KALAMUNDA council acknowledged community concern over a proposed groundwater extraction project in Pickering Brook
voting unanimously to note two petitions opposing the development
The petitions relate to a development application at Lot 12
where a large volume of water would be extracted for sale
said although the recommendation was only to note the petitions
it was important to speak given the strong public interest
“This matter all kicked off on December 16 last year,” he said
posted that a bottling company was accessing groundwater from a private property
“We’ve since found out that there’s actually no bottling company involved here
and the characterisation of the issue by the city is something that I’ve brought into question
“I must say that to date I haven’t received an explanation that I’m particularly happy with but at this stage also there’s nothing further that I think needs to be said publicly on that side issue
“Suffice to say that after the post was posted my phone blew up and I suspect it did for other councillors’ phones as well.”
Community members were concerned it would be a repeat of the Coca Cola water extraction in Karragullen as reported in Pickering Brook water extraction proposal raises resident concern
“And regardless of characterisation importantly here we are dealing with a development application that involves extracting an objectively large volume of water for the purposes of sale,” Cr Modolo said
“Everyone is absolutely united in their belief that the future of Pickering Brook is in serious doubt as declining rainfall and global supply chains threaten generations of family-run businesses in orcharding and primary industry.”
Cr Modolo said the uncertainty had led families to take different approaches
from branching into hospitality and distilling to farming ventures
Councillor Geoff Stallard seconded the motion and said poor early communication had contributed to community angst
“It’s a good lesson for us in the future to make sure something as potentially controversial as this is put out there accurately at the start,” he said
Cr Stallard said officers were working from limited information at the time but urged caution moving forward
“What we put out there is something that’s pretty accurate
although the information that the staff received was very inadequate,” he said
“They had no real idea and so they were working from a bit of a blind spot as well
“I’d rather next time that we have a little bit more detail before we make a public process of it.”
A final decision on the application is yet to be made by City of Kalamunda council
This post will update over the next two weeks as counting for the 2025 Western Australian Legislative Assembly (lower house) election is finalised
Originally the post just covered changes in members elected at the election
but I’ve now added a long analysis comparing the result of the 2017 and 2025 elections
This compares Labor’s then best but now third best ever result at a WA election
with 2025 which is now the new second best result
It is hard to compare either with the mega-landslide result in 2021
Labor’s primary vote in the metropolitan area was down 18.3%
but the Liberal primary vote was up only 6.8%
nearly two-thirds of the lost primary vote since 2021 went to third parties before translating into an 11.9% two-party preferred swing
That still left Labor with a better result in vote and seat terms than in 2017
Updates to the changing membership table since the post was first updated are –
The three tables below compare the 2017 and 2025 election results
and then broken down for Perth and Regional areas
Two seats remain in doubt for the 2025 election
I am assuming that the current leading candidates will win both seats
Kalamunda being a Liberal gain and Kalgoorlie a Labor retain
I’ll adjust the tables later if further counting produces different results
What the above table shows is a small 0.8% drop in Labor first preference support since 2017
a significant 3.1% drop in Liberal Party support
a 2.0% rise in Green support and some change to levels of minor party and Independent support
Overall there was a 1.6% two-party preferred swing to Labor which manages to deliver Labor an extra five seats
I’ll discuss individual seats that changed party across the two elections under the regional tables
The reason why Labor did much better in seats on only a small swing in its favour is the failure of the Liberal vote to recover in its heartland seats
The list below compares 2025 and 2017 results in traditional Liberal seats gained by Labor in 2015
(Boundary changes were minimal in these seats.)
Of the 18 seats that Labor gained to win office in 2017
only five have lower Labor two-party votes in 2025
The biggest swings against Labor were in ultra-safe seats
Labor held 33 seats on margins above 20% going into the 2025 election but has only eight in the category after the election
Labor has polled an estimated 57.1% of the state-wide two-party preferred vote in 2025
but the uniform swing needed in marginal seats for the Liberal and National Party to win the 2029 election will be around 10%
There were 44 Perth seats at the 2025 election compared to only 43 in 2017
The table below compares the results in these seats
The largely urban seats of Mandurah and Dawesville are not included in the metropolitan total as they are traditionally treated as regional seats
For the metropolitan Liberal primary vote to be 5% lower in 2025 compared to 2017 is a very poor result for the Liberal Party
Some of this was due to competition for the conservative vote
the Nationals polling 1.1% (5.6% in the seats it contested) and there were several high profile Independents in traditional Liberal seats
Overall across two elections in metropolitan Perth there was a two-party preferred swing of 2.7% to Labor
Historically a remarkably good result for a government after two terms and eights years in office
The extra seats held by Labor in 2025 compared to 2017 are the traditional Liberal seats of Bateman
and the Liberal leaning marginal seat of Riverton
Labor also won the new seat of Oakford in 2025
There were 15 seats outside the defined Perth metropolitan area in 2025
large parts absorbed into Pilbara while the residue was merged with Moore to create the new seat of Mid-West
The seat changes compared to 2017 are complex
The National seat of North West Central has been abolished but the Nationals gained Albany from Labor and Geraldton from the Liberals after a term in Labor hands
Labor gained Dawesville and Kalgoorlie from the Liberal Party comparing 2025 to 2017
though both seats were Labor gains in 2021
Compared to 2017 the Nationals retained Warren-Blackwood after losing at the 2021 election
The Liberals recovered Murray-Wellington after two terms as a Labor seat
Overall there was a 2.0% two-party swing against Labor in regional WA
The Liberal vote compared to 2017 rose while losing seats and the National vote fell while gaining seats
This comes down to shifting support in three cornered contests
the Nationals vote declining in the mining seats where the party did well under Brendan Grylls a decade ago
The Nationals also did not contest several south-west seats where they had candidates in 2017
The table below lists all seats where there was a change in sitting member at the 2025 election
A reason for change nin membership is shown and seats that also changed party status are highlighted with the electorate name in bold
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mark your calendars – the much-loved Kalamunda Garden Festival is back for a blooming big Winter Edition on Sunday 1 June
Nestled among the towering trees and rolling lawns of Stirk Park in the Perth Hills
the festival is a vibrant celebration of all things gardening – whether you’re a seasoned horticulturist or just trying to figure out how not to kill your houseplants
this seasonal instalment – proudly brought to life by Fruit Tree Man – will be absolutely packed with over 150 gardening-related stalls
plus a line-up of superstar guest speakers ready to dish the dirt on everything from permaculture to pruning
Expect to hear from the likes of Faye Arcaro, Craig Castree, Morag Gamble, Vasili Kanidiadis (pictured below), and Andrea Whitely, as well as international no-dig gardening guru Charles Dowding, beaming in via live link. The $10 entry ticket gives you full access to the speaker sessions
so it’s worth getting in early and grabbing a front-row hay bale
including The Plant Crèche – shop ‘til you (almost) drop
then leave your leafy haul at the Plant Crèche so you can wander hands-free
And don’t forget The Seasol Plant Doctor: Got a sick fiddle leaf fig or a droopy daisy
Bring a photo (not the plant itself!) to the Plant Doctor stall and the legends from Gardeners’ Circle will help nurse it back to life
Whether you’re on the hunt for rare plants
or just a wholesome day out in the fresh Hills air
the Kalamunda Garden Festival – Winter Edition will leave you inspired and maybe a little muddy (in a good way!)
