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  1. Australian Idol Karratha musician Cody James makes top 30 on Australian Idol

  2. Council PremiumPort Hedland appoints new permanent chief executive

  3. LifelinePremiumSouth Hedland Bowls and Tennis Club receives $1.1m lifeline

  4. Community Hedland community flocks to new playground

  5. Council PremiumPort Hedland community survey returns damning results

Cane toads are a biosecurity threat to the Pilbara.

Toad invasion PremiumCane toads set to reach Pilbara by 2041

Cane toads could colonise up to three quarters of the Pilbara by 2041 if action isn’t taken to hold back the horde of amphibians, according to a new study from Curtin University. 

Cain Andrews

Active Citizenship Awards winners HARTZ Hedland Arts Council members Erin Nelson, Silke Becker and Richards Brooks, senior community citizen award winner George Pitt, community citizen award winner Shellene Remihana, and Amy Shinnick, collecting the young community citizen of the year award on behalf of her daughter Matilda Thompson.

Community Port Hedland honours community citizens of the year

Shellene Remihana, Matilda Thompson, George Pitt and HARTZ Hedland Arts Council took the top honours at Port Hedland’s Community Citizenship Awards as 34 new Australians were welcomed into the fold. 

Cain Andrews

The Hedland Little Athletics team at the 2026 Athletics West Country Championships in Albany.

AthleticsPremiumHedland Little Athletics Country Championships 34 medal haul

The Hedland Little Athletics team has come home with a record medal haul after competing at the Athletics West Country Championships in Albany.

Cain Andrews

New data from the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia’s 2026 forecast highlights a widening divide between Perth and key regional markets, with mixed outcomes across the Pilbara.

Property divide PremiumTale of two Pilbara housing markets

Karratha’s median house price has jumped 14.5 per cent to $630,000, while Port Hedland faces slower growth of up to 5 per cent, revealing a widening property divide across the Pilbara.

Phoebe Solon

West Pilbara Cricket Association country week B-grade team.

CricketPremiumWest Pilbara shines at Country Week

The West Pilbara Cricket Association’s B-grade side capped off an outstanding campaign at country week this month, surging all the way to the grand final.

Cain Andrews

Question Time in the House of Representatives in Parliament House, Canberra. Dan Teehan Angus Taylor and Melissa Price during Question Time in the House of Representatives in Parliament House in Canberra.

Politics PremiumMelissa Price backs new Liberal Leader Angus Taylor

Durack MP Melissa Price has thrown her support behind new Liberal leader Angus Taylor after losing her bid to become the party’s deputy leader on February 13. 

Cain Andrews

Despite advice from the Local Government Department that he is ineligible to run for council, Camilo Blanco has had his nomination accepted by the WA Electoral Commission. 

WA newsPremiumPremiumBeazley moves to close Blanco loophole

Local Government Minister Hannah Beazley is considering urgent legislative amendments after Camilo Blanco was cleared to run in the Town of Port Hedland election despite being barred from holding office.

Hedland Senior High School hosted the first Cultural Responsiveness Professional Learning session for 2026, organised by the Pilbara Education Regional Office, welcoming around 150 education staff from schools across Hedland

Education PremiumPremiumCultural Responsiveness Professional Learning program

More than 150 educational staff from across the Pilbara gathered at Hedland Senior High School for the first of two sessions as part of the Cultural Responsiveness Professional Learning program

The Town of Port Hedland has found their preferred candidate to take on the permanent chief executive role at the local government authority. (Pictured: Town of Port Hedland administrative building.)

Council PremiumPremiumTown of Port Hedland finds preferred CEO candidate

The Town of Port Hedland has found its preferred candidate to take on the permanent chief executive role at the local government authority. 

Joardan van der Wal, RFDS Dr Simon Davies, Joao Pereira Silva Netto, Natasha Hill.

Health PremiumRural Clinical School arrive in Hedland

This year’s cohort of WA Rural Clinical School students have touched down in Port Hedland and have already got to work, helping out the Royal Flying Doctor Service and health clinics around town.  

