Don't include any personal information.If you need a response, send an enquiry instead The Government of Western Australia acknowledges the traditional custodians throughout Western Australia and their continuing connection to the land We pay our respects to all members of the Aboriginal communities and their cultures; and to Elders both past and present The new Thornlie-Cockburn Link will open on Monday marking the latest major milestone in METRONET's transformation of Perth Perth's first east-west cross line connection includes two new stations at Nicholson Road and Ranford Road as well as Perth Stadium stations - providing a direct route from the Mandurah Line to Optus Stadium for the first time The opening of the line will connect tens of thousands of people to Perth's world-class rail network for the first time and adds significant resilience to the broader network Commuters will have a 27-minute journey to Perth from Nicholson Road Station and a 31-minute journey from Ranford Road Station New and amended bus routes will support connections from surrounding suburbs to the new stations The Public Transport Authority (PTA) is currently considering community feedback on the proposed routes with final routes to be published in the lead up to the opening A total of 85,000 sleepers and 180,000 tonnes of gravel were used in the construction of the 35 km of new passenger rail and 22 km of new freight rail as part of the Thornlie-Cockburn Link The inner-section of the Armadale Line will reopen in conjunction with the Thornlie-Cockburn Link on June 9 This will include the five new elevated stations at Carlisle Six level crossings have been removed from the Victoria Park and Canning sections of the Armadale Line while the elevated rail will significantly improve pedestrian safety reduce traffic congestion and create Perth's first 7 km long linear park The remainder of the line will reopen when the new elevated Armadale Station and Byford Station reach completion in the next few months This will include the reopening of stations at Sherwood The formal reopening date for the outer section of the Armadale Line will be announced soon The staged reopening has been necessitated by revised construction timelines on the METRONET Byford Rail Extension Progress on the Byford Rail Extension reached an important milestone in recent weeks with the entire elevated rail structure completed while the majority of rail and overhead line equipment has been installed Rail replacement bus services will continue until the entire Armadale Line has reopened but these services will be amended from June 9 the majority of rail replacement bus services will conclude their journeys at Cannington Station where commuters will be able to connect to the train line The amended rail replacement bus services will be published in the lead up to the June 9 reopening Any passengers receiving free public transport due to the Armadale Line closure will continue to receive the concession until their regular train station reopens The $1.3 billion METRONET Thornlie-Cockburn Link and the $1.6 billion Victoria Park -Canning Level Crossing Removal Projects are jointly funded by the Federal and State Governments Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon The best of Melbourne straight to your inbox We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news Sign up for our email to enjoy Melbourne without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush) Our newsletter hand-delivers the best bits to your inbox Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Melbourne May 2025 update: Can we give it up for good ol' Vic Churchill? This tiny 12-seat deli just stood out on the world stage to take out 18th place in the world's mightiest global steakhouse ranking. Get the full story here.  Read on for our original listing of Victor Churchill by Jade Solomon from February 2023 Victor Churchill has established itself as Melbourne's most bougie butcher With floors made of deep green Verde marble and fine copper arches the space pays homage to the owner's Croatian heritage and bears almost no resemblance to your local butcher shop.  Offering only the highest-quality cuts of meat Victor Churchill has sourced its products from suppliers including Stone Axe Fullblood Wagyu and premium grass-fed Black Angus beef by O’Connor in Gippsland you'll find a horseshoe-shaped cocktail bar at the back The bar seats 12 people in an intimate setting so customers and bar-goers alike can enjoy a glass of Champagne or a cocktail The head chef has curated an offering of luxe menu items including oysters and of course a premium selection of grilled and rotisserie meats such as the Rangers Valley Black Market Scotch Fillet (500g $155) or splurge on the Rangers Valley Black Market Bistecca (1kg Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! twitterinstagrampinterestAbout us Contact us place-based support to the most vulnerable members of our Western Australian community We work towards this goal through a range of functions and service delivery responsibilities all of which are more impactful and effective when we work in partnership with families community sector services and Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) we are privileged to provide services and partner with others to keep children safe; deliver social and public housing; provide vital community services including in emergencies; address homelessness; prevent family and domestic violence; provide stewardship for the disability sector; regulate the early childhood and care sector; and manage the agenda for women’s interests We are on a continuous journey to improve the way we work with our communities and partners across Western Australia Everything we do is about creating ‘better lives together through people place and home’ and working together to provide responsive services that build safe As a purpose-led organisation our outcomes focus on long-term success and realisation of our vision Our outcomes define the changes that will occur as a result of the supports we provide Our outcomes are defined in our Strategic Direction Statement 2022-25 View our Strategic Direction Statement The Freedom of Information Act 1992 gives the public a right to access information held by the Department of Communities. Learn more on how to lodge an application Don't include any personal information.If you need a response, send an enquiry instead Since the Armadale Line was shut down for its much-needed upgrade in November 2023 locals have been sceptical of the Transport Minister’s ‘100 per cent’ certainty that works would be finished and trains would be running again at the end of the stated 18-month schedule With only two months left until that original deadline expires and just three weeks after Labor convincingly won a third term in government Minister Rita Saffioti has vindicated the doubters The first east-west connection in Perth’s rail network the Thornlie-Cockburn Link will officially open on June 9 As will the “inner stations” of the Armadale line (up to Beckenham which is the connection point for the Cockburn-Thornlie and Armadale Lines) But the remainder of the line – from Kenwick to Byford – will now reopen “a few months later” according to Ms Saffioti “There were some construction issues and we were anticipating to claw back that timeframe but unfortunately “I think one or two of the piers had to be replaced or some beams had to be replaced and that work’s now finished … we’re now on the home stretch “To the regular train commuters on the outer section of the Armadale Line who will need to wait a few more months – we apologise for this inconvenience “Rest assured the team are working incredibly hard to get the line fully reopened as soon as possible “Rail replacement bus services will remain in place until the entire line reopens and I can also confirm that anyone receiving free public transport during the shutdown will continue to receive that concession until their regular train station between either Kenwick of Armadale reopens “Thanks to everyone for their patience – the new stations are looking incredible and I can’t wait for people to see them firsthand.” While the minister’s admission confirmed what many had known for a while after noticing that very little headway had been made on the new Armadale Station the Examiner got confirmation from Metronet that the project had experienced difficulties “During routine inspections on the Armadale Station viaduct a slight misalignment with the elastomeric bearing pad that sits on the headstock at the underside of the viaduct beam was identified.” a spokesperson for Metronet said in December requiring some bearings to be replaced has been implemented and work is continuing on the Byford Rail Extension project.” After the somewhat mismatched justification for the delay Minister Saffioti gave at Sunday’s press conference The Examiner again asked Metronet to confirm whether larger structural issues had been discovered during the project the Byford Rail Extension has encountered construction challenges which specifically related to the elastomeric bearing pads that sit on the headstock at the underside of the viaduct beam,” the spokesperson said “Construction teams have been working hard in recent months to make up lost time due to this construction issue but unfortunately a staged reopening was required.” “The Byford Rail Extension has made good progress in recent months with the entire elevated rail structure now complete while the majority of the rail and overhead line equipment installed.” It is comforting to know that the problem was relatively minor But it is curious that simply replacing these bearings has caused a “few months” of delays to the entire project especially with construction teams putting their noses to the grindstone to make up for lost time And very few are buying the fact that Metronet and Ms Saffioti did not know there’d be a delay before the March 8 election there’s also a large bone of contention that the track isn’t being opened up to Gosnells “Why not run the trains to Gossy when there is a scissor crossing for trains to change tracks after Gosnells,” Clinton asked but I just don’t understand why the Maddington and Gosnells stations can’t be opened They literally only had their crossings replaced and rail changes The City of Gosnells communities are already feeling neglected after they were missed off the list for level crossing removals during this ‘whole-of-line’ upgrade That sentiment is likely to fester without justification for keeping Kenwick Maddington and Gosnells trainless for another few months A community event to celebrate the opening of the Thornlie-Cockburn Link will be held on Sunday Further details about the community event will be provided closer to opening The government has said that the formal reopening date for the outer section of the Armadale Line will be announced soon and a community event to celebrate the full reopening of the Armadale Line will be held later this year Get your Local Examiner Digital Edition straight to your InboxName*Email* Are You a Human Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time Construction problems have delayed the reopening of two-thirds of the Armadale train line’s length with thousands