Wednesday 7 October 2026
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AUGUSTA MARGARET RIVER MAIL
Wednesday 7 October 2026
margaretrivermail.com.au
What makes Margaret River home? “We all construct worldviews that give us a sense of meaning. Mostly it is about belonging to a group and having a sense of identity and purpose.” - Carmen Lawrence WE ALL love Margaret River, but how is it changing? And how do we maintain our sense of place amidst this change and growth? Margaret River Community Centre will host a Community Conversation with Dr Carmen Lawrence, OAM, on Monday 19 October. Dr Lawrence has spent a career researching and applying the principles of psychology and social equality to adaptation and social change, as well as exploring our reactions to that change. “People have attachments to place; there are phenomena and objects they value. “Understanding these attachments creates the foundations for a stronger community, particularly in times of rapid local and global change.” WA’s first and only female premier, in 2022 Dr Lawrence was appointed Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to the people and Parliaments of Australia and Western Australia, to conservation, and to arts administration. To this day, she emphasises the importance of community involvement. “Whether through volunteering, local advocacy or simply showing up for the people and causes around you, participation is not optional. “It is how we stay connected to what matters and how we create change.” She practises what she preaches, being actively involved in numerous organisations, including a board member of Nature Conservation Margaret River Region and patron of LinkWest, the peak body for neighbourhood houses and community centres in the state.
WA’s first and only female Premier, Dr Carmen Lawrence will speak at the Margaret River Community Centre on Monday, October 19.
Jessica Worrall, volunteer chair of Margaret River Community Centre said “Being situated in the Old Hospital, our Community Centre holds a special place in the hearts of the folk of Margaret River. “But the Community Centre is much more than buildings, it is a place to seek support and essential human services, a social centre, a meeting place providing vital connection. “Although it means different things to different people, we can probably all agree that a thriving centre matters to the community, but that value is often hard to quantify.” The centre invites residents to join the annual Community Conversation: to explore why the Community Centre matters; what is required to sustain both the community’s timber & tin buildings, the Community Centre’s ongoing programs and initiatives; and how to get involved. The conversation will commence at 6:15pm, following the Association’s Annual General Meeting at 5:30pm. Come along and enjoy a meal at the Soupie from 5pm, attend the AGM and join the community conversation. For more information and to RSVP, please email info@mrcc. com.au
Tributes are flowing for the late Peter Clews, a prominent and highly respected member of the Cowaramup and South West community, recognised for his seven decades of service to the local fire brigade, as well as the Cowaramup Men’s Shed, Cowaramup District Social Club and many other aspects of the community. Images: Lisa Clews/Cowaramup VBFB/Cowaramup Men’s Shed.
COWARAMUP is mourning the loss of one of its most dedicated community figures, Peter Clews OAM, who passed away peacefully at home in the early hours of the morning of September 28. Mr Clews’ daughter Lisa announced the news on behalf of the family, saying he had died surrounded by the people he loved. “The Clews family is devastated to announce we’ve lost a legend,” she said. “We loved him so and will miss him terribly. The world is a little colder and poorer without him in it.” For generations of Cowaramup residents, Mr Clews was synonymous with community service, particularly through his extraordinary commitment to the Cowara-
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mup Volunteer Bush Fire Brigade. He joined the brigade in 1954 and remained involved for more than seven decades - including as President - making him its longest-serving member. The brigade paid tribute to Mr Clews this week, describing him as an “absolute local legend” who had attended hundreds of fires, helped educate the community and devoted countless hours to protecting the town. Even in recent years, members said he would still head down to the station, open the roller doors, warm up the appliances and help crews prepare for callouts. “What a star,” the brigade said. “Pete was a true gentleman, a dedicated volunteer and a muchloved part of our community. They don’t make them like Pete anymore.”
His contribution extended well beyond the fire station. Mr Clews was a long-standing member of the Cowaramup District Social Club, serving on its committee and as president before being made a life member in 1992. He was also involved with the Cowaramup Men’s Shed, serving as its president, and was named the Cowaramup Lions Club’s Colin Duggan Citizen of the Year in 2010. In 2019, Mr Clews received the Medal of the Order of Australia for his service to the Cowaramup community, formal recognition of decades spent giving his time to the place he called home. For the town and surrounding community, Mr Clews leaves behind far more than a record of service – he leaves the legacy of someone who simply kept turning up for his community, year after year.
margaretrivermail.com.au
Wednesday 7 October 2026
AUGUSTA MARGARET RIVER MAIL
Renee Sinclair - AKA ‘Midnight Joy’ dazzles the audience with her skills and strength. Photo: Theron Kirkman.
Performing under her stage name ‘Miss Tique’, Margaret River born performer and teacher Therese Colman is looking forward to bringing the Perth International Burlesque Festival to her hometown this Saturday. Photo: Dian Sarah Photography
cal representation made this year’s roadshow especially exciting.
AERIAL silks, movement and storytelling will take centre stage at Nala Bardip Mia – Margaret River HEART next month, with Once Upon a Movement presenting its latest production, Where We Arrive and Belong. The performance will bring together aerial artistry and contemporary movement in a show centred on connection, purpose and a sense of belonging.
SETTLERS Tavern has once again been recognised among WA’s best places to drink wine, earning a spot in the state’s Top 10 at the 2026 Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards. The iconic Bussell Highway spot was ranked seventh in WA, joining a prestigious list dominated by high-end Perth venues including Gibney, Balthazar, The Shorehouse, Heritage Wine Bar and Il Lido. For the country pub, better known locally simply as “The Tav”, the result continues an extraordinary run of national recognition for a wine program that has become almost as fa-
mous as the venue itself. Settlers’ sprawling ‘Wine Bible’ features more than 600 bottles and more than 50 wines by the glass, spanning Margaret River favourites, Australian producers, international labels and rare or limited releases. The tavern has built an impressive awards history over more than a decade, including
being named Best Wine List WA in 2021 and entering the Hall of Fame for Australia’s Best Country Restaurant Wine List after wins from 2022 to 2024. It has also previously collected accolades for its WA and regional wine listings, sustainable wine program and international selection. Settlers has been part of Margaret River life since the 1970s, evolving from its early surftown roots into a gathering place for locals, winemakers, families, musicians and visitors. Owners Rob and Karen Gough have led the venue for around two decades, building a reputation around unfussy R FO SS EN NE OP USI B
Described as an exploration of the ways people move to create, connect and return to the places they love, the production uses movement as a way to examine relationships with self, others and community.
Cheers to that! Tav on top wine list
“We move to create,” the production notes. “We move to open ourselves to new connections within our cells and allow ourselves to connect with our soul, with other souls, and to return to the places we love. “We move to connect with our purpose, to share, to be, to love.” Presented in the Main Theatre at Margaret River HEART, the two-hour performance will feature an interval and is expected to incorporate theatrical smoke and haze as part of the production. The show begins at 6.30pm, with doors and the venue kiosk opening from 6pm. Tickets are priced at $25 for adults, $20 for concession card holders and $10 for young people under 18, with a family-of-four ticket available for $50. The event is alcohol-free. Children under eight must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 or over, while children under 12 cannot attend unaccompanied after 7pm. Where We Arrive and Belong will be performed at Nala Bardip Mia – Margaret River HEART on Friday, October 23, from 6.30pm to 8.30pm.
hospitality, live music and an unusually serious approach to wine. This year’s Australia’s Wine List of the Year judges highlighted a growing emphasis on Australian and locally produced wines across the country’s best lists. Chair of Judges Toni Paterson MW said the strongest venues were showing increasing support for wines from their own states, alongside greater varietal diversity and more adventurous by-the-glass offerings. The national Wine List of the Year title went to Melbourne’s Society, while Perth’s Gibney was named Best Wine List WA.
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“I have 16 students who will be performing in burlesque troupes, as
The Margaret River Regional Roadshow is strictly 18+ and will run from 7.30pm on Saturday, October 10. (Doors open at 6.30pm). Theatre seating is available from $49.50 plus booking fee, while cabaret-style table seating for up to seven people is also available. Guests seated at tables may bring their own food, while all drinks must be purchased from the licensed bar. Tickets available from the Arts Margaret River box office at the HEART or online at events.humanitix.com/mrroadshow-pibf-2026
well as burlesque and aerial soloists, and it is an incredible opportunity for them to share the stage with established artists from across Australia and internationally,” she said. “Plus we have the talented women from Paradise Circus Pole Studio also representing Margaret River.” The two-hour production will feature a mix of showgirl performances, traditional and contemporary burlesque, aerial acts, fan dance and a few surprises. Audiences can expect a fastpaced evening of costumes, comedy, theatricality and high-energy performance, with smoke and haze effects used throughout the show.