More information and tickets are available here
Photo: Accessible Adventures – Rocky Pools Credit: Base Imagery
Designed in collaboration with Off the Beaten Track WA
the city’s program will make hiking more accessible for people of all abilities
safe and supportive environments for participants
Creating opportunities for people living with disability to immerse themselves in WA’s exceptional natural environments through physical activity allows more individuals to experience the benefits of a healthier lifestyle and being outdoors
For more information about the city’s program or to express interest, contact Off the Beaten Track WA or visit the webpage
The Hiking is for Every Body program supports the objectives of DLGSC’s WA Hiking Participation Grants Program and is a great example of the type of projects the program supports
If your organisation wants to increase hiking participation across Western Australia through a project that creates new opportunities for participation, improves individual skill levels, and builds the capacity of hiking guides, instructors and volunteers, then sign up to receive notifications from DLGSC when the next program funding round opens
Find out more information on the WA Hiking Participation Grants Program
The Government of Western Australia acknowledges the traditional custodians of this land
We pay tribute and our respects to Elders past and present
Help us improve our service or tell us what is working really well
CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced
AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time)
Whether you’re a budding home horticulturalist or just trying to get those thumbs looking a little more green – we reckon you ought to clear your schedule for the Labour Day long weekend
The Kalamunda Garden Festival will be returning to Stirk Park
March 2 – bringing with it a huge selection of plant sellers
expert advice and quirky garden accessories
Taking place four times a year on the first Sunday of every season
the upcoming March 2 festival will feature gardening guru Sabrina Hahn talking all things cockatoo conservation
alongside educational talks from Deryn Thorpe (Summer survivors – plants that thrive when the temperature soars)
Sophie Thomson (Gardening for health and wellbeing)
Andrea Whitely (Tips for getting the very best out of your potted plants)
Stephen Ryan from Dicksonia Rare Plants (Travelogue on Madeira and the Azores)
Amy Sloan from My Nonna Life (From garden to jar – preserving your homegrown harvest) and heaps more
“We’re all about celebrating gardening and presenting an enjoyable
The festival was started by the Kalamunda Plant Company
with horticulturist and grower Andrew specialising in medicinal and edible plants – growing a huge 600+ varieties of culinary
medicinal plants and native food and vegetables
To check out the full line-up of stalls and get your tickets in advance, head to the Kalamunda Garden Festival website.
Presenter Gary Adshead will be shining a light on the Federal seat of Bullwinkel, and the candidates hoping to secure your vote at the upcoming election.
Come along to this free event and watch the candidates in action.
Kalamunda Mayor Margaret Thomas will also be there to talk to listeners.
Gary will be broadcasting live from the Kalamunda Library from 3 - 6pm.
audio and on-demand video streaming from the nation's most trusted broadcaster
ABOUT 150 residents gathered at Kalamunda Uniting Church to oppose the development proposal for a McDonald’s and car wash being built at the intersection of Heath and Canning roads
The February 1 meeting was held in the church neighbouring the site of the new proposed development
Greens Kalamunda electorate candidate Janelle Sewell attended the meeting and said the attendees filled up the whole hall and were concerned about a range of issues
“(Canning Court residents) expressed they went there to live a healthy life and stay connected
and now they can’t sit outside without hearing
“The proximity to the residential area is very unreasonable to them
“It’s a very vulnerable group and it does seem a bit unfair they have to deal with something at this scale.”
Fast food and car wash proposal for Kalamunda reported that residents had concerns about the traffic, impact to local amenity, mature tree clearing and its proximity to residential areas and schools.
The matter was brought to the Kalamunda annual general meeting of electors on February 4.
Echo News attended the meeting at Kalamunda council chambers which had a line of residents waiting to find a seat for the evening.
During the meeting, City of Kalamunda development services director Nathan Ritchie said the process of the development was in the engagement phase.
“We have until February 14 to receive your submissions, and I encourage you to put those submissions forward,” he said.
Mr Ritchie encouraged submissions to be made on planning grounds, and less on opinion-based or emotive grounds.
“They hold greater rigor in the (development consideration) process than individual opinions,” he said.
“So, if I was to help encourage you to make those submissions, I would guide you towards that.
“I would encourage you to put those submissions forward through the Kalamunda Engage portal, where they’ll be picked up and considered as part of the process.
“We will make reference to (petitions submitted).
“Today, I think at last count, we’ve received about 500-odd submissions from the public at this point in time.
“We’re aware of the petition out there with over 1000 signatures, and that will form part of the assessment process against all other justified planning considerations.”
Kalamunda resident Rachel Davison moved the motion to bring awareness to the City of Kalamunda that there was widespread community dismay and disapproval for the McDonald’s and car wash development.
The motion was seconded by resident Mikaela Simondson who called for planning shortfalls to be addressed in a report to the development assessment panel, and for resident concerns to be voiced to the panel in their report.
The motion was carried unanimously with applause pealing through the chambers after the motions were spoken and after each speech given by residents, including councillor David Modolo.
A community rally is planned to be held at Stirk Park this Saturday at 10am where the concerns will be further discussed with the support of the Cancer Council WA.
THE City of Kalamunda has received a development application for a McDonald’s and a car wash, causing residents to voice their concerns about its potential impact on traffic and health.
Kalamunda resident Amanda Newell said residents were deeply concerned about the suitability and long-term impact of this development on Kalamunda.
“The Canning and Heath Roads intersection is already known for congestion and safety issues, including a tragic fatality in 2017.
“Increased traffic from the proposed development will only exacerbate the danger.
“Previous traffic studies have been insufficient, relying on limited data that does not reflect the area’s growing population.”
Further to the traffic and safety considerations, Ms Newell said the development clashed with city planning, community wellbeing, and exposure to children.
A petition to oppose the proposed development had garnered more than 1000 signatures by January 23, with many residents commenting underneath that a fast-food outlet in the town centre would negatively impact Kalamunda.
“I am against a McDonald’s in this location due to the adverse health impacts on our community – this proposed location is on the same street as our local primary school and a day care,” one petitioner said.
“It is a high-density residential area favoured by our elderly population.
“Traffic, congestion and safety of our community will be negatively impacted.
“The proposed development could lead to increased traffic congestion between Heath Road IGA and Canning Road,” another said.
“It’s already quite difficult to exit Heath Road, especially with the pedestrian crosswalk right in front of the IGA.
“Given these challenges, I believe this location is not ideal for either a car wash or a fast-food outlet.”
The development application report prepared for the McDonald’s and car wash addressed the existence of vegetation on the development site.
The report said the subject site contained six trees including a Morton Bay fig, two jacarandas, an English oak and two mature native marri trees.
The marri trees both stand over 21m tall and both have a 50 per cent live canopy ratio at a minimum.
The report said the mature marri trees had been identified as significant and as landmarks to be retained as part of the development and carefully integrated into the design, but the remaining four weren’t guaranteed to be retained.
Ms Newell said this only accounted for the number of trees in the vacant carpark area, not the entire development.
“The report has only counted the trees in the vacant car lot and not the ones in the property that would be bulldozed for the development,” she said.
“There’s a house attached to that area where the development will go, and the car lot, and we counted 11 trees overall, but they’re only keeping two of them.
“We’ve had talks with Guildford who were able to stop a McDonald’s development on the same lines of preserving the heritage of the area.
“We’re a home in the forest and that’s what our city talks about in their action plan statement.
“A fast-food giant in our heritage village in the hill, in walking distance from daycares, primary schools and secondary schools is not healthy and it’s not heritage.”