of commuters forced to wait an indefinite period for their service to return despite earlier promises by Transport Minsiter Rita Saffioti of “100 per cent” confidence it would open in time Saffioti announced the new $1.3 billion Thornlie-Cockburn Link would open on Monday marking the latest major milestone in Metronet’s transformation of Perth Work on the Perth to Armadale rail line.Credit: Colin Murty which is around 14 kilometres long from the city to Beckenham around 25 kilometres of the “outer” part of the line and we were anticipating to claw back that timeframe but unfortunately “We apologise to all of those passengers affected but … the team is working really hard to get it open as soon as possible.” Saffioti said the delay was due to issues with piers and beams which had to be replaced Armadale trains ground to a halt in November 20, 2023 for a record-breaking 18-month shutdown pushing 13,000 regular users onto the roads The state government said it was the quickest easiest and safest way to give the 130-year-old train line a $2 billion makeover The cost of the Metronet project has ballooned significantly after a $3 billion estimate ahead of the 2017 state election “We’re working really hard within the budgets,” she said Opposition leader Basil Zempilas said Metronet was a project that was $10 billion over budget “While it will be fantastic to welcome more West Australians into Perth on the Armadale line we need to know when that will be,” he said “Every delay prevents workers from building houses and vital infrastructure across our state Perth’s first east-west cross line connection includes two new stations at Nicholson Road and Ranford Road providing a direct route from the Mandurah line to Optus Stadium for the first time Commuters will have a 27-minute journey to Perth from Nicholson Road station and a 31-minute journey from Ranford Road station The remainder of the line will reopen when the new elevated Armadale and Byford stations reach completion in the next few months Rail replacement bus services will continue until the entire Armadale line has reopened the majority of rail replacement bus services will conclude their journeys at Cannington Get the day’s breaking news, entertainment ideas and a long read to enjoy. Sign up to receive our Evening Edition newsletter here. Construction problems have delayed the reopening of two-thirds of the Armadale train line\\u2019s length with thousands of commuters forced to wait an indefinite period for their service to return despite earlier promises by Transport Minsiter Rita Saffioti of \\u201C100 per cent\\u201D confidence it would open in time marking the latest major milestone in Metronet\\u2019s transformation of Perth The \\u201Cinner\\u201D part of the Armadale line around 25 kilometres of the \\u201Couter\\u201D part of the line won\\u2019t reopen until a \\u201Cfew months later\\u201D \\u201CThere were some construction issues \\u201CWe apologise to all of those passengers affected but \\u2026 the team is working really hard to get it open as soon as possible.\\u201D \\u201CWe\\u2019re working really hard within the budgets,\\u201D she said \\u201CWhile it will be fantastic to welcome more West Australians into Perth on the Armadale line we need to know when that will be,\\u201D he said \\u201CEvery delay prevents workers from building houses and vital infrastructure across our state and costs West Australian taxpayers.\\u201D Perth\\u2019s first east-west cross line connection includes two new stations at Nicholson Road and Ranford Road entertainment ideas and a long read to enjoy A welcoming place where adults can access free and confidential mental health information Whether you have experienced mental health challenges in the past or this is your first time reaching out for support All Medicare Mental Health Centre services are free and confidential for people aged 18 and over Need help now? Call 1800 595 212 Make a free call for mental health advice and support on 1800 595 212 Get face to face support in a safe and welcoming environment at one of Western Australia’s five Medicare Mental Health Centres Find out more Find out more Find out more MedOne Medical Centre Mirrabooka (MYVISTA building) Find out more Find out more Find the right mental health and wellbeing resources for yourself or for someone you care about Visit the Medicare Mental Health website Medicare Mental Health Centres do not offer a crisis service Medicare Mental Health Centres were formerly known as Head to Health centres This service is supported by funding from WA Primary Health Alliance through the Australian Government’s PHN Program WA Primary Health Alliance acknowledges and pays respect to the Traditional Owners and Elders of this country and recognises the significant importance of their cultural heritage values and beliefs and how these contribute to the positive health and wellbeing of the whole community WA Primary Health Alliance acknowledges and welcomes all members of the lesbian aromantic and other rainbow (LGBTIQA+) communities and celebrates the extraordinary diversity of people’s bodies Accreditation is independent recognition that WA Primary Health Alliance has strong business practices in place and meets the requirements of governing industry standards While the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care has contributed to the funding of this website the information on this website does not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Government and is not advice that is provided The Australian Government is not responsible in negligence or otherwise for any injury loss or damage however arising from the use of or reliance on the information provided on this website An artist's impression of the new Armadale train station The Western Australian Government has announced a delay to the reopening of a large section of the Armadale train line in Perth’s south-east Upgrades and extension work has since been underway as part of the government’s Metronet project Transport Minister Rita Saffioti has said only the inner section of the line will open on June 9 including the elevated stations at Carlisle She told ABC that there were “construction issues” and the government had hoped to make up the time lost The rest of the Armadale Line will reopen “a few months later” when the elevated Armadale and Byford Stations are finished Saffoti said it will be a “complete game changer” for the public transport network “We’re going to connect tens of thousands of people to our world class rail network for the first time and deliver a major boost to the capacity and resilience of our network,” she said Commuters affected by the delayed reopening will continue to receive free public transport on replacement bus services Perth’s long-awaited first east-west connection The Mandurah and Armadale Lines will be linked for the first time providing direct access to Optus Stadium from the Mandurah Line The $1.3 billion project will also provide two new stations at Nicholson Road and Ranford Road Cockburn Central and Perth Stadium stations As Melbourne braces for a population of 9 million by 2050 global leader in smart sustainable mobility solutions has delivered on-time and to budget its Traffic Management System we’re homing in on two major topics: Tunnels and Cybersecurity All content published on this site is the property of Prime Creative Media Armadale sold under the hammer at its weekday auction The granddaughter of Australian billionaire John Gandel has sold her Armadale home at a midweek auction for circa $3.4m The three-bedroom house at 21 Hume St was listed with a $3.35m-$3.45m with industry sources revealing it sold in the vicinity of $3.4m when it went under the hammer on Thursday evening Property records show the home’s title is under Nicole Gandel granddaughter of billionaire and Chadstone Shopping Centre owner John Gandel RELATED: ‘Ridiculous’: MAFS bride’s wild $2.7m claim Melb legal bigwig selling South Yarra mansion Ex-Socceroo’s long-time Lower Plenty home for sale While Jellis Craig Stonnington director Carla Fetter declined to comment on who the sellers were she said the abode’s location was a major drawcard with High St and the train station in walking distance “It was a single level property with garaging and if we look at who the target audience were they were in that downsizer model,” Ms Fetter said so it was a bit of an easy one for us to sell.” Nicole Gandel is the granddaughter of John Gandel It’s good news for the sellers of more than 1300 auctions scheduled across the state this week with 1330 in Melbourne and 49 in regional Victoria The suburb with the largest amount of residences going under the hammer is Kew with 25 scheduled auctions PropTrack economist Angus Moore said Melbourne’s clearance rates had been bouncing around the low to mid-60 per cent range which was “reasonably solid” “(It’s) certainly better than what we were seeing towards the end of last year … through spring and into December when it was around the mid to high-50s,” Mr Moore said He added that demand had started to grow off the back of February’s rate cut “Melbourne has underperformed relative to pretty much everywhere else in Australia,” he said (Melbourne looks) a bit more affordable.” Real Estate Institute of Victoria chief executive Kelly Ryan said the property market was pretty buoyant with a resurgence of prospective buyers and plenty of stock available “There’s been a lot of momentum since the start of the year in terms of auction numbers,” Ms Kelly said “We’re still seeing strong first-home buying contingent and then the rest are predominantly the rightsizers so the upsizers and the downsizers in the market.” Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox MORE: Not convinced: Marginal seat families sceptical of home plan ‘Missed the mark’: What could actually worsen housing shortages $10m+ future of landmark Peninsula estate confirmed third parties have written and supplied the content and we are not responsible for it completeness or reliability of the information nor do we accept any liability or responsibility arising in any way from omissions or errors contained in the content We do not recommend sponsored lenders or loan products and we cannot introduce you to sponsored lenders We strongly recommend that you obtain independent advice before you act on the content realestate.com.au is owned and operated by ASX-listed REA Group Ltd (REA:ASX) © REA Group Ltd. By accessing or using our platform, you agree to our Terms of Use. Polyphagous Shot-Hole Borer (PSHB) is continuing its march across the City of Armadale The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) has this week confirmed with the Examiner that a total of 23 trees across nine sites have now been infested by the tree-killing beetle The first official detection in the CoA was in Rushton Park with three coral trees removed early last August Trees were also removed on the Albany Highway in Bedfordale just weeks after The trees targeted by the borer within the City of Armadale have mostly been “coral trees (Erythrina x sykesii) and box elder maple trees (Acer negundo) on public land” “Both species are known to be highly susceptible to PSHB infestation.” But the rate of the spread is still being kept under wraps by DPIRD When the Examiner asked how many new detections of PSHB infestation within the City of Armadale have been recorded this calendar year City of Armadale CEO Joanne Abbiss did confirm “The latest detection of PSHB in the city was on private property in Roleystone DPIRD is not being completely forthcoming on the whereabouts of the beetle; the state government has been issuing gag orders to local governments who apply to access information about the location of infestations on private property Several local mayors have recently spoken out against these Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDA) “Why would you use a non-disclosure agreement when the strength and the quality of public information and making it available can actually be your greatest weapon?” Town of Victoria Park Mayor Karen Vernon said “Local governments are the best partner the WA Government has in fighting against PSHB because of our ability to communicate with our directly affected communities building awareness and knowledge that is crucial to stop tree losses.” But next week council will decide whether the City of Armadale should sign on the dotted line “A report recommending that the CEO is given authority to sign the PSHB Confidentiality Deed Poll will be made to the 28 April 2025 Ordinary Council meeting,” CEO Joanne Abbiss said “This will allow the city to access heat maps which provide a geographical representation of PSHB infestations and PSHB positive traps “Even if the city does sign the PSHB Confidentiality Deed Poll with DPIRD it will not be given the locations of detections on private property The city would receive a heat map of infestations for localities at the scale of census-mesh blocks used by the Australian Bureau of Statistics “The city would not be able to share these maps with the public as it will be bound by the Confidentiality Deed “The city already receives information on infestations on city-owned or managed land and these details can be made public specifically for public health and safety purposes.” While the full extent of the local spread is being closely guarded, the Examiner gleaned a rough indication two weeks ago when DPIRD confirmed that PSHB had been discovered in 14 trees across two private properties within the Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale – the first time information about the spread into the shire had been divulged to the public “DPIRD continues to work with the City of Armadale on tree pruning and removal alongside its ongoing monitoring and surveillance program,” the spokesperson said “A Quarantine Area to prevent the movement of wood across the Perth metropolitan area remains in place to prevent the spread of the pest.” the tree-killing invader has found its way from Fremantle into just about every local government area in Perth The quarantine area had to be expanded last year when the beetle breached the original boundary serious questions are being raised as to the efficacy of the state government’s quarantine measures But two weeks ago, a small ray of hope appeared from a nearby local government. In an Australian-first trial, the City of Canning has reported early success using systemic chemical injections to combat PSHB in 131 trees within the Canning River Regional Park “The results are incredibly encouraging,” Mayor Patrick Hall said “This could be a game-changer in protecting our urban forests.” The City of Armadale is currently hard at work refitting the recently-vacated old shire offices on Jull Street to house the federally-funded Armadale Suburban University Study Hub (SUSH) and a location right in the heart of Armadale the new uni study hub is ideally positioned to help change the fortunes of both local students and the oft-maligned CBD But the ageing building is throwing up a few surprises – like asbestos – which threatens to delay the city’s aspirations of a Semester 2 opening 145 Jull Street was first opened in 1967 as a new home for the expanding local government and acted as the shire’s basecamp until it was superseded by the current chambers and offices on Orchard Avenue in 1985 the building has been leased to South Metropolitan TAFE (previously Polytechnic West) which delivered training through a Commonwealth funded Adult Migrant Education Program (AMEP) with the imminent departure of the TAFE to its shiny new abode up the road the City of Armadale made a play for one of the 14 SUSHs the feds were offering to place in outer-metro areas with low tertiary education attendance there was jubilation as Armadale was named as one of three chosen WA locations But with the gift of funding came expectations of a mid-2025 opening The City of Armadale is straying well-beyond the core city governance remit of ‘rates roads and rubbish’ to be the first local government in the country to both deliver and run a Suburban University Study Hub Most other SUSHs are being taken on by universities in partnership with local Regional Development Australia committees But the City of Armadale is confident in its ability to run a ‘successful’ hub that’s more than just a glorified co-working space with the city’s other major community facilities – like the Champion Centre and the multi-award-winning Armadale Fitness and Aquatic Centre – often held up as shining examples to the rest of the country the City of Armadale spearheaded a SUSH roundtable at the University of Western Australia which allowed representatives from local universities and key figures in the state’s first three SUSHs to come together and start to draw a picture of what this brand-new model of tertiary education support could look like Participants brainstormed about ways they could collaborate and ways they could cut down on ‘service duplication’ They also workshopped how to get students through the doors and get them engaged they determined that one of the biggest collective needs is a way to measure the impact of the SUSHs on student success and retention rates There’s still a long way to travel over the next three months for the City of Armadale with lots of operational questions still up in the air: How will the hub cater to a diverse array of students with an equally diverse array of needs studying a multitude of different courses from a raft of different institutions will the hub operate 24/7 like the Mandurah SUSH intends to which could perhaps limit the types of students likely to make use of it One thing for certain is that the new hub already has a passionate advocate in local member and Minister for Tertiary Education Tony Buti who gave an emotive speech at the roundtable about his own personal challenges in accessing university from Armadale “The new Suburban University Study Hub in Armadale is set to be a transformative development for the community providing enhanced access to tertiary education,” he said “For many individuals in our local community traveling to the main university campus can be a significant challenge “I remember my own experience when I first enrolled at UWA: my lectures started at 8am navigating a long journey by train and bus just to arrive on time “While the traditional university experience is invaluable This new initiative ensures that socio-economic and personal circumstances won’t stand in the way of pursuing higher education offering more people the opportunity to achieve their academic aspirations “As someone who was the first in my family to continue education past Year 10 and attend university I can personally attest to the life-changing opportunities that education can provide “It opened doors for me both academically and professionally—experiences that were far from the norm in my family “The Suburban University Study Hub will bring education closer to home making it easier for residents in our area to access the benefits of higher learning.” Uni hub could be on the cards for Armadale New uni hub earmarked for Armadale Australia Day will hit a little different this year for those used to lighting up the night in Armadale Last year the City of Armadale made the decision to can its beloved festival and fireworks display for 2025 because of the continuation of the Byford Rail Extension construction The city said the scale of work planned on the rail line during January meant Minnawarra Park would be out of action Armadale’s Australia Day event has been a fixture since 1993 It is the largest and most popular annual event on the city’s calendar and is one of the few remaining council-run major events on Australia Day A range of alternative locations was brought to a committee meeting and then a full council meeting in June Top of the list was Champion Lakes – a venue that hosted last year’s Highland Gathering and Perth Kilt Run During deliberations about the relocation of the city’s beloved Scottish festival it was pointed out that the lake would pose a huge risk council agreed those risks could be overcome through signage and having organisations like Surf Life Saving WA present And the event was largely deemed a success; visitors respected the ‘no-swimming’ rule at the Highland Gathering and an insufficient shuttle bus service did cause headaches mitigating the risks of 7000m of water edge at an Australia Day festival at Champion Lakes during the height of Summer was a bridge too far for councillors which is fully fenced for the Australia Day event the Champion Lakes water body is too large to be fully fenced hence there will be access to the water,” shire officers warned City officers’ biggest fear was a child drowning on their watch “The associated and reputational risk of having such an occurrence connected to a major annual event may have long-lasting impacts on the event A compromise was offered which split the city’s celebrations into three smaller Australia Day events “Council felt the city would be unable to safely recreate the same scale and experience at alternative sites Maintaining the integrity of the event is paramount and the city looks forward to hosting our usual event in January 2026,” their statement read “Council voiced the potential for reserving the 2025 funds so they can be put towards hosting a bigger and better event to welcome people back to the city centre in 2026.” The City of Armadale will be holding their usual citizenship ceremony where the 2025 Citizens of the Year will be announced They’re also organising a ‘live’ replay of the 2024 concert on their social media site Many have been understanding of the city’s difficult decision to cancel this year’s festival and fireworks But Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale President Rob Coales was quick to capitalise on the disappointment of those who were keen to celebrate this year’s Australia Day in person “Rising Sun Tribute to Cold Chisel and Jimmy Barnes are playing at Briggs Park (Mead Street The Angela Rules Duo (from Logie-nominated show Family Rules) and Jessie James will also feature as special guests And there’ll be a range of food trucks offering tasty treats The shire repurposed $25,000 in funds from their proposed February music events to bolster the offerings at their Australia Day festivities the City of Armadale is already drumming up hype for a “bigger A significant piece of local forestry history in Mount Nasura has been marked for felling on the edge