FORRESTFIELD police have commended the establishment of the Hawaiian neighbourhood chats group bringing together a diverse cross-section of local stakeholders to develop informed solutions to local issues said the initiative being driven by Hawaiian was an excellent idea and all striving for the same thing: a safe “Making sure we have the right people connected at the right time is critical I’m impressed with the effort Hawaiian is making to deepen its commitment to the community,” he said The chat group’s aim is straightforward yet impactful: to gather the right people in the same room to identify key challenges and work collaboratively on sustainable “These meetings serve as a valuable platform for inclusive discussion ensuring every voice in the community is heard and respected,” OIC Robinson said At the recent Neighbourhood Chats’ session key discussions focused on how Hawaiian could enhance awareness of and access to local services such as community groups and organisations Recognising the evolving needs of the neighbourhood the group also explored ways to foster long-term community engagement by discussing opportunities for residents to actively participate in place-making activities and initiatives participants highlighted the need to improve accessibility and public transport infrastructure A FORRESTFIELD mum who saves good food from becoming landfill and feeds thousands in need has become a state finalist in the search for Australia’s kindest person Athena Powell volunteers for charity Feed it Forward distributing food to more than 2000 local families from her car and home Ms Powell is a mother of four and performs these acts of service while also being a full time carer for her father She is one of three state finalists who were selected from hundreds of entries nationwide Ms Powell said she wasn’t aware of the competition or her submission in it as she was nominated by one of the people she helped “One of the people who visited my food pantry nominated me,” she said ‘By the way I nominated you and you’re a state finalist’ ‘What?’ and she said she was thankful for the hard times that she got through because of our work Ms Powell said she grew up rough in Forrestfield and Beckenham and those memories helped give meaning to the work she does I had a really hard upbringing and there wasn’t food there so sometimes family members had to resort to stealing just to be fed,” she said “My parents were druggies and by the time I turned 10-years-old Mum was diagnosed with drug induced schizophrenia “We had enough to run the generator for an hour and quickly shower and feed me and my sisters and that was it “I started working at 14 to help pay at home and get out of that situation as soon as I could.” Echo News paid a visit during a Wednesday collection where donuts were being given away People patiently waited on Ms Powell’s front lawn in the spring sunshine some shielding their eyes with a hand on their brow before they were given the signal to come in the people filed into a line and began taking a few items from the shelves “I think I may have scared people off when I told them on Monday that photos might be taken,” Ms Powell said “Usually there’s no parking on the street from how busy it gets.” Community members who arrived took a moment to greet Ms Powell and catch up briefly and all thanked her and said goodbye as they left Ms Powell said there still existed a deep-rooted shame for people to reach out despite the real hardships they faced One instance stood out to her that she said she had never forgotten I was donating to a local school that my kids go to and this kid came up to me,” she said we wouldn’t have food on mum’s off week of pay.’ “She had sent him over to thank me because she felt too ashamed to come over herself — they’re too ashamed to come and I explain to them I’ve been in the same situation “I do it because people deserve to at least stay fed and have food for their children.” People may vote for Ms Powell at Black Pepper stores during September FORRESTFIELD personal trainer and domestic violence survivor Catherine Eastman shared her story about escaping an abusive relationship and moving on from the trauma during Midland’s 2024 March That Matters who is a dental hygienist and personal trainer in Forrestfield said her story began in childhood with the behaviours she saw at home “It starts with my parents: my dad is one of those Caucasian men that travelled to a poor Asian country to find a wife so growing up I saw a lot of disrespect in the home but didn’t realise that that was what it was,” she said “I thought my parents loved each other just like I guess all young children do “When you’re growing up in an environment where there is abuse “You don’t understand what healthy is and you just think that’s the way of the world “My childhood really shaped me for being just re-victimised over and over again throughout my life and then eight years ago was the final abusive relationship that I was in Ms Eastman said her last relationship almost cost her life but was also a reminder of the resilience and capacity for change that exists in the human spirit and it almost killed me multiple times,” she said “He was a terrifying man who I’ll call Brad “I’m just telling you this so people can appreciate how terrifying it was to be with someone like that and I found myself in a situation where I didn’t know how to escape “There was one incident where he attempted to drown me in the Swan River but luckily the police attended and pulled us out of the water “It was eight years ago but I have slowly been trying to put myself back together and I’ve always loved the ocean but that experience terrified me I could barely leave the house and it was just terrible but I thought How about I’ll just try for the first time in my life — how about I really try to get over my mental health issues and stop repeating my patterns?’   “My whole life it’s the same kind of man but just different faces and I would always find myself in yet again another situation where another man had hurt me and I couldn’t figure it out “I read as much as I could about trauma and psychology and I started to understand myself and I started to understand these men and hiking and it took me years of work and trying different things to be who I am now and to be able to say I’m not affected by PTSD or depression anymore “I just want everyone to know that if you knew me back then and you know me now I’m such a different person it would blow your mind and I can’t believe what a human being is capable of when they put their mind to it “I didn’t know I had this strength and so I just want to leave people with this message of hope that your life can change at any moment it doesn’t mean that it won’t be hard work but anything is possible you just have to try to believe in yourself and just take those baby steps.” If you are experiencing family or domestic violence FORRESTFIELD Senior Leisure Club’s founding member and treasurer Eric Ayrey has retired after serving his club as a member for 25 years The leisure club celebrated Mr Ayrey’s long-time service to the club by presenting him with a cake and dedication certificate recognising him and his wife as co-founders of the club The club began as a women’s only social club in Forrestfield known as the