’ opening day is this Wednesday, September 24, with bowls and lunch.

Ladies 100 Up starts October 1. Names to be put on the ladies’ noticeboard.

Join the Cottesloe SLSC volunteers who patrol Cottesloe Beach on weekends and public holidays.

Cambridge Notice

Paywise buys Easi for $40m

By Nadia Budihardjo

Paywise has acquired Easiﬂeet for $40million, expanding the Perth-based car leasing service’s national footprint.

Paywise said the acquisition expanded its national presence including through Easi’s state government contracts in WA, Northern Territory, Tasmania, Queensland and the ACT.

“The combined organisation positions Paywise to compete more effectively for major government tenders, including upcoming opportunities in NSW and Victoria,” the company said.

Paywise chief executive Frank Agostino said Easi brought a strong brand and loyal client base.

“This is about joining forces with a team we respect to build something even stronger,” he said.

“This isn’t about ﬁxing something broken; it’s the opposite.

“We acquired Easi because

we believe in their team, their brand, and the value they deliver.

“We’ve achieved this growth while maintaining industryleading employee engagement, and we believe this partnership with Easi will only strengthen that trajectory.”

Easi chief executive Scott Iriks said the partnership emphasised the strategic alignment between the organisations.

“This partnership is built on mutual respect and shared values developed over years of conversation between our leadership teams,” he said.

“Joining the Paywise family positions us to accelerate growth while maintaining the service standards our clients expect.”

Paywise and Easi will maintain their existing client relationships and service delivery models.

Want trusted news, data and insights on the WA business community? Scan the QR code and register for a free trial

Paywise CEO Frank Agostino said the purchase of Easifleet would create national opportunities.

Mr Agostino said future changes to the business would increased to almost 11,000.

Twinza receivers win Clough injunction

By Nadia Budihardjo andNeale Prior

Receivers of Twinza Oil have won a Federal Court injunction against a company linked to long-time backer and alternate director Bill Clough, pictured.

Federal Court judge Patrick O’Sullivan granted an injunction stopping a proposed meeting of Twinza shareholders until creditors had voted on a $US290millionplus restructure of the gas hopeful.

Mr Clough’s private company WM Clough had called for Twinza shareholders to meet on Wednesday to vote on a proposal to replace three of the collapsed company’s directors.

The son of the late Harold Clough was one of the three proposed new directors, according to a Federal Court judgment on August 27 that cleared the way for the receivers to seek an injunction against WM Clough.

ASIC records show Julian Ball, Stuart Brown, Stephen Quantrill,

Erick Kowa, and Stefan White are Twinza directors.

Mr Clough and Ivor Orchard are listed as alternate directors.

Mr Clough and his companies, WM Clough and McRae Clough, claimed the proposed dilution of current members’ interests in the company from 100% to 5% gave them rights to vote on the scheme at a separate meeting.

But receivers argued that WM Clough’s proposal to replace three of Twinza’s current directors could jeopardise a proposed restructure, which still needs to be voted on by creditors.

If approved by creditors and the Federal Court, senior lenders would hold 85% of Twinza shares and holders of preference shares would gain a 10% equity stake.

In the face of opposition from WM Clough, the receivers gained a judgment from the Federal Court on August 6 ordering that the proposed restructure be put to a vote of creditors.

Satterley laments long Hills development battle

By Neale Prior

Satterley Property Group has claimed its plans for a 1000-block residential estate in the Perth Hills were blocked despite complying with bushﬁre planning rules. Launching a State Administrative Tribunal appeal, Satterley lawyer Paul McQueen accused the WA Planning Commission and resident lobby group Save Perth Hills of imposing a “precautionary prin-

ciple” about bushﬁres on top of state planning laws.

Mr McQueen said the North Stoneville project –on a site one-third bigger than Kings Park - had been through three decades of assessment and ﬁtted both plans for metropolitan Perth and speciﬁc policies.

He said bushﬁre and traffic monitoring planning indicated residents would be able to get out of the proposed estate within three hours of a bushﬁre alarm being raised.

“The work has been done to provide the necessary comfort to the tribunal,” he said.

Satterley wants the SAT to give full or modiﬁed approval to a North Stoneville structure plan rejected by the WAPC in 2020 and 2023.

The WAPC, Save Perth Hills and the Shire of Mundaring are fighting Satterley’s appeal and this week attacked bushﬁre and trafﬁc planning for the North Stoneville application.

SAT president Henry Jackson and expert member Ross Povey are holding a three-week hearing of the Satterley appeal.

Satterley needs a structure plan in place before it can push ahead with its initial planned development of 400 residential lots on a 535-hectare site, about 3km east of John Forrest National Park and surrounded by heavily vegetated semi-rural lots.

Satterley intends to develop another 600

residential lots in North Stoneville after federal and state authorities complete the planned EastLink highway between Perth and Northam.

EastLink will overlap with parts of Toodyay Road and will have a major road interchange about 2km north of the planned estate.

The developer plans to set 193ha aside as a bushland conservation area.

WAPC claimed the North Stoneville structure plan failed to address ous stages of the proposed development.

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McNeill

Love letter to unsung working mothers

Diamonds (Diamanti) (M)

Prolific Turkish Italian filmmaker Ferzan Ozpetek (The Ignorant Fairies) pays tribute to the strong, sparkling women in his life in the flamboyant movie industry melodrama Diamonds.

Its meta, present-day framing story has the director himself gather an ensemble of 18 Italian actresses he has worked with for inspiration.

As the glamorous women banter and settle in around the table, Ozpetek springboards to the entirely ﬁctional main story, starring them, set in a costume atelier in 1970s Rome that’s run by two very different sisters, Alberta (Luisa Ranieri) and Gabriella (Jasmine Trinca).

Catering to theatre, ﬁlm and enormous industry egos including Stefano Accorsi’s tempestuous ﬁlm director, the costume house

is thrown into overdrive when an Oscar-winning costume designer (Vanessa Scalera) commissions a raft of outﬁts.

As the hardworking seamstresses toil around the clock to create a series of designs, ﬁnding inspiration in that ultimate symbol of female strength –the vagina – Ozpetek (who co-wrote with Elisa Casseri and Carlotta Corradi) peeks into the challenges each woman is facing behind the scenes.