Cain Andrews

Turtle Program Coordinators waiting for turtles on Cemetery Beach, Haylee Boyes, Rachel Purdy, Sasha Lees, Corinne Johnston

Environment End of turtle season

Care for Hedland Environmental Association’s Turtle Monitoring Program will conclude its 22nd consecutive season at Cemetery and Pretty Pool beaches in late February, marking 125 days of monitoring

Phoebe Solon

Subscriber Exclusive

Junbo Shim, 22, had only recently moved to WA to work in mining. 

Courts & JusticePremiumBig jail term for ‘callous’ drug-crazed fatal crash driver

A driver who was fleeing police for the second night straight and had been awake for three days when he killed a young South Korean man in a crash in Forrestfield has learned his fate.

Rebecca Le May

Police were called when Mr Wong missed appointments and didn’t answer calls.

CourtPremiumMysterious death in filthy Rockingham home exposes NDIS rort

The mysterious death of a man in his squalid Rockingham home after months of neglect by his NDIS-approved care provider has exposed a shocking six-figure rort.

Rebecca Le May

Police were alerted to Jason William Forbes’ purchase of the doll before a search warrant was conducted at his home.

updated
updated
Courts & JusticePremium
updated
Police foil chilling plan to kidnap, sexually abuse girl

A Perth predator was making intricate plans to kidnap, sexually abuse and hold captive a child in a modified roof dungeon before child exploitation detectives made a most relieving arrest.

Caleb Runciman

Chris Scott will lead Victoria’s Origin squad.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
AFLCommentsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
WA on high alert for ‘ruthless’ Victorian mentor

AFL Origin is just days away and one man who played under Victorian coach Chris Scott and will be part of the WA team has warned the Geelong boss will be at his ruthless best against Western Australia.

Craig O'Donoghue

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In Case You Missed It

Underground workers employed by Barminco.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
MiningCommentsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
FIFO workers with no degree making more than $20k a week

Specialised blue-collar workers on Western Australian mine sites are raking in more than experienced surgeons, thanks to a gold mining boom.

Adrian Rauso

FBR got something of a shoutout from the Reserve Bank this week.

Herd on the TerracePremiumKemerton plan is Carey and maintenance

John Carey may have been a tad ambitious about the future of Albemarle’s lithium hydroxide refinery following Thursday’s news the plant will be closed. Plus: A Perth tech company wins an RBA shoutout.

The scene of a suspicious death in Spencer Park was still under investigation on Wednesday morning.

investigation continuesPremiumPremiumSmall street still full of police four days into death probe

The major investigation into the suspicious death of a 69-year-old woman in Spencer Park entered its fourth day on Wednesday.

Kalgoorlie Courthouse.

Courts & Justice PremiumPremiumMan jailed for raping, secretly recording young nieces

A WA man repeatedly raped and sexually abused his two young nieces, and secretly recorded them in the bathroom for his own sexual gratification. WARNING: CONFRONTING DETAILS

Ben Harvey outlines the confluence of screwups and poor decision-making by governments, which ultimately led to Perth Mum Lena giving birth in the back of Toyota Kluger on Kwinana Freeway.

Up LateVideoCommentsPremiumCommentsPremiumHaving baby on Kwinana Freeway not on anyone’s birth plan

Ben Harvey outlines the confluence of screwups and poor decision-making by governments, which ultimately led to Perth Mum Lena giving birth in the back of Toyota Kluger on Kwinana Freeway. 

Regional News

Rox Resources is developing the Youanmi gold project south-east of Mt Magnet in the Murchison.

Contractor engagedPremiumRox Resources advances $383m Youanmi gold project

Rox Resources has selected MACA Interquip Mintrex to build the processing plant for the $383 million Youanmi gold project south-east of Mt Magnet. 

Neil Watkinson

Kalgoorlie-Boulder Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Garry Symonds, KBCCI chief executive Simone de Been, and Ahead of Time owner Annemarie Ryan.

Signage fund PremiumCBD signage fund provides facelift for businesses

Kalgoorlie and Boulder CBD retailers and traders could give their business a facelift thanks to a new signage fund being rolled out.

Tegan Guthrie

Paul Woods with his daughter Hannah.

Astronomy sessionPremiumHigh demand for visiting astronomy experience

An Exmouth-based astronomy business says it has likely found its second home in the Goldfields-Esperance region after being overwhelmed with interest in its stargazing services.