of the Armadale Hospital grounds lies a dilapidated old cottage whose decaying appearance belies its importance The single-storey timber weatherboard was built in 1933 for the then District Forest Officer or Bluey as he was sometimes referred to owing to his ginger mane was initially responsible for the northern Jarrah forests from his station in Jarrahdale “His drive and sense of vision enabled him to achieve a great deal in forestry development in Western Australia breaking through considerable obstacles on the way.” Among his earliest achievements was developing the use of low-intensity prescribed burns to protect regrowth Jarrah forests from summer bushfires Mr Harris became the state’s Conservator of Forests from 1954 to 1969 And in the face of considerable criticism from some foresters in 1954 Mr Harris was able to reverse the thirty-year state fire exclusion policy from WA forests replacing it with 10 percent annual broad-based And the findings of the Royal Commission into the disastrous Dwellingup fires in 1961 vindicated his policies Mr Harris redoubled the department’s efforts in research And he was the driving force behind the groundbreaking use of aerial ignition for prescribed burns – a method that would go on to be adopted worldwide renowned for out-manoeuvring political or professional adversaries” And he took his role as ‘steward’ of the forests incredibly seriously elevating the importance of conservation before it became fashionable he was a fierce fighter against the scourge of deforestation; he was a staunch roadblock to the encroachment of farming into forested land and was instrumental in securing the State Forest estate the CSIRO established a regional research and field station on the lot beside Mr Harris’s house By 1975 this became a designated research laboratory and the Division of Forest Research successfully determined the aetiology of the fungus causing Jarrah dieback and ways to prevent its spread The Ecko Rd campus was used by the state government for forestry purposes until 1999 the land was sold to the Department of Health Mr Harris’ forestry cottage was heritage listed by the City of Armadale the Heritage Council deemed it not significant enough to have a place on the State Register The hospital originally used the house for staff accommodation but it has sat vacant for more than a decade the surrounding buildings pulled down one by one Despite numerous attempts by the City of Armadale to encourage the maintenance of the forestry cottage the state government sought permission to demolish the cottage to make way for a future expansion of the hospital A Heritage Impact Statement attached to the demolition proposal noted the building was “beyond reasonable recovery” with “serious deterioration of the corrugated iron roof ceilings and timber flooring through weathering it was deemed the forestry cottage stood alone as merely “a fragment of this [forestry] story and in its deteriorated form no longer represents the value meaningfully” Local historians expressed their frustration over the wanton neglect of an important local landmark which had the misfortune of existing on prized land “It is disappointing to see another example of demolition by neglect with no maintenance being carried out for well over 30 years,” the Community Heritage Advisory Group said Despite objections by the City of Armadale the Statutory Planning Committee has greenlighted the demolition of the cottage A few minor concessions were made to record the site’s historical significance and an archival photographic documentation of the building An Armadale Health Services spokesperson said the date of the demolition has not yet been locked in “A demolition permit has been submitted to the Permit Authority The Examiner also asked whether there were any impending plans to build on the site in line with the future expansion of the hospital the land will be planted as parkland-cleared landscape This is planned to be completed following the demolition of the building,” the AHS spokesperson said The Armadale ‘Drop n Shop’ has reopened after it was unexpectedly ‘closed until further notice’ in the first week of December The City of Armadale announced the reopening of the Reuse Centre on Hopkinson Rd last Wednesday with a new location and new hours of business: Thursday and Friday 10am to 2pm But locals were quick to criticise the news with many saying it left working people in the lurch Do you actually want people to use this service?” one local said “After work or weekends is when most people would have time or inclination to go there We really do need to close the cycle and send less to landfill/incineration but we need access and infrastructure to do so,” another said The City of Armadale explained that “staffing challenges” had impacted their “ability to extend hours at this time” “We understand the current opening hours are limited and may not suit everyone’s needs,” they said “We’re actively working on a solution and will update the community as soon as we can expand our availability.” The Examiner asked for clarification about the staffing issues and how many more staff members are needed to expand the opening hours outside business hours and on weekends We also asked whether the city has considered advertising paid roles to fill these vacancies noting that the Drop ‘n’ Shop is primarily staffed by a team of volunteers and there are currently no job positions at the Reuse Centre being advertised on the CoA website City of Armadale CEO Joanne Abbiss explained “the city is not currently advertising jobs at the Reuse Centre as we are trialling the use of a portion of the existing main area to see if this assists in maximising resource recovery” “This trial is using the resource recovery platform to provide customers convenient access to recycled materials and enable the city to optimise existing staffing resources as we have had some challenges maintaining a safe level of staffing at the Reuse Centre,” she continued “The city is continuously reviewing the activities on site to ensure we are providing the safest and best resource recovery services to our residents “Feedback from the current trial will inform how the Reuse Shop operates in the future volunteers and site users is our highest priority.” Feedback online has already noted that many people wanting to use the Drop ‘n’ Shop currently have to wait in a (sometimes long) queue to go over the weighbridge which acts as a disincentive to use the service And many others have noted the steep rise in prices in-store over the past year or so “People don’t want to pay $200 for something you used to be able to grab for a six pack,” one local offered the City of Armadale is currently smack bang in the middle of one of the biggest periods of transformation it has ever experienced It’s estimated that another 40,000 people will call this area home in ten years’ time And with that boom comes the race to provide the rapidly growing community with adequate infrastructure and services But before we look at what’s in store this year it’s important to look back to acknowledge what was achieved in the year just gone Perhaps the most momentous win for the community this year was the reopening of the Roleystone Theatre. After six long years of waiting in the wings select members of the theatre community revelled in their chance to view their beloved building in the limelight once again at a star-studded opening gala in April The city also welcomed its fourth public library in September – the new $9.3 million Piara Waters Library – which earned a nod from the state government last month for its accessible architecture Dubbed a ‘game-changer’ for the CBD, the new Armadale TAFE was opened in August Like it or loathe it, the City of Armadale also became one of the very first local governments in Australia to begin sending its landfill-bound waste to be incinerated at the new Kwinana Energy Recovery Centre this year And there were some big developments this year that weren’t framed in bricks and mortar The City of Armadale, Blinds Sports WA and the Kelmscott Bulldogs played host to the first local Blind Sports League in the state at the Armadale Arena this year. Street Aid Social Project initiated a new rotating community support hub for people sleeping rough and doing it tough And the city welcomed a new Noongar cultural tour experience – the Six Seasons Walking Trails, hosted by Beelya Cultural Tours. There were some outstanding local success stories in 2024 Gwynne Park Primary school took out the state education award for “excellence in teaching learning”, and Neerigen Brook Primary students wrote the best song in the primary school category of the Australian Children’s Music Foundation’s National Songwriting Competition Year 10 student Eric Xie travelled to Romania in December as one of the nation’s six top scientific minds for the Junior International Science Olympiad Ayush Shah and Niyor Sharma also earned a place on Team Australia for the International Young Physicists Tournament (IYPT) Harrisdale High’s Mihin Henkanaththegedara (Year 9) aced the 2024 Australian Geography Competition taking out the top rank in the state for his age AFL premiership-winning legend Callum Ah Chee returned to his hometown to show off his bling Two young guns in the local baseball scene, Alessio Biancotti and Bryce Riches headed off to Sydney to represent WA in the 2024 Australian Little League Championships Armadale High Jiu Jitsu Academy students raked in the medals this year in their first year of competition and earning silver at the Australian National Championships In a rarely seen coup, Roshan Joseph Biju won three golds at the Australian Junior Badminton Championships Scarlett and Savannah Nunn were both selected to run for WA at the Australian Cross Country Championships with Scarlett also repping the state in AFL and the 1500m and 800m And the Bongers family brought back a swag of medals from the Australian Tetrathlon and Laser Run Championships in Geelong Banjup’s Robert Sheehy scooped the pool at the Amalgamated Melville Homing Pigeon Club’s end-of-season awards; he was named overall club champion and received trophies for best club performance And Creative Soul Sessions’ Sandy De Luca was announced as a finalist in the globe-wide Women Changing the World Awards It wasn’t all wins in 2024 however. The community suffered through some terrible losses as well, farewelling young Seville Grove legend Levi Tracy who sadly lost his third epic battle with cancer, and beloved local music man, Adrian Loos who supplied the soundtrack to people’s lives for forty years from Abbotts Music Centre the most obvious being the completion of the Armadale station and the Byford Rail Extension and work will hopefully start on the new Central Park The long-promised primary school in Sienna Wood will start to materialise this year We can’t wait to be there with you through it all Peter Smith bowled everyone over on Saturday when he achieved two incredible milestones in one match The Armadale Cricket Club (ACC) stalwart played his 700th game at the weekend – a feat that has never before been recorded in the club’s 125-year history meaning Peter has played well over 1000 Saturdays for Armadale He started at the club as a 13-year-old in