From the single mother (Anna Ferzetti) who hides her young son (Edoardo Stefanelli) in the button room, to the dressmaker (Elena Soﬁa Ricci) whose husband beats her, the story focuses on the ways in which they support each other to create indelible images – the spectacular scarlet ﬁnale of which, modelled by Kasia Smutniak, can only be described as a “vaginadrome”.

Swinging wildly in tone from arch, soapoperatic melodrama, to lascivious comedy,

and ultimately heartfelt homage, Ozpetek’s love letter to unsung working mothers and the dazzling divas of Italian cinema is a unique, uneven, semi-autobiographical endeavour. It will bafﬂe some, especially with the irony that a ﬁlm celebrating the labour of female costumiers has the unblinking temerity to hire a male costume designer (Stefano Ciamitti).

Food that shaped us down the ages

The Osborne Hotel in Claremont was once Perth’s ﬁnest resort hotel. Built in 1894, it featured a tower with a 21m-high turret, landscaped gardens, and a ﬂight of steps to the water’s edge to cater for those arriving by boat.

WILD AT HEART

– Eric Hynynen

Open until 20th September

Wed-Sat 10am-4pm

It was here, in July 1898, that a special dinner was staged to celebrate the “switching-on of the electric current for lighting the suburbs of Claremont, Cottesloe, Peppermint Grove and Cottesloe Beach”. The menu for this

commemorative dinner is part of a new exhibition at the State Library – A Recipe for Life: The Food That Shaped Us. It features iconic advertising, WA brands such as Bakewell, Peters, Brownes and Kailis, and historic cookbooks along with a collection of historic menus celebrating events like turning on electricity, the opening of the Narrows Bridge, and WA’s population reaching one million people.

Charlie Carters (now Taylor Road IGA), Claremont’s Burger King which became Hungry

Jacks in 1971, and the converted caravan that was Van Eileen with its memorable roof sign, “EATS”, are all remembered.

Six well-known food and hospitality identities including George Kailis, Russell Blaikie and Anna Gare share their stories as part of a new oral history series with memories of the family dinner table growing up, to quintessential WA dishes.

■ A Recipe for Life opens at the State Library in the Perth Cultural Centre this Saturday and is on show until March.

But others will luxuriate in its camp theatricality and Ozpetek’s warm salute to the power of female community.

I’ve been friends with a man for more than 25 years and we have seen each other through marriages, divorces and relationships.

After his second marriage failed four years ago, he seemed damaged. We had never been intimate, but I thought I would give it a try because I always found him attractive.

I discovered that while he’s a great lover, he is narcissistic, a sadist, and completely devoid of concern for other people’s feelings.

I am amazed I never knew this about him, but maybe I wasn’t interested in knowing.

He claims he won’t have a relationship with me unless I am submissive to his wishes. He’s exploiting me and this relationship spells trouble, but I’d be sad to let go of him.

Libby

Square.

Libby, the only people who realised Ted Bundy was a serial killer were women within a few moments of dying at his hands.

We doubt this man’s nature has changed over the past few years. And he is shrewd enough to conceal who he is. You know you can’t cure someone else’s cancer, but somehow you think you have the power to change him. With each person and in each new endeavour we need to ask if this leads toward our growth and development, or toward a deepening relationship with Ted Bundy.

Wayne & Tamara

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■ Diamonds screens as part of the Italian Film Festival, from September 25 to October 22 at Luna Palace Cinemas and Palace Raine

■ Sisters Alberta (Luisa Ranieri) and Gabriella (Jasmine Trinca) come under pressure in their small costume atelier.

■ A commemorative menu and one of Perth’s ﬁrst supermarkets, Charlie Caters, pictured in Nedlands in 1979.

Coming up with face on his egg

SARAH McNEILL

“We’ve always been able to afford food working in the arts, but the baseline is hardship,” said artist Ross Potter. “The ebb is now stronger than the ﬂow.”

Ross’s small self-portrait titled Cost of Living is delicately drawn on an eggshell using watercolour and oil pencil, and is a ﬁnalist in this week’s Lester Portrait Awards.

“The artwork expresses the idea that during the current cost of living crisis, a once humble staple could now be an extravagant canvas to create upon,” the Fremantle artist said.

But he says that, as a mid-career artist, this year has been the toughest.

“I’m now faced with the looming decision whether to keep pursuing my dreams or get a ‘real job’,” he said. “I even had to consider if I could afford to use this egg.”

He said the idea for an egg as a canvas came when the whole family went down with ﬂu and he couldn’t get to his studio to get paper. So he used what was on hand to create art projects for the children.

He specialises in graphite and pencil and began to experiment with a selfportrait, dipping a large

that is suspended in a Perspex case. “But you have to think outside the square in portraiture these days.”

His egg portrait joins a wide range of works including a knitted collage, and portraits on a clay tile, wooden board, aluminium and a rusty can.

The Lester is a lucrative art prize and partnered recently with Westpac to provide $90,000 over the next three years to boost the prize pool. It now offers more than $130,000 in prize money across 10 categories. Ross is one of 40 Australian artists chosen as ﬁnalists from

■ Cost of Living: Ross Potter wondered whether he could afford to use a large organic egg for his self-portrait.

Ross has been artistin-residence at Hale School, Subi Centro and Curtin Heritage Living in Cottesloe, and is currently working with children at Cottesloe’s Beehive Montessori.

Kate glories in her feat of clay

SARAH McNEILL

“I have always wanted to make porcelain ﬂowers,” said Kate Lethlean, a businesswoman turned ceramicist.

Kate, who grew up in Peppermint Grove and schooled at MLC and St Hilda’s, opened her own Claymates studio on Caves Road in Quindalup early this year, cementing herself as an artist after a long and varied career that began with opening the retail shop Blueberries in Dalkeith.

She worked as a live-in cook for the Duke and Duchess of York in the 1990s and taught at Leith’s School of Food and Wine in London.

Then she moved on to a corporate career as a communication and

management consultant, ending with four years in communications at Fraser Gallop Estate winery in Wilyabrup.

When COVID hit and her husband, restaurant critic John Lethlean, was made redundant, they moved to Dunsborough and she took time out to work in ceramics.

