Home
Search
thewest.com.au
NewsChevron Right Icon

Great Southern

Christmas light enthusiast Colin Bairstow at his home in Yakamia ready to spread the Christmas cheer.

Christmas lights Festive glow lights up Albany

Albany is sparkling with festive colour this year, with homes and gardens covered in bright Christmas lights and decorations. 

Amy Towers

Katanning police are urgently seeking any information about a traffic incident on Friday morning.

Reckless driver Katanning police call for help in reckless driving incident

Katanning police are appealing to the public for information after a car failed to stop for police and drove erratically through the Great Southern town on Friday morning. 

Jacki Elezovich

Stella Gleeson, 19, and Ginger Gleeson, 15, check their phones.

SOCIAL MEDIA BANPremiumGreat Southern parents ‘look forward’ to social media ban

Though there are many detractors of the newly instated under-16 social media ban, not all think it is a bad idea.

Melissa Sheil and Claire Middleton

Spencer Park choir members' Indigo Collins, Scarlett Leak and Karlee Hennerberg with Robert Swiggs.

Christmas CarolsYoung performers light up Hardie Road with roaming choir

The sounds of Christmas have echoed down Hardie Road, as Spencer Park Primary School music students performed carols for the community.

Amy Towers

Mindum Alexander Brown, 32, made both guilty and not guilty pleas to an extensive list of charges.

courtsPremiumAlbany man admits to violent gym invasion, gives mixed pleas

An Albany man who went on a violent rampage through a busy gym and a Centennial Park home has pleaded guilty to a string of charges.

Jacki Elezovich

The group of Albany hockey veterans who enjoy regular get-togethers.

Jolly hockey sticksEnduring love of hockey fuels conversations and connections

They may have mostly hung up their hockey sticks but a love of the sport has kept them in touch.

Claire Middleton

The critically endangered marsupial, Gilbert's potoroo. There’s less than 150 left in the wild.

Endangered Species PremiumTranslocation is answer to saving Gilbert’s potoroo, say ECU

New research from Edith Cowan University could help protect the world’s rarest marsupial, the critically endangered Gilbert’s potoroo, who live exclusively along the Great Southern’s coast. 

Amy Towers

MM Electrical's Ryan Kinnear and Imogen Sugg with copper cable in their Centennial Park warehouse, where the burglary happened.

charges laidPremiumAlbany police charge 40yo man with copper cable theft

Albany police have this week charged a man after identifying him as the alleged perpetrator of an early-morning robbery of Centennial Park business MM Electrical last month.

Jacki Elezovich

Karen Anne Webb was sentenced in Albany Magistrates Court for stealing more than $160,000 from her place of work.

COURTS PremiumMt Barker clerk avoids jail for stealing $160k from employer

A Mt Barker bookkeeper who secretly siphoned more than $160,000 from her employer over a 15-month period has avoided an immediate jail term. 

Melissa Sheil

David William Crossley, 53, was handed a fine for minor drug charges and will face District Court charged with possessing and distributing child exploitation material.

courtsPremiumMan with a history of child abuse charges offends again

A Tingledale man who breached his reporting conditions by making a profile on a child porn website and both possessed and distributed child exploitation material has pleaded guilty to all charges against him. 

Jacki Elezovich

Eden Gray receives his winner’s pennant from PRSC sailing director Stephen Brown.

young talentStar young skipper Eden Gray takes Flying Fifteens victory

Princess Royal Sailing Club’s star young skipper Eden Gray put his ability on full display again last Saturday, sailing exceptionally aboard Flying Flounder to win the Flying Fifteen’s harbour course race. 

Des Beeck

ACCI CEO Tracey Bridges with athletes Zoe Bascome, Ava Marmion, Keely Berry, Imogen Ireland and Abbey O’Donnell.

Record booksSpecial delivery: Athletes raise funds after ACCI bid win

Some of the region’s best young athletes have been delivering the annual Albany Chamber of Commerce and Industry directories to raise money for the Great Southern Academy of Sport.

Claire Middleton

Sally Vermeulen (below) is one of the six new co-owners who bought the pub from Stephen Jefferies (above).