leisure social sports and travel club It has since grown to be a more inclusive club and also welcoming members beyond Forrestfield such as Maida Vale social gaming gatherings and afternoon teas When being presented with the cake and dedication certificate Mr Ayrey stood up and said it was his pleasure to be the treasurer for all those years and thanked everybody for all they’d done Club coordinator Lorraine Steward said Mr Ayrey’s work often involved collecting fees to fund club outings accounting for numbers of members present at each event and noting who they were his spare time is spent on his vegetable garden and he also never misses his carpet bowls on Wednesdays,” she said “He loves going out with his friends to lunch and was always willing to help his fellow members with anything they needed.” GUILDFORD resident and former Geraldton MLA Ian Blayney is spearheading  the Nationals WA’s push into metropolitan seats for the first time in over a hundred years The Nationals WA leader Shane Love and Mr Blayney met with Echo News this week to speak about representing Forrestfield and he said the role meant quite a lot to him as it’s a first and a strategically strong move “You don’t get many opportunities in life to do something for the first time,” Mr Blayney said “I’m a member of Rotary and I’m a member of a church in Guildford so there are a couple of interests I have in the community “I’ve run for seats in parliament four times and three times successfully “But this is very different because obviously I live near it and I’ve been living around here for four years but it’s different to where it was in Geraldton.” Mr Blayney said he had lived in Geraldton for most of his life and despite the differences there were similarities between the two areas as well “Geraldton’s a service centre for the Midwest and the similarity here is that a lot of people in Forrestfield are either involved in the mining industry as fly-in-fly-out workers or they’re involved in the trucking industry and there’s a lot of people here in the trucking industry and there’s a lot of people involved in the small business sector.” “But I’ve been struck a little at the similarities of most of the area to some of the suburbs in Geraldton in particular the suburb called Allendale in Geraldton which has got a very similar sort of demographic with a lot of young families generally involved in either small business He spent a lot of time dealing with housing and medical issues when representing the residents of the Geraldton  electorate and wanted to bring his experience to Forrestfield Mr Love and Mr Blayney both wanted to be a voice for the firearm owners who were impacted by the latest round of legislation for reforms of the Firearms Act “I have an open-door policy: if you’ve got a problem come and see me and I’ll do what I can to help you “I work hard and I’m not here for myself,” Mr Blayney said GENERAL practitioner Dr Gregory Caddy, who practices at Mead Medical in Forrestfield and Kalamunda, has been named Western Australia’s GP supervisor of the year by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. Dr Caddy was recognised for his wealth of knowledge and for nurturing generations of doctors towards a rewarding career in general practice. He was born in the small town of Three Springs, around 300km north of Perth and said he was inspired to become a GP by learning from the work of rural doctors. “Country GPs did everything, I remember countless times when I was young my siblings and I being treated by a GP for all manner of things,” he said. “A country GP often does everything you can think of, and does it with very little support, but they’re always there for their community. “That’s the kind of medicine I wanted to practice and that’s what I try to teach all my registrars. “Most of the time people don’t need knowledge. You can get knowledge from anywhere. Mostly they need to learn how to be caring and gentle with people in tough situations, I think that’s the most important part of being a GP.” Dr Caddy has been working in the Perth Hills for more than three decades and said he felt like a real part of the community as a local GP. “There really is a sense of community up in the hills, it’s great to be part of, especially as I have been for so many years,” he said. “It’s a great place to start for any young medical practitioner, and I’m proud to help so many young registrars come through. “I’ll have ex-students of mine that I see go on to run their own clinics and travel round the country and branching out to do all sorts of things, and that’s the beauty of teaching, I guess, is seeing your students grow and go on to become as good or much better than you are.” Dr Caddy said he wants his students to be the best they can be and is proud of his role in helping the next generation of doctors grow and flourish. Royal Australian College of General Practitioners WA chair Dr Ramya Raman said the awards were an opportunity to reflect on the important work of GPs and their teams. “This year’s winners are all exceptional GPs who have done brilliant work – not just for their patients, but for their wider communities and colleagues,” she said. “They are standout examples of why general practice is such a wonderful, challenging and rewarding career, and the impact that is possible in the role.” THE Tonkin Highway corridor upgrade aimed to remove two recognised traffic light congestion points have left some Kalamunda residents worried it will also negatively impact access on Hale Road. Kalamunda resident Milton White has been in contact with Main Roads for years, asking for attention on road problems near the Hale Road and Tonkin Highway intersection. Mr White said although two public meetings have secured some changes, another was needed as construction was imminent and there were concerns that remained unresolved. “Main Roads, in my opinion have not shown on their animated video the true effect of how their plan will impact Forrestfield residences,” he said. “People will have to plan their way to approach Hale Road from the west all the way back at Kewdale Road. “This is a busy section of Tonkin Highway as traffic has to negotiate how they get onto Roe Highway heading south amid traffic wanting to head for Midland, traffic coming into the mix from Abernethy Road and now those wanting to turn left onto Hale Road and into Forrestfield. “This is so complicated when the current access works. “I’ve spoken to sitting Forrestfield Labor MP Steven Price through his representative who seems satisfied with what Main Roads is planning, saying it will be a big improvement. “The big improvement will be traffic not having to come to a stop at the present intersection, but the problem for us, the residents of Forrestfield, comes down to our access.” Mr White contacted Minister for Transport Rita Saffioti’s office asking to retain access and received a letter at the beginning of 2025 notifying him the inclusion of south facing ramps to and from Hale Road wasn’t supported. “Upon completion of the project, motorists travelling from Forrestfield onto Tonkin Highway South, can use Hale Road to travel to Welshpool Road East and then to the new interchange at Tonkin Highway and Welshpool Road East. “With the removal of the traffic signals at the Tonkin Highway and