“I found what I should

Ceramics fest

Sonia Beato

who runs Upmarket, Crafted Clay is dedicated to local ceramicists, potters and sculptors. It will feature a free hand-building workshop for anyone eager to try their hand at clay, as well as a live wheelthrowing demonstration, more than 30 stalls of local ceramic art and a selection of food trucks. Check it out on

have been doing my whole life,” she said. “It is so absorbing and stimulating. Every day is a new challenge.”

Captivated by clay’s endless ability to surprise, disappoint and delight, last year she studied with renowned ceramicist Sandra Black in Perth, and then went to Italy to learn the art of handmade porcelain ﬂowers at Tuscany’s famed La Meridiana ceramics school and with porcelain artist Martha Pachon in Faenza.

A keen gardener and cook, she was drawn naturally to creating fruits, vegetables and ﬂowers for botanically themed tableware.

“Like cooking, with ceramics you learn fundamental skills from teachers and then adapt

and express your own voice and feelings through the pieces,” she said.

Currently participating in Margaret River Regions Open Studios (MRROS) and preparing for the Australian Ceramic Triennale in Fremantle, she has created a tablescape inspired by pioneering 19th Century botanist and colonist Georgiana Molloy.

Drawing on Georgiana’s letters, diaries and botanical specimens, and inspired by what was once described as Georgiana’s “genteel dining experience”, the table setting features porcelain dishes and tableware, candelabra, vases and exotic and native blooms in porcelain.

Kate cast leaves in plaster to create the porcelain mould of leaves, and fashioned rambling vines, blossoms and bowls for the fruit and vegetables Georgiana would have had access to – silverbeet, zucchini and tomatoes.

Sunday September 28 at the South Perth Community Hall, from 11am to 4pm.

Kate’s Claymates Studio at 1110 Caves Road, Quindalup is open until next weekend. She will then show the tablescape as part of an emerging artists exhibition titled Before 10, After 5, for the Ceramics Triennale at Fremantle Church, 217 High Street, from October 1 to 5.

PETRINA PERFORMS

Spending Time with STEPHEN

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Enjoy an unforgettable concert reliving ‘Somewhere’ –West Side Story, ‘Send In the Clowns’ – A Little Night Music, ‘Being Alive’– Company! plus Sweeney Todd, Into The Woods, Gypsy and more!

Saturday October 4 – 2.30pm

Subiaco Arts Centre

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of Smooth Ceramics in North Fremantle, Michelle Wilson of The Contented Ceramists in Mosman Park and Meredith Del Basso of M Clay in City Beach will be among the artists showing their work at Upmarket’s Crafted Clay. Created by pottery lover and MarketLife director Erin Madeley,

■ Sonya Beato’s Smooth Ceramics.

■ Kate Lethlean has discovered a passion for porcelain. Photo: Luke Latty

$6.05million

Anthony Alfred Junior Detata bought this 1201sq.m beachfront property through his company Challenger 54 Pty Ltd.

AGENT: Scott Swingler, Shore Property.

Home dates back to pastoral pioneer

t has taken almost 50 years for Bouriah, one of Peppermint Grove’s most signiﬁcant heritage-listed houses, to come on the market.

The original owner was butcher, merchant and pastoralist Benjamin Copley, who was able to build such a grand home in Perth’s most expensive suburb after he and his brother Samuel sold Ord River Station for £250,000 in 1912.

While Ben made his fortune, his wife Rachel went on to have seven children.

The circa 1913 home has the highest level of heritage protection – Category 1 – with Peppermint Grove council.

It is a “textbook” exam-

ple of Queen Anne architectural style, according to the heritage register.

The distinctive brick and render bands on the front, also known as “blood and bandages”, are typical of the style.

Four chimneys, a wraparound veranda and twin gables are other features of the exterior.

The front door with

stained-glass panels opens to an extra-wide hall with decorative ceilings, ornate arches and high skirtingboards.

The level of craftsmanship was possible because qualiﬁed artisans were pouring into the suburb to work for “the propertied, prestigious and prosperous”, as author Robert Pascoe referred to Peppermint Grove residents.

The house has changed hands three times since it was built and, like the original owner, the current custodians have made their fortune in property development.

They upgraded the house in 2005 with an addition that agent Mack Hall described as “mindblowing”.

“It is a very generous extension; there is nothing stingy about it,” Mr Hall said.

“They have maintained the scale and proportions from the original section, which is very hard to do.”

A six-car garage, with a service pit, catered for the late owner’s love of Bentleys and other vintage cars.

Mr Hall said the ﬁrst home open last Saturday attracted about 50 people, with a mix of genuine buyers and “spectator types”.

“I’m expecting quite a bit of action in the offer department,” he said.

“My gut feeling is it will go for around $13million to $15million.”

$6.2million CLAREMONT

47 Victoria Avenue

Character features blend with a modern extension in this early 1900s home on the non-river side.

AGENT: Justin Wallace, Wallace Real Estate.

$8.25million PEPPERMINT GROVE

31 View Street

An anaesthetist is one of the buyers of this renovated 1970s house.

AGENT: Marcus Sproule, The Agency Perth.

$8.8million NEDLANDS

37- 43 Stirling Highway

Four properties, including the Mobile Fone Care commercial building, were amalgamated in this off-market sale to student accommodation developer, Centurion.

AGENT: Brian Neo, Sterling Property.

been around long enough, you may remember the Nissen Huts in Graylands (now Claremont) which were built to accommodate migrant families from the 1950s. About 100 huts, a cafeteria, kindergarten, playground and health were built on the 4.8ha site.