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GLITTER, glamour and a strong South West contingent will take centre stage when the Perth International Burlesque Festival brings its Regional Roadshow to Margaret River on Saturday, October 10. Presented by Arts Margaret River, the one-night-only show at Nala Bardip Mia – Margaret River HEART will form part of the festival’s 13th anniversary celebrations, combining international, interstate and WA performers with a large number of local women. Among them will be performers from Suspensions Aerial Arts and Burlesque, which operates across Busselton, Yallingup, Cowaramup and Margaret River, as well as Paradise Circus Pole Studio in Margaret River. PIBF Regional Coordinator Therese Colman, who performs under the stage name Miss Tique, said bringing the festival back to her home town was particularly special. “I was born and raised in Margaret River and I’ve worked in the entertainment industry my entire adult life,” she said. “After spending my 20s living, working and performing overseas, it’s a dream to be bringing a show like this to town.” Ms Colman said the strong lo-
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AUGUSTA MARGARET RIVER MAIL
Wednesday 7 October 2026
margaretrivermail.com.au
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Wednesday 7 October 2026
AUGUSTA MARGARET RIVER MAIL
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IN YOUR PATCH with TERRI SHARPE
IT’S EASY to garden in spring as the clear, warm weather ensures outdoor pursuits are delightful. But a successful garden requires work and planning. True gardening success requires a year-round commitment. If however, like many of us it’s the spring weather that gets you outside and into your neglected garden, here’s a few lessons that will improve your chances of success. Prune back dead wood on any dormant ornaments, like hydrangeas for example. Check all fruit trees and cut back dead wood, crossing branches, and anything diseased. Dispose of your waste carefully. Apply neem oil on citrus to ensure new growth is citrus leaf miner free. I also apply a trace element foliar spray, copper, or sulphur if any of my edible fruit trees show signs of pests or disease. Cut your lawn, weed it, and fertilise. Keep the reticulation off until as late as possible. Every drop counts. Plant your summer crops according to soil temperature, rather than a calendar date. As a rule of thumb, plant pollinators 1 to 10. I like edible self-seeders like Californian poppies and violas. But you’ll see mass planting of everlastings and strawflowers in the Margaret River Primary School edibles garden and South Regional TAFE Margaret River campus. Both flowers are covered in native and European bees.
Can you help??? For the month of October, donate your used six cell seedling punnets to the Margaret River Community Pantry.
October should allow planting of summer favourites like sunflowers, tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, and beans. Plant with plenty of growing room around each plant and resist the temptation to crowd or plant closer than the recommended spacing. You’ll regret it later with plants that will be fighting each other for food, water, space, and
W H AT ’ S O N FREE
Young@HEART Concerts Local Performers, Mondays, 10am-11am No registration required.
FREE
Join the FABClub Premium seats for those who attend alone Call us on 9780 5294 to access this special offer
Bowls for Soupie Exhibition Intriguing ceramics September 9-October 8. Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm
Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie Adventure/Animation Thurs, October 8, 10.30am: $9 FREE
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (M) 35th Anniversary Fri, October 9, 7pm: $10
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Wongi Gulyarra Waatu Talking Oceans Together Thurs, October 15
Heart of the Beast (M) Adventure Tues, October 13, 7pm: $9
Margaret River Art Exhibition Preview the Art Auction October 14-23. Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm FREE
Dragged Through the Desert* A Priscilla Celebration Sat, October 17, 7.30pm: from $20
light. These plants will often produce inferior growth and fruit and may succumb more readily to pests and diseases. Despite what you may see on AI, I’d wait on planting basil and corn until next month, except in all but the most sheltered micro-climates in the region. It’s now time to ensure you have no bare soil in your garden beds. Apply mulch 50 to 70mm thick. Too thin and weeds will come through, too thick and the very moisture you are trying to trap will be repelled. For my veggie beds, I prefer softer mulches that decompose over time adding a slow-release nutrient rich layer over summer. Larger established trees can handle harder mulches like woodchip that take longer to decompose but importantly continue to keep our soils cool and help retain the diversity and number of microorganisms in our soil – so crucial for effective plant growth processes. Leave a gap around stems or trunks to prevent collar rot. I include tomatoes in this rule. Also remove tomato leaves that are touching surrounding soil to minimise the likelihood of fungal spread. Put your stakes or supports in now, while your seedlings are small. Pinch our any shoots between lateral growers and the main stem. They are easy to spot. It may seem strange but try a little experiment if you’re not con-
vinced – twotomato plants growing as neighbours, pinch one, and see how both plants fair over time in terms of growth, health, and number and quality of fruit. THE Margaret River Community Pantry has a big idea in mind for this year’s Christmas Street Parade. The Pantry is asking the community to donate six cell used plastic seedling punnets. While school holidays are on, they can be dropped into Bunnings Margaret River, Mitre 10 Margaret River, South Regional TAFE Margaret River, Margaret River Community Garden, and the Community Pantry. For the remainder of October when school returns, you can also drop them into Margaret River Primary School, Montessori Primary School, Rapids Landing Primary School, Karridale Primary School, St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, and Margaret River Independent School. All donated punnets will be used in the 2026 Christmas Street Parade in Margaret River Thursday December 17, from 4pm. You’ll have to attend to find out what the Pantry’s got in store for them – and you. Happy October planting, and if I can leave with one line of advice it’ll be this - get those tomatoes in the ground right now!
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Once Upon A Movement Where We Arrive and Belong Fri, October 23, 6.30pm: from $10
Margaret River Art Auction Margaret River Independent School Sat, October 24, 7pm: $40
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AUGUSTA MARGARET RIVER MAIL
Wednesday 7 October 2026
South Western News Thursday November 22, 1951 ON Sunday next November 25th the new fire engine for the recently formed volunteer brigade at Margaret River will be officially handed over to the brigade. The ceremony will take place at 11am and the fire engine will first be handed over by a member of the WA Fire Brigade Board to the Augusta Margaret River Road Board and then chairman of that body (Mr E Willmott) will hand it over to the Fire Brigade. The public of Margaret River and Districts is invited to attend the ceremony after which light refreshments will be provided. FEBRUARY 11, 1950 was a turning point for the town folk of Margaret River as they watched a home owned by Mr Terry and Mr McLean, burn. It was 11:50 at night, and it took the forestry truck with its water tank 20 minutes to reach the town
margaretrivermail.com.au
Late local is recognised for valuable contributions to our region
In November 1951, Margaret River received its very first fire engine, provided for the newly-formed volunteer brigade. This year, the Margaret River Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service will mark 75 years of lifesaving service to our region. Image: OpenAI
site. By then, it was too late to save the home. In April 1950, the Margaret River Road Board received a letter from Mr H Coate and the WA Fire Brigade Board suggesting the formation of a volunteer fire brigade. The Road Board, with the night of the February fire on mind agreed to the idea, even though it would involve a large monetary cost over ten years to pay for setting up a brigade. On December 14 1950, an announcement was placed by the Road Board in the local paper, for interested people to attend a meeting on Sunday December 17. The meeting was to announce the formation of a Town Fire Bri-
gade. The meeting was well attended with representatives from the Perth Fire Brigade Board addressing the assembled locals. A callout was held at the end of the meeting, and a group of men signed up to become the first Margaret River Town Brigade; Mr T Vickers was appointed Brigade Captain and Mr Dunne the Foreman. By 1956, after a brief stay at a shed loaned by Mr A Burton, the brigade with its new fire engine, equipment, brass helmets and brass buttoned dark blue uniforms, had moved into its own station building on the hill top of Willmott Avenue - the hill being the best location for the siren to
sound out over the town, alerting the volunteers of an emergency. In 2026, the dedicated men and women of the Margaret River Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service are celebrating their 75th Anniversary. We give thanks to all past and present volunteers for the service they have done and continue to do for the safety our community.