Welshpool Road intersection, journeys into and out of Wattle Grove are expected to be more efficient than they are at present.” Inside Bruce Rock Engineering’s Forrestfield facility Bruce Rock Engineering (BRE) first operated out of a 300-square-metre workshop with a single employee in the country town of Bruce Rock in Western Australia the company’s grand vision of becoming a leader of Australia’s road transport industry was larger than its humble production capabilities but the Verhoogts trusted the process and the company grew massively Armed with a mission to support world-class road transport solutions while collaborating with customers on design and manufacturing – in addition to strong company values that have been consistently upheld to this day – BRE has crossed state boundaries and accrued a larger team along the way the company’s service and repair capabilities have been just as integral to the brand identity as its trailer manufacturing with operations helmed by the next generation of Verhoogts BRE manages four facilities in WA and has extended its offerings to the east coast with representation based in Victoria this presence is bolstered by its sister companies Each of BRE’s main facilities have a specialised focus, with Geraldton and Port Hedland sites specifically providing dedicated service and repair capabilities and its Forrestfield site serving as a one-stop shop for all customer needs according to BRE Forrestfield Service Manager including refurbishment projects and accident damage to pretty much any trailer brand with our services ranging from basic servicing all the way up to major accident repairs for trailers or units that have received substantial damage quote and submit directly to insurance companies we complete the repairs all under one roof – everything from the mechanical and fabrication aspects of the repairs to the final blasting The consolidation of these tasks to one site is a massive benefit to BRE’s service and repair capabilities the Forrestfield site (which opened on 27 October 2023) consists of two buildings One is dedicated to steel processing and chassis fabrication while the other hosts a combination of repair The whole facility boasts an area of 18,000 square metres on a 40,000-square-metre block of land and cuts out the presence of any middlemen during all aspects of production this helps the company to strengthen its position in the trailer manufacturing market “It underpins our ability to keep up with our market growth and continue to service our current and new customers,” he says “It gets us back under one site in the metro area “We never had a blast and paint facility in Perth so we were relying on third party contractors to do any of that stuff in Perth for us which was problematic from a cost service and repair capabilities present at BRE’s Forrestfield facility that can also be found at other sites in Geraldton and Port Hedland further strengthen the company’s outreach and service opportunities for customers Tony says that BRE’s ability to service and repair a large scope of trailer brands wasn’t a conscious business choice as much as a natural progression of the company’s skillset “We’ve always been focused on providing a solid aftersales service to our brand-loyal customers that are looking to have their product serviced we just expanded into servicing other brands of trailers and doing other repairs we were there to support our customers and their new products with that aftersales service but now we’re at a stage where we can provide that same service and more to other trailer manufacturers and brands.” While effectively servicing demand through its various multi-purpose facilities BRE has more plans in store for these sites the next focus is restructuring the facilities’ service and repair operating hours and adopting a shift system to provide further capability and flexibility for customers a number of other sites are currently working shift systems,” he says The vision for service and repairs is that we hope to move to a 12-hour wish the goal to offer a 24-hour service in the near future.” The full capacity of BRE’s Forrestfield site is a testament to the company’s major growth the company remains grounded in its humble beginnings – always striving to serve the demand of its loyal customer base With multiple facilities equipped to meet demand and deliver comprehensive services BRE ensures that all customers’ needs are met seamlessly in one place Dulux Automotive Coatings has operated in Australia for more than 100 years WBG Road Tankers & Trailer Repairs has played a vital role in the commercial road transport industry since the 1980s.. The relationship between SAF-Holland and FBT Transwest began in the midst of the Global Financial Crisis in 2008 when the.. All content published on this site is the property of Prime Creative Media PRELIMINARY construction works have begun on the revamped Forrestfield police complex The upgraded station will see the police complex moved onto the site of the old Forrestfield library on the corner of Strelitzia Avenue and Salix Way – right next to the current police station The planning report estimates works to cost $14.5 million with the current station to remain operational during construction before its expected demolition during the later stages of construction to make way for an updated secure vehicle compound Forrestfield Police station officer in charge and senior sergeant Brad Robinson said the current police station will still be open Monday to Friday 8am to 4pm “The area next door will be under construction but that will have no effect on the operational hours of the current station,” he said The planning report states that the revamped station will have the same look and feel as other police stations across the state with the Forrestfield design based on the revamped Baldivis station “A key objective of the WA police force is for all future stations to have the same look and feel thereby enabling staff to readily and easily assimilate into a new environment,” the report said The works are due to be completed this year with the new police station operational by the end of the year Bruce Rock Engineering’s new Forrestfield facility Bruce Rock Engineering (BRE) held the official opening of its 18,000-square-metre Forrestfield facility will prepare the trailer builder for the growth and demand to come in the next decade The new facility is set up with two separate buildings and features CNC higher-plasma laser piping and all the typical metal processing elements that is required for BRE’s in-house transport manufacturing The other part of the building is dedicated to chassis fabrication robotic welding of medium-sized componentry for draw bars and dollies The second building on the site is split in two for BRE’s repair It features 45-metre drive through bays that will accommodate AB-triple and 42-metre triple combinations three full-length pits with hydraulic platforms for BRE’s service and repair functions and a final assembly of dollies general freight and refrigerated vans with a wash bay on the end of it says the Forrestfield facility significantly increases BRE’s manufacturing ability as well as giving it a massive increase in repair dedicated spare parts and a much-improved customer service experience a