Cowboy town in South Australia

Harking back to the Nissen Hut

Take a drive around Montario Quarter in Shenton Park, and you will see a new house that stands out from the rest. Most of the houses on small sites have a box-like design, but 13 Muecke Way dares to be different with a curved roof. The three-bedroom and three-bathroom house on a 260sq.m site sold recently for $2.9million Bosske Architecture drew inspiration for the roof from Nissen Huts, the semi-cylindrical dwellings made of corrugated iron that were designed by British engineer army officer Major Peter Norman Nissen in World War I. Their shape helped deflect shrapnel and bomb blasts, and the design’s efficiency made them ideal for wartime needs and post-war civilian use. If you have

Some blokes join a Men’s Shed when they retire, but a builder in South Australia went one step further by creating his own Wild Weststyle village with a jail, blacksmith’s workshop, bakery, church and water troughs for horses. He built the tiny town near the Barossa Valley for his family and friends to have some fun over a few drinks. Agent Sallyann Vivian, from Ray White Gawler East, reportedly said the builder was “a really handy guy who didn’t like sitting still”. Fixtures in the outbuildings, including the bakery pizza oven, vintage signage and a large mural in the blacksmith’s workshop featuring the 1880 Glenrowan stand-off between Ned Kelly and the police, are included in the property’s $1.3million asking price. There is a three-bedroom and one-bathroom house on the 5.47ha property about 60km north of Adelaide. For more details about 19 Hughes Court, Yattalunga, phone 0419 849 168.

Claremont house goes for $2.4million

“Sensational” was how agent Jody Fewster described last Saturday’s auction of 28 Parry Street, Claremont, which sold under the hammer for a touch over $2.4million. Four bidders put their hands up for the single-storey house

at the railway end of the street. The four-bedroom and twobathroom house is on a 544sq.m battleaxe block. Property records show it last sold in 2014, for $1.15million. • In other auction news, a modern house at 3B Erica Avenue, Mt Claremont, is scheduled for auction this Saturday,

New agent, reduced price for ‘holy grail’ There was talk in property-obsessed Cottesloe that 11 Pearse Street was about to be sold but instead it has a new agent. The 1915 Edwardianstyle bungalow is regarded by some as Cottesloe’s holy grail because it ticks five important boxes: It is elevated, faces north, on a corner, can be subdivided and is opposite Sea View golf course. The Arrow family, farmers from Koorda, have owned the four-bedroom and threebathroom house since 1966. The notable property hit the market a year ago with a price tag of $20million (‘One and only’ link with history, POST, September 28). The new agent, Bev Heymans, of Acton | Belle Property, has advertised it now from $13.95million. The marketing material said the home, named Richon after a vineyard, “may well be the very best new home site, with the ability to create one, two, three or four blocks”. There was also potential to retain the entire landholding of 1181sq.m and renovate the landmark home. For more details, phone 0419 099 243.

■ Nissen Huts were the inspiration for the curved roof in this Shenton Park home which sold recently for $2.9million.

■ The sun came

‘Superblock’ in Floreat

ow does a big block like this come about in Floreat? Most blocks are around 800sq.m, but this renovated art deco-style house sits on 1379sq.m.

The answer involves a Cottesloe resident who owned a laneway between this house for sale and

Evandale Street.

Agent Robbie Milligan approached the owner of the laneway on behalf of the neighbours to see if he would be willing to sell. After a lot of negotiation and Landgate bureaucracy, the deal was done. It was a win-win for everyone.

“This is possibly Floreat’s largest allotment,” Mr Milligan said.

A 380sq.m strip of vacant land on the western side, facing Perry Lakes, would

be ideal for backyard cricket – or you could apply to subdivide the green-titled property.

The challenge of building a new home on the site with a 12.5m frontage may appeal to architects, designers and builders looking for a prime site in the western suburbs.

Mr Milligan said another option would be to hold onto the land to create a legacy for future generations.

“It is a family haven sitting on a gold mine,”

he said.

The owners, originally from the east coast, bought the home to be closer to their children.

The elegance of the art deco architectural style had always appealed to them.

Horizontal lines and curves on the exterior are typical of the later art deco period, called streamline moderne.

■ Indoors merge with outdoors when the white bi-fold doors are opened.

Things you will love

room downstairs and three bedrooms upstairs.

From the street the house looks single-storey, but it spreads over two levels with the main bed-

The owners wanted to make the most of Perth’s long summers so they added a large deck overlooking the pool.

Subdivision potential New alfresco deck Landbank CONTACT: Robbie Milligan 0400 736 925.

Cinematic past shines through

Former Hollywood art director and scenes artist Thomas Lavelle drew on decades of project management experience when renovating his twostorey home in Nedlands.

As well as ﬁlms, Thomas has worked on a wide range

of projects around the world, including luxury hotels, restaurants and houses.

A love of interiors was the catalyst for him to start his own business here, Renofers Interior Design. His team of experienced tradies and craftsmen replaced everything from the spindles and handrail on the veranda to the hot water system in the top-tobottom renovation. Some of the changes,

such as the new $5000 pendant light above the kitchen bench, are obvious. But others are easy to miss.

Among the hard-to-spot improvements are new mortar in the limestone boundary walls, repaired pavers and new exterior taps.

After renovating a previous home in Dalkeith, Thomas was looking for a new project when he spotted this 1925 property for sale.

“It had one of my favourite styles – plantation – and there are not many of them left in Australia, let alone Perth,” he said.

“I wanted to create a home that would provide warmth and homeliness for us and friends/family.”

The location near the city and river was very appealing.

“We are so close to the city and yet we feel we are in bushland,” he said.

“The bird

in the

morning and the sunrise over the Hills are amazing.”

He has enjoyed the great sense of community in the neighbourhood.

“I have got to know, with my four-legged pal, the coffee shops, butchers, cafes and restaurants,” he said. “Everyone knows our names.”

life

The house is a short walk from Nedlands Primary School and French Resistance cafe in Broadway.

■ The stepped portico with curves and horizontal lines is typical of streamline moderne architecture.

■ A new deck overlooking the pool is among the many attractions of this 1379sq.m property with subdivision potential.

■ A white picket fence tugs at the heartstrings and so will this renovated 1925 house near the local primary school and French Resistance cafe.

■ Limestone features and jarrah floors add warmth to the lounge.

■ The $5000 LED light fitting above the kitchen bench is on the list of 22 changes to the home.

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DEATH NOTICES

increases needs experience and integrity, characteristics I believe I have displayed.”

Ms Franklyn will be seeking her third term in October.

Her former role as a medical negligence lawyer has enabled her to blend her time as a councillor with managing a charity for underprivileged children.

“Serving as a Claremont councillor for the past eight years has been a very rewarding experience,” she said.