Tegan Guthrie

Artist Lucinda Crimson’s Staying Upright in The New Normal.

Art exhibitionPremiumPremiumArtists find beauty through pain

An exhibition coming to Esperance will display expressive works by artists who have lived with life-altering illnesses or injuries, proving there is beauty to be found even in the darkest of days. 

Peter Dillon with his new book.

History bookPremiumPremiumNew book tells stories of forgotten prospectors

A local history enthusiast and author has published the stories of forgotten Goldfields prospectors in his third book on WA’s gold mining history.

CBH's Mingenew storage facilities.

Harvest haulBountiful season as Geraldton breaks harvest record

Geraldton grain farmers have seen their largest harvest on record, thanks to storage preparation and lucky weather conditions. 

News Flash

More Stories

Chinese coffee giant Luckin opened its first flagship with premium drinks as the company takes on Starbucks Reserve.

CNBC newsCommentsPremiumThere’s a coffee war brewing in China (and now in the US)

As Starbucks sells off most of its China business, local rival Luckin Coffee is expanding into higher-priced cold brews and other drinks. It’s also expanding its footprint in the US.

Evelyn Cheng

China’s property market, once accounting for more than a quarter of the economy, has seen its annual sales volume halve in just four years.

CNBC newsPremiumS&P bets China property slump will be worse than expected

S&P Global Ratings has lowered its forecast for China property sales this year, barely two months into 2026.

Evelyn Cheng

Elon Musk's mega-merger

CNBC newsCommentsPremiumSpaceX primed to make Elon Musk the first trillionaire

Elon Musk’s net worth soared past $US800b last week after he merged SpaceX with xAI in a deal that valued the combined entity at $US1.25 trillion.

Robert Frank and Lora Kolodny

The plans were discussed at a “Critical Minerals Ministerial” in Washington this week

CNBC newsPremiumUS proposes minerals trade bloc aimed at countering China

The US on Wednesday unveiled new initiatives to mobilise allies into a preferential trade bloc for critical minerals, including coordinated price floors.

Dylan Butts

WA News

A creeping deluge of human waste has seeped into Perth’s Swan River.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
State PoliticsCommentsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
Perth water pipes hit crisis mode after years of neglect

Water Corporation is struggling to provide a basic level of service to customers amid a maintenance backlog of at least five years and urgent repairs including decaying sewerage and lead leaking into pipes.

Charlton Hart

Captain James Rakich with the Leeuwin II (inset).

Sails upCommentsLeeuwin II shipshape and setting sail after horror crash

The Leeuwin II is sailing again after suffering ‘catastrophic’ damage when it was struck by a container ship nearly two years ago.

Eliana Hullett

Premier Roger Cook has announced new protest laws in WA.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
New LawsCommentsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
CommentsPremiumHate symbols and masks to be banned in new WA protest laws

WA Police will be given new powers to deal with ‘intimidating’ protests — including the ability to strip protestors of masks and banned symbols and flags — as part of new legislation.

RSPCA WA Inspectors Florence Maude and Shaye Barrow check on the condition of dogs behind the fence of a Perth property on Thursday. Carwyn Monck

PoliticsCommentsPremiumCommentsPremiumGovernment slow to act on tougher animal cruelty laws: RSPCA

The WA Government claims they are working to introduce tougher laws for RSPCA inspectors as a ‘priority’ despite promising to do it five years ago.

RSPCA WA Inspectors Shaye Barrow and Florence Maude pictured with dog Thunder at RSPCA WA’s Malaga facility, Perth, on Thursday. Carwyn Monck

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
CrimeCommentsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
CommentsPremiumRSPCA inspectors face machetes, axes protecting WA animals

The West joined RSPCA inspectors to reveal their jobs’ dangers and delights, from saving pups to being threatened with machetes.

The Great Southern town of Gnowangerup has been shaken by a series of earthquakes on Saturday, after five quakes were registered in the space of six hours just outside the small town.

Disaster and EmergencyCommentsWA town shaken by five earthquakes in one day

A WA town has been rocked by five earthquakes within 10 hours on Saturday morning, registering just kilometres below the surface.

Katherine Kraayvanger