hugely expanded repair and maintenance refurbishing and service capability with those drive through bays We never had a blast and paint facility in Perth It will also give BRE space to invest in new CNC machinery “It just allowed us to clean slate material and product flow that will bring us some reasonably significant efficiency improvements over time,” Damion says The decision to invest in and create the new facility was essential as it was evident that BRE outgrew its Perth facility that was built in 2016 within a couple of years “We actually had another leased facility in Perth for three or four years as well – we were operating off two sites in Perth which was just a bit of a nightmare,” he says “It’s hard enough operating off remote sites we wanted to design and build something that was going to get us back onto one site in Perth and future-proof our capacity and growth requirements for at least 10 years to handle what we’re going to do out of the WA market “Traditionally we’d only done what we thought was plenty at the time we made a conscious effort of not doing that this time and making sure that we had enough space for the foreseeable future That being said – this facility was designed for us to grow into rather than being what we needed for the next few years.” Damion has been a part of BRE since he was very young he would help out at the family business on weekends and school holidays Having grown up in the company and surpassed 20 years as an official member of the team he says it’s a relief to see the new facility finally operational especially in the current construction environment during Covid which is what we were dealing with,” he says and it’s great to actually see it completed and operational The focus now turns to getting the efficiency through the improvements it was designed to give.” Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time The opening of the Forrestfield-Airport Link will be delayed almost a year beyond its original schedule Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the delay was caused by damage to a tunnel-to-tunnel cross passage near the Forrestfield Station site The Forrestfield-Airport Link will be delayed up to a year.Credit: Unknown The first trains are now expected on the line in the second half of 2021 A leak developed in the cross passage in September, leading to "movement in 16 concrete rings and damage to a 26 metre section of one tunnel", along with the appearance of a sinkhole next to Dundas Road. Ms Saffioti said while the delay was unfortunate, the government's primary focus was on safety and quality. "I believe the time added to the construction schedule is a small price to pay to ensure we safely deliver this asset which will serve the people of WA for generations," Ms Saffioti said in a written statement. "Investigations have indicated a number of potential causes, including construction defects in the grout block or failure of the join between the tunnel lining and grout. "Tunnelling through the grout block and/or vibration from excavation of the cross passage may also have contributed." Options for a permanent repair include fixing the damage from inside the tunnel or rebuilding the impacted section of tunnel by removing the old rings and casting the new tunnel lining in-situ, Ms Saffioti said. Ms Saffioti said stabilisation of the ground around Dundas Road was continuing, with two traffic lanes to be opened later this month. The Public Transport Authority has conducted 658 safety walks, 430 safety compliance inspections and 72 targeted process inspections during 2018. A rolling roster of safety staff also monitor site safety for both day and night shifts. WorkSafe has inspected the site 35 times, and unions close to 300 times. The opening of the Forrestfield-Airport Link will be delayed almost a year beyond its original schedule, the government has conceded. Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the delay was caused by damage to a tunnel-to-tunnel cross passage near the Forrestfield Station site. The first trains are now expected on the line in the second half of 2021, instead of at the end of 2020. A leak developed in the cross passage in September, leading to \\\"movement in 16 concrete rings and damage to a 26 metre section of one tunnel\\\", along with next to Dundas Road. Ms Saffioti said while the delay was unfortunate, the government's primary focus was on safety and quality. \\\"I believe the time added to the construction schedule is a small price to pay to ensure we safely deliver this asset which will serve the people of WA for generations,\\\" Ms Saffioti said in a written statement. \\\"Investigations have indicated a number of potential causes, including construction defects in the grout block or failure of the join between the tunnel lining and grout. \\\"Tunnelling through the grout block and/or vibration from excavation of the cross passage may also have contributed.\\\" Forrestfield is located close to major industrial employment centres and only 15 km from the Perth CBD in Western Australia. It is also close to the expanding Airport precinct that provides retail amenity and an employment centre (outside of the airport noise zone). The Hales estate in Forrestfield is your opportunity to invest in this growing region. This will continueto support and drive the residential market within the area. The Hales Estate in Forrestfield is well located with numerous amenities in close proximity. The area is home to significant open space and outdoor recreation, including Lesmurdie Falls and the surrounding nature trails.  The Hales estate is providing importunities for new housing in the well-established Forrestfield area. It is home to 10 parks, two playgrounds and other recreational facilities. Forrestfield residents have access to several education facilities. Major schools include Forrestfield Primary School, Dawson Park Primary School and two private schools including Heritage College Hillside Christian College.  As growth within the region is supported by strong infrastructure investment, education and lifestyle drivers it is expected that demand for residential product will continue. Forrestfield is bounded by the Darling Scarp and the southern end of the Perth Airport. The suburb is bordered by Wattle Grove, High Wycombe, Maida Vale and Kalamunda. Buying at The Hales is a smart move for those ready to hit the ground running with existing amenities such as schools, shops and transport already in place and heavy investment already underway for future infrastructure. With three new train stations being constructed at Redcliffe, Airport Central and Forrestfield, the project aims to connect the eastern suburbs of Perth to the CBD and wider Perth. Forrestfield Train StationThe new station currently under construction is due to open in 2020 and will only be a 20 minute journey to the CBD. There is ample parking proposed with space for up to 2,500 cars. The proposed, Forrestfield Train Station is located only 2.4 km from The Hales estate. It will stop at the future Airport Central and Redcliffe Train Station, providing easy access to the new DFO and Costco as well as Perth Airport. The first premium Outlet Centre in Western Australia is expected to be completed at the end of 2018. It is located close within the Perth