ALAN & Patricia Hillier first moved to Margaret River in 1965 as Alan was transferred from Perth but was working then for Elders GM as a stockman and in 1967 bought a real-estate business with Arthur Errey, to commence the estate agency of Hillier & Errey. In 1968 Alan moved the business to the house on the south side of Priceline chemist shop, now a doctors surgery and built in 1973 an arcade with four shops which are now the current offices of Stocker Preston. Alan served as councilor on the AMR Shire from 1973-1987, the last eight years as Shire President. Alan moved back to Perth in 1986 but has been a long standing member of the Margaret River & Districts Historical Society. He passed away in July and will lie beside his mother Patricia in the Margaret River Cemetery. We thank Alan for his service to the community and the Historical Society.
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FARMERS’ market organisers across the South West are being encouraged to take a look at a new funding opportunity offering grants of up to $50,000 to help markets grow, improve their operations and become more sustainable. The second round of WA’s Farmers’ Market Grant Scheme is now open to both existing markets and prospective markets under development. For the South West, where established farmers’ markets operate alongside smaller and emerging community markets, the funding could help with everything from infrastructure and compliance to marketing, business planning and market development. Eligible projects can in-
clude signage, storage, shelter, power and accessibility improvements, food safety and other compliance costs, marketing and community engagement, business planning and initiatives designed to support stallholders and strengthen a market’s longterm viability. The scheme is open to qualifying farmers’ markets where farmers and specialty food producers sell their own produce directly to customers, including existing operations and markets still being developed. Before applying for funding, market operators take part in a fully funded training workshop delivered through the Western Australian Farmers’ Markets Association, focusing on areas including operations, business
administration and marketing. Completion of the workshop is a prerequisite for progressing to the grant stage. The first funding round supported 11 WA markets, including South West projects in Collie and Manjimup. Local market managers, committees and producers involved in establishing or strengthening a farmers’ market are encouraged to check the eligibility criteria and consider whether the program could support their plans. Applications remain open while funding is available, with the broader scheme scheduled to run until June 30, 2027. More information and application details are available at www.dpird.wa.gov.au/ FMGS
margaretrivermail.com.au
Wednesday 7 October 2026
AUGUSTA MARGARET RIVER MAIL
Shire News
Coastal risk planning HAV A E YOUR SAY AV A AY
We are seeking feedback on our proposed new Coastal Hazard Risk Management and Adaptation Plan (CHRMAP) for Gracetown, Prevelly, Gnarabup and coastal areas of Augusta. Visit the YourSay page yoursayy.amrshire.wa.gov.au/chrmap p to watch the consultant video, review the proposed recommendations and learn about coastal risks and hazard mapping before completing the survey. Community Information Session: Wednesday 14 October 2026 Survey closes 11.59pm Sunday 25 October 2026.
Shire works watch
2026 Young Mentors Program INFORMATION SESSION
Are you over 50 and interested in joining the free 2026 Young Mentors Program? Come along to a friendly information session at the library to find out how the program works and ask any questions. The program offers personalised help with digital skills and navigate the online world more safely. Seniors who would like to join the program will need to attend this information session first. Tuesday 14 October, 10.15am - 11.15am To register for the information session, please contact Margaret River Library on 08 9780 5600 or email abrawls@amrshire.wa.gov.au.
WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEK
ROSA BROOK ROAD RECONSTRUCTION STARTING MID-OCTOBER We're preparing to rebuild approximately one kilometre of Rosa Brook Road east of the Jindong-Treeton Road intersection, with works expected to begin in mid-October following the school holidays. Works will start with reconstruction of the Jindong-Treeton Road intersection before progressing east along Rosa Brook Road. The road will remain open during construction under stop/go traff f ic management, please allow extra travel ff time and expect delays. BUSSELL HIGHWA WAY WA AY BUS LANE KERB REPLACEMENT WORKS We're replacing sections of kerbing in the northbound bus lane on Bussell Highway outside Margaret River Senior High School from Wednesday 7 October. Works are expected to take approximately three days and will occur during the school holidays to minimise disruption to bus services and school traff f ic. ff A single lane closure will be in place on the western lane between 7am and 4pm, with traff f ic management and detours in place. ff Northbound motorists should allow extra travel time.
Help shape Karridale Playground HAV AVE YOUR SAY AY A A
The Shire is planning a new playground at Sawmill Loop, Karridale, and community feedback will help shape the design, play experience and character of the space. The playground will provide a new local play space for children, families, carers and the broader Karridale community to enjoy. The site has already been confirmed through the Shire’s strategic planning process, so this consultation is focused on the playground design rather than where it will be built. Survey open: 16 September to 16 October 2026. Visit yoursayy.amrshire.wa.gov.au/karridale-p playyground
Tenders
CURRENTLY OPEN Invitation to join a panel of pre-qualified suppliers - IPQS 072601 Preferred Newspaper Supplier: closes 10am (A T) (AW AWST) T Monday 19 October 2026. T nder RFT 02-27 Repair and Reseal Concrete Surfaces Margaret River Te Skate Park: closes 10am (A (AW AWST) T Tu T) T esday 13 Oct 2026. Applications must be uploaded through Te T nder Portal: portal.tenderlink.com/amrshire
Advocacy Committee MEETING RESCHEDULED
Our October 14th Advocacy Committee meeting has been rescheduled to 1pm on Wednesday 18 November 2026. The meeting will be held in Council Chambers, 41 Wallcliffe Road, Margaret River.
Be part r of C2C MTB rt WITHOUT GETTING ON A BIKE
Cape to Cape MTB rolls into town in next week and you don’t need to ride a bike to feel the excitement! Australasia’s biggest multi-day mountain bike race takes riders on an epic 200km adventure - from Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse to Cape Naturaliste, through vineyards, forests, coastline, and even past local breweries. Here’s how you can join in the fun: 1. Volunteer - be part of the crew that makes it all happen! 2.Cheer from the sidelines - grab your spot before the 9am start each day to see elite riders in action. 3.Get the kids involved - Cape Kids is back to give kids aged 6–17 a chance to race in the heart of Margaret River And if you do fancy getting on a bike, entries are still available! The Shire of Augusta Margaret River proudly supports this iconic event through the Maj aj a or Events Grants Program, to celebrate our unique identity, bring public spaces to life and create meaningful experiences for all.
Get Online Week
GET YOUR DIGITAL LIFE SORTED Not sure what would happen to your online accounts, photos or important documents if someone else needed to find them? This Get Online Week, we are hosting free, practical workshops to help you feel safer and more organised online. Margaret River Library: Wednesday 21 October 2026 at 1.30pm Augusta Council Chambers: Thursday 22 October 2026 at 10.30am Places are free, but bookings are essential. Email abrawls@amrshire.wa.gov.au or call Margaret River Library on 08 9780 5600. Presented in partnership with NBN as part of Get Online Week 2026.
41 Wallcliffe Road, Margaret River WA 6285 | T 08 9780 5255 | amrshire.wa.gov.au
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AUGUSTA MARGARET RIVER MAIL
Wednesday 7 October 2026
margaretrivermail.com.au
A creative migration comes full circle
NICKY LEFEBVRE FOR Margaret River ceramicist Caroline ‘Caro’ Bannister, creating her first whale was something of a revelation. She had never sculpted one before, yet as she worked the stoneware into the unmistakable form of one of the ocean’s great mammals, she discovered she somehow already knew what she was doing. “It came as a bit of a shock to me as well, how I actually knew a lot about their anatomy,” she said. Perhaps she shouldn’t have been surprised. Whales have been part of Bannister’s life since childhood, through her father, the late scientist John Bannister, whose pioneering aerial surveys from the mid-1970s helped document Australian whale populations and their recovery following the closure of the nation’s whaling stations. Family holidays were spent around the Albany whaling station, where her father’s research gave the young artist an unusual proximity to the animals that would reappear in her work decades later. “It was this really different experience for a child, to see all those whales being slaughtered and not really thinking much about it, actually,” she said. “I was kind of awestruck by the whole thing. “But nowadays I have a lot of sensitivity around the whale migration because they’re still under threat.” Bannister has been making art throughout her life and working with ceramics for around 17 years. But her recent collection of handbuilt stoneware whales, shown alongside fossils, ammonites and representations of extinct creatures, has signalled something new. The journey began thousands of kilometres from Margaret River, on a visit to England’s south coast. Walking beaches famous for ammonite fossils, Bannister became fascinated with the ancient forms and began developing ceramic work inspired by them. The fossils led her back to thoughts of family, her father and eventually the whales that had surrounded her childhood.