KALAMUNDA residents have raised concerns over the traffic conditions at the Kalamunda and Midland Road intersection and say it should be a safety priority for the City of Kalamunda
The intersection has come under scrutiny as a major development is under assessment to be developed near there
A report was prepared for the development and provided to the Department of Planning
Lands and Heritage (DPLH) to support its application
an appendix F item discussing traffic impact assessment conceded the intersection was a site of multiple crashes but the report has since been outdated as the proponents now operate under an updated report
Echo News was advised technical reports updated in response to consultation and the detail of community comments are not released
so therefore no updates are publicly available at this time
City of Kalamunda Mayor Margaret Thomas said the development application was lodged and advertised by DPLH as a significant development application
“The City of Kalamunda was a referral agency during the consultation process,” she said
“Public consultation on this development application has now closed
and the proposal is currently under assessment by the State Development Assessment Unit (SDAU) within the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC)
“The SDAU will consider all feedback from the community
and state as part of their assessment process.”
Ms Thomas said once the assessment is complete
a meeting held by the WAPC will be scheduled to determine the application
“All registered parties will be notified of the meeting date by the WAPC
and agenda papers will be made available on this website at least five days prior to the meeting,” she said
“Opportunities to make a deputation to the WAPC prior to it making a decision may be available in accordance with the WAPC’s meeting procedures.”
A DPLH spokesperson confirmed a neighbourhood centre development application at 332 Kalamunda Road
Maida Vale was submitted for determination by the Western Australian Planning Commissiongb was advertised for comment in February to March 2024
the applicant submitted a revised technical report into traffic movements which was subsequently shared with the relevant expert stakeholders including Main Roads WA for updated comments,” they said
“The application continues to be assessed while updated information provided by the proponent and stakeholders is considered.”
Echo News has contacted Main Roads for comment
LIBERAL candidate for Kalamunda Adam Hort is a sixth generation hills resident
and former deputy mayor of Gosnells who says he wants to make a difference
Mr Hort met with Echo News this week to share his deep connections to the area and how his upbringing shaped who he is and why he got involved in government
“(My ancestors) moved right across Australia in the 1800s and settled in Darlington right against what we would now call Great Eastern Highway,” he said
“They lived in a cottage up against the highway called Hortly Lodge and that’s where my grandfather
I’m raising my kids who are seventh generation Perth Hills residents in Lesmurdie.”
Mr Hort said he attended school in the hills
doing well in chemistry and eventually working in pharmacy which helped set his course to become the state’s chief heart transplant pharmacist and regional health head pharmacist
I worked at the local fish and chip shop and I delivered newspapers around Lesmurdie on my bike,” he said
“I stacked shelves in Woolies but eventually I found myself working in Nightingales Pharmacy in Kalamunda
“That’s where I really got to know my community and really relished that community connection
parents and their kids coming through for a variety of different ailments and needing different things and I got to help them
Mr Hort carried his community ideals with him to Thornlie where he lived for a while before moving back to the hills
During that time the Thornlie community urged him to run for council which was his first taste of working in government
Mr Hort said this led to a successful run as an elected member
and later became the deputy mayor of Gosnells
where he got to familiarise himself with local government and state government’s relationship
he realised how little power local government had and how much constraint was put on local government by state government and so wanted to change tack
Mr Hort said the road ahead meant many meetings with the community
and hoped people would be comfortable approaching him for a pub or coffee catch-up to discuss what they cared about
“A lot of people are concerned about bushfires and what’s happening with bushfires and whether or not their local bushfire brigade is going to be resourced appropriately as well as the issue of housing affordability,” he said
“I’m genuinely doing this because I want to make a difference
and I think any other option in this election will not generate the outcomes that our community deserves.”
KALAMUNDA born and raised Karene Nixon says she’s experienced issues with TV reception in her area ever since she can remember
Ms Nixon said the lack of reception was a daily occurrence
which happened anytime between 6pm and 6.30pm
Ms Nixon said she already had two aerials at her home and thought the aerial wasn’t the problem
“I was blaming the magpies and the kookaburras for landing on it
She said she has lived at the house for about 50 years and said the lines are about 60 years old
“That’s about when the house was built,” she said
she turned to Facebook at the end of March and asked if other Kalamunda residents had experienced the same issue
she found it wasn’t just a problem at her home
Ms Nixon found another resident who installed two aerials to try solve the problem but throughout the 26 years of having the second aerial installed
the resident still had issues with reception
According to the government’s mySwitch website
A City of Kalamunda spokesperson said TV and digital reception enquiries and concerns fall under the responsibility of the federal government
“The city’s involvement is generally limited to instances where infrastructure
at which point we may enter into a lease agreement
“While the city can advocate on behalf of residents where known reception issues exist
we recommend directing your questions to the relevant federal representatives or agencies who oversee broadcasting services,” the spokesperson said
When Echo News asked the Department of Infrastructure
why transmission was a problem in Kalamunda
a spokesperson advised the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) would have information and advice
VAST is a service for remote communities and travellers who are unable to receive TV reception from a land-based transmitter or would like to receive free to air TV in their vehicles or camp sites
Ms Nixon said she used to have a VAST box when she lived in the country
“You used to get a VAST box and that’s how you got your channels
“We shouldn’t have to have that in the middle of suburbia,” she said
ACMA’s website stated VAST is managed by MySatTV
But a spokesperson at MySatTV told Echo News they do not keep track of statistics regarding VAST
Ms Nixon hoped action would be taken to address the issues with TV transmission in Kalamunda
“It’d be nice to have enough signal to be able to do that without losing those other channels,” she said
THE WA Liberals have pledged $5.5 million to provide four dialysis chairs
chemotherapy day beds with tele-chemotherapy capabilities
and outpatient specialist rooms for Kalamunda Hospital
Liberal leader and opposition health spokesperson Libby Mettam said the additions will enhance the hospital’s existing services and provide residents with easier access to critical care close to home
“The dialysis unit will offer local treatment for chronic kidney disease patients
tele-chemotherapy will allow cancer patients to receive care under remote specialist supervision
while the specialist outpatient rooms will support consultations in key medical fields
reducing the need for patients to travel to Perth for routine appointments,” she said
Three million dollars was also pledged to allow community pharmacies across the state to dispense specialist medications
which currently only qualify for a discount if they are dispensed through a hospital pharmacy
Ms Mettam said the increasing complexity of medicines has seen a corresponding increase in the number of medicines that can only be accessed by patients at an affordable price through a hospital pharmacy
“This initiative will allow community pharmacists to expand their practice to include dispensing hospital prescriptions at the PBS discount price and charging the prescribing hospitals for the service,” she said
“It will mean that our hospital pharmacies can focus on critical clinical activities and preparing discharge medications
Liberal candidate for Kalamunda Adam Hort said the promised new services at Kalamunda Hospital would have a significant community impact
the hospital expansion will stimulate the local economy by creating jobs
increasing activity in Kalamunda’s town centre
and supporting local businesses through increased foot traffic,” he said
“This proposal represents a transformative opportunity to strengthen healthcare access and community well-being in Kalamunda
“As a former heart transplant pharmacist and the chief pharmacist for Australia’s largest country health service
I understand the impact that the tyranny of distance can have on access to care and health outcomes.”