Airport close to the new Redcliffe Train Station. The centre will feature over 110 fashion outletstores as well as food and beverage outlets. To support visitors, the centre is also set to provide a playground, outdoor seating and parking for more than 1,500 cars. Situated adjacent to DFO in the Perth Airport is the site of the first Costco in Western Australia. It will entail 14,000 sq.m of building area and will include and Optical Centre, Tyre Centre and petrol station, to name a few. The Halesis just an 11 minute drive. It is set to open in2020. Construction is expected to generate 200jobs, with a further 275 new jobs available once operational. The centre has recently been refurbished and has a range of specialty stores, dining options, and a children’s playground. Copyright © 2007-2025 Smart Property Investment ABC News News HomeForrestfield Katoomba and Bonnyrigg are Australia's worst suburbs for mortgage arrears as interest rates biteShare Forrestfield Katoomba and Bonnyrigg are Australia's worst suburbs for mortgage arrears as interest rates biteKBy Kenith Png A recent report ranked Forrestfield as the third-worst suburb for mortgage arrears in  Australia Link copiedShareShare articleCutting back on luxury items holidays and trips to the gym have been necessary for Nick Trezise's family as interest rate rises continue to heap pressure on household budgets The family of five live in the outer Perth suburb of Forrestfield which was ranked the third worst suburb for mortgage arrears in Australia in a recent S&P Global Ratings report — and an expert says it is indicative of broader trends in the housing market Katoomba in the Blue Mountains region of NSW ranked first and Bonnyrigg Mr Trezise said while it would take both he and his wife losing their jobs to fall behind with their repayments they have still had to make changes to provide for their three primary-school-aged children He was one of several Forrestfield residents who spoke to the ABC about how 12 interest rate rises in the past 13 months were affecting them has had to make cutbacks to deal with the rising cost of living and interest rate hikes "The increase is a lot for a family of five we have just remortgaged with another lender It's affecting everyone and it's affecting us as well "We're definitely having cutbacks said her mortgage repayments had gone up by roughly $2,000 per month "We have to stick to a strict budget and we essentially don't go out anymore," she said "It's continually getting harder and harder  Forrestfield is located about 20 kilometres east of Perth "I'm worried about what's going to happen for my kids but will they ever be able to afford their own home the way the current [market] is?" Research shows mortgage borrowers are paying the highest share of their income on housing costs in at least four decades but the current situation for renters is not historically unusual Katherine said she and her husband had to start taking on odd jobs to make ends meet Forrestfield was the only Western Australia postcode ranked in the top 10 suburbs for mortgage arrears according to the S&P Global Ratings report released earlier this month 4.86 per cent of loans in Forrestfield were in arrears by more than 30 days compared to 1.36 per cent for inner Perth while many other capital cities listed rates between 1 and 2 per cent That compared to 5.62 per cent in Katoomba and 4.91 per cent in Bonnyrigg which were the first and second worst in the country for mortgage arrears Forrestfield is home to more than 13,000 people The average family in Forrestfield earns $1,982 a week which is $277 lower than the $2,259 figure for greater Perth Erin Kitson from S&P Global Ratings said arrears across the board were increasing with newer home buyers and outer suburbs most badly affected Erin Kitson says broader patterns could be spotted in the data "What you tend to see more and more with some of these postcodes that do crop up is postcodes that perhaps might be on the outer fringes of capital cities," she said "You might tend to see more first home owners who might be feeling more mortgage stress in this environment particularly if they bought at the peak of the property boom [during COVID] given they don't have the same savings buffers going into buying their first home." Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows new loan commitments spiked during COVID Ms Kitson said while the top 10 suburbs can change from quarter to quarter She said the unemployment rate had a large bearing particularly on more advanced arrears rates and there were typically less WA suburbs making up those rates compared to previous years "One of the things that stands out with WA compared to states like NSW and Victoria is whilst arrears have been increasing certainly over the last 12 months WA arrears are still a reasonable amount lower than some of the peaks due to those legacy loans from the mining boom," she said Siobhan Meerman is a senior financial counsellor at not-for-profit organisation Midlas and works with hundreds of people from Perth's outer suburbs "The main reason they're having difficulty is either a loss of employment or underemployment Siobhan Meerman says her Forrestfield clients were couples or single parents "Most people come to us about 12 to 24 months after the problem starts happening "We have been seeing particularly this year the increase of people citing the interest rate rises as a distress factor "We are also starting to see people who just got their mortgage in the last couple of years not being able to pay now that their rate has jumped from 2 per cent to 7 per cent." Interest rates climb above 4 per cent for the first time in more than 11 years as the Reserve Bank moves aggressively to clamp down on inflation City of Kalamunda Mayor Margaret Thomas said the arrears rate was "disturbing" and Forrestfield which is within the Kalamunda local government area newer developments and people who had paid off their mortgages She remembered a time when interest rates shot up to 9 per cent — more than double the current 4.1 per cent rate — but said lots of younger borrowers did not have that perspective with the continuous interest rate rises hurting them It's something like $1,000 extra a month for lots of people "That's a lot of money for people particularly people who don't have a lot in the first place "There are some new areas in Forrestfield and there are some areas where you've got single parents and young families and they are just struggling." Mortgage distress was not unique to Forrestfield with figures tabled in parliament in May showing the number of West Australians falling behind on government-backed loans had more than doubled in less than a year Politicians and community service providers say high interest rates on the state government's low-deposit home loan program are putting "untenable" pressure on home-owners The number of Keystart loans that were more than 30 days in arrears jumped by 128 per cent from 392 loans in June 2022 to 892 loans in April 2023 The state government last week lowered the interest rate on Keystart loans from 8.26 per cent to 7.35 per cent to ease pressure on vulnerable households the Keystart interest rate would now be directly linked to the cash rate rather than the variable rate at the big four