Caroline Bannister says her latest creative direction is a return to her roots - delving into memories from her early childhood, the legacy of her father John Bannister, and the annual migration of the whales which have marked important chapters in her life. Photo: Nicky Lefebvre
“It’s just been sitting in my DNA all this time to be awakened right now,” she said. Another link emerged through American artist Larry Foster, whose anatomically accurate paintings of whales had appeared in John Bannister’s books and became reference material for Caro’s sculptures. Bannister tracked Foster down, explaining the influence his work had on hers. His wife replied to tell her the Californian artist was 92 and still practising, and the couple later sent Bannister a book documenting Foster’s life’s work. The connection was particularly meaningful because Foster, like her father, had worked around whaling stations before becoming an advocate for understanding and protecting the animals. Now Bannister hopes to continue that conversation through her own medium. Her emerging work explores the migration of whales along the WA coast while confronting the pressures they encounter — from microplastics and fishing to changing food supplies and broader changes in the marine environment. She is working towards an exhibition at Margaret River HEART next July, envisaging an installation following a trail of whales along the coast and using their journey as a metaphor for migration, belonging and humanity’s relationship with the natural world. “Where’s your sense of place?
Who belongs where?” she said. “Where are we allowed to stop and rest and stay? There’s a lot of metaphor in the work.” It mirrors something happening in Bannister’s own life. She has recently returned to the Kimberley as an art specialist teacher and is preparing to work on a major community arts project there. When she first moved to Margaret River around 30 years ago, she had just returned from the Kimberley. Now she is moving between the two again. “I’m returning to my roots from 30 years ago,” she said. “It’s my own migration.” Bannister has also begun taking whale-watching trips as a way to decompress, most recently heading out to see humpbacks travelling through local waters. “They’re just incredible,” she said. “They actually seem to want to interact with humans.” The four whale sculptures in her recent collection took around two to three weeks to complete. Each is hand-built in stoneware, with modelling followed by refining, drying, attaching components, firing, glazing and mounting. But increasingly, Bannister is thinking not only about what she makes, but why she makes it. Her latest body of work has prompted questions about the environmental footprint of art itself — the clay, minerals, glazes, acryl-
As well as the personal connection, Caro’s work focuses on intention and responsibility, making use of recycled and ethically sourced materials. Photo: Supplied.
ics, firing and other finite resources involved in producing objects. One ceramic material she previously used has become unavailable, forcing her to think about where artists’ materials come from and what happens when those resources disappear. It has also influenced her teaching. When running ceramic classes, Bannister began encouraging students to consider whether every practice piece needed to be fired permanently, or whether the clay could be recycled. “We’re going to be really mindful about what we make, because it’s practice,” she said. “You don’t have to fire your first piece. You can keep practising, practising, and then once you’re happy with something, you can fire it.” Those questions crystallised during this year’s Margaret River Region Open Studios, when Bannister transformed her home into a temporary gallery. Rather than simply measuring the experience through sales, she was struck by the personal connections people made with the work. One encounter in particular stayed with her. “I had a group of women come in and they were all in tears,” she said. “It was one of the most meaningful experiences doing Open Studios.” It brought Bannister back to a deceptively simple question: what is
her art actually for? “So much focus is on art as a commodity,” she said. “But there’s real room for growth, introspection and questioning: what am I doing this for? “You get caught up in this whole thing, ‘I’ve got to sell’. “And that’s what got me thinking: is that actually why I’m doing this? Is this the only reason I’m doing this?” Her answer appears to be taking shape in clay. Bannister wants conservation to become a stronger element of her practice, with a portion of proceeds from her work going towards the Australian Marine Conservation Society. She also hopes, where appropriate and guided by local knowledge holders, to learn more about cultural stories surrounding humpback migration as she develops next year’s exhibition. For Bannister, the whales now connect seemingly disparate threads: childhood and adulthood, science and art, fossils and living creatures, the Kimberley and Margaret River, her father’s work and her own. John Bannister died nine years ago, but it was only at his funeral that his daughter fully grasped the reach of his life’s work. People spoke about the opportunities his projects had given them — researching whales from catamarans, aerial photography, scuba diving and Antarctic expeditions. “I didn’t know how many people were touched by his projects until his funeral,” she said. “He was an amazing man.” Now, as the whales travel the coast once again and his daughter prepares for the next stage of her own creative journey, Bannister feels that connection particularly strongly. “My dad,” she said, “I’m sure is shining on me during this whole process.” And after almost two decades working with ceramics, she believes something fundamental has shifted. “I feel like I’ve had a turning point this year,” she said. “A really new direction in what I want to do.”
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margaretrivermail.com.au
Wednesday 7 October 2026
AUGUSTA MARGARET RIVER MAIL
Firebreak Notice 2026–2027 Bush Fi Fiirrre es Act 1954 The following Notice is hereby given to all owners and/or occupiers of land within the Shire of Augusta Margaret River. rr. PURSUANT to the powers contained in Section 33 of the Bush Fires Act 1954, you are hereby required and therefore ordered by the local government to carry out fire prevention work in accordance with the requirements of this Notice, on or before 30 November 2026, and maintain the requirements up to and including 12 May 2027, except for APZs which must be maintained all year round.
Inspections, appointments, education and compliance
Owners and occupiers who would like an early inspection by appointment, for reasons easons including biosecurity biosecurity, locked gates, and dangerous animals, or for an explanation on the requirements of this Notice, should contact Rangers as soon as possible and by no later than 1 November 2026. Where inspections by appointment are not requested, Rangers are appointed as Bush Fire Control Officers with the power to enter land under the Bush Fires Act 1954 and will be inspecting properties for compliance without further notice from 1 December 2026. People who do not comply with this Notice or a Variation to this Notice may be issued with an infringement notice ($250) or prosecuted with a penalty up to $5,000. The Shire of Augusta Margaret River may carry out the required work on the land at the cost of the owner/occupier.
Requirements of landowners and occupiers:
1. All landowners/occupiers must comply with the requirements in Part A of this Notice. 2. Owners/occupiers of Residential lots 4000m² and under must comply with the requirements of Part A and Part B. 3. Owners/occupiers of Residential and Rural/Residential lots 4001m² and over must comply with the requirements of Part A and Part C. 4. Owners/occupiers of Rural lots (excluding Plantations, Vineyards, Orchards, and Groves) must comply with the requirements of Part A and Part D. 5. Owners/occupiers of Plantations, Vineyards, Orchards, and Groves must comply with the requirements of Part A and Part E or F, depending upon the land use.
Definitions of terms referred to in Parts A, B, C, D, E and F of this Notice
Asset Protection Zone (APZ) – means an area of low fuel load within 20 metres from the external walls of any habitable building. Habitable Building – means any building people reside in and any other building within 6m of that building but excludes a water tank. Flammable Material – means accumulated fuel such as dry grass, ass, leaf litter litter, twigs, branches, trash, dead trees, firewood, stored fuels that can be easily ignited or are likely to catch fire and burn. It includes any other thing deemed by an authorised officer to be likely to catch fire but excludes living trees, growing bushes, and plants in gardens and/or lawns under cultivation. Bushfire Management Plan (BMP) – means a plan prepared specifically for a property in satisfaction of a development approval or subdivision condition. Driveway/Access Way – means the access route from a road reserve to a habitable building. Firebreak – means an area of land that has been cleared of all trees, bushes, grasses, and any other object or thing which may be flammable, leaving a bare surface to a width specified under the requirements in Parts A, B, C or D with a 4 metre high vertical clearance. Trafficable – means a firm, stable surface capable of allowing a 4WD fire appliance to o enter enter, exit and turn any corner (10 metre radius) without reversing. Variation – means an individual property-specific Firebreak Notice served by the Shire on an owner under s33(2) of the Bush Fires Act 1954.
Clearing permits and exemptions
Property owners that clear vegetation in compliance with this Notice will be exempt from the requirement to seek approvals or permits. Owners should attempt to minimise environmental impacts as much as possible and should contact the Shire if they believe that clearing beyond the requirements in this Notice is necessary to reduce fire risks or if they are aware of any protected flora or fauna. Owners who clear beyond the requirements in this Notice without approval may be subj b bject to prosecution.