October 1970 following in the footsteps of his father (Ray Smith) and grandfather (Claude Marsh) During his 54-year career he’s also played alongside his three brothers (Alan is just about to notch up his 200th game for Armadale “And I think I’ve played most of those with him,” he said Over the course of five-and-a-half decades Peter has played in an incredible 45 finals and 10 premierships One of his favourite memories is winning a premiership alongside his brother Graeme who had just come out of a 30 year-long retirement “But every week brings different memories,” he said “I love cricket – I love the challenge and the mateship “It tests both your character and your physical health; that was certainly tested on Saturday in the heat.” and in a good-humoured poke at their seniority in the club the pair of opening batsmen were pushed up to the crease in wheelchairs by their teammates Peter was a devastating middle order batsman in his heyday who would murder attacks,” ACC’s Matt McClure said “‘Don’t bowl short to Pete’ as he would smack you over square “But pitch it up and he would belt you over cover for six with a short arm jab.” He famously recorded a century during a four-day grand final in his early days 108 half-centuries and a high score of 200no On Saturday he was chasing his 20,000th run write his name into the club’s record books again in the coming weeks who had graciously agreed to switch grounds for the match so that the ACC could celebrate the milestones on home soil Peter doesn’t really regard himself as a bowler but he took to the pitch on Saturday as the opening bowler – a club tradition for milestone games Peter needed just three more to record another watershed moment As an army of family and friends looked on Peter Smith took a remarkable six wickets off 15 in his seven overs “That was a record for me – the most I’ve ever taken was five,” he said With Peter ripping through the majority of the line-up “As you can see Peter has an unbelievable resume on field but some will say that his greatest work has been done off the field Peter has been a devoted committee member for 40 years and served in every role possible during that time “Peter Smith IS Armadale Cricket Club,” Matt said And his devotion to the club was rewarded on Saturday with a legion of family and fans popping in to Gwynne Park to witness his magic moment “It was a special day to share with my family and friends,” he said “And I’d like to say a thank you to all the teammates I’ve played with over these 700 games “You don’t play for the milestones – they come and go – but for the love of the game and the mateship.” The festivities kicked on well into the night with the club hosting a ‘Back to Armadale’ reunion where four new club legends – Corey Mullane Andrew Stoodley and Jake Edwards – were officially inducted “I’d like to thank the club for putting on such a memorable night – it was one of the best nights in a long time,” Peter said Both Rivers and Millers in the Armadale Shopping Centre have been decimated by shoppers snapping up closing down bargains A sign at Rivers said it was not officially closing until April 3 But when the Examiner popped by on Friday there was barely any stock left on the floor to sell In October Mosaic Brands went into administration owing creditors $249 million and KPMG were appointed to review the business Early in the company’s collapse it was announced that Rockmans KPMG announced the end of an era for the long-running women’s clothing brand Katies which first hit the Australian market in 1954 The Armadale Shopping Centre store was pummelled by people hoping to snap up a bargain in its final days KPMG’s David Hardy said they had been unable to sell Rivers as planned bringing an end to the brand’s history which started in 1979 as a staple of Australian footwear the final two dominoes in the Mosaic Brands portfolio fell: Millers and Noni B we have been unable to achieve a sale of any of the brands within the Mosaic portfolio,” David Hardy said all stores in the Mosaic Brands Group will be wound down over the coming months “We expect all stores will be closed by mid-April.” In total the closure of the entire Mosaic Brands portfolio means almost 3000 jobs will have been lost nation-wide and more than 700 retail stores shut down The loss of Rivers and Millers will leave a big hole in the Armadale Shopping Centre Armadale Police are investigating a stealing and trespass incident on Mirfield Street a man was seen acting suspiciously outside a residential address and removed a black eScooter from the front porch Police believe the man approached several other properties in the area around the same time The man is described as aged between 30 to 40-years-old was shirtless and wore dark trousers and blue trainers with white soles Police urge anyone who may have any information relating to this incident, or knows the identity of the person involved, to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a report online via https://www.crimestopperswa.com.au Two Kelmscott locals have been charged after a home invasion and battery on Clarence Road on Monday night a 31-year-old man and 32-year-old woman entered a home on Clarence Road a fight then broke out between the two and an 18-year-old man The argument escalated with the man and woman allegedly assaulting the 18-year-old victim who was taken to hospital for medical treatment Armadale Detectives have charged the 31-year-old Kelmscott man with: one count of Aggravated Home Burglary and Commit; One count of Assault Occasioning Bodily Harm; and two counts of Impeded Another Person’s Normal Breathing or Blood Circulation by Applying Pressure to Neck He was due to appear before the Armadale Magistrates Court on Tuesday The 32-year-old Kelmscott woman is due to appear before the Armadale Magistrates Court on 15 May 2025 charged with: one count of Aggravated Home Burglary and Commit; and one count of Common Assault It’s now been a year since trains on the Armadale line ground to a halt With only six months remaining of the scheduled 18-month shutdown doubts are starting to be raised in the community about whether the Byford Rail Extension will be completed on time and on budget The rumour mill has begun to pick up pace; one particular one about alleged faults in the concrete beams on the elevated rail structure that are likely to cause delays to the reopening of the line The same community report suggested the line could be partially reopened between Perth and Gosnells until the Armadale end works are completed The Examiner took the concerns to Metronet to verify them And while they did concede that a problem had been picked up that issue was little more than a flash in a pan a slight misalignment with the elastomeric bearing pad that sits on the headstock at the underside of the viaduct beam was identified.” a spokesperson for Metronet said These bearings allow a bridge to shift horizontally slightly to compensate for ground movements or thermal expansion and contraction cracks in the concrete beams could start to appear requiring some bearings to be replaced has been implemented and work is continuing on the Byford Rail Extension project,” the Metronet spokesperson explained The Examiner also queried why work on the Armadale Station had been delayed with original estimates from project management indicating the build for both the Armadale and Byford stations would start mid-2024 Installation of the structural steel for the Armadale concourse buildings began in October but there is no sign of the pre-fabricated wall panels yet We asked when we might see the walls go up but did say this: “The Armadale Line remains on track to reopen in the middle of next year the government will provide more specific dates closer to the reopening” The transformation of Armadale is ratcheting up another notch with news over the weekend that the city was successful in its bid for a Suburban University Study Hub (SUSH) The city hopes this hub will serve as a focal point for learning where students can pursue their academic goals without the need to continually commute long distances The hub will include: dedicated study spaces video conferencing and fast internet; administrative and academic skills support research and navigating university processes; and student wellbeing services including study advice “The creation of an Armadale Suburban University Study Hub is a significant and vital step forward for local students Accessible educational resources close to home will reduce the burden and costs of long commutes to university campuses and will foster a culture of learning and innovation in our community,” City of Armadale Mayor Ruth Butterfield said Since the Regional University Study Hubs program was launched in 2018 Federal Minister for Education Jason Clare announced $66.9 million to establish up to 20 new Regional University Study Hubs and The evidence is they increase the number of people going to uni and finishing a uni degree,” he said we are putting these University Study Hubs in the outer suburbs a lot of my friends felt like university was somewhere else for someone else and that means bringing university closer to where people live.” Western Australia scored three out of the ten inaugural SUSH facilities hubs will also be built in Mandurah and Ellenbrook The 10 locations were chosen following a competitive application process with the successful bids from suburban areas with low tertiary education participation and increased barriers to accessing tertiary study With a dearth of universities in the south east and convoluted public transport routes to existing universities And there was an enthusiastic response from the community when the City of Armadale asked for feedback ahead of submitting its application in July “Having a safe space to concentrate and focus on my studies that isn’t at home would be remarkably helpful It’s too far/expensive to commute to my actual university with my current child-raising/work commitments,” one local said “I have worked in Armadale schools for 14 years and distance is a huge disadvantage for high school students considering university education Increased online learning at university can be disengaging and impacts student success particularly when they are in a position where they need to also work to support themselves and often “If there were a place to assist young people become professionals this may create a generational change or a change to the current culture within Armadale,” another added The first Suburban University Study Hubs are expected to be operational by mid-2025 Hundreds of families on the waitlist for a kindergarten in one of Perth’s fastest-growing areas have been upset by its owners abandoning the venture as the City of Armadale refuses to budge on a planning requirement Erin Erceg owns and runs 11 Acre Farm and the popular Cubby Cafe on Nicholson Road in Forrestdale which drove interest in her family business’ Little Grots kindergarten venture amassing a huge waitlist of 500 even without advertising Erin Erceg’s Little Grots kindy was going to mesh learning with the onsite farm.Credit: Ross Swanborough she threw in the towel following a four-year development battle with the City of Armadale as the city wouldn’t grant approval unless a slip