banks — representing roughly a $300 reduction for the lender's average loan of $390,000 But there are likely more interest rate rises ahead, amid historically-high inflation and tight labour markets The S&P Global Ratings report's authors also expected an increase in the later-arrears category of 90 days over the next six months If you're unable to load the form, click here. AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) ONE of the Bundesliga’s biggest teams, Borussia Dortmund, has touched down in Forrestfield to run a football academy in partnership with Forrestfield United Football Club. The one-week academy started October 2, with Dortmund head of international youth and women’s development Julie Farr, Asia Pacific managing director Suresh Letchmanan and club legend and former men’s team assistant coach Jorg Heinrich making the trip into Perth to train the kids. Mr Heinrich played in Borussia Dortmund’s men’s side when they won the Champions League against Juventus Turin in 1997, and played in a UEFA cup final alongside playing in two German Championships for the side. Mr Heinrich said the kids involved in camp were picking up the skills quickly and was glad to see them enjoying the sessions. “One of our philosophies in the club is to really get them enjoying the game,’’ he said. “The most important reason we come out here is to see the faces of the kids and see them smiling.” Mr Letchmanan said just under 45 boys and girls are involved in the program, which was originally planned earlier for Sydney until Covid delayed the academy. “We’ve been doing quite a bit of activities in and around the Asian rim for the past nine years, and the only piece of the puzzle that was missing was Australia.” He said Dortmund has completed academy programs in Japan, China, Korea and Africa, but now the club is looking to expand into Australia and Perth, with this being the first time the club has come to WA. “Forrestfield (United Football Club) is black and yellow, and the colours really match our colours as well, and that put two and two together. “It’s a community club, with a massive reach for youth – it all fits in.’’ Forrestfield United Football Club president Paul Mansfield said aside from the club colours matching, the two clubs were also heavily community driven. “Their DNA is very much community based, they want to bring up grassroots players and turn them into professionals. “At Forrestfield, we’re similar – it’s all about our youth,” he said. Mr Mansfield said that the academy wasn’t just for Forrestfield players, with youth as far as Kwinana and Armadale travelling to be a part of the camp. He said in the future he hoped to set up a Dortmund academy in which young players could be spotted and given opportunities to play in the big European leagues. “(Dortmund) are not here to make money and we’re not trying to do the same – we’re just trying to provide an extra level. “Once we build the academy for elite players, (they’ll get) opportunities to get spotted and have trials overseas,” he said. Ms Farr said that all the kids involved in the program were enjoying their experience at the academy, but that it also wasn’t a walk in the park either. “Most of them don’t really understand the difference from our training concepts compared to what they may be used to here. “It’s even more important for the coaches to see how we structure our training, and what we focus on and how we implement it. “That’s more important, then just giving the experience to the kids,” she said. Ms Farr said she and Mr Heinrich have been enjoying their time in Australia so far despite the stormy weather at the start of trip, and have found some time to go hand feed some kangaroos in between their busy schedules. “I love Western Australia, Perth is a very nice city and I’m glad to be back here,” she said. The Forrestfield home where the body of a woman was found this morning Link copiedShareShare articlePolice suspect a woman may have been murdered after the discovery of a body at a home in the Perth suburb of Forrestfield The woman's body was found inside a house in Agincourt Drive just before 7:30am Police cordoned off a section of the road as forensics officers investigated It is the third suspicious death in Perth in the past two days. The body of a man was found yesterday in bushland near a pathway which runs off Wellstead Way in Mandurah, south of Perth. The man has not been formally identified but is believed to be a 35-year-old man last seen on Tuesday evening. The body of a 47-year-old man was found inside a unit on Canham Way in Orelia yesterday morning. FORRESTFIELD police are urgently appealing to the public for assistance in their investigation into an alleged reckless driving incident in the central business district of Kalamunda on Sunday, March 24. WA Police said about 9.10pm, a high-powered white Ford Falcon, carrying multiple males, was observed engaging in dangerous burnouts along Haynes Street before being tracked to the area outside the Hilltop Veterinary Clinic on Canning Road. Subsequent sightings placed the vehicle on Kalamunda Road, where it performed a series of circular burnouts opposite Stirk Park before fleeing in a westerly direction. Law enforcement authorities, including Forrestfield police, road policing intelligence and tactical intelligence officers, are actively reviewing CCTV footage and other available information. They have called on the public for any additional details that could aid in identifying those responsible for the reckless driving behaviour. Investigators are particularly interested in information about a small white vehicle, which may have been present near the Ford Falcon during the incident. Senior Sergeant Robinson urged anyone who witnessed the incident or had relevant information to come forward and assist with the investigation. “We understand the public’s concern regarding this type of behaviour, and we are committed to holding those responsible to account,” he said. “Your cooperation and assistance are vital in ensuring the safety of our community.” Anyone with information regarding the incident, including sightings of the white Ford Falcon or the small white vehicle pictured, is urged to contact Forrestfield Police. Reports can be made anonymously and any information provided will be treated with the utmost confidentiality. Forrestfield Police said public cooperation was instrumental in solving cases of this nature. Contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or 131 444. FORRESTFIELD Police Station officer-in-charge Senior Sergeant Brad Robinson, is urgently seeking public assistance regarding a concerning incident involving primary school-aged children this week. On Tuesday, April 30 at 8am, three primary school-aged children were approached by an unidentified male outside Dawson Avenue Park in Forrestfield. The male, riding a white mountain bike, invited the children to his nearby white van, which they had earlier seen parked outside the deli on Berkshire Road. The male was described as Caucasian, with a gold tooth, brown buzz-cut hair, wearing a navy beanie, green cargo pants, and multiple backpacks. The van in question was described as white, with roof racks and blacked-out windows, potentially with curtains. Notably, it had four or more bumper stickers, with