Law-abiding firearm owners turned out in huge numbers to attend a firearms forum hosted recently by The Nationals WA at the Kalamunda Community Centre
The event garnered such significant interest the venue had to be changed to accommodate over 200 registrations
Nationals’ federal candidate for the new electorate of Bullwinkel Mia Davies MP joined Leader of the Opposition Shane Love
candidate for the state electorate of Kalamunda Lisa Logan and Senator Bridget McKenzie to present The Nationals’ view on the Government’s flawed reforms
Ms Davies said the turnout was indicative of the frustration felt by law-abiding gun-owners across the State in the wake of the Labor Government’s legislation
“Minister Papalia has treated this community with complete disdain
painting them as criminals and people to be feared,” she said
“His view of the world couldn’t be further from the truth
Leader Shane Love said the fact that The Nationals WA had drawn a crowd of over two hundred people in the Perth metropolitan area showed that the Party’s stance was resonating with many people disappointed with the State Labor Government
“There are over 95,000 law-abiding gun owners in Western Australia
and every single vote will make a difference at this next State election,” he said
“My message is to back the team that will repeal Labor’s legislation and go back to the drawing board to create balanced laws in consultation with stakeholders.”
After presentations from each of the Members and candidates
and State President of the State Shooters Association of Australia (WA) Paul Fitzgerald
State candidate for Kalamunda Lisa Logan said voters in the Hills and Perth metropolitan area could vote for The Nationals WA at the upcoming State and Federal elections for the first time
“As someone who has called the Perth Hills home for most of my life
I am delighted The Nationals are contesting metropolitan seats like Kalamunda,” Ms Logan said
“We are a Party of local champions and common-sense solutions
and we put people and community before politics
That’s very appealing to people like firearms owners whose needs have been sidelined by this new legislation.”
convenor of the Federal Parliament’s ‘Parliamentary Friends of Shooting’ said she was very encouraged by the reception in Kalamunda
it is fantastic to be in Kalamunda with The Nationals’ candidate for Bullwinkel Mia Davies
a great supporter of the firearm community
and someone that I’m extremely excited to support on her march to Canberra
“The West needs a leader like Mia in Canberra to stand up for your interests
with her passion and fight for this great state
she’ll be able to hit the ground running if the good people of Bullwinkel choose to make her their local member.”
Keep up to date with The Nationals WA on Facebook and Twitter
and don’t forget to share us with your friends
Contact | Privacy | Accessiblity Authorised by J Freeman
Against the fading light of a warm summer’s night
the sounds of Woolworths Cricket Blast and junior cricket matches give way to the laughter and cheering which is the women and girl’s Sunset Scorchers game being played at the Kalamunda Cricket Club
Sixty-six women and girls registered for the Kalamunda Sunset Scorchers program
which is dedicated to being a social starting point for women and girls who want to give cricket a go
Six sides took to the expansive Kalamunda Cricket Club field where coloured ribbons
socks and hats differentiated the teams from one another
spending Friday evenings at the local club with family and friends has become a relaxing way to start the weekend
“It is nice to have something for us and something that is fun and not that serious
where we can get together after the working week,” she said
The idea of the women-only team was cooked up over a dinner and quickly acted upon due to the interest around the table from mums who had watched their sons fall in love with the game
our sons play in Under-13s and we’ve been together since their Under-10s days,” Mrs Morfitt said
“We were getting ready to register and we thought we would ask Kalamunda first because they didn’t have a women’s team and here we are.”
Danielle Ajdok said joining social cricket with her daughters was a “special” experience
“There are quite a few daughters that play
my two daughters play in my team which is great
“I think having the option out there for us girls and the opportunity to even make a start in the game
even if they don’t want to do it professionally
“It is just a bit of fun and nice to show our boys that we girls can play cricket as well.”
WA Cricket Regional Cricket Manager – Metro Central East Jacob Paolino said Sunset Scorchers is a great way to introduce women and girls to cricket
“The women and girls get to know other people who are interested in cricket that might not have the skills to do so
they get to learn other parts of it as well,” he said
“The program is made up of mainly just playing and getting used to what cricket looks like
what makes up the game from umpiring to how to even hold a bat and being able to have those conversations which might be a bit scary to have otherwise.”
Paolino said having women and girls cricket teams showcases how accessible sports is to play year-round for everyone
“The flow on effect was getting involved and the members that make up part of the club or linking up the other sports such as football or netball
just making sure the sport is accessible all year and linking up with your local cricket club to do so.”
joining Sunset Scorchers isn’t just for the social benefits but being part of something bigger within her community
“We can just come down and have a good time and it is good for the physical and the mental health,” she said
was back in discussion as a motion was moved to adopt WALGA’s tree retention model at the annual general electors meeting
Kalamunda resident Michelle Bunn moved to adopt the WA Local Government Association’s (WALGA) tree canopy protection model in a motion at the meeting
six of the nine councillors voted to revoke the city’s local planning policy
“This policy had been developed over at least three years of extensive consultation with rate payers
The tree retention policy was introduced in December 2022 and was in place for a little over a year before being scrapped as reported in Applause as Kalamunda bins tree retention policy
Dr Bunn said several deputees on the night the tree retention policy was scrapped expressed concerns about the impact of revocation
councillors highlighted that trees would still be protected as ‘works’ under the existing planning framework,” she said
“Councillors assured the meeting they remained committed to protecting trees
and that the policy would be replaced quickly because WALGA was
‘finalising a template policy which we can implement within weeks’
“WALGA’s tree retention model was finalised just a couple of weeks later
“I checked with WALGA last week – 10 local government authorities have already adopted it or are in the process of doing so
our supposed home in the forest not weeks later
but almost a year and no action has been taken to fulfil council’s promise to adopt WALGA’s tree protection model.”
Dr Bunn said the existing city strategy relied on the single sentence direction of applications for development approval to consider “whether any trees or other vegetation on the land should be preserved”
“I really pity the staff who have to use this one sentence to undertake the process when the extensive guidelines they had in LPP 33 were considered to be inadequate,” she said
the city has its own strategies to assist in considering tree protection factors.”
Dr Bunn said the annual report’s strategies referred to LPP 33 but was confused how the strategies could be effective in maintaining environmental standards when they relied on a city policy that no longer existed
I can only conclude it’s obvious that the city’s remaining tools for tree retention and decision-making are inadequate
I call on you to honour your promise and therefore I move that the Kalamunda city council instructs the CEO to immediately take action to adopt WALGA’s tree retention model with the intent for it to go before council by June 24
Fellow resident Janelle Sewell seconded the motion and it was carried unanimously
CITY of Kalamunda carried a motion to review the community impact of FOGO in the most recent council meeting following back and forth debate in the chamber between councillors
or soiled medical consumables in a bin was self-evident of the impact a fortnightly wait time had
to leave any rubbish in a bin for 14 days is unhygienic
stinks to high heaven and is causing pests like rats and maggots to infest our waste,” he said
“It’s not calling for a rush to change things tomorrow
we accept that some people are having a hard time with this system
“We acknowledge that in a cost-of-living crisis
some people simply cannot afford to pay for an extra bin
come up with some options because we hear our residents and as their elected representatives
The main arguments against the motion included that it was too soon to conduct a review after the FOGO system had only been rolled out for three weeks
Councillor Kathy Ritchie spoke against the motion citing the recency of the rollout and said not enough time had been given to residents to adjust to changes
“FOGO across the whole city of Kalamunda has been in place for just over three weeks,” she said
“It took two months to roll it out to all households
“This small amount of time is not sufficient to make a call on how well we are progressing
and three weeks is certainly not sufficient time to warrant a review with its associated costs
“Other local governments have indicated it takes 12 months for residents to adjust to the changes
“As councillors we know that if we do not meet the obligations of the better bins funding and if we change to either a weekly bin collection or a 240L bin
the $1 million will need to be refunded to the state government
“This million-dollar cost would of course need to be passed on to rate payers
“I urge councillors to vote against the motion that can only create uncertainty across our community and inevitable cost increase if changes are made and bewilderment for those who have been urging councillors to introduce FOGO over the past several years.”