lane and other traffic treatments were built on the busy road in front of the business at Erceg’s expense We do not currently know when we will be able to complete the roadworks or when we can finally open the centre,” Erceg wrote in an email to waitlist families Traffic studies commissioned by 11 Acre Farm suggested the request was inconsistent with the size of the venture and pointed out that stretch of Nicholson Road would likely have to be duplicated within a few years so any work paid for by the business would be ripped up The city was resolute that the matter was a safety issue with chief executive Joanne Abbiss pointing to the heavy vehicles which drove along Nicholson Road every day After a State Administrative Tribunal ruling Erceg agreed to pay $700,000 to upgrade the road – on top of the $100,000 already spent on lawyers and reports – in the hope they could open the centre and begin recouping costs with extra cashflow as work began contractors found the Serpentine Trunk main water pipe was closer to the surface than anticipated That required further reporting to be provided to Water Corp and more delays which Erceg said were the straw that broke the camel’s back for her small business She told WAtoday they had attempted to create a unique kindergarten by meshing learning with the property’s working farm and food forest but the project has been abandoned due to the requirement to upgrade the road out the front of the business.Credit: Ross Swanborough “Our message [to the City of Armadale] is simple: be reasonable and flexible – as a small family business we are trying to bring something valuable to the community and the city’s rigid approach is jeopardising that,” she said “We’re asking for common sense – the road treatment is not proportionate to the scale of our business and the costs are unsustainable for us as a family-run operation.” Erceg said the city refused offers to trade at a reduced capacity with staggered session times and pointed out that a kindergarten-to-year 12 school 1.5 kilometres up the road had been open for at least six months before work began on road treatments Nearby Piara Waters is one of Perth’s fastest-growing suburbs and Erceg said the upset from waitlist families demonstrated how much the area needed childcare facilities “The volume of interest from the community has far surpassed what we expected highlighting the urgent need for quality childcare options and further validating the importance of this project,” she said Abbiss said a slip lane and other treatments were fair and necessary for the safety of customers She said the 80km/h Nicholson Road was a part of the heavy vehicle road network that carried more than 8500 vehicles per day “The proposed operation of a childcare centre with hundreds of children getting dropped off/picked up with large numbers of queuing cars on a single-lane road that carries thousands of cars and oversize trucks travelling at high speed means that these works are essential for the safety of all road users,” she said Little Grots’ development application was for a maximum of 75 children Waitlist parent Stacey Harris said she had been excited about her twin boys joining the kindy for the farming “What a great memory to start their schooling life with,” she said “I hope the City of Armadale can reconsider in helping this project come to life – and in the immediate future before my boys are too old and miss out on something that could be truly amazing.” Abbiss said the city had spent considerable time and effort assisting 11 Acre Farm with its development applications She said two schools south of 11 Acre Farm had successfully negotiated with Water Corp to get works under way and the city had offered to help the business liaise with Water Corp A Water Corp spokesman said 11 Acre Farm needed to provide a common vibration report to them to demonstrate the impact heavy machinery would have on the pipeline and there was no requirement to relocate the trunk main Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter Hundreds of families on the waitlist for a kindergarten in one of Perth\\u2019s fastest-growing areas have been upset by its owners abandoning the venture as the City of Armadale refuses to budge on a planning requirement which drove interest in her family business\\u2019 Little Grots kindergarten venture as the city wouldn\\u2019t grant approval unless a slip lane and other traffic treatments were built on the busy road in front of the business at Erceg\\u2019s expense or when we can finally open the centre,\\u201D Erceg wrote in an email to waitlist families Erceg agreed to pay $700,000 to upgrade the road \\u2013 on top of the $100,000 already spent on lawyers and reports \\u2013 in the hope they could open the centre and begin recouping costs with extra cashflow which Erceg said were the straw that broke the camel\\u2019s back for her small business She told WAtoday they had attempted to create a unique kindergarten by meshing learning with the property\\u2019s working farm and food forest \\u201COur message [to the City of Armadale] is simple: be reasonable and flexible \\u2013 as a small family business and the city\\u2019s rigid approach is jeopardising that,\\u201D she said \\u201CWe\\u2019re asking for common sense \\u2013 the road treatment is not proportionate to the scale of our business and the costs are unsustainable for us as a family-run operation.\\u201D Nearby Piara Waters is one of Perth\\u2019s fastest-growing suburbs \\u201CThe volume of interest from the community has far surpassed what we expected highlighting the urgent need for quality childcare options and further validating the importance of this project,\\u201D she said \\u201CThe proposed operation of a childcare centre with hundreds of children getting dropped off/picked up means that these works are essential for the safety of all road users,\\u201D she said Little Grots\\u2019 development application was for a maximum of 75 children \\u201CWhat a great memory to start their schooling life with,\\u201D she said \\u201CI hope the City of Armadale can reconsider in helping this project come to life \\u2013 and in the immediate future before my boys are too old and miss out on something that could be truly amazing.\\u201D Start the day with a summary of the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories historic Armadale homeSarah Petty Prominent interior designer Melissa Giuffrida is selling her Armadale house for $7.5m-$8m The five-bedroom residence at 53 Rose St was originally built in 1889 and has since been transformed by architect Taylor Knights and landscaper Ben Scott Ms Giuffrida is the mastermind behind her home’s interiors and is known as the founder of second-hand furniture and homeware marketplace Collecte in 2019 RELATED: ‘S**t hole’ to cute: AFL legend’s retreat transformed $15m-plus Melbourne mansions that have hit the market Celeb chef Adrian Richardson’s La Luna eatery for sale CoreLogic records reveal she purchased the Armadale pad for $4.25m in March 2019 Melbourne Sotheby’s International Realty Max Ruttner and Antoinette Nido are managing the listing While the house’s layout remained unchanged Ms Giuffrida said it took about 18 months to renovate “Most of the changes were in the back garden … we wanted to maximise the beautiful Ben Scott designed the property’s landscaping The circular pool in the home’s garden is solar heated The interior designer added that she wanted lots of colour throughout her home to create beautiful One of her favourite parts of the residence is the main bedroom’s private terrace which she said was a nice place to sit in the evening She also loved her laundry’s sage green tiles and drying cupboard Mr Ruttner said it was an extremely well-designed home in a great position “The home presents an amazing opportunity to walk into a turnkey residence designed by high profile architects and landscape gardeners and interior designers,” he said “It’s positioned within immediate proximity to Beatty Ave One of two living areas showcases some of Ms Giuffrida’s sense of style The light-filled kitchen is adorned in marble He added that there was already more buoyancy and energy in Melbourne’s property market compared to last year with growing demand for fully-renovated homes The north-facing Armadale address features a rich colour palette Fionacchi terrazzo and Brodware fixtures throughout The kitchen is fitted with a Lacanche double French oven The dining room opposite the more formal lounge room A private terrace off of the main bedroom provides a bright start to the day Walking up the Christopher Farr stair runner an ensuite with Carrara marble and a large dressing room There’s an additional four bedrooms with built-in wardrobes as well as a home office with a fitted desk and a large laundry with a drying room there’s a round solar-heated pool and gas-heated spa as well as a wood-burning fireplace Expressions of interest close at 1pm on March 31 MORE: Eight hacks to make your renovation worth the money Ash Barty home auction ends in tie-break Reno queen Suzie Wilks lists her 4ha Peninsula acreage Share via...Gift this articleSubscribe to gift this article Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe one of the founders of home builder Porter Davis and his wife Nathalie have sold their opulent Armadale home for about $19 million clocking one of the blue-chip Melbourne suburb’s highest sale prices for a residential property While the exact price is undisclosed, local sources say the former Young Rich Lister and his wife sold the lavish Flete Avenue home for slightly below their initial $20 million to $22 million range to ink the deal on January 2 SaveLog in or Subscribe to save articleShareCopy link Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe. Follow the topics, people and companies that matter to you. Premier Roger Cook unveiled his new cabinet on Tuesday naming three new ministers – Meredith Hammat Member for Armadale and former Minister for Education; Aboriginal Affairs; Citizenship and Multicultural Interests Tony Buti has been given a brand-new portfolio Dr Buti has been named Attorney General for WA “I am deeply honoured to be named the state’s new Attorney General,” he said and ensuring our laws serve our communities.” Dr Buti retains his portfolio for Multicultural Interests and will also serve as Minister for Commerce and Tertiary and International Education Porter Davis co-founder David Shergold and his wife Nathalie have sold their Armadale mansion for just under $19m The five-bedroom house at 6 Flete Ave was listed in October with a $20m-22m price guide and unusually was advertised for sale abroad before it was in Australia Property records show the property was in the name of Mr Shergold’s wife RELATED: ‘Worrying’: home approvals drop in blow to Albo housing plan Half-burned home listed for $500k, Porter Davis arson house to hit market Revealed: Australia’s 50 ‘safest’ suburbs to invest in Mr Shergold helped create the home building business in 1999 but sold his stake in 2007 — well before Porter Davis went into liquidation with about 1700 people awaiting homes to be built last year While Abercromby’s director Jock Langley declined to comment on who the sellers were or the sale price he said both the vendors