“I bring experience, integrity and stability to the council, and I have the enthusiasm, commitment and energy to continue as your strong voice on council,” she said.

“I want to maintain our vibrant, connected community, social engagement and leafy green streets.”

Ms Hatton’s four years with the Town have seen her champion community action around green spaces and public facilities.

• From page 16

States; in due course, it appeared in his catalogue, which was sent out to all his customers.

“From here it changed hands again, this time bought by a renowned Californian food and wine connoisseur, Darrell Corti, who just happened to be familiar with the Benedictines and New Norcia through his special interest in olive oil and friendship with a Perth wine connoisseur, John Hanley.

“Recognising the diary’s likely value to the monastery, Corti very generously donated it and so, a century and a half later, the diary arrived back in Western

“I have been part of a team that has given ratepayers minimal rate rises, Lake Claremont parkland funding, improved drainage works, tree planting and playground renewals.”

Long-serving councillor Ms Goetze has focused her pitch to residents around Claremont’s heritage, green spaces and small businesses.

Australia”. As the ﬁrst settlers in the area, the religious order were instrumental in shaping the origins of the western suburbs.

While Benedictine Rosendo Salvado, whose names live on in two parallel Cottesloe streets, travelled to Rome to get ofﬁcial support for a monastery at New Norcia, Perth’s ﬁrst Catholic bishop John Brady bought land between Lake Monger and Herdsman Lake, on which Bishop Serra established the new New Subiaco monastic foundation.

Located initially on a site which is now the Herdsman Tavern, the monks

Her activity with community organisations and background in psychology have contributed to her strengths in promoting a more physically and mentally healthy Town.

“I have lived in Claremont for most of my life and was educated in Claremont and Crawley,” she said.

“I bring this experience to the council, along with having been a small business owner and an organisational psychologist.

“I will work to enhance our community of Claremont.”

were soon at work carting stone from Lone Tree Quarry (Bold Park) to the hill overlooking Lake Monger on what is now the Mercy Care site in Wembley. The route linking the stone quarry to the monastic site became known as Salvado Road.

Salvado had strenuously opposed the local creation of a monastery because it diverted badly needed and scarce human and ﬁnancial resources away from the New Norcia mission.

Pilgrims now walk the 174km Salvado Trail from outside St Joseph’s Catholic Church in Subiaco to New Norcia to honour that history and connection.

Date rape charge fails again

• From page 1

“[I thought] the best thing to do right now is to get tonight over with,” she told the court.

“I was in survival mode.”

She said she initially consented to have sex on the edge of the bath, but that he ignored her pleas to stop after it became painful.

Mr Straker denied the woman asked him to stop, and that she was crying.

He admitted he took a photo of her without her consent, but said he did so only with the intention of sending it to her.

“I wasn’t keeping it for myself,” he told the trial.

“Maybe it wasn’t appropriate.”

He deleted the photo without sending it.

He also said he had no memory of commenting on the woman’s inability to defend herself, or of putting her foot in his mouth.

“Do you think that’s something you would remember?” prosecutor Thomas Ford asked him.

“It seems likely,” Mr Straker said.

After Mr Straker left the bathroom, the woman texted her older sister asking her to call her.

Appearing as a prosecution witness, the older sister said her younger sibling was “whispering and stuttering” incomprehensibly on the phone.

“I told her to text me because I couldn’t understand anything,” she told the court.

Moments later, she received a text message that simply read: “Raped”.

The older sister raced to the Swansea Street house with her boyfriend.

When she arrived, she said her younger sister came running out in a bathrobe, leaving the front door open.

“I’d never seen her like that before,” she said.

“She was crying and screaming.

“She just wanted to get out of there.”

Mr Straker told the court the woman left abruptly, which he found “surprising”.

The woman reported the alleged crime to police, who arranged for her to be medically examined the next morning.

The doctor who performed that examination, Fiona Sluchniak, told the trial that the woman had bruises on her neck and cheeks.

She concluded the neck bruises were “likely to be the result of a non-fatal strangulation”.

Dr Sluchniak also observed blood between the woman’s

Windsor stays in family hands

• From page 3

Heritage Council in 2020 when it voted narrowly to reject granting heritage protections to the building.

Fifteen professionals cosigned a letter by the Australian Institute of Architects at the time, expressing concern about the “ﬂawed” heritage assessment.

The letter said there was “a serious omission” in the council’s assessment of the building’s historical signiﬁcance.

“In the case of the Windsor Theatre heritage assessment, the failure to document social signiﬁcance represents a ﬂaw and serves to seriously downplay the social values associated with the place,” the letter read.

legs, but abandoned an internal examination when the woman became too distressed.

Mr Percy’s defence focused heavily on the mental state of the woman, who was on medication for depression at the time of the incident and had suffered from suicidal thoughts and panic attacks in the previous months.

At trial, Mr Percy suggested the woman had suffered a panic attack during the encounter.

He also grilled police investigator Detective Troy Balic, who he said had allowed the woman to provide only a “selection” of text messages as evidence.

The woman did not provide police with a message from a week before the alleged rape in which she told Mr Straker “I like doms”.

She told the court it meant she preferred a partner with “more initiative”.

Mr Straker told the court he thought the woman might enjoy being slapped because of that text.

The jury, comprised of nine men and three women, took around three hours to reach a verdict over Friday afternoon and Monday morning.

When it was announced, Straker made a small ﬁst pump gesture while his father buried his face in his hands and wept.

Mr Straker declined to speak to the POST.

His family will be out of pocket hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees because the District Court does not require the state to pay the costs of acquitted defendants.

The woman at the centre at the trial, who was not in court for the verdict, told the POST she was devastated and disheartened after four years.

“Going through three separate trials required me to repeatedly revisit painful memories that I just want to move past,” she said.

The woman, now 23, said she had to “grow up quickly” after the incident, which took a severe emotional toll on her family.

“It has changed the way I view the world, trust others, and the way I see myself,” she said.

“On the flip side, it’s also shown me how resilient I am.

“While it was one of the worst moments of my life, I feel it has shaped me into someone I can be proud of.”

• 1800RESPECT

Homes sat empty

maintained and utilised for appropriate uses in the interim period.