City of Kalamunda Mayor Margaret Thomas spoke against the motion
concerned it might send the wrong message about residents not having to try and adjust to positive change
“I just think that’s sending the wrong message to our community,” she said
councillors — you can do what’s popular and just say let’s forget this
we’ll pay back the money for the grants,’ or you can do what’s right for our city
“If we move this motion tonight nobody’s going to try
Cr Modolo closed the debate by saying the motion didn’t call for drastic immediate change
“This motion is calling just for a review,” he said
“I agree with councillor O’Connor that we cannot wait 12 months with the status quo
“I think that’s a pretty fair position for us to consider at this point and as such
I urge everybody to support the motion this evening.”
The motion was eventually carried five to four
TWO City of Kalamunda boys recently flew to Adelaide to represent the U15 WA cricket team at the School Sport Australia cricket championships
Lesmurdie’s Chayse Moir and Kalamunda’s Wynand Basson competed in the tournament which was held from March 30 to April 4
The WA cricket team of 13 is coached by Scott Ogilvie
managed by Ian Bycroft with the tour led by Luke Green
The boys were in Pool A where they played against New South Wales
Since he was a baby Chayse said he spent a lot of time in the backyard
He started playing competitively when he turned seven-years-old
Chayse said he felt a combination of nerves and excitement for the competition
“Nervous because there’s always pressure playing in these tournaments and excited about representing WA and wearing the baggy black and gold.”
Chayse said he did a lot of work at the nets with his dad
I make sure I’m well organised and do enough drills to get my hands and feet working so I’m ready to go.”
Chayse said he dreams of playing cricket for Australia and competing at the highest level all around the world
Wynand said he was given his first helmet and bat
backyard cricket with my dad became a regular part of my life whenever we had free time.”
Wynand said he started playing competitively at six-years-old and when he turned 13
he took the next step by playing district cricket
He said a massive part of his development was playing cricket during the winter season
Although this is Wynand’s first year being selected for the WA School Sport team
“I’ve already represented WA in three national championships with my fourth coming up this July,” Wynand said
“And had the honour of representing Australia in Dubai for the World Junior Series in 2023
Wynand said these experiences have helped him to become a better player
“Game day nerves are always there but I calm myself by listening to my favourite music and reminding myself that I’ve done everything I can to prepare.”
He said he plans to take a gap year after high school to play cricket in the United Kingdom before pursuing his dream of playing professional cricket
“I want to follow in the footsteps of power hitters like AB de Villiers and Glenn Maxwell.”
KALAMUNDA will hold an environment and climate forum on Wednesday
April 30 with federal candidates for the seat of Bullwinkel to come and discuss how policy will protect the environment
The discussion will feature Bullwinkel’s Labor candidate Trish Cook
The Nationals candidate Mia Davies and Liberal candidate Matt Moran which will be held at Kalamunda Community Centre
They will be joined by environment and conservation experts in an effort to explore how protections for forests and urban canopy can be strengthened
how to secure the area’s water future and address climate impacts on land and oceans
This is aimed to inform planning in areas where nature and community intersect by dissecting what commitments candidates are bringing forth
asking what policies will safeguard landscapes and seascapes and how residents can stay engaged with their representatives to make their voices heard
This Conservation Council of WA (CCWA) event will be co-hosted by the WA Forest Alliance
and the Australian Marine Conservation Society
A CCWA spokesperson said there will be opportunities for attendees to ask questions and interact with the candidates and experts
“Following opening statements and a facilitated panel discussion
attendees will have the opportunity to submit questions and upvote the questions of others
and the emcee will direct the most upvoted questions to the candidates,” they said
The spokesperson said beyond this discussion
local community had other methods available to protect the environment
“There are so many different ways to take action on nature and climate - no matter who you are
if you’re interested in protecting the environment there’s a way to get involved that’s right for you,” they said
“From getting your hands dirty with planting and community clean-ups through to volunteering with local campaigns or making a donation
it’s really about finding something that fits your passion and capacity
“Head to the ‘get involved’ page on CCWA’s website for more information.”
The spokesperson said at this federal election
the environment and climate will be crucial issues
“People in the Perth Hills are in a seat that really matters to the national outcome,” they said
and speak to the people around you about which parties are committed to protecting the natural environment we all love.”
WITH more polyphagous shot-hole borer (PSHB) infestations found each month since it was first detected in Lesmurdie in August
the City of Kalamunda is trying to stop the spread of the invasive beetle
The city said the pest was first detected in Turner Park and Marri Crescent
a positive infestation was found earlier this month on Elizabeth Street in Kalamunda
“Under the PSHB National Eradication Program
led by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD)
the city has been advised of the necessary removal of infected trees
including a river sheoak and a black locust
to reduce the spread and protect the local tree population,’’ a city statement said
A community information session on PSHB will be held at Pickering Brook Sports Club at 6.30pm on Wednesday
The one-hour session includes a 45-minute presentation covering the pest’s biology
signs of infestation and how to report suspicious activity
Last month Bullwinkel candidate Mia Davies said it was time significant resources were allocated for research into management solutions
as there was no guarantee that the pest could be eradicated
DPIRD has outlined measures they are trying to get rid of PSHB such as plastic wrapping
which has been put forward by some as a possible way to kill the invasive pest
A DPIRD spokeswoman said as part of the PSHB eradication
the department had examined the use of partial wraps in a few high value trees with small infestations at Kings Park and at Perth Zoo
“This approach is showing promise but has limited application,’’ she said
“Mesh trunk wraps have been trialled in the US as a preventative measure to PSHB attack in relatively small trees
DPIRD has been liaising with international scientists and remains open to exploring a range of measures to control this invasive pest.”
Whether it was the proliferation of tree houses in ’90s kids media or the ’60s charm of the Swiss Family Robinson
we’ve always had a romantic daydream about living in a tree house… And now
Let’s take a peek inside thanks to our friends at Crib Creative
Designed by noteworthy Perth Hills architect Frank Young
the Kalamunda home bears Young’s signature use of bold
geometric form – strikingly contrasted with the organic shapes of the trees it’s nestled between
And who wouldn’t be delighted to welcome guests to your home via a dramatic bridge walkway?
The home’s unique four-level layout was a response to the steep incline of the site – but it’s also why the home’s panoramic views are so damn impressive
with visibility spanning all the way from Rockingham up to Hillarys
The walkway leads to the home’s third level
and the main living zone of the home – ideal for entertaining
guests will be immediately met by that stunning view as soon as they enter the open plan living
While the home’s walkway and entry feels comfortingly nestled amongst the canopy
the outlook from the rear of the home opens up to a truly breathtaking expanse of sky and horizon – best enjoyed from that sizeable terrace
a mezzanine level is home to a reading nook and study
tucked underneath that sharply projecting roofline
The two lower levels are where the home’s four bedrooms can be found – with each level’s balcony descending through the canopy
and with its own unique view of the surrounding lush greenery
Check out the listing for 7 Dilkara Place here
Image credits: Crib Creative
HUNDREDS of Kalamunda residents gathered at Stirk Park on Saturday in a show of strength to oppose the new McDonald’s and car wash development proposal
The rally comes on the back of a City of Kalamunda annual general meeting of electors where a motion was moved to bring awareness to the City of Kalamunda that there was widespread community dismay and disapproval for the McDonald’s and car wash development, as reported in Heath Road restaurant and car wash opposition grows
The motion was passed unanimously by the electors at the annual general meeting
Speakers at the event included Kalamunda North Ward councillor David Modolo
a senior resident living near the proposed development site
and Cancer council obesity prevention manager Ainslie Sartori
City of Kalamunda Mayor Margaret Thomas was in attendance and spoke about the development assessment panel (DAP)
its focus on planning and how the DAP meetings worked
Kalamunda resident Amanda Newell said from the perspective of the residents opposing the development
the DAP process was problematic as the process afforded a short timeline for residents to research into planning and provide feedback which is then summarised for the assessment panel
“Noting only planning elements are considered,” she said
“We feel this process does not allow a true representation of community concern and is all about a planning process.”
