Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) Live, teach and work in WA Teach and work in regional WA Teach and work in regional WA Benefits, incentives and allowances Specialist, corporate and support staff Swimming and water safety careers About us Our people Our people Community consultations on schooling Construction has begun on a significant redevelopment at Roleystone Community College These images are artist impressions only and are not intended to be exact representations of the works to be delivered at Roleystone Community College The $15.5 million project aims to deliver a range of modern purpose-built learning facilities for students.  The redevelopment includes the construction of a new sports hall which will offer all-weather physical education facilities The project also includes an upgrade to the STEM laboratory providing state-of-the-art resources for science A new drama studio will be established also to support the expansion of the school's performing arts programs.  This new drama studio is part of a broader initiative to develop drama making full use of the enhanced space and facilities These improvements will further bolster the college's specialist film and television program offering students more opportunities to explore and excel in the arts.  The construction is expected to be completed by early 2026.   families and communities are the first educators of their children and we recognise and value the cultures and strengths that Aboriginal children bring to the classroom Aboriginal people have a long tradition of teaching and learning through sharing their connections with country stories and lived experiences that are passed from generation to generation We recognise and value the learning that Aboriginal children bring with them from their homes and communities into the classroom Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback Creative Commons CC BY logo Exclusions may apply If you’ve ever dreamed of living the high life with epic views up in the hills of Roleystone a stunning new residence has hit the market for the first time And thanks to our friends at Crib Creative we’ve got some beautiful pics that’ll have you dreaming a little dream… Located 30 kilometres southeast of the CBD, the expansive property lies on an elevated position in Roleystone’s highly sought-after ‘dress circle’ offering panoramic including of the adjacent Banyowla National Park exceptional craftsmanship abounds throughout the French Provincial-style residence from the hand-crafted farmhouse-inspired kitchen with cosy woodburning stove leading out to swathes of lavender growing in your garden to the bespoke bathrooms – and do we need to point out that stunning clawfoot tub You’ll want to show it off to your friends making the multiple living areas ideal to entertain with flexible accommodation options across the 4/5 spacious bedrooms 3 bathrooms and even a separate heritage cottage we’re starry-eyed – daydreaming at our desks about cosy winter mornings next to the crackling fire or hosting friends for wine-filled dinner parties spilling out to the garden… a sense of adventure will be equally rewarded – the property is a whopping 22 acres which is part pasture you won’t even have to leave to enjoy the natural environment with a delightful sunroom surrounded by gardens perfect for lazy afternoons curled up with a book or glass of wine As you may have gathered by now, words really don’t do it justice, so find out more via the listing here. Image Credit: Crib Creative 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) Roleystone Theatre’s Shakespeare in the Park is back for another season – and this year has two new locations When Helena marries him with the King’s help he won’t accept her as his wife until she fulfils two conditions – so she tries to come up with a way to meet his seemingly impossible demands Check out our playlists from our latest issue Our free Weekly Newsletter delivers the latest arts news, reviews and features to your inbox each Saturday. Play Duration: 4 minutes 22 seconds4m 22sBrought to you by Residents in Roleystone were woken in the middle of the night as a severe thunderstorm ripped through their suburb.  Resident Peta Carrigan told Nadia Mitsopoulos from ABC Radio Perth the experience was absolutely terrifying.  "My daughter and husband said they woke up and  instinctively put their arms over their heads and sort of curled up in a ball because they felt like the whole roof was going to cave in," Ms Carrigan said.  She said the weather event felt unusual from the average winter storms that she is familiar with.  "We had a tornado come through once before in 2003. That was during the daytime.  "And the noise of the wind was exactly the same, loud, piercing, howling sound. It was very, very frightening." The Carrigan family home was hit by trees and fallen debris after a severe thunderstorm hits Perth's south-east. (Supplied: Will Carrigan) Download the ABC listen app to text and call your favourite live radio It’s been ten years since Roleystone local June Copley decided to be the antidote to some trashy behaviour “I was newly retired and whinging to my husband one day about the piles of rubbish I was seeing along the roads here in Roleystone and he suggested I do something about it – so I did,” she said June started by attending a Keep Australia Beautiful day with Pat Hart which prompted her to take that energy to the streets around her “I really wanted to make a difference to the roads that I saw every day that were bothering me,” she said “The community had supported my business for 30 years – this was something I could give back.” She started out as a one-woman litter collector but it wasn’t long until friends joined her on her weekly