the phrase ‘free candy’ visible on the side. The incident prompted concerns due to similarities with a prior occurrence near Dawson Park Primary School, involving another child being offered candy by an individual associated with a similar van. Forrestfield Police are actively investigating the matter and urge anyone with relevant information to come forward. Contact Crime Stoppers at 1800 333 000. Reference Incident Report Number: 300424093018542. “Ensuring community safety and prioritising the well-being of our children are top concerns,” Senior Sergeant Robinson said. “Your cooperation is vital in ensuring the safety of our community’s children.” The 14m-high mound of soil sits on a Kewdale industrial site Link copiedShareShare articleIt's a million-tonne headache for a $2 billion project: a giant pile of soil contaminated with toxic fire-fighting chemicals the WA Government doesn't know what to do with About 900,000 cubic metres of the soil — excavated to build the new 8.5km railway tunnel linking Perth airport and Forrestfield — will be stockpiled on a Forrestfield industrial site But the Government will not say exactly how much of the chemicals — known as PFAS — are present in the soil The chemicals are also found in products like non-stick cookwear, furniture and clothing, but take a long time to break down and are often found at low levels in groundwater, soil, humans and animals. The problems faced by the Public Transport Authority (PTA) were outlined to the City of Kalamunda council, which approved its application to store excavated soil at the site several months ago. According to the agenda of Kalamunda's July council meeting, the PTA did not want the soil kept on the Forrestfield site long-term. But the toxic dirt will remain until the relevant parties can find a permanent solution. The PTA did not tell the City of Kalamunda about the contamination. (ABC News: Rebecca Turner) It appears the PFAS contamination required a change in plans by the PTA, which originally planned to store the soil in a less industrial area of Forrestfield. "It is understood that with the issue of the PFAS being known, the PTA is unable to dispose of the fill as previously planned, hence the need for the current application to temporarily store fill on the subject site," the meeting agenda said. But the PTA did not tell the City of Kalamunda about the contamination of the soil, and it was the Department of Environmental Regulation (DER) that advised the City of the likely presence of PFAS. A PTA spokeswoman said PFAS chemicals were detected at the Forrestfield-Airport Link site in 2015, but levels within excavated soil were "low", were not caused by the project, and were being monitored by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER). "We continue to test the excavated soil for a range of parameters including PFAS," the spokeswoman said. "This was most recently done last week in accordance with the project-specific environmental management plan." Sources have told the ABC the firefighters' training academy or Perth Airport could be the source of the contamination. The academy is on the WA Government's contaminated sites register, but DWER said there was no evidence to suggest that site had contaminated soil in the railway tunnel area. There is little public information about the level of PFAS contamination at Commonwealth airport sites. Airservices Australia, the Federal Government-owned corporation responsible for firefighting at airports, has again delayed the release of an investigation into the extent of PFAS contamination at Perth Airport which was due in March. A spokesman said it hoped the report would be available "in coming months" and declined the ABC's request for an interview. IN an unexpected turn of events during a retirement celebration at a local hotel on Friday, February 16, off-duty officers from Forrestfield police station found themselves thrust into the role of unexpected crime witnesses. The celebration was in honour of a veteran police officer who had served an impressive 35 years. At around 7.30pm, the festive atmosphere at the Kalamunda Hotel took a dramatic turn as the attention of approximately 30 off-duty officers was drawn to the front of the hotel. A high-powered black Ford Mustang left a trail of smoke, executing a series of burnouts, estimated to include about five donuts, before speeding away towards Lesmurdie. The audacious driver’s actions unfolded amidst a heavy presence of patrons, including Forrestfield officer in charge senior sergeant Brad Robinson and a large group of off-duty police, in one of the most heavily surveilled areas of the district. Astonishingly, many officers and patrons managed to record the culprit’s personal registration plate despite the billowing smoke. Swift action followed, with the culprit’s prized Mustang seized the following morning, Saturday, February 17. The driver is now faced with the reality of future court appearances, the associated seizure costs, and the potential loss of his driver’s license. According to senior sergeant Robinson, when the driver was questioned about the reckless behaviour, they expressed regret. For senior sergeant Robinson, this conveys a strong message to the wider community, expressing frustration with anti-social hoon behaviour, burnouts, speed, and reckless trail bike activity on local roads. “The wider community is fed up with the anti-social hoon behaviour, burnouts, speed, and the reckless trail bike activity on our roads,” he said. He further warned that the Forrestfield and hills communities can expect to see greater law enforcement efforts, potentially including monitoring from air assets, to detect and stamp out such behaviour on the roads. “Just remember any vehicle captured in hoon activity will be seized and a subsequent investigation into who was driving or riding,”  senior sergeant Robinson said. He said the incident serves as a stark reminder of the commitment to maintaining road safety and curbing dangerous activities on our streets. CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Travellers will be able to take the long-delayed Forrestfield-Airport rail link to get to Perth Airport from October 10 The project has been marred by workplace accidents and two years of construction delays The Forrestfield-Airport Link will be opening in October after two years of delays.Credit: Public Transport Authority The rail line was first floated in 2013 but did not start construction until 2016 It became part of Labor’s Metronet pipeline when the McGowan government came to power in 2017 Three new stations have been created as part of the $1.9 billion project including Airport Central Transport Minister Rita Saffioti also announced a planned 18-month shutdown of the Armadale line for level crossing removals and other works would be paused until the end of 2023 The Byford and Thornlie-Cockburn lines are now expected to open in 2025 Saffioti said the travel time from the new Perth Airport station to the city would be 18 minutes probably the cheapest airport fare across the nation,” she said “The first train will leave Perth station at 5.12am .. And the last train will leave around 12am.” When the rail line to the airport was planned it was with the intention that commercial air flights which currently operate from