Greens candidate for Kalamunda Janelle Sewell said the development had not addressed several key concerns in the submitted plans
“I think we have got a lot of support out there and the plans aren’t entirely transparent in terms of the liveability of the trees (on the site),” she said
“The traffic testing that they did wasn’t for Canning Road
Residents had previously cited traffic congestion concerns and the removal of mature trees as some of the major concerns driving their opposition of the new development
CITY of Kalamunda carried a motion last week to review the community impact of FOGO
but some councillors remained concerned the decision came too soon
Kalamunda FOGO review motion carried reported the motion was passed but only after debate on the message it was sending to the community
the state government instructed all metropolitan local governments to implement the FOGO strategy by 2025 aiming to reduce biodegradable rubbish and improve recycling numbers
10 local governments rolled out the new system and the City of Kalamunda decided on a 2024 timeline for the introduction of FOGO
Councillor Kathy Ritchie said this allowed time for Kalamunda to plan for the rollout and learn from other local governments which were early adopters of the system
“The decision to implement the three bin FOGO system was a unanimous decision of council
in preference to the 120L selected by some other local governments
Cr Ritchie said it was worth considering the situation other local governments that have implemented FOGO over the past five years were in
“Cottesloe and Mosman Park have 120L general waste bins collected fortnightly,” she said
Swan and Vincent have 140L waste bins collected fortnightly
“All retained the 240L for recyclable bins
“The city was successful in gaining $1 million of government funding through the better bins grants so there would be no impost on ratepayers
“We now know that the FOGO system is not costing any more than the previous system for waste collection.”
Cr Ritchie said 300 bins from High Wycombe
Kalamunda and Lesmurdie were emptied and analysed by the Resource Recovery Group to provide a baseline for comparison before Kalamunda’s FOGO rollout
“Across the four suburbs 19.4 per cent of waste were recyclables
61.6 per cent organic material and 18.9 per cent general waste,” she said
“General waste included miscellaneous 5 per cent
pathogenic infectious materials 1.65 per cent
“The suburb with the least general waste was Maida Vale with 15 per cent.”
Cr Ritchie said it was worth noting the new red bin capacity would adequately cover the 18.9 per cent shown in the waste audit
and overall capacity of waste had actually increased
“Fast forward to September/October 2024 and the FOGO journey in Kalamunda is just beginning,” she said
“For some residents with particular needs the new system would be challenging
especially for a smaller general rubbish bin with fortnightly collections
“How have the other metropolitan local governments which have implemented FOGO over the past five years dealt with the same issues
have the opportunity for residents with special requests and needs to purchase a second bin
123 additional general waste bins and 44 bins under exceptional circumstances have been delivered
11 additional recycling and eight additional FOGO bins have been delivered
“All councillors are acutely aware that any extra cost is not desirable
however for 67 cents per day for an extra bin and 40 cents a day for those with special circumstances
“This seems a preferable and more equitable way of dealing with these requests
rather than all ratepayers facing a waste cost increase to cover these requests
“Each of the local governments has had similar issues raised and these matters and/or petitions brought to their councils
none of the other local governments changed either the capacity of the general waste bin or the frequency of collection
“I have great faith that if the hundreds of thousands of residents in these local governments have adapted to the changes
and waterways of the Perth Hills and surrounds are what make this place so special - but how do we make sure they thrive for generations to come
With the federal election around the corner
now is the time to talk about how we protect what we love so that we can all be proud of the environment we’ll pass on to our kids and grandkids
This conversation is brought to you by the Conservation Council of WA
Join us for a crucial discussion on the future of our environment and climate
featuring federal election candidates Trish Cook (Labor)
We’ll explore how we can strengthen protections for our forests and urban canopy
address climate impacts on land and in our oceans
and ensure thoughtful planning where nature and community go hand in hand
What policies will safeguard the landscapes and seascapes we love
If you care about the future of this place
this is your chance to be part of the conversation
Let’s celebrate what makes this place so special
© 2023 Conservation Council of Western Australia
Except where otherwise explicitly authorised
any material on this website that may be construed as electoral material or an electoral matter under any state or commonwealth law is authorised by Mia Pepper
the Kalamunda Community Centre provided the perfect location for the fourth annual Department Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) Bushfire Community Day
This year’s event was organised in collaboration between the Bushfire Centre of Excellence (BCoE) and City of Kalamunda
The event drew an impressive crowd of more than 2,500 attendees eager to equip themselves with the knowledge and tools to prepare for the upcoming southern bushfire season
The day was structured around a Bushfire Preparedness Trail
featuring a range of interactive information booths designed to build resilience and preparedness in readiness for potential bushfire threats
Contributors included the DFES Community Preparedness Directorate and Bushfire Technical Services
Australian Red Cross and Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
The Kalamunda Bushfire Brigade played a key role, conducting two live demonstrations to educate landowners on the Burn SMART principles
illustrating the safety measures and features of a fire appliance when faced with a bushfire passing over
A sausage sizzle organised by the brigade raised funds to support their efforts
Chris Ferreira from The Forever Project led engaging sessions on creating firewise gardens, based on the Firewise Gardening Western Australia guide
offering attendees practical strategies to protect their properties
A demo firewise garden provided a tangible example of how strategic gardening efforts can contribute to property protection
Other information booths and displays were hosted by the Association of Volunteer Bushfire Brigade Association
DFES Fleet and State Wide Operational Resources Division
The Roleystone Volunteer Fire & Rescue Service Cadets demonstrated firefighting and rescue skills
showcasing the opportunities for youth to engage in fire safety training and community service
The BCoE Cultural Fire Program team emphasised the significance of Caring for Country through cultural burning practices
Attendees also explored a bushfire virtual reality experience which allowed property owners to immerse themselves in a simulated bushfire scenario to test their readiness
Children enjoyed activities such as a firefighter obstacle course that reinforced “lay low and go
dressing up as a firefighter and much more
The Australian Red Cross hosted a pillowcase activity to help children understand what they would pack in an emergency kit
DFES Chief Superintendent BCoE John Tillman praised the event’s success and the partnership with the City of Kalamunda
“This event provided families with an understanding of bushfire and the steps they need to take to prepare themselves
their property and their families while offering a fun family day out,” Chief Superintendent Tillman shared
The success of the Bushfire Community Day not only reflects the proactive spirit of the Kalamunda community but also reinforces the essential collaboration between local government
This event serves as a vital reminder of the importance of preparedness
education and community engagement in preparing properties against fire threats
Feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive with over 70% of attendees reporting feeling more prepared for a bushfire
Watch the highlights from the 2024 Bushfire Community Day video and check out the photos capturing the day
Stay tuned for updates on next year’s collaboration
For more information, contact the Bushfire Centre of Excellence at bushfirecoe@dfes.wa.gov.au
KALAMUNDA Greens candidate Janelle Sewell will host a meeting on February 18 discussing concerns about water mining in the area
The meeting, to be held at Pickering Brook Sports Club at 6.30pm, comes as a proposal was lodged to the City of Kalamunda to extract 30,000 kilolitres of water a year which raised resident concern, as reported in Pickering Brook water extraction proposal raises resident concern
Ms Sewell said it will be an important event for residents to attend if they wanted to be informed on the current state of water mining and how it impacts their areas
we’ll have residents whose properties have been impacted,” she said
“We’ve also got Greens water spokesperson Jess Beckerling who will talk about the need for water reform because WA is the only state that has not signed up to the national water initiative.”