mission; at first out of concern for her safety and then because they could see the impact it was having and relished the chance to spend time with other community-minded people “We’ve grown to about 20 full-time warriors now,” June said Together they regularly patrol along the Brookton Highway The group meets every second and fourth Wednesday of the month which led to their moniker: the Wednesday Warriors A warrior is defined as someone who ‘remains stalwart and undiscouraged in the face of adversity’ and so the name is rather fitting; after ten years of dedication to keeping Roleystone and surrounds pristine in the face of persistent disregard for the natural beauty of the area “Everyone feels like they’re doing something worthwhile that’s why they keep showing up,” June said “It was our first day back recently after a break over summer and they were all keen as mustard to get back into it – who would have thought picking up rubbish would have that effect on people?” It’s this can-do spirit that June felt needed some public acknowledgment “Back in 2018 I was awarded the Senior Citizen of the Year for the City of Armadale partly for my work coordinating the Wednesday Warriors,” she said “But it’s not about me – it takes a whole team of people to do what we do and cover such a large area because last month the Wednesday Warriors were named the Group of the Year at the city’s Citizen of the Year awards But that gong is not the only kudos the group has received Locals regularly toot their horns in appreciation when they pass them on the streets or stop to offer them money for their service to the community “And we’ve been very lucky to have generous people donate things to us like our own high-vis vests with our group branding on them,” June said A community appreciation tin on the Orchard Espresso counter also covers the cost of their hard-earned morning tea after a Wednesday session “Some people are really lovely – it’s a very supportive community here,” June said “It’s fantastic that we haven’t ever had to buy coffee.” And their work is clearly having an impact June said she believes that their presence out in the community has made tossers think twice “I think it’s about the visibility – people see us and it starts a conversation,” she said “We’re definitely collecting a lot less rubbish now than before – which is a good thing.” The ban on single-use plastics is having a noticeable effect with far less straws and bags found these days and butts are still being discovered by the warriors with concerning regularity “It’s the cigarette butts that really get to me – why would anyone throw one out their window when this area is so bushfire-prone?” June said One thing that does give her hope is the number of young locals who ask how they can be involved “They can’t come out with us on a Wednesday morning obviously so I encourage them to check out the Keep Australia Beautiful Adopt-a-Spot initiative,” June said Adopt-a-Spot is an anti-litter program that engages volunteers to undertake coordinated litter clean-ups of designated sites in their communities Participants are provided with tools and support and receive an adoption certificate to acknowledge their commitment To adopt your own local spot, visit the registration page at www.wa.gov.au/service/environment/register-adopt-spot-or-one-clean This Sunday is also Clean Up Australia day with local clean-ups happening in Piara Waters For more information visit www.cleanup.org.au Get your Local Examiner Digital Edition straight to your InboxName*Email* Are You a Human Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time The body of a woman has been discovered inside a Roleystone home which was engulfed by fire overnight Emergency services were called to the Tyers Road blaze about 2am on Tuesday Two children were rescued from the flames by neighbours with police initially unsure of their mother’s whereabouts Elizabeth Quijano’s body was found by firefighters inside the destroyed home Neighbour Dirk Matthiesen said he heard the children banging on the flyscreen door and smashed a window to pull the brothers out 9News Perth reported the youngest brother woke when he felt hot and alerted his older brother Arson squad Acting Senior Sergeant Chris de Bruin said arson and forensic detectives remained at the scene “We are currently working out how the fire started determining the cause is ongoing … but at this stage the fire does not appear to be suspicious … or deliberately lit,” he said “The house has suffered substantial damage two children were managed to be saved while the house was on fire … without their actions this situation could have been a lot worse.” was devastated and assisting police with their inquiries said the fire was isolated to the house and did not spread to nearby trees or properties in the Perth hills suburb “It was fully ablaze when I got up … there was a few bangs and hisses and pops and 20 foot flames out the top of the roof,” he said “Fire goes through here quick … [the firefighters got it under control] quickly told Radio 6PR the family was woken up about 12.20am by someone banging on their front window “There is a husband and a wife and two young children [who reside at the burnt house],” she said “Over the last week and a half there’s been a few visits [from police] we were a bit concerned about what was going on but we have never heard anything untoward come from that home St John Ambulance treated one boy for minor injuries at the scene but he did not require transport to hospital Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. The body of a woman has been discovered inside a Roleystone home which was engulfed by fire overnight. Emergency services were called to the Tyers Road blaze about 2am on