Variations to the requirements of this Notice
Where compliance with the Notice is not practical due to environmental considerations or site-specific constraints such as topography, y water course or steep gradients, owners y, may apply to the Shire of Augusta Margaret River for a Variation to the Notice. Variations must provide an alternative means of meeting the objectives of the Notice, including bushfire risk mitigation and property access, considering site-specific constraints and advantages and not all properties will be able to accommodate Variations. Applications must be completed on the approved form, available upon request or downloaded via the Shire’s website. Applications for a Variation must be submitted before 1 November 2026 or after 1 May 2027.
Part A – Requirements applying to all properties in the district of Augusta Margaret River:
1. Asset Protection Zone (APZ) – the fuel loading (flammable material) in the APZ is to be reduced and maintained to less than 2 tonnes per hectare. Trees must not be closer than 2 metres to a building, and trees must not overhang a building within 4 metres of the external roof. APZ requirements apply to all properties (excluding vacant lots), regardless of size, and must be maintained all year round. Note: Numerous online resources assist in identifying excessive fuel loading and ideal APZ standards. Rangers can also visit outside of inspection periods to provide property-specific advice. 2. Bushfire Management Plan (BMP) – properties subject to an approved BMP must comply with the requirements of their BMP in addition to the requirements of this Notice. Note: At the discretion of the Shire, Variations may be issued that exempt some owners from compliance with requirements in this Notice where they are meeting alternate methods and requirements for compliance in an approved Bushfire Management Plan. y Access Way – any property with a habitable building must have a driveway/access way that is a minimum of 4 metres wide up to a maximum of 6 metres wide with 3. Driveway/ y/ a minimum 4 metre vertical clearance and a turnaround area to allow emergency vehicles to access buildings on a property and exit. There must be no encroachment into the driveway by any vegetation (living or dead) or any other object, this includes gates, which if installed, must open the entire trafficable width of the driveway. 4. Firebreak – 2 metre wide firebreaks are required around all piles of garden refuse and/or wood stacks, fuel and fodder. 5. Gutters and Rooftops – all gutters and roofs must be free of excessive twigs, leaves, and plant material.
Part B – Additional requirements applying to Vacant lots 4000m² and under:
1. Vacant cleared land – grasses maintained by means of slashing/mowing/grazing to less than 10 cm in height. Slashed/mowed grasses are to be removed from the lot.
Part C – Additional requirements applying to Residential/Rural Residential lots 4001m² and over: 1. Firebreak – 3 metre wide trafficable firebreaks must be maintained within 10 metres of all boundaries. 2. Vacant cleared land – grasses maintained by means of slashing/mowing/grazing to less than 10 cm in height.
Part D – Additional requirements applying to Rural lots (excluding Plantations, Vineyards, Orchards and Groves):
1. Firebreak – 3 metre wide trafficable firebreak must be maintained within 100 metres of a boundary that abuts a road reserve. Where land is actively grazed or maintained to less than 10 cm, the firebreak within 100 metres of a boundary that abuts a road reserve may be reduced to 2 metres. 2. Grasses to be maintained – slashed/mowed/grazed to less than 10cm in height.
Part E – Additional requirements applying to Plantations:
1. Firebreak – 10 metre wide mineral earth firebreak around each cell or block. 3 metres must be trafficable. 2. Grasses to be maintained – slashed/mowed/grazed to less than 10cm in height.
Part F – Additional requirements applying to Vineyards, Orchards, and Groves:
1. Firebreak – 5 metre wide mineral earth firebreak around each cell or block. 3 metres must be trafficable. 2. Grasses to be maintained – slashed/mowed/grazed to less than 10cm in height.
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AUGUSTA MARGARET RIVER MAIL
Wednesday 7 October 2026
margaretrivermail.com.au
The fine art of taking a break
NICKY LEFEBVRE FROM THE COVER FOR more than three decades, fire was at the heart of Gerry Reilly and Margot Edwards’ life together. It heated the furnace where Gerry transformed molten glass into vivid vessels and sculptural works. It drew visitors into their Margaret River studio to watch, learn and eventually put their own breath into the glass. It helped build a business, raise a family, train young glassblowers and forge connections across the region and well beyond it. So perhaps there was no more fitting way to farewell the Melting Pot Glass Studio than with fire. With the furnace finally switched off after 36 years, Gerry and Margot gathered friends, family, fellow creatives, former colleagues and people from across their long Margaret River journey for one last celebration at their Zani Place property. And as darkness fell, a dragon was set alight. Flames engulfed the structure as the crowd watched on, bringing an emphatic end to one era and, importantly, marking the beginning of another. Because Gerry and Margot are not disappearing. “It’s the small business that we’re letting go of,” Margot said. “Not the creativity and the artistry.” Gerry’s relationship with hot glass stretches back around 45 years, beginning with studies in ceramics and glass at Monash University and the University of Tasmania before work eventually brought him to Western Australia’s South West. The Melting Pot was established in Margaret River in 1990 for a practical reason. “There was nowhere else to make glass,” Gerry said. “We needed to establish our own facility to be able to make glass. “I’d been working in pottery, and I thought if we’re going to set up our own glass studio, we’ll do it here in Margaret River.” Margot arrived with complementary skills and, together with Gerry and
Master glass artist, teacher and creative force Gerry Reilly takes a moment at Melting Pot as he prepared to switch off the furnace last month. Photos: Nicky Lefebvre
original business and creative partner Kent Le Grand, the pieces of a viable creative business began falling into place. The studio evolved with Margaret River itself, moving from a public demonstration warehouse studio to a main street gallery and studio, and ultimately to the smaller home-based Zani Place studio. You could see the synergy between the wineries and the restaurants and the accommodation houses,” Margot said. “And the people that like food and wine tend to like art as well.” At one point, she distilled that relationship into a wonderfully simple advertisement: “Margaret River: wine, food and Melting Pot glass.” “It was just perfect, like how we wanted people to associate Margaret River,” she said. In its earlier years, wholesale formed a significant part of the business, with Gerry’s work travelling around Australia. Between about 1996 and 2002, the family would load the children, display plinths and a formidable quantity of glass into a bus and drive across the Nullarbor for art fairs in Sydney and Canberra. In 2000, Gerry was the
feature artist at the Sydney event. Remarkably, transporting fragile handblown glass across the country was apparently not as disastrous as it sounds. “You always get one or two breakages, but nothing major,” Gerry said. “We do know how to pack it well.” As galleries disappeared following the Global Financial Crisis, the wholesale world changed dramatically. But adaptability has been a constant of the Melting Pot story. “You really have to be able to adapt to what is needed at the time and what people are paying for,” Margot said. “That’s how you survive in this.” One significant adaptation came when visitors began asking for something more than the chance to watch Gerry work. They wanted to do it themselves. For around 15 years, visitors worked alongside Gerry to create their own glass, from drinking glasses to colourful bauble. “People were genuinely coming in and saying, ‘I want to know how to do that. I want to do that’,” Margot said. Moving to Zani Place allowed the couple to offer a more personal experience
and embrace what would become a major force in regional tourism: visitors wanting to participate rather than simply observe. “People want to have an experience, not just walk around a gallery,” Margot said. It is something she believes also helps explain the success of Margaret River Region Open Studios, in which Gerry participated for the 13th and final time this year. “People want an insight into what it is to work as an artist, not just see the finished, polished result on a shiny plinth in a commercial gallery.” The studio was also a training ground for young glassblowers, including through international exchanges and visiting artist arrangements. Some stayed for years, and several returned for the Melting Pot’s final celebrations. “It’s hard to sustain glass without owning a studio or having access,” Margot said. “Not all those people are now glassblowers in practice, but they still have the skills of glassblowers.” Over 45 years Gerry developed a distinctive catalogue of freeform glass, with his work finding its way into private collections, galleries, shops and significant public collections. Even with the furnace cold, a substantial body of his work has been carefully stored, and the couple expect there will be a cold studio somewhere in their future. What happens inside it is another question. Gerry is in no hurry to answer it. “I just want to take a good gap and then have a look,” he said. “Go travelling, some here in Australia, some overseas, and then decide.”