At the event there will also be discussion of the current Water Act and how it has become outdated due to being written in 1914
“The act no longer appropriately deals with our population and our issues to do with climate change,” Ms Sewell said
“We aren’t getting the same rainfall as in 1914 and when we start drawing out of these water bores
that’s when we get the brown-off across the hills with all the trees dying
“It is an area that needs greater regulation and monitoring
“If people care about this issue it’s so important that they attend.”
* The hardcopy version of this story incorrectly said that Bibbul Ngarma Aboriginal Association is connected with this event
We apologise for our misunderstanding and have received confirmation from BNAA that they do not support or oppose any political party or their events
CITY of Kalamunda is celebrating 60 years of Kalamunda Water Park
The water park opened for the season this week and members of the community are invited to come along and dive into decades of family fun
Kalamunda Water Park has been a beloved destination for generations
the Kalamunda Water Park has been a beloved destination for generations since it first opened in March 1964
the facility has preserved its natural appeal
expanding the water park’s facilities and providing variety in activities
Mayor Margaret Thomas said the park was a longstanding place where people in the community could gather and connect
Kalamunda Water Park has been a place where families
and visitors come together to enjoy the unique beauty of Kalamunda,” she said
“This water park has not only provided countless memories but has become an iconic symbol of our community’s spirit and togetherness
“This milestone is a testament to the fondness our community holds for Kalamunda Water Park
“We’re excited to invite everyone to celebrate this iconic attraction
with new quick-release starting blocks set to replace the current concrete ones
“These will be installed at the end of the season.”
The water park has seen several refurbishments over the years to maintain its charm and enhance essential amenities
The waterslides were refurbished in October last year, as reported in Slide construction underway
with the speed slide demolished and the water park reopening in time for the 2023-24 season
Kalamunda Library will showcase an archival photo display covering the park’s history
and a special birthday celebration event is planned for January 26
The community is invited to share their memories, photos, and stories on the City’s online engagement portal here
You can now click/tap WATCH to start the live stream
You can now click/tap LISTEN to start the live stream
You can now click/tap LATEST NEWS to start the live stream
Click PLAY to hear what the next stage for the proposal is
TWO mature trees at a Forrestfield property have been cleared for removal after Kalamunda council approved the owner’s application
despite a recommendation from planning officers to refuse it
Councillor Brooke O’Donnell moved the officer’s recommendation and said it was consistent with existing planning expectations
“The WAPC approval should be really respected in terms of the tree removal,” she said
a reasonable recommendation to continue and support the officer’s recommendation.”
Councillor Kathy Ritchie seconded the motion and said 41 trees had already been removed across the area with only two remaining
these are the only two trees remaining and we try and find that balance between the need to have room for housing and the need to retain
“They are healthy trees and it seems to me to be a reasonable proposition that these two trees remain.”
Councillor David Modolo spoke against the motion and said the reason for refusal misrepresented planning regulations and that council had discretion to make its own judgment
“We’re refusing an application to cut down a tree because the application doesn’t adequately consider preserving the tree,” he said
“How can any application ever to cut down any tree ever succeed under this logic?”
were a migrant family who may not have been fully aware of tree retention conditions when buying the property
“They came to Australia to live a better life and enjoy opportunities they couldn’t get elsewhere,” he said
“I don’t believe that they read the fine print
or at least it wasn’t highlighted to them that these trees needed to be retained.”
Cr Modolo referred to an email Mr Machingura had sent him in 2024
“I’ve got two big old trees on my property which have dead branches,” Mr Machingura said
“These trees are looking dangerous to property and people.”
“I think they probably do need to be kept under control and with pruning they’re going to last another 25 years.”
The officer recommendation was lost in a 4-3 vote with councillors Modolo
John Giardina and Margaret Thomas against it
Cr Modolo then moved an alternate motion to approve the application without conditions
“The owner’s application be approved on the basis that council believes he has the right to remove vegetation on his own property,” he said
THE City of Kalamunda was among more than 30 local governments and organisations across WA who received grants for 2025 Youth Week activities.
State government grants worth $75,000 were distributed to support events for Youth Week 2025, which is the state’s biggest annual celebration of young people and will run from April 10 to 17.
City of Kalamunda Mayor Margaret Thomas said she hoped to deliver an engaging and impactful Youth Week program, which will include a youth symposium to hear young voices on issues including climate change, personal safety and resilience.
“In consultation with the youth advisory council and Youth Action Kalamunda, the city has identified key issues that matter most to young people,” she said.
“This year’s Youth Week program, the ‘champions of change youth symposium’, has been developed in direct response to this feedback.
“The symposium will bring together local youth leaders and change champions to empower and inspire young people to lead positive change in their communities.”
Three key sessions will cover local solutions to climate change, hands-on first aid courses for U18 and Kalamunda-grown sporting stars sharing their experiences of resilience.
Ms Thomas said the city’s youth team was collaborating with the youth advisory council to ensure the event remained youth driven.
“Youth Week WA is a vital opportunity to highlight the contributions of young people and celebrate their potential to shape the future of our community,” she said.
“With initiatives like the ‘champions of change youth symposium, the City of Kalamunda continues to build an environment where young people can thrive as advocates and leaders.”
Youth Week provides young people across WA with an opportunity to express their ideas, raise important issues, showcase their talents and connect with peers.
The celebrations will kick off in Karratha and will include more than 100 events.
The 2025 theme is ‘our threads, this place, your moment’, reflecting young people’s connection to their communities and to each other.
The theme was selected by the Youth Week planning committee which includes the 2025 Youth Week ambassadors Daisy Pilsworth, Emily Sullivan, Lisa Lee and Om Sharma.
Youth Minister Hannah Beazley said there was something for everyone in the variety of events being held in communities across the state.
“Youth Week 2025 is once again shaping up to be another epic celebration of our incredible young people, their positive contributions and to promote their talents and help them foster valuable community connections.”
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.”