“It is therefore recommended that the WAPC be advised of council’s disappointment regarding the lack of upkeep and use of the sites which have instead been left to deteriorate, leading to the present safety and security concerns.”

In February that year PCC also approved the demolition of 60 Thomas Street for similar reasons.

The empty blocks of the demolished houses were landscaped to be ready for

the widening of the busy thoroughfare.

Three years ago the state government identiﬁed those blocks – between Hay and Ord streets – as one of nine potential development sites for its “Housing Diversity Pipeline” (Thomas Street ‘road’ land to be sold off, POST, September 10 2022).

About 2000sq.m was allocated for road widening while 3644sq.m was designated “developable area”.

The HDP was meant to deliver 3300 new homes by 2026 but the Thomas Street blocks have remained untouched.

Save the Save the bay

• From page 5

the sporting and disabled sailors’ case, some of whom are here today,” he said.

“I hope you might address the reasons why you discounted JoJo’s and we ask you respectfully to reconsider your decision.”

Mr Huston said 400,000 people a year visited Matilda Bay to picnic and recreate along the foreshore.

The 25-year-old Sailability program, which has 500 members and helped disabled and blind sailors several times a week, would be directly affected.

“I’d like people to understand how you can put blind or disabled sailors in the water when there’s a 25m ferry coming towards them,” Mr Huston said.

“I’ve been informed the risk assessment did not even recognise the fact the Sailability program even existed.”

Ms Safﬁotti said the original site identiﬁed at the north of the bay was changed because of feedback from the rowing club that it was too close.

But she was not prepared to consider further changes, citing a multi-criteria analysis and independent risk analysis for all ﬁve proposed sites which included three spots in Matilda Bay as well as Pelican Point and JoJo’s.

The Department of Marine took over the project from the Pubilc Transport Authority because of the “signiﬁcant concerns from water users” and because of its experience dealing with water groups on the Swan River, she said.

Other reasons she cited against the JoJo’s location were that it would encroach into the “primary ﬂow of vessel trafﬁc in Melville Waters” and pass too close to the Swan Estuary Marine Park, a protected habitat for migratory water birds.

• From page 5

Government Insurance Scheme, who passed the blame on to the roadwork contractors, Contraﬂow.

The insurers contested her photo of the road conditions on May 25 by showing a photo they took on May 15, 10 days before roadwork had commenced.

They later revised their photographic proof by showing her the same image with the timestamp removed, claiming it was taken on May 26.

She has since been told by the insurance company general manager that it would no longer engage with her.

“I’m left with a situation where both parties are pointing the ﬁnger at each other, and my mum’s left to foot the bill,” Ms Minigal said.

“The Town has been very silent and won’t deal with us, even though I have presented a pretty logical claim.

“I ﬁnd it interesting that a local government can shirk the responsibility under the guise that they can push it onto someone else.

“The Ombudsman will be my last avenue unless I want to go through small claims.”

In another part of Claremont, a resident is facing destitution

because of a dispute with a neighbour over a retaining wall.

The resident, who asked to remain anonymous, was unaware of the consequences when they agreed to a neighbour’s development application.

They discovered it left them potentially liable for a retaining wall upgrade worth their annual salary.

They said Claremont told them and their neighbour two different things that led to further misunderstandings and contributed to the neighbour suing the resident.

The resident said Claremont told them they would have to subpoena the council for information related to important parts of the case.

In another matter earlier this year, Samantha Hillbrick succeeded in getting the council to examine verge ownership in the Town.

The process leading up to her petition was laced with exchanges that left Ms Hillbrick unimpressed with the council’s handling of her concerns.

One line in a council report said Claremont did not consider there was widespread confusion or dispute about the use of shared verges.

“I believe the report prepared by the executive and provided in

today’s agenda has failed to address the reasons provided in the petition, and in two instances, completely ignored them,” Ms Hillbrick told councillors in May.

Claremont did not respond to questions about the allegations.

The Town said the planning process for the deli was done in accordance with the relevant legislation, and they are working with all parties to ensure consistency with the development approval.

All complaints are being in-

• From page 3

“She said Suzanne we could not have sold your house if you hadn’t paid your rates.”

The last document showing the rates she paid for her Mosman Park house revealed she had paid $4400 to clear the property of debt.

“I don’t know what they expect I should pay when it says nil amount payable, and now they’ve turned it into $11,000 which, as a pensioner and a person that’s got cancer, the costs are an absolute fortune,” she said.

Mosman Park wrote off nearly $9000 in unpaid rates last year because the costs were not worth pursuing and were an error made by the Town.

A PTA map showing the proposed expansion of the Swan Ferry into Matilda Bay and Applecross.

More than 1500 people have signed a Save Matilda Bay petition started by Mr Huston.

The Safety on Swan Group –representing all 10 clubs and community groups in Matilda Bay and thousands of members – argued the existing jetty at JoJo’s in Nedlands would be the best place for a terminal.

“We wrote to every minister after ﬁnally meeting with the project’s independent risk assessor,” said Megan Bagworth, Safety on Swan spokesperson.

“The assessor had not received any of the water stakeholder submissions.

“This decision is not in Perth’s best interest.

“Turning it into a mass ferry and bus hub destroys what makes it special and why hundreds of thousands of tourists, families and children visit each year”

“Why open the rivers up with ferry transport but destroy the popular foreshore amenity that already exists in the process?”

“Perth can have fast, connected, sustainable public transport and expand its ferry network — without destroying iconic foreshore precincts or displacing thriving community use.”

A community picnic on the Matilda Bay foreshore to keep the bay ferry free is planned for this Sunday from 11am to 1pm.

Claremont in firing line

vestigated by the Town, with detailed responses being provided.

The Town said it had explained in person and in writing that it will not intervene in civil disputes over verges and that parking local laws will be reviewed in the 2025/26 ﬁnancial year.

The Town said it cannot comment on the retaining wall dispute as it is now a legal matter.

In response to Ms McMinigal’s claim the Town says it has considered and agrees with LGIS’ determination.

Mos Park pursues dying woman

“Debt recovery is not recommended, as the Town may face criticism for seeking to recover costs due to its own error in not recognising the rates at settlement,” staff said in a report.

Ms Lemmey will fight the council claim.