and the purchasers were very happy “The significance of this property sale in the early new year is a good confidence boost for those who are looking to transact,” Mr Langley said “Homes like this don’t come up every day of the week.” Inside the home’s kitchen and dining space The home also has its own private movie theatre He added that the house was beautifully designed which drew a lot of interest while it was on the market Mr Langley told the Herald Sun earlier the residence underwent a full refit after it was purchased about 10 years ago by the vendors “It is a true one off,” he said at the time MORE: Australian-Indian princess’ linked to haunted Vic homes a large screening of evergreen trees behind it that give it good privacy.” Natural light flows through from the upper level Abercromby’s director Jock Langley said both the vendors and the purchasers were very happy He also noted that efforts to sell the property had started overseas Interstate buyers had also eyed the home from Sydney and Queensland while local parties included recent migrants from across Asia The mansion was designed by architect Ralph Chalmers and has light-filled living zones as well as a five-car garage MORE: Jamie Durie reveals how the perfect deck can elevate your home’s value Fun factor at epic Aussie homes with rock climbing, water slides and motocross tracks TV’s Gold Gypsies reveal what to look for if you want a bush block where you can find gold Patrick Johnson debuted women’s suiting in 2019. Lithe silhouettes in sumptuous silks and linens, in shades ranging from black and navy to powder blue and terracotta, quickly made P Johnson Femme a destination for occasional and everyday wear. (And not just for the women who’d been shopping Johnson’s menswear for years.) Femme has evolved over five years to include a range of ready-to-wear garments from cashmere sweaters to fluid floor-length gowns to Italian silk mules Until now, Melburnians could shop the Femme collection in a compact suite at P Johnson’s Windsor showroom womenswear will move to a shiny new home in Armadale occupying the spacious ground floor of a double-storey Victorian-era shopfront on High Street travel spots and more – curated by those who know The new boutique means more space to showcase its growing range of refined essentials while the Windsor showroom will return to being a dedicated menswear destination (The second floor in Armadale will also house men’s tailoring.) The High Street site “was a gallery for some time – we don’t know a lot more,” says interior designer Tamsin Johnson Patrick’s wife and the deft hand behind all P Johnson interiors The Armadale showroom will be the brand’s 10th Tamsin’s vision for Armadale is one of luxury combined with homeliness orchestrated like a beautiful living room or drawing room.” Walls will be treated with parchment-effect paintwork evocative of a 1920s-style Viennese hotel lobby bar Antiques will mingle with vintage pieces – Tamsin is particularly excited about an art deco French hall stand she has pencilled in for the centre of the store – and sculptural lighting “It will feel decadent and confident,” she says An ideal backdrop for Femme’s luminous silk organzas as well as the fact the building was recently renovated “into something expressly pointed at retail” The refurb created “a large and light shell” that Tamsin could easily adapt “A lot of sites don’t get that tailored-for-retail treatment and as a result are never that ideal to operate from,” Riley says ensuring the kind of curbside charisma that typifies all P Johnson’s showrooms Original copper window framing has “come up beautifully” Femme will take up residence on a stretch of High Street that’s now home to a plethora of Australian designers alongside sleek emporiums filled with international fashion Recent additions to the terrace-lined main street include London perfumer Jo Malone and Australian fashion house Sener Besim The new neighbours only help to cement the precinct’s status as one of the best shopping destinations in the city “It really is the premier strip in Victoria for womenswear,” Patrick says P Johnson Femme is scheduled to open in October 2024 at 1082 High Street Four To Try: The New Melbourne Jewellery Stores That Are a Cut Above “Camp and Playful”: Support Independent Artists and Designers at Brunswick’s Shop Dussy What’s New: The Melbourne Store Openings To Get Around This Year Street Style: Opening Night Runway at Paypal Melbourne Fashion Festival 2025 Armadale Soccer Club took on Perth Glory on Sunday for the final group round of the National Premier League WA Men’s Night Series a loss and a draw this series – including two 4-1 victories in the first two rounds against Balcatta and Freo – Armadale was in a much better place to take the final semi-final spot against Olympic nothing but a victory would have advanced them to the semis but even a draw for Armadale would have been enough unless Bayswater annihilated Freo by four goals or more and a sea of red and black packed the stands A goalless first half raised hopes that Armadale were in with a chance But the deadlock was broken by Glory’s Seb Despotovski within minutes of the second half It wasn’t long until the visitors upped the ante with another goal Despotovski all but cemented the win for Glory with his second for the night And Khoa Ngo sealed it with the fourth for the Academy First side Armadale’s Purvish Appadoo managed to sneak one in before full time ensuring it wasn’t a complete shut-out for the home side But the resounding 4-1 victory for Perth Glory secured their ticket to the semi-finals Armadale still has one trick up its sleeve Armadale’s first Men’s NPL Gold Medal winner and 2024 Golden Boot winner Pieter Jacobsz is still out in front as leading scorer for the series All eyes will be on the semi-finals to see if second-placed Joey O’Brien from Sorrento or Stirling Macedonia’s Joshua Bilaloski can overtake Jacobsz’ lead While numbers of entries in this year’s City of Armadale Connected Community Christmas Lights Trail competition were down A total of 26 households registered to take part in 2024 with two city-wide major prizes up for grabs and also prizes going to the best display in each ward It was no surprise that the winner of the Best Private Residence went to Kevin Bradney of 3 Pelham Street in Armadale who constructed his very own mini railway and passenger train which has been ferrying delighted visitors around his Christmas wonderland this month The stakes were raised for this year’s best solar or green-powered display The very deserving eco-friendly winners were Romela and Melvin Sanggalan of 4 Seine Mews in Champion Lakes who also put as much effort into emphasising the true meaning of Christmas with their beautiful display A special shout out to the owners of: 23 Willowmead Way “Congratulations to all the deserving winners and a big thank you to all our participants this year,” Mayor Butterfield said expertise and sheer number of lights continues to grow with one of this year’s winners using a mini passenger train ride to give visitors an immersive lighting experience “The City’s Connected Community Christmas Lights Trail continues to bring the community together to enjoy the Christmas spirit in our streets and neighbourhoods.” You can find all participating houses in this year’s competition, by accessing the trail map at https://engage.armadale.wa.gov.au/2024-connected-community-christmas-lights More than 25 years since the 1999 South West Metropolitan Railway Master Plan first outlined an east-west rail connection in Perth’s southern suburbs the first test trains have begun operating between METRONET’s Thornlie-Cockburn Link marking a significant milestone in the city’s public transport infrastructure The first test train left the new Nicholson Rd station on Monday and travelled to Carlisle station also officially marking the start of test trains for the Victoria Park-Canning Level Crossing Removal project The Armadale and Thornlie train lines have been closed since November 2023 as part of the ongoing upgrades An extensive testing and commissioning program is now underway to ensure that all infrastructure and systems are functioning effectively The $1.352 billion METRONET Thornlie-Cockburn Link project connecting the Armadale and Mandurah lines includes two new stations at Nicholson Road and Ranford Rd along with upgrades to the Thornlie and Cockburn Central stations As Perth’s first east-west rail connection 17.5 kilometres of new duplicate tracks run parallel to the pre-existing freight line and utilise tunnels that go beneath the Kwinana Freeway and Roe and Albany Highways any hope of the Thornlie to Mandurah line rail link was abandoned by the Barnett government When passenger services begin later this year commuters will be able to reach Perth in 26 minutes from Nicholson Rd Station and in 29 minutes from Ranford Rd Station Premier Roger Cook said on Monday that once opened the new rail service would offer some of the most affordable public transport in the country “The METRONET Thornlie-Cockburn Link delivers a whole new way of moving around our suburbs I can’t wait for train rides straight to Optus Stadium,” he said “METRONET is powering ahead across Perth – transforming our suburbs and providing affordable transport for WA families.” The State Government believes the train link will boost growth and accessibility in the south-eastern suburbs and a direct route to Perth Stadium Station for Mandurah Line passengers WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti stated that the new transport infrastructure is essential for keeping Perth moving and supporting its growth “Perth’s first east-west line connection will be a game-changer for thousands of people living in our south-eastern suburbs who have never had access to our world-class train network,” she said “That’s what METRONET is delivering – a better-connected city where more people can access the affordable public transport being provided by our WA Labor Government.” The Thornlie-Cockburn Link and Armadale Line are still scheduled to open in mid-2025 An Armadale man who assaulted and threatened a taxi driver with an imitation gun has been arrested Armadale Detectives have charged a 61-year-old man after the incident in Armadale on Saturday Police have alleged a fight broke out between the man and a taxi driver it is alleged the 61-year-old man damaged the taxi and threatened the driver with what appeared to be a firearm During a search of a home on Lewis Court in Armadale police located and seized more than 20 imitation and home-made firearms The 61-year-old man from Armadale has been charged with assault and being armed in a way that may cause fear He appeared before the Armadale Magistrates Court on Monday The Y WA is excited to send three young representatives on a colourful journey joining young people from the Y NSW to march with a custom-made float in the Sydney Mardi Gras parade on Saturday 1 March Expressions of interest were called from across the Y WA with the three young people being chosen to represent the LGBTQIA+ community Mitch Dyer is a Youth Worker for the Y WA’s Drumbeat program run out of Y-time in Armadale “Growing up queer in a regional town with a conservative family it was not