New localCommentsPremiumLocal farmers buy pub to relief of ’most hated man in town’

The saga of the Woodanilling Tavern has reached a conclusion with the purchase of the building by a group of six local farmers last month.

Claire Middleton

Frank Bate and Jacob Greenwood just missed out on a sub-30min. ride.

Cycling report Bascombe and Gardiner take first event of time-trial treble

Albany Cycle Club opened its 2026 season with the first of three events at the popular Elleker circuit. 

David Beckwith

Albany all-rounder Nathan Crudeli was man of the match in Perth’s one-day title win.

Title triumphPremiumMan-of-the-match Crudeli helps Perth secure one-day title

Star Albany all-rounder Nathan Crudeli was the star of the show as Perth won a third one-day crown in the WA Premier Cricket first grade competition.

Claire Middleton

Santino Pietropaolo, Sanjay Sanapala and Robert Forgione are the team behind a new music festival for the Great Southern.

BEACH FESTIVALPremiumMiddies 2026 marks Albany’s first beach music festival

As festival lovers mourn the loss of events like Groovin’ the Moo and Wignalls Vintage Blues, a passionate trio of local organisers are filling the gap with an inaugural music showcase in Albany.

Melissa Sheil

Nullaki Distillery's Mareike von Ahsen with some Nullaki single malt whisky.

WHISKY PremiumNullaki Distillery opens doors for whisky lovers in Denmark

A new Denmark distillery born as the passion project of two best friends and evolving into a one-woman show, has recently opened its doors for whisky lovers across the Great Southern.

Melissa Sheil

Albany Army Cadets with national commander of the Australian Army Cadets, Brig. David McCammon, middle right, and Col Campbell Waterman, left back.

Army Cadets National Army Cadet leader visits Albany 505 unit

Albany’s 505 Army Cadet Unit welcomed the national commander of the Australian Army Cadets, Brig. David McCammon on Monday during his tour of regional cadet units across WA. 

Amy Towers

Several cows have died following the livestock truck rollover. (James Ross/AAP PHOTOS)

TRUCK ROLLOVERPremiumCows dead after road train rollover in Ongerup

Several cows have died after the road train they were being carried on rolled near Ongerup on Wednesday morning. 

Hannah Whitehead

Denmark Surf Life Saving Club members George Mumford, Mel Haymont and Mike Fischer with Shire of Denmark CEO David King.

ready for summerPremiumOcean Beach reopened with big upgrades ready for summer

The Denmark community and its resident surf life saving club swarmed to the newly reopened Ocean Beach precinct for the first weeks of summer following the announcement of the completed upgrades last month.

Jacki Elezovich

There is an immediate threat to lives and homes, with residents urged to act now to survive. (Adobe Stock)

updated
updated
BushfiresComments
updated
West River bushfire controlled after two days, razes 500ha

Firefighters have successfully contained and controlled a large bushfire two days after it broke out in West River and Fitzgerald and sparked an emergency evacuation warning.

Jacki Elezovich and Melissa Sheil

Raiders' Thomas Phillips goes to the basket under pressure from Railways' Drew Willcocks.

Basketball wrap PremiumWillcocks roars as Tigers dispatch Raiders in men’s A-grade

Railways Tigers earned a comfortable victory over Raiders in the Albany Basketball Association men’s A-grade on Tuesday evening, but there is still no stopping ladder leaders Sonics Blue.

Claire Middleton

Ginger Gleeson won gold in the 800m. Great Southern athletes won medals at the Australian Athletics All Schools Championships.

National glory PremiumGleeful Gleeson takes 800m gold in national schools champs

Ginger Gleeson won 800m gold at the Australian Athletics All Schools Championship in Melbourne at the weekend, adding the national title to the State crown she claimed last month.

Claire Middleton

Letters to the editor must contain the author’s full name, address and daytime contact number.

Letter to the editorLetter to the Editor: First aiders save lives, not new roads

Over the last few months, Albany has heard an intriguing new narrative from the lips of more than one Albany councillor regarding the need for Range Road to reduce hospital travel times, writes Jennifer McRae.

Jennifer McRae