“I’ve got two daughters that I would like to not have to deal with a $11,000 debt that I don’t owe,” she said.

Kicking both ways for state origins

THE Sporting

Roger Cook is having a bob each way.

After hammering yet another nail in the WAFL’s straining cofﬁn, he has embraced State of Origin football with a fervour matched only by his passion for those West (not Western, note) Australian staples rugby league and motor racing.

Now known unsurprisingly as AFL Origin given the national football body’s insatiable appetite to tack its own brand to every part of the indigenous game, State of Origin will make its ﬁrst appearance this century when WA host the Big V in February.

Although the pre-season match will not be played with the ferocity that marked some of the great encounters of the 1980s, its return is most welcome.

Club rivalry might be fervent, and essential to the ravenous AFL economy, but the contest between states is more primal. More instinctive. More fundamental.

Anyone who witnessed a collection of WA’s ﬁnest state league players touch up Victoria at Port Melbourne in 2017 would

recognise the heartfelt emotion that came with the stunning performance.

It was the only time in more than a century that a senior state team had beaten the Big V on their own turf and it was a sweet moment for the players, coaches and everyone who had black and gold blood in their veins.

Now, I don’t doubt Roger’s genuine passion for WA football, even if he does like to ﬂirt with the dark side that is rugby league.

He revealed this week that he was a Claremont supporter as a kid, hardly surprising given that he grew up in the area and went to Scotch College before remaking himself as the Kwinana kid.

but then made the error of asking her to inspect his handiwork.

The gruesome sight – or perhaps the skewwhiff needlework – was too much for the usually unﬂappable Dorothy, who fainted, hit the deck with a loud thump but not before spilling the scarlet liquid all over my face.

It all ended well, though when we walked through the busy waiting room a few minutes later, there more than a few looks of shock at the kid who appeared to be covered in blood holding up a woman somewhat wobbly on her feet.

The damage is likely to be extreme

I didn’t know him, though we grew up at the same time while his father Hugh was our family doctor in the ancient days when docs actually made house calls.

Dr Cook patched me up at his Claremont surgery one night after a cricket ball ricocheted off a practice-net post at Cresswell Park and split my eyebrow to the bone.

He asked my mother to hold a large bottle of Mercurochrome while he ﬁnished his stitching,

Wave park to be ‘by the West, for the West’

The Southern Hemisphere’s biggest and most advanced wavepool is coming and WA is about to get seriously surf stoked.

In just two years Perth surfers will be paddling out into a lineup the size of Optus Stadium with endless barrels and perfect peelers on tap.

No ﬂat spells, no snaking crowds, no rogue shark ﬁns on the horizon, just guaranteed, custom-made waves breaking all day, every day.

The $120million Perth Surf Park will be steered by two locals with sand between their toes and saltwater in their veins who are both members of the Cottesloe Board Riders club.

Aventuur chair and chief development ofﬁcer Andrew Ross is slotting back into the WA surﬁng lifestyle after years in the high-powered London business sector.

Luke Wyllie, an accomplished aviator and surfer, is the founder and director of Corsaire Aviation and has been around the Perth surf scene for decades.

Their deep ties to the ocean and community give the Perth Surf Park a homegrown authenticity you can’t fake.

The project is riding a new wave of momentum after the Royal Automobile Club of WA

North Melbourne and frustrated to be ineligible for the WA team about to take on a Victorian side that would not pick him.

As an aside, I was checking the history and effect of Mercurochrome for this column and only then discovered that it fell out of fashion about the time State of Origin bit the dust.

Who would have thought that mercury was actually a suboptimal ingredient in a medical product while it was not ideal to disguise potential infection with bright red paint? Obviously not the medics and mothers who used it for decades to cure all manner of ills.

State of Origin will return almost 60 years after Barry Cable ﬁrst suggested it when he was at

joined as an investor, alongside Luke’s follow-on commitment to keep ownership local.

Andrew said his aim was to make the best wave park in the world, “by the West, for the West”.

“We’ve upgraded the tech to increase the number of wave modes and power to produce bigger waves with longer barrel times,” he said.

“At the Melbourne and Sydney waveparks the machines produce 48 wave modes that allow for three solid turns and three second barrels.

“For Perth we’ve increased that so the machine will have 62 wave modes and serve up to six solid turns and 11 second barrel rides that will suit all levels of surfer from beginner to expert.

“We’ve also altered bottom bathymetry, which will allow us to put more power into the shoulder of the wave so they behave more like the ocean allowing for better roundhouse cutbacks.”

Andrew said he grew up surﬁng around Cottesloe and it was natural for him to join the boardriders club.

“Aventuur has struck a deal with Surﬁng WA that will offer all clubs in WA, like Cottesloe, the chance to run comps in the pool every 18 months,” he said.

Site works have begun at Jandakot where crews are carefully removing and storing native grass trees which will be replanted back into the surf park grounds or given a second life on other Perth sites.

The surf park is expected to create more than 280 jobs during construction, 100 full-time gigs once open and pump more than $300million into the WA economy over its lifetime.

Construction is locked in for the second half of 2025 and by late 2027 Perth surfers won’t need to chase swells or ﬁght the crowds, they’ll be pulling into barrels right in their own backyard.

Whether State of Origin instigator Leon Larkin heard Cable’s lament, or simply recognised the moment was right and did the work to make it happen, the ﬁrst match in 1977 ignited a rivalry that burned ﬁercely until the expansion of the national league made it redundant.

That is the danger for the WAFL with Roger’s other recent brainwave to invent two more public holidays while shifting WA Day from close to its original date to neutral and more weather-friendly November.

Sadly for the WAFL, the damage is likely to be extreme with the biggest events on its homeand-away schedule – the two WA Day derbies – to be usurped by the ever-colonising AFL.

The early June public holiday will move back a week to bring the King’s Birthday into line across the country, but that is when Collingwood and Melbourne play their annual blockbuster and it will suck all the oxygen out of the day.

And you don’t have to be visionaries like Larkin or Cable to work out that the WA AFL teams will see that Monday afternoon, based on the foundation of decades of success of the WA Day games, as the perfect opportunity to push their case for a marquee ﬁxture to ﬂow on from the Pies-Dees clash.