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FATHER John Ward was the parish priest of Kalamunda for 11 years and was remembered at a funeral service honoured by the attendance of hundreds from the wider community
Fr John was involved in a number of community activities
being particularly enthusiastic about the Mundy Regional Park course of the ParkRun community events
He was known for representing a number of different Christian churches
ministers and pastors of other denominations
Fr John facilitated the process of bringing the parish of Lesmurdie and the parish of Kalamunda together into the parish of Kalamunda-Lesmurdie
He then oversaw services at both St Barnabas and St Swithun’s Church
Parish of Kalamunda-Lesmurdie assistant curate Grahame Bowland said Fr John was well respected by many
“John was very well known and well regarded in the area
and I’ve been moved by how many people beyond the immediate church community have been coming to the church to pay their respects at the prayer services we have held after his death,” he said
“In his time in the parish John served the community with kindness and generosity
“It wasn’t unusual for John to take a baptism
or a wedding having met a family while out walking his dogs
in Morawa and grew up on the family wheat and sheep farm
He studied zoology at the University of Western Australia
It was during his university years that he found God
Fr John met his future wife Julie Ward at Youth Synod
and it was through their committee meetings that they got to know each other
and it was around that time Fr John felt a calling to the ordained ministry
He completed a bachelor of divinity and was ordained deacon and priest in 1991 by Archbishop Peter Carnley
attached to the parish of Rockingham-Safety Bay
to start a church community in the rapidly growing suburb of Warnbro
he had been involved in parishes in Fremantle
Heathridge and finally Kalamunda-Lesmurdie
his work as Archdeacon of Sudanese Ministry was immensely satisfying to him and led to life-long friends and many fond memories of joyful worship
Fr John encouraged others to create visual expressions of Christian experience
He also served on the board of the Mandorla Art Award for a number of years
Fr John was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer and was admitted to SJOG Midland for pain relief and to deal with other cancer related issues
during which he started chemotherapy to slow the spread of the cancer
and he was taken back to hospital by ambulance on August 19
Fr John died peacefully during the night of August 20
KALAMUNDA residents are calling for upgrades to fire safety by building a new station for the Pickering Brook brigade and the state Liberals have pledged to meet the demand if elected
Pickering Brook resident and business owner Michael Vinci said he’d seen quite a lot of bushfires come through over the years and had to fight them with the heavy machinery from his welding business
“I’ve had first-hand experience with it and there’s been quite a few times where there’s a fire breakout and sometimes it can be the challenge for brigades travelling from Kalamunda or Mundaring to make it on time,” he said
“It has been an issue and there’s been times where it’s gotten out of control before we could do something
we could get onto it straight away and put it out before it got out of control.”
Mr Vinci said the Pickering Brook community had been calling for more support against bushfires ever since a particularly bad fire struck the area in 2004
“We had a bad fire in the summer of 2004 and 2005 and the idea started that we were going to need our own fire station or something to be able to get onto it faster,” he said
“It’s a pretty high-risk area here and we can back up Roleystone
Mundaring and all those areas with our equipment too if we had a station built here
“This is the fire front if we get it coming from the top of the hills
“Sometimes they break out and if we got to them within 10 to 15 minutes
we could get it under control quite quickly but by the time teams come from Kalamunda in 25 to 30 minutes
it’s spread too much and become too hard to control for one unit.”
Liberal candidate for Kalamunda Adam Hort said the present fire response was managed by Kalamunda Volunteer Bush Fire Brigade in Walliston
resulting in delayed response times of up to 13 minutes
“West Australians have the right to know that when they call in an emergency
their first responders will have the resources they need – whether that is police
“This $4.9 million commitment will establish a central hub for firefighting resources
and strengthen our region’s firefighting and emergency response capabilities.”
KALAMUNDA Senior High School recently hosted the 2024 WorldSkills Australia north regional hospitality competition.
The event, a highlight in the vocational education calendar, brought together Year 11 students to showcase their culinary talents and compete for top honours.
The competition at Kalamunda Senior High School was designed to test the students’ basic cookery skills as they prepared a two-course menu, with three portions of each dish, within a set time limit.
The project aimed to evaluate the competitors in several key areas including demonstrating basic cookery skills for a two-course menu, displaying competence in handling tools and showcasing skills in all basic kitchen preparations, innovation and use of garnishes to enhance presentation and stimulate appetite.
The participants were judged against a set of criteria by two judges, including ex-student Vicky Gregory, who brings extensive industry experience to the table.
Congratulations to the medal recipients for their outstanding performances: with gold going to Megan Schwinkowski, silver to Shayla Fazari and bronze to Findlay Scobbie.
One of the students in the competition, Shayla said this was the best experience she had ever had at school.
“It was great to see each student’s creativity in designing their dish, and how each overcame any challenges that arose,” judge Alex Gallagher said.
“Each student dedicated significant effort to the planning and preparation of their dishes and what a joy to see their ideas come together on the day.”
Teacher Sophie Bee said the quality of the students’ work was exceptionally high, and she felt immense pride in all of their achievements.
WorldSkills’ mission is to influence, challenge, and support Australians in contributing to a sustainable economy through the development, recognition, and promotion of skills excellence.
Over the years, they have raised awareness among hundreds of thousands of young Australians, their parents, industry leaders, and employers about the critical importance of a robust skills training system for the future.
LAST week it was reported that residents were calling for better traffic safety at the intersection of Kalamunda and Midland roads due to the frequency of dangerous traffic movements experienced there
Kalamunda intersection under traffic scrutiny reported that the intersection had returned to public discourse as a major development was still under assessment to be developed near there
The development would be a $22 million shopping centre proposed at 332 Kalamunda Road – the empty lot behind the golf course on the corner of Midland Road and Kalamunda Road, as in reported in Woolies to anchor in Maida Vale.
Residents living on Kalamunda Road, who asked not to be named, said they were concerned such a large shopping centre would only exacerbate existing traffic stresses in the area and the consequent accidents and near misses.
Echo News reached out to Main Roads to determine who was responsible for the intersection and the reported traffic stress experienced there.
A Main Roads spokesperson said the City of Kalamunda was responsible for the road safety at the intersection of Kalamunda and Midland roads.
“The intersection of Kalamunda and Midland roads is under the care and control of the City of Kalamunda,” they said.
“The city is responsible for investigating and determining appropriate measures to mitigate and identify issues related to safety, efficiency, and accessibility on their road network.
“Main Roads will provide technical advice and assistance wherever necessary.
“Any questions relating to development applications should be directed to the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage (DPLH).
“In the five years to December 31, 2024 there were 22 reported crashes at this location, of which one resulted in hospitalisation, 10 required medical treatment and 11 involved property damage only.”
A DPLH spokesperson confirmed that the shopping centre development was still under assessment but the development application report was no longer in use.
A new report had been written but not released to the public in which new traffic impact assessment results informed the development’s viability.
A YEAR after two students from Helena College rallied Kalamunda’s community spirit to redevelop a vacant office building
gaining almost 1000 signatures on their petition
Helena College students Izzy Eastman and Penny Blyth presented a petition to City of Kalamunda last year
calling for renewal of the building on 12 Mead Street known to residents as the ‘pigeon hotel’
Towards the end of 2023, the property was finally put on the market after more than a decade of inaction, as reported in Students’ petition drives first steps to change in Kalamunda
City of Kalamunda Mayor Margaret Thomas said the city had been in communication with the landowner of 12 Mead Street
which had not been occupied since 2010 when the medical centre at the site ceased operations
“The city has passed on the concerns of the community
citing the poor appearance of the building,” she said
“The landowner is required to ensure that the building is safe
and the city encouraged the landowner to take further action to minimise the amenity impact of the building such as shade-cloth with artwork being added to the fence
“The site is currently for sale and the city has contacted the landowner and agent to provide support to any enquiries from prospective purchasers.”
Izzy said it was disappointing to see the state of the building deteriorate after the support from the community and outpouring of ideas for its renewal
“We are really disappointed to see that the state of the building at 12 Mead Street has worsened within the year since we presented our Put a Sock on It petition to the Kalamunda council,” she said
“The petition included over 1000 signatures from residents who think the building is a disastrous eyesore
attracting more bad attention than good and overshadowing the updated mall
“There are so many opportunities for this building
that was revealed in the petition: a youth centre
“We would love to see it get some more positive attention and investment within our great community so we can see a new and functioning estate for all to enjoy and be rewarded from.”
Colliers investment services manager Shane Isaacs said they were not actively marketing it but the owner is looking at other options
“We’ve had local kids take it upon themselves to put bricks through the windows and break in
so it’s not for lack of trying to secure the building,” he said
“If the owner’s talks come to fruition it’ll be a great outcome for the community there