Margot has a simpler description. They are having a gap year. Perhaps several. After decades operating a business demanding constant attention, doing nothing for a while is part of the plan. “Idle hands are important,” Margot said. “This job demands me to change my hat all the time, to be talking to customers all the time. “That phone is the system, and God bless it, but I’m really looking forward to not having that.” There is writing waiting for her, including thousands of words she wants to weave into a book. The couple have bought a small travelling pod which Margot imagines as a mobile writing room, while family and overseas travel beckons. Gerry, meanwhile, is deliberately resisting the urge to decide immediately what his next creative incarnation should look like. After half a century of making, he is allowing himself not to know. What Gerry and Margot do know is that closing the studio does not mean leaving the region that has sustained it. Augusta is increasingly calling them south, with a long-term dream of living there “I don’t want to leave this bend of the river,” Margot said of their Zani Place home and the reserve beside it. “I love this place so much. “It’s given me everything that I needed to sustain myself in this busy world for so long. I’m not about to abandon it.” There is also something she wants more time to do. “I want to plant plants in the ground,” she said. “Do stuff with nature.”
The Melting Pot Glass Studio received a fiery send off - complete with a blazing dragon, a huge crowd of friends and colleagues, delicious food, shared memories and plenty of laughs. Photos: Nicky Lefebvre
Eco-responsibility has become increasingly important to Margot, and the enormous energy demands of hot glass are part of that equation. For her, Gerry reaching retirement age as they became increasingly conscious of burning gas to maintain the furnace created a natural moment to stop. “It’s a really good time for us to stop the gas,” she said. “At the same time as Gerry’s reached retirement stage, it’s just a nice symbiosis.” She wants instead to put more energy into community and environmental projects. “Anything we can do with our hands, with our heart, with our heads together is why I want to stay,” she said. That philosophy is also informed by the couple’s longstanding relationships with Wadandi people and Margot’s sense of reciprocity with the country that has enabled their family and creative lives to flourish. “You can’t go forward without looking at that,” she said. And so, after 36 years, there was one more fire. Not the controlled heat of the furnace, but outside, surrounded by people whose lives had intersected with theirs. Old friends, new friends. Artists, former workers, neighbours and family. Then the dragon burned. It was dramatic, joyful and just a little wild — a fitting punctuation mark for a business built around fire and creativity. But Gerry and Margot don’t talk about what comes next as though they have reached the end of a road. There is travel to do, writing to finish, plants to put into the ground, projects to dream up and perhaps more glass, eventually. There are rivers and forests and family and friends. There is time. For once, after decades governed by the demands of a furnace and a small business, there is also space to find out what happens next. The Melting Pot is finished. Gerry Reilly and Margot Edwards most certainly are not.
margaretrivermail.com.au
Wednesday 7 October 2026
AUGUSTA MARGARET RIVER MAIL
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2017 Toyota LandCruiser Sahara 4x4 Wagon BSN 02GK. Automatic transmission, 4.5Litre twin turbo diesel with many extras and travelled 107,303kms. Trade-ins welcome.
2022 Toyota LandCruiser VX 300 Wagon BSN 61CT. Automatic transmission, 3.3Litre twin turbo diesel with many extras and travelled 130,219kms. Trade-ins welcome.
COMMERCIAL
$99,990
COMMERCIAL
$95,990
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$92,990
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2020 Toyota LandCruiser LC200 VX 4WD Wagon 1HGQ 836. Automatic transmission, 4.5Litre twin turbo diesel, pre-rego GVM upgrade, many extra and only traelled 81,531kms. Trade-ins welcome.
$115,990
2022 Toyota LandCruiser LC300 VX BSN 02GX. Automatic transmission, 3.3Litre twin turbo diesel, many extras, thousands spent, balance of 5 year unlimited km warranty and 1 extra year and travelled 77,372kms. Trade-ins welcome.
$149,990
2025 Toyota LandCruiser GRS 4x4 Wagon BSN 07GX. Automatic transmission, 3.3Litre twin turbo diesel, balance of 5 year unlimited km warranty plus one extra year and travelled 13,888kms. Trade-ins welcome.
$153,990
2025 Toyota LandCruiser GRS 4x4 Wagon BSN 66GG. Automatic transmission, 3.3Litre twin turbo diesel, some factory accessories, balance of 5 year new car warranty plus one extra year and travelled 11,226kms. Trade-ins welcome.
Trade-ins welcome - $$$ Need Finance? Call Rob Saltarini on 9781 0000 or 0433 832 038 Busselton Toyota 78 West Street, BusseltonT 08 9781 0000 DL 11144 busseltontoyota.com.au
*Prices are excluding government charges. ^Applicable vehicles only.
Applicability Of Statutory Warranty May Vary For Used Vehicles Sold In Different States And Territories In Australia. You Must Check With Your Toyota Dealer To Determine What Statutory Warranty Is Applicable (If Any). Any Statutory Warranty Does Not Limit And May Not Necessarily Exceed Your Rights Under The Competition And Consumer Act 2010. ^Toyota Extra Care Roadside Assist Is Administered By Toyota Finance, A Division Of Toyota Finance Australia Limited, Abn 48 002 435 181, Afsl And Australian Credit Licence 392536. *Approved Applicants Only. Terms And Conditions Apply. Toyota Finance Is A Division Of Toyota Finance Australia Limited. Toyota Insurance Is Issued By Toyota Finance Australia Limited Abn 48 002 435 181, Afsl And Australian Credit Licence 392536. +Terms & Conditions Apply. Toyota Finance Australia Limited, Australian Credit Licence 392536. Toyota Insurance Is A Division Of Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance Co Ltd Abn 39 096 302 466 Afsl Number 254489 (Andia). The Insurer Is Andia. Prices Include Gst
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Wednesday 7 October 2026
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TOYOTA CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED IN A CLASS OF ITS OWN At Busselton Toyota
C E R T I F I E D
C E R T I BSN34GX F 2021 TOYOTA RAV4 GXL WAGON I $39,990* E Automatic transmission, 2.5Litre petrol + D and trade-ins welcome. hybrid power
C E R T I F I E D
VIN/BATCH NUMBER U17414
61,325kms
C E R T I F I E D
C E R T I F I E D
ABC0123
VIN/BATCH NUMBER
<MODEL_YEAR> TOYOTA <MODEL_NAME> VIN/BATCH NUMBER U17410
2024 TOYOTA RAV4 ESE AWD WAGON
$53,990*
Automatic transmission, 2.5Litre petrol + hybrid power, balance of 5 year unlimited km warranty plus 1 EXTRA YEAR and trade-ins welcome. 29,124kms C E R T I F I E D
ABC0123
$00,000 BSN24GX
$00,000
DRIVE AWAY*
$00,000
2025 TOYOTA LANDCRUISER VX PRADO 4X4 WAGON
C E R T I F I E D
Automatic transmission, 2.8Litre turbo diesel +48volt000,000kms power, balance of 5 year unlimited km warranty plus 1 EXTRA YEAR and trade-ins welcome. 86,256kms
VIN/BATCH NUMBER U17374
Automatic transmission, 2.8Litre turbo diesel, balance of 5 year unlimited km warranty and trade-ins welcome. 72,950kms
Every Toyota Certified Pre-Owned vehicle Every Toyota Certified can come with the following:
Pre-Owned vehicle can come with the following:
Additional 1-year Toyota-backed Warranty# Full Service History
Independent Background Check Additional 1-year Toyota-backed # Warranty 90-point Inspection by Toyota Technicians Full Service History
VIN/BATCH NUMBER Free 12 months Toyota Roadside Assist* U17427
Independent Background Check
DRIVE Get a Guaranteed Future Value^ withInspection Toyota Access 2025 TOYOTA LANDCRUISER 90-point by Toyota AWAY* PRADO ALTITUDE 4X4 WAGON
Sample specifications only. Please $81,990* do not Sample specifications only. Please do not $78,990* copy. Max character count is 75. copy. Max character count is 75.$97,990* Automatic transmission, 2.8Litre turbo diesel + 000,000kms 48volt, balance of 5 year unlimited km warranty PLUS 1 EXTRA YEAR and trade-ins welcome. 41,507kms
DRIVE AWAY* BSN19GX
Automatic transmission, 2.5Litre petrol + hybrid power, balance of 5 year unlimited km warranty plus 1 EXTRA YEAR and trade-ins welcome. 10,253kms