A loss and a win this week were vibrant reminders of how football reaches into every level

She might have been even more passionate about football, a trait perhaps learned at the knee of her East Perth premiership-winning father Jerry Clune, who is unmatched in WAFL history in winning a ﬂag in a career of just seven matches, and an influential ﬁgure in the Mid-West where he farmed near Geraldton and set up the Great Northern league.

The JJ Clune medal is awarded to the league’s best player. Loreto was a magpie when it came to footy gossip and always had a snippet or two up her sleeve that would invariably delay the violin lessons but made for intriguing listening.

The saltier the better, too. Her liveliest story involved a very prominent WA football ﬁgure who started visiting her neighbour one morning a week.

“He always turns up at the same time and never stays more than 45 minutes,” Loreto would giggle. “Why would that be?” Vale Loreto. Up in Karratha, second home to many western suburb resource industry aspirants, the local team has just performed a Kattrick with wins in their league, reserves and women’s grades.

The league grand ﬁnal against Dampier was a ripper. Tied at the ﬁnal siren, as it was after two periods of extra time, the premiership was won when a desperate Karratha player kicked the next score to give the Kats victory by one point.

Karratha coach Jackson Ramsay, who moved to the Pilbara hot-spot two years ago after an excellent career at East

The sun was shining on the Black Swans in 2017 when they became the first WA team to beat Victoria in Melbourne.

John townsend

Luke Wyllie and Andrew Ross are making waves on the local surfing scene, literally.

surfing with cameron bedford-brown

Premier Roger Cook, right, and AFL CEO Andrew Dillion will oversee State of Origin’s return in February.

Use this shape to make a drawing. The best two entries will win.

How to enter:

Do your best Doodlebug drawing in the box above, and fill in the entry form. Cut out the drawing and entry form and ask an adult to email it to sarah@postnewspapers.com.au, with “Doodlebug” in the subject heading. Or drop your entry off to our office at 276 Onslow Road, Shenton Park 6008, during normal business hours, or mail it to POST Kids at that address. For artists up to the age of 12. ENTRIES MUST ARRIVE BY NOON ON WEDNESDAY.

Name: .........................................................................Age ............................

Address ...........................................................................................................

Suburb ........................................................................Postcode ....................

Phone number: ..............................................................................................

What have you drawn?:

Vouchers will be mailed and valid for 4 weeks. These Doodlebug contestants have won.

Chocolate Spiders

A world of imagination

Once again, I’m impressed by your breadth of imagination with this week’s peculiar shape. Ideas included Zari’s girl snorkelling on a fish-filled reef, Caoimhe’s cute fun-loving bee, Mishka’s pretty cocktail glass and Zoe’s elegantly hatted monsters. I love that siblings Moe and Sakura each drew a cute creature that was the other’s best friend.

Tongue twister:

If six slithering snakes slithered up to Slytherin, would sixty slippery slippers stop Slytherin simply slipping?

This easy no-bake classic needs just three ingredients:

What you need:

200g good quality chocolate

2 tblsps creamy peanut butter

100g fried noodles (or pretzel sticks)

What to do:

Place chocolate and peanut butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat on low power for 2 or 3 minutes, stirring in 30-second intervals, until the mixture is melted and smooth. Stir through fried noodles until well coated. Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto a prepared tray lined with parchment paper and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (if you can wait that long)!

Something different for school

For the last week of term, get creative with your lunchbox!

Our two main winners this week are equally different in ideas and style. Daniella Fish, 11, from Woodlands, has drawn a portrait of her imaginary friend. I love the cartoon style with its slightly retro feel that makes the friend look like someone’s favourite aunt. Our other winner is Leah Russell, 7, from Nedlands. Leah has won a few ice-creams, but she lands the big prize this week for her lovely, thoughtful drawing of a ladybug on a leaf. She has incorporated the doodle beautifully into her work.

Enjoy your last week of school before the holidays!

Q. Why did the banana split?

A. Because it saw the bread box, the milkshake and the egg beater!

Q. How does a monster count to 13?

A. On his ﬁngers!

Q. What did the frog say when it hopped through a library?

A. Read it, read it, read it!

Q. What do cattle do for fun?

A. Discow dancing!

Q. How do you know when an elephant has been in the fridge?

A. There are footprints in the butter!

What you need:

(makes 8)

150g broccoli, finely chopped

1 red pepper, finely chopped

2 spring onions, sliced

6 large eggs

1 tbsp milk

50g grated cheddar or gruyere

Chopped chives and seasoning

A. Beings on toast!

Q. What do cannibals eat for breakfast?

Add chopped bacon, ham or smoked salmon – whatever takes your fancy.

What to do:

WANT TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD?

Head to postnewspapers.com.au and lodge your classiﬁed online or drop by our office at 276 Onslow Rd, Shenton Park.

Prepare an eight-hole muffin tin and heat the oven to 200 C. In a frypan, fry the broccoli, pepper and spring onions. Add bacon, ham or salmon if using. Set aside to cool. Whisk the eggs with the milk, seasoning and half of the cheese in a bowl. Add the cooked veg. Pour the egg mixture into the muffin holes and top each one with cheese and some chives. Bake for 15 to17 minutes or until golden brown.

Shop 4/531 Hay St Subiaco

Zari Spiccia, Caoimhe Hopkins, Lila Nattrass, Moe Morrison, Mishka Knipe, Indiana Meling, Charlie Forbes, Vivienne Knowles, Zoe Kershaw, Elsie Craib.

Daniella Fish (11)

THE EXPERIENCE IS BEAUTIFULLY SIMPLE. THE RESULT IS SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL.

At Humphrey Homes, every home we design and build begins with listening. We take the time to understand your vision, your lifestyle and your budget - then shape that insight into thoughtful spaces that are beautifully crafted. By seamlessly integrating architecture, interior design and construction, we make creating your forever home harmonious, effortless and deeply personal.

To start the conversation, call Dean Humphrey on 9284 5444.

“Humphrey Homes delivered not just a house but a sanctuary that perfectly suits our family’s needs and lifestyle. We would not hesitate to work with them again and wholeheartedly recommend their services to others who value excellence, transparency, reliability, and a truly client-centric approach.”

- Angela and Amit, City Beach