two different sides of the airport would be consolidated to one location on the eastern side The relocating of all terminal services did not go ahead and the airline industry has suffered massive economic challenges due to worldwide border shutdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic which has meant many airport infrastructure projects have been put on the backburner The view of the new Airport central station from the air.Credit: Public Transport Authority Saffioti said the terminals would be accessible from the first day of service but there would be shuttles running from Redcliffe to the Qantas terminal Premier Mark McGowan said it was expected 20,000 people would use the line every day a figure that would grow to 29,000 by the end of the decade “This will be an important way of people being able to access public transport in the eastern suburbs come out and catch an aircraft here at the airport,” he said “Obviously we’ve had some delays with supply chain difficulties around the world which has affected all projects across Australia and around the world with COVID and the Ukraine war and so forth And this will be an amazing piece of public transport infrastructure that will serve the needs of the state for decades to come.” Opposition Metronet spokesman Tjorn Sibma said if the government had put more energy into getting the line open instead of self-promotion then it already would have been done He also was critical of the lack of transparency in providing specific information on the project in the parliament when members of the government were asked “Due to the unusual and unjustified level of secrecy around Forrestfield-Airport Link no one will take forecasts of Metronet milestones seriously,” Sibma said Follow WAtoday on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter for handpicked selections of the day’s biggest local, national and international news. Travellers will be able to take the long-delayed Forrestfield-Airport rail link to get to Perth Airport from October 10. The project has been marred by workplace accidents and two years of construction delays. The rail line was first floated in 2013 but did not start construction until 2016. It became part of Labor\\u2019s Metronet pipeline when the McGowan government came to power in 2017. Three new stations have been created as part of the $1.9 billion project including Airport Central, Redcliffe and High Wycombe. Transport Minister Rita Saffioti also announced a planned 18-month shutdown of the Armadale line for level crossing removals and other works would be paused until the end of 2023, instead of the start. The Byford and Thornlie-Cockburn lines are now expected to open in 2025. Saffioti said the travel time from the new Perth Airport station to the city would be 18 minutes, and 20 minutes from High Wycombe. \\u201CIt\\u2019ll be a $5 fare ... probably the cheapest airport fare across the nation,\\u201D she said. \\u201CThe first train will leave Perth station at 5.12am ... and arrive here at the station at 5.30am. And the last train will leave around 12am.\\u201D When the rail line to the airport was planned it was with the intention that commercial air flights, which currently operate from two different sides of the airport, would be consolidated to one location on the eastern side. The relocating of all terminal services did not go ahead, however, and the airline industry has suffered massive economic challenges due to worldwide border shutdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has meant many airport infrastructure projects have been put on the backburner. Saffioti said the terminals would be accessible from the first day of service but there would be shuttles running from Redcliffe to the Qantas terminal. Premier Mark McGowan said it was expected 20,000 people would use the line every day, a figure that would grow to 29,000 by the end of the decade. \\u201CThis will be an important way of people being able to access public transport in the eastern suburbs, get to the city and beyond, come out and catch an aircraft here at the airport,\\u201D he said. \\u201CObviously we\\u2019ve had some delays with supply chain difficulties around the world which has affected all projects across Australia and around the world, with COVID and the Ukraine war and so forth, they are hard to avoid. \\u201CBut at the end of the day, all good things come to those who wait. And this will be an amazing piece of public transport infrastructure that will serve the needs of the state for decades to come.\\u201D Opposition Metronet spokesman Tjorn Sibma said if the government had put more energy into getting the line open instead of self-promotion then it already would have been done. He also was critical of the lack of transparency in providing specific information on the project in the parliament when members of the government were asked. \\u201CDue to the unusual and unjustified level of secrecy around Forrestfield-Airport Link, no one will take forecasts of Metronet milestones seriously,\\u201D Sibma said. Follow WAtoday on , , and for handpicked selections of the day\\u2019s biggest local, national and international news. Perth’s new rail service is the latest example of how the way a project is built counts as much as the contribution it makes to sustainable development The METRONET Forrestfield-Airport Link, to be renamed the Airport Line, will connect the city’s eastern suburbs with the airport and the business district by spurring off the existing Midland Line near Bayswater Station and running to High Wycombe By providing an alternative to vehicle travel between the eastern suburbs and the city centre the line is expected to carry 20,000 passengers a day This means it will remove an equivalent of up to 15,000 vehicles from the roads every day easing congestion and reducing CO2 emissions by up to 2,000 tonnes every year For the production of track slabs on which the rails are positioned along the Airport Line the builders resorted to concrete reinforced with macro synthetic fibres rather than steel This helped avoid the use of 6.96 million kilograms of steel preventing about 13,224 tonnes of CO2 being emitted during production Other measures included tunnel-boring methods and the use of solar power. The tunnel-boring machines (TBMs) excavating the tunnels reused the water needed to function by having a plant use a filter press and centrifuge to process the slurry that they generated, separating the spoil from the water. The plant then sent the water back to the TBMs. This saved 2,740 megalitres of water, the equivalent of more than 1,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Overall, recycling practices reduced water usage during all phases of the line’s construction by nearly 30%. As for the use of solar power, one of the line’s three stations, High Wycombe, has the largest solar panel system to be installed by a state government department in Western Australia. The 275kW system is sufficient to meet the average summertime daylight electricity demand of Airport Central Station and Redcliffe Station, in addition to the High Wycombe Station where the system is installed. Choose from the categories that interest you to recive the latest articles just published. 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