always easy for me to be myself,” Mitch said as a young adult I believe that having the freedom to express oneself authentically is essential to living a fulfilling life I strive to help young people embrace their individuality and feel confident to express themselves authentically Queer young people grow up absorbing so much shame and stigma but we are resilient and have the power to overcome this and thrive “The world is becoming a more accepting place for queer people but there is still so much work to be done I hope that in my career in youth work I can be a part of this change and help break down stigma so that queer young people can be the truest and best version of themselves.” The Y float has been designed by young people with the slogan The design features eight superheroes – all young people imbued with powerful abilities tied to their colour in the progressive pride flag Y WA CEO Dr Tim McDonald will also join the three WA representatives dressed for the occasion and showing their commitment and support for everyone Summer storms can be especially brutal in Australia Communities all over the country have recently felt the wrath of nature Armadale has been blessed with a relatively mild summer but members of our community were there to lend a helping hand to those who weren’t so lucky volunteers from Armadale SES assisted the Tom Price SES unit when a freak storm hit the town They spent three days up there helping remove trees from roofs The SES volunteers were looked after extremely well by the local unit and the Shire of Ashburton And last week Shire President Audra Smith and City of Armadale Deputy Mayor John Keogh called into the Armadale base during training to present a plaque in recognition of their selfless work in helping to restore the town Armadale members once again answered the call for help – this time from the Queensland Government – and flew to Townsville to assist with the floods in Ingham Volunteers from Armadale joined other Perth units to clean out houses that had been inundated After five days wading through the aftermath the crew were packing up to return to Perth when they received another call to assist in the clean-up in Port Hedland after Cyclone Zelia hit Volunteers from the Armadale and Gosnells units were sent to a large station called De Gray which had been severely hit by the Category 4 Cyclone De Gray Station was cut off from everyone by severe flooding and fast flowing rivers so the only means of getting in with equipment and food supplies was by helicopter Team members spent their days clearing trees and repairing roof damage the Armadale unit was just settling down for a bit of R and R last week when a microburst hit the Perth Hills So off they went to help clean up after violent winds carved up a path from Gidgegannup to Mundaring 14 Armadale SES volunteers answered the call last Wednesday night followed by another seven members the next day  Members from Gosnells and other units also assisted “Thanks heaps to SES who helped cut a tree off our roof in Gidgegannup last night “The SES always step up when we need them most,” the Department of Fire and Emergency Services said Armadale creatives are getting ready to paint the town red at one of the most highly anticipated events on the local arts calendar The Armadale Art Society (ASA) will throw open the doors of the District Hall next weekend for the 37th Annual Awards Exhibition And this year promises to be an extraordinary event showcasing the diverse works of its members across all mediums and genres This exhibition is not just about viewing art; it’s an immersive experience attendees can enjoy live painting demonstrations where talented artists will share their techniques and inspirations Visitors will also be able to engage in conversations with the artists and gain insights into their creative processes The Annual Awards Exhibition is a testament to the vibrant and dynamic art scene the society is proud to foster The exhibition will feature many multi-award-winning artists whose works have been recognized for their excellence the society is excited to welcome first-time exhibitors offering a fresh perspective and new voices in the art community And a special highlight this year is the inclusion of youth members these young artists will showcase their remarkable talents and be part of the Awards Their participation marks a significant milestone for ASA reflecting its commitment to nurturing the next generation of artists One of the unique aspects of ASA’s exhibition is that the society does not take any commissions on artworks sold This means all proceeds go directly to the artists helping to keep the artworks at an affordable price members will be serving delicious homemade scones and muffins during morning and afternoon teas Join ASA for a day of artistic celebration from 10am to 4pm at the Armadale District Hall Katies in the Armadale Shopping Centre has been pummelled by people hoping to snap up a bargain in its final days It’s the end of an era for the long-running women’s clothing brand which first hit the Australian market in 1954 Katies’ owner – Mosaic Brands – went into administration owing creditors $249 million Last week it was announced all 80 Katies stores around the country will be closed by mid-January after it was found a number of outlets were operating at a loss A further 80 unprofitable Mosaic-owned stores will also be shuttered in the new year There’s no news yet if the Armadale stores are part of that tranche of closures The last day of trade for the Armadale Katies was yesterday It’s been a very difficult year for the Armadale Police Rangers the rangers had a very big end-of-year awards night with more than 110 guests and Joondalup Academy’s Shaun Staples attended the event to acknowledge the hard work of the Armadale unit The WA Police Youth Band played while the rangers marched in A total of 27 awards were given out for the night with help from Cecil Andrews College’s Deputy Principal Melissa Kettle “We’d like to thank the parents for all their support to keep Armadale Police Rangers up and running,” Unit Leader Ben Boekholt said “I hope you all have a blessed Christmas and new year.” New surgical clinics to treat Aboriginal children with ear nose and throat (ENT) conditions will run four times a year in Armadale in 2025 allowing children like Jett Giles to hear better Head and Neck Surgery Dr Anton Hinton-Bayre said Aboriginal children suffered ear disease at a higher rate outpatient ENT clinics have been held at the Armadale Hospital for Aboriginal children children have been referred to Rockingham or Perth Children’s hospitals for surgery “What is new is that we now have four operating lists a year onsite at Armadale for kids who would benefit from surgery,” Dr Hinton-Bayre said Surgeons at Armadale will treat conditions such as Glue Ear (where part of the middle ear fills with fluid) and Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media – a chronic inflammation of the middle ear and mastoid cavity with symptoms such as discharge and hearing loss “It means we can provide ENT surgical services closer to home for these children and their families,” Dr Hinton-Bayre said Surgery can be scheduled during school time and transport can be arranged “It’s about removing as many barriers to healthcare as possible for these children,” Dr Hinton-Bayre said who also runs clinics at Royal Perth Hospital and Port Hedland The Armadale clinics run on Friday mornings While waiting for his recent ear surgery at Armadale Hospital Jett Giles was very interested in how the stethoscope worked and the ‘pop’ made when the insert is pulled out of a syringe He even got the chance to wear a ‘Supertee’ designed by a Sydney father who struggled to dress his child in hospital and wanted kids facing surgical procedures or hospital stays to be recognised as the true superheroes they are The Supertees were donated to the hospital and allow parents and hospital staff to change their child while accessing or bypassing medical lines .prefix__st0{fill:#333}AccessAccount As a shopping destination, Armadale is a quiet achiever – but make no mistake, this High Street is one of the city’s busiest. Here are the best new openings of the past year, from fashion to booze, bagels to wellness centres. there’s no shortage of ways to treat yourself We’ve put together a list of some of our favourite new(ish) openings on Armadale’s High Street – including a cheeky sneak peek at some upcoming new arrivals before they’ve even had a chance to put up the “open” sign A brand spanking new store right in the heart of High Street is set to deliver Nude Lucy’s sustainable Specialising in natural fibres like linen and organic cotton this much-loved Sydney brand is poised to elevate its casual basics into more trend-aware pieces This new arrival to the wellness scene in Armadale might look humble from the outside – but there’s a treasure trove of high-tech treatments within from the registered nurses offering IV drips in the comfy lounge area upon arrival to the attendants guiding you between the cryotherapy infrared and cold plunge for contrast therapy The tech doesn’t stop there – it even has space-age Hydroxy Airpods that deliver oxygen therapy while you relax in the comfy pod seat this Parisian gem is the perfect spot for a cheeky post-shopping-spree tipple Here you’ll find bistro classics like steak tartare and escargot as well as an extensive list of wines and old-world cocktails with a modern touch you’ll also find a unique collection of ultra-chic bar accoutrements – including playful 1920s-inspired coasters and cocktail glasses – to impress your guests Stylish sleepwear is something we tend to overlook (tattered band tee If you’re in the market for something you’d be happy for your neighbours to see during the next false fire alarm in your building Its range of men’s and women’s luxury sleepwear is as chic as it is comfortable – and if you’re a fan of pyjama dressing as an alternative to activewear some of these pieces have even been spotted in fashion week street style Brides and grooms also love this High Street hotspot – and its pieces can be personalised for wedding day gifting If you’re looking for brunch to fuel your shopping adventure, or something to take home for dinner, Ruben’s Deli is a popular spot down the Armadale station end of High Street but the New York-style cafe also stocks a solid range of salads Pick up a cinnamon babka and a pre-bottled cocktail to go spend $5 or more on your Mastercard credit card and you’ll automatically go in the draw to win prizes like a Bennelong dining voucher or a $1500 Mastercard gift card – so it might be time to invest in that special statement piece you’ve been eyeing This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Mastercard Turn every day spend into winning moments – just spend $5 or more with your Mastercard credit card at any merchant and you’ll automatically go in the draw to win exciting prizes including a $1500 Bennelong dining voucher or a $1500 Mastercard gift card Produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Mastercard. Learn more about partner content on Broadsheet 17 Aussie Spots Make the World’s 101 Best Steak Restaurants List 10 Vote-Winning Recipes for Your Election Party