VIN/BATCH NUMBER 000000000000000000
VIN/BATCH NUMBER
VIN/BATCH NUMBER U17386
Sample specifications only. Please do 2024 TOYOTA RAV4 CRUISER 2022 TOYOTA LANDCRUISER WAGON not copy. Max character count PRADO is 75.VX 000,000kms $58,990* $76,990*
BSN51EM BSN49GX U17423 TOYOTA <MODEL_NAME> U17411 <MODEL_YEAR> <MODEL_YEAR> TOYOTA <MODEL_NAME> BSN38GX 2024 TOYOTA LANDCRUISER PRADO GX 4X4
C E R VIN/BATCH NUMBERT I 000000000000000000 F I E D
ABC0123
BSN41GX
C E R T I F I E D
VIN/BATCH NUMBER 000000000000000000
C E R T I F I E D
Automatic transmissoin, 2.8Litre turbo diesel + 48volt, balance of 5 year unlimited km warranty + 1 EXTRA YEAR and tradeins welcome. 22,614kms
Technicians
Free 12 months Toyota Roadside Assist* Get a Guaranteed Future Value^ with Toyota Access
Busselton Toyota 78 West Street, Busselton WA 6280 T: 08 9781 0000 DL 11144 busseltontoyota.com.au
#Applicable to pre-owned vehicles purchased as a Toyota Certified Pre-Owned (TCPO) vehicle on or after 01/01/2022. TCPO Warranty expires 1yr after sale, or 1yr after the current New Vehicle Warranty expires (if applicable), or 10 years from the date of registration in original owner’s name, or at 160,000kms (whichever occurs first). TCPO Warranty does not apply to vehicles used for commercial purpose (eg taxis or rideshare). See toyota.com.au/tcpowarranty for T&Cs. This warranty does not limit and may not necessarily exceed your rights under the Australian Consumer Law. *Terms and conditions apply. Toyota Roadside Assist expires 12 months from the vehicle purchase date. Toyota Roadside Assist is administered by Toyota Finance, a division of Toyota Finance Australia Limited ABN 48 002 435 181, AFSL and Australian Credit Licence 392536. ^The GFV is the minimum value of your Toyota at the end of your finance contract, as determined by Toyota Finance. If you decide to return your car to Toyota Finance at the end of your term, Toyota Finance will pay you the agreed GFV, which will be put against your final payment subject to fair wear and tear conditions and agreed kilometres being met. Terms, conditions, fees, charges & lending criteria apply. Approved applicants only. Toyota Finance is a division of Toyota Finance Australia Limited ABN 48 002 435 181, AFSL and Australian Credit Licence 392536. T2023-019928
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AUGUSTA MARGARET RIVER MAIL
Wednesday 7 October 2026
margaretrivermail.com.au
TRADES & DIRECTORY SERVICES Antennas
Handyperson Services
Awesome Antennas & Satellite Systems DEAN OLIVER Ph: 0419 885 486 Prompt and reliable service Ceilings
PLASTERBOARD WALLS AND CEILINGS P 0417 946 466
TA5905069
Margaret River & Surrounds
9757 2266
Lawnmowing & Maintenance
˙ ˙ ˙ ˏ . !*%*# ȼ !! %*# .1*%*# ȼ 3*)+3%*# ȼ !0% ˙*5 &+ .+1* 0$! $+)!
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9754 3330
TV & Antenna Services
TELESYSTEMS SUPPLY - INSTALLATION - SERVICE TV Antennas • Satellite Systems Hotel & Accommodation Specialists CATV • Internet Security Cameras
Best picture We guarantee it!
CALL US 7 DAYS A WEEK
0418 933 692 | pauls123@bigpond.net.au
TA5451172
Augusta-Margaret River Mail Phone: 0437 811 157 Busselton-Dunsborough Mail or email: Angela.Fleay@sen.com.au
margaretrivermail.com.au
Wednesday 7 October 2026
AUGUSTA MARGARET RIVER MAIL
CLASSIFIEDS Augusta-Margaret River Mail Busselton-Dunsborough Mail Phone: 0437 811 157 or email: angela.fleay@sen.com.au
9757 2266
Death Notices
Church Notices
9754 3330
Public Notices
CLEWS
Funeral Notices CLEWS
The Funeral Service for the Late Mr Peter John Clews OAM of Cowaramup, will take place in the Bantry Chapel, Busselton Funeral Centre, 105 Bussell Highway, Busselton, commencing at 2:30 pm Monday afternoon (12.10.2026) Peter's service will be webcast via his tribute at barrettfunerals.com.au
Cnr Cuthbert St & Cabarita Rd
ABBEY (Busselton)
0427 801 020 0418 906 235
Also available at Busselton Stockfeeds
TA5918594
SHEEP MANURE Phone Kim
6WHDG\ SUDFWLFDO FRXQVHOOLQJ YDORXUFRXQVHOOLQJ FRP DX
To Let & Wanted 2 x 1 Unit for rent
To Let & Wanted
Augusta
Big yard/garage. Wheelchair friendly. $500 per week.
Margaret River Sundays 10am 34 Station St
Ph 0419 941 886
www.surfsidechurch.org.au
For Sale
$20/bag 100ltr BAG
/LIH FKDQJHG <RX UH VWLOO H[SHFWHG WR NHHS JRLQJ
60 Tingle Avenue
We are an inclusive and affirming church with a contemplative sprituality and a passion for social justice. Worship Sundays at 9:30 Meditation Thursdays 13:00 Intergen Playgroup Thursdays 9:30 www.margaretriverunitingchurch.org.au
Busselton Sundays 5.30pm 132 Caves Road
Place a tribute at barrettfunerals.com.au
WEED FREE
MARGARET RIVER UNITING CHURCH
TA5918260
Peter OAM Members of Cowaramup Bowling & District Club would like to extend their condolences to Peter Jnr, Heather, Lisa and family on Peter's passing. He was a valued Life member, volunteer and friend who will be sadly missed by all. RIP Pete
MARGARET RIVER BAPTIST CHURCH 28 Tunbridge Street, Margaret River Seeking to follow Jesus Christ, share the Good News and care for God's world.
Weekly Sunday worship at 10am All are welcome to connect with our vibrant family minded community. www.margaretriverbaptist.org.au www.facebook.com/margsbaps 9757 3881
5(6,'(17,$/
For Sale 2012 Jayco Penguin Camper Trailer. Electric awning, roof rack, BBQ, bespoke shower & toilet ext, fully serviced, one owner. $21,000. Dunsborough. Ph: 0402 373 229. 2013 MDC Camper Trailer. Gd cond. $6000 neg. Ph: 9752 3775 or 0499 824 371.
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AUGUSTA MARGARET RIVER MAIL
Wednesday 7 October 2026
margaretrivermail.com.au
Local names on Country Champs list
AFL | COUNTRY CHAMPS SOUTH West football will be well represented when the defending champion SWFL women head to Perth for the 2026 Women’s Country Championships on October 9 and 10. The South West side has an impressive record to protect, having won every Women’s Country Championship held to date. AMR Hawks Football and Net-
with Indi Godridge named as an emergency. Dunsborough will also be represented by Isabella Franz and Keoki Lane. The Alcoa South West Women’s side begins its campaign at Cockburn ARC Oval on Friday, October 9, opening with a replay of last year’s grand final against Great Northern at 11am. They will then face Goldfields at
An Open Day hosted by the Geographe Outriggers Club on October 24 will give experienced paddlers and complete beginners the chance to meet the club members and try outrigger paddling for themselves, in the beautiful waters of Geographe Bay.
New paddlers invited aboard GEOGRAPHE Outriggers are preparing to launch their 2026/27 season with an Open Day and beginner paddling program designed to welcome newcomers onto the water. The club’s Open Day will be held on Saturday, October 24 at its shed inside Geographe Bay Yacht Club, giving experienced paddlers, returning members and complete beginners the chance to meet the crew and try outrigger paddling for themselves. Outrigger canoes are 42-foot vessels fitted with an ama, or outrigger, for stability. Each canoe carries six paddlers, with the sixth also responsible for steering. With roots in ancient Polynesian and Hawaiian traditions, the
sport combines fitness, teamwork and time on the water, with opportunities for both social and competitive paddling. Geographe Outriggers added a new ultra-lightweight Hydra canoe to its fleet last year with assistance from the City of Busselton’s Community Assistance Program. The fully carbon canoe is significantly lighter than traditional craft, making it easier to move on and off the water and giving the club access to a faster, more modern style of paddling. Following the Open Day, qualified coach Jill Johansen will lead a four-week Introduction to Paddling course beginning on Saturday, October 31. The program will cover basic
paddling technique, water safety, teamwork and the history of outrigger paddling, with plenty of time spent on the bay. The four-week course costs $50, with the fee deducted from club membership costs for participants who decide to join. Participants are asked to bring a water bottle, hat, shorts and rashie. The Open Day begins at 9am on Saturday, October 24, with the four-week course starting at 9am the following Saturday. Geographe Outriggers are based at 1 King Street, Busselton, inside Geographe Bay Yacht Club. More information is available at geographeoutriggers.org.au.
Hawks prepare for flying start
AMR Hawks Summer Cunningham will line up for the Suoth West women’s side at the 2026 Country Championships this Saturday in Perth. Image: Theron Kirkman
ball Club will be represented by Amalie Drake-Brockman and Summer Cunningham (pictured), while Busselton Football-Club contributes a huge contingent in Beth Beckett (pictured), Christie Daniels, Holly Creedon, Kyah Godridge, Maddy Obal, Rennie Meadmore, Sarah Lang, Sienna Thompson and Sophie Proudfoot,
2pm before taking on Great Southern at 3pm. Finals will be played at Mineral Resources Park on Saturday, October 10, with the South West side aiming to earn another shot at the title. The grand final is scheduled for 3.30pm.
The South West team is hoping to defend their 2025 title as they prepare to face the Goldfields and Great Southern sides this weekend.
CRICKET CRICKET season is fast approaching and the Margaret River Hawks are putting out the call for new and returning players as preparations ramp up at Gloucester Park. The Hawks have begun pre-season training at ‘The Nest’, with sessions providing an opportunity for players to get back into the swing of things ahead of the new Busselton-Margaret River Cricket Association season. The club is welcoming players across its senior and junior grades, with newcomers encouraged to head along and meet the Hawks crew. Training is under way from 5pm on Thursdays at Gloucester Park, with the club keeping things characteristically relaxed — even poor weather won’t necessarily stop proceedings, with organisers promising that, worst case, the barbecue will still be fired up. The Hawks are particularly keen to hear from families interested in junior cricket as they finalise their Under 14 and Under 16 squads. At last update, the club was seeking another two players for each age group to complete the teams ahead of the season.
The Hawks Cricket Club is open to players of all experience and skill levels, with places open across senior and junior grades. The club is known for its welcoming, family-focused atmosphere with plenty of fun moments and local support for people new to town.
The call is open to existing local families as well as anyone new or moving to the Margaret River area and looking to join a club. Senior players are also wanted across the grades, with both experienced cricketers and those looking to return to the game encour-
aged to get involved. Anyone interested in playing for the Margaret River Hawks this season, or with a child interested in joining the Under 14 or Under 16 sides, can contact the club via www.facebook.com/margaretriverhawkscricketclub
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Wednesday 7 October 2026
AUGUSTA MARGARET RIVER MAIL
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Pads on for an early start to season
ALLAN MILLER CRICKET THE earliest ever start to a Busselton-Margaret River Cricket Association season will be equalled this Saturday when round one of C-Grade gets under way. Only once before in the 115year history of the BMRCA has the season started as early as October 10. The early start is attributable to the record number of nine teams in C-Grade, which means one team will have a bye each weekend. In this Saturday’s opening round of C-Grade starting at 1pm, Cowaramup will be at home to Dunsborough White at Cowaramup, St Marys will host Nannup at Churchill Park, Dunsborough Blue will play Vasse at the Dunsborough Playing Fields and YOBS Academy will meet YOBS in the club derby at Bovell Park 4. Margaret River Hawks will have the bye. The A-Grade and B-Grade competitions will get under way the following Saturday, October 17. The long winter has limited the numbers at early season training and most clubs are still looking for new faces to fill their sides.
DIVINE INTERVENTION: Fraser Oates will again captain Cowaramup Cricket Club as the Bulls search for their third straight A-Grade premiership in the Busselton-Margaret River Cricket Association. Photo: Chloe Motzouris Photography.
Umpires are also being sought for the BMRCA competition, particularly for the B-Grade and C-Grade levels. Any former players interested in umpiring can contact the umpires coordinator at missingoff@ hotmail.com for more information. While many clubs are still in the process of organising their B-Grade and C-Grade captains, the skippers for all six A-Grade sides have now been confirmed
for the 2026-27 season. Shane Joyce will captain Margaret River Hawks, Haig Colombera will captain Yallingup-Oddbods, Jeremy Murphy will captain Vasse, Zoraiz Saeed will captain St Marys, Cain Reynolds will captain Dunsborough and Fraser Oates will again captain Cowaramup, as the Bulls search for their third A-Grade flag in a row. Many clubs have faced difficulties in gaining government approvals for overseas players to
be granted visas to play in our competition. However, three clubs have managed to overcome the obstacles in getting an overseas player, these lucky clubs are Cowaramup, Dunsborough and Vasse. Allrounder Ben Cox from Birmingham, who proved so valuable for Cowaramup in 2023-24, is returning for his second season with the Bulls, while Cowaramup have also obtained a young batsman in Tom Saunders from Sleaford in Lincolnshire. Dunsborough have secured a top order batsman and legspin bowler from the UK named Ben Martin, and Vasse have gained a new UK player named Nehal Butt. Butt is a right-arm opening bowler and middle-order batsman who should prove a valuable acquisition for Vasse, said club president Matt Enright. Dunsborough also have top bowler Anthony Quinn from New Zealand returning for the season, according to club president Cam Morris. Top order batsman Tim Reynolds and fast bowler Harry Sutherland will again be among Dunsborough’s key prospects in A-Grade this season. Dunsborough have named Kane Bayer (B-Grade), Ben Cadd
(Dunsborough White) and Mat Lepidi (Dunsborough Blue) to skipper their lower grade sides. Nannup have again named Lachlan Smith, last year’s C-Grade Cricketer of the Year, to captain their C-Grade side. “We should be okay with our numbers this year, we have picked up a few players,” said Nannup president Pieter Bresser. Bresser said Nannup are starting their 25th year in the BMRCA and will celebrate the season by hosting a Pink Stumps Day, a Reconciliation Round and a Mental Health Round in what looks to be a busy season. This weekend’s Country Cup competition in Geraldton will see strong representation by Busselton-Margaret River players. BMRCA is one of the four teams competing in the Cup, while another side, Country Colts, will feature many Under-21s from our region. The preliminary Country Colts squad named no fewer than seven BMRCA players, these being Sam and Tom Joyce, Ky South, Aaron Mattock, Kieran and Sean Zahra and Rory Calhoun. After competing in the Country Cup, the Country Colts will also play in Perth’s T20 Colts knockout competition in November.
Tigers roar into action NICKY LEFEBVRE CRICKET A NEW chapter for local cricket is taking shape, with the Busselton Margaret River Tigers hitting the field for their first Come & Try game as the region’s new female team gathers momentum. Following initial Come & Try training sessions at the Sir Stewart Bovell training nets, the Tigers welcomed a group of women from Bunbury for a friendly game on Sunday. The afternoon brought players together for cricket, fun and plenty of new friendships, with organisers already suggesting the get-together could become an annual event. South West Cricket Manager Sam Cunningham joined the players on the field and got involved in the action, while Pete Bresser, Danny Weston and Matt Lepidi were also on hand to support the new team. Veronica Lepidi kept the players well fuelled, providing afternoon tea for the group. The game came after the tryout sessions, designed to encourage local women and girls to give cricket a go, whether they are experienced players, returning to the sport or picking up a cricket ball for the first time. And while the Tigers are now up
and running, there is still plenty of The Come and Try days (below) are allowing women and girls in the region to learn more and try their hand at the game of cricket, as the room in the squad. newly created Busselton Margaret River Tigers women’s team continues their training program ahead of the summer cricket season. The team is continuing to recruit Images: BMRCA new players and is encouraging women and girls of all skill levels to head along, meet the group and have a go. The next Tigers training session will be held at the Sir Stewart Bovell training nets from 4.30pm on Wednesday, October 7. No previous cricket experience is required. To find out more, visit www.facebook.com/BusseltonMargaretRiverCA
AUGUSTA MARGARET RIVER MAIL
Wednesday 7 October 2026
margaretrivermail.com.au
21STANNUAL
20
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SATURDAY 24 OCTOBER 2026
PRIZE POOL FOR WINNING ARTISTS
MARGARET RIVER ANNUAL
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THE HEART NALA BARDIP MIA 47 WALLCLIFFE ROAD, MARGARET RIVER DOORS OPEN: 6pm BIDDING STARTS: 7pm COMPLIMENTARY SUPPER AND A GLASS OF WINE OR BEER
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