Tuesday. Two children were rescued from the flames by neighbours, with police initially unsure of their mother\\u2019s whereabouts. Several hours later, Elizabeth Quijano\\u2019s body was found by firefighters inside the destroyed home. Neighbour Dirk Matthiesen said he heard the children banging on the flyscreen door and smashed a window to pull the brothers out. \\u201CThey were just screaming \\u2018mum, mum\\u2019,\\u201D he said. 9News Perth reported the youngest brother woke when he felt hot and alerted his older brother, they rushed to their mother, but she fainted in her bedroom. Arson squad Acting Senior Sergeant Chris de Bruin said arson and forensic detectives remained at the scene, with the cause of the fire unknown. \\u201CWe are currently working out how the fire started, determining the cause is ongoing \\u2026 but at this stage the fire does not appear to be suspicious \\u2026 or deliberately lit,\\u201D he said. \\u201CThe house has suffered substantial damage, most rooms have been affected by fire. \\u201CThe neighbours did a commendable job, two children were managed to be saved while the house was on fire \\u2026 without their actions, this situation could have been a lot worse.\\u201D De Briun said the father of the children, who was not in the house at the time, was devastated and assisting police with their inquiries. Neighbour, Scott Higgins, said the fire was isolated to the house and did not spread to nearby trees or properties in the Perth hills suburb. \\u201CIt was fully ablaze when I got up \\u2026 there was a few bangs and hisses and pops and 20 foot flames out the top of the roof,\\u201D he said. \\u201CFire goes through here quick \\u2026 [the firefighters got it under control] quickly, they\\u2019ve done their job really well.\\u201D His wife, Danielle Higgins, told Radio 6PR the family was woken up about 12.20am by someone banging on their front window. \\u201CThere is a husband and a wife and two young children [who reside at the burnt house],\\u201D she said. \\u201COver the last week and a half there\\u2019s been a few visits [from police], we were a bit concerned about what was going on, but we have never heard anything untoward come from that home, they\\u2019re a really quiet family. \\u201CIt\\u2019s a really sad situation, I\\u2019m really glad the kids got out.\\u201D St John Ambulance treated one boy for minor injuries at the scene, but he did not require transport to hospital. Start the day with a summary of the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. . Construction has started on a $15.5 million redevelopment at Roleystone Community College to deliver a range of new purpose-built learning facilities for students The project includes a new sports hall to provide all-weather physical education facilities for secondary students and a new drama studio to support the expansion of the school’s performing arts programs dance and music programs being developed to make use of the new space further supporting the college’s specialist film and television program “This is an exciting upgrade for Roleystone Community College that will not only be an improvement for students and staff but also for the Roleystone community,” Education Minister Tony Buti said “One of the aims for this upgrade is for the college to become a central hub in Roleystone with new buildings being made available for community use outside school hours.” “This project invests in the future of our students with modern purpose-built facilities that will enrich learning and create new opportunities for Roleystone Community College and the wider community,” Member for Darling Range Hugh Jones said Construction is anticipated for completion in early 2026 Roleystone Theatre has come out all guns blazing for its first major production in 2025 tackling a Tony Award-winning musical from one of Broadway’s all-time greats often regarded as Sondheim’s hidden gem transcends the boundaries of traditional musical theatre While Sondheim is celebrated for classics like ‘Into the Woods’ and ‘Sweeney Todd’ Assassins stands out as a uniquely compelling exploration of the American experience The show delves into the lives of real historical figures—people who had genuine hopes and dreams but feeling failed by the promises of the American Dream turned to desperate acts in an effort to leave their mark on history As composer Stephen Sondheim wrote in the show: “Someone tell the story Every now and then the country goes a little wrong” combined with the show’s powerful narrative serve as a stark reminder that those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it Fresh off the back of winning Best Director and Best Play at the 2024 Finley Awards Kelmscott local Chris Alvaro has taken on the whacking great task of directing Assassins “The experience of tackling this complex musical has been mammoth but the incredible talent within this cast and creative team has made it possible and worth it,” he said “Some of Perth’s best are bringing this production to life showcasing outstanding local talent like Sonja Reynolds “This is proven in the performances we’re seeing—chills and genuine show-stopping moments that will stay with you long after the curtain falls.” He said the time was ripe for a reproduction of Assassins in light of the current political climate in the US “In a time of political and social reflection proving Sondheim’s genius in creating works that entertain the show doesn’t take itself too seriously however “The sharp wit and humour balance the darker elements making it heartfelt thought-provoking and laugh-out-loud funny “This production demonstrates that theatre is not just about entertainment but about storytelling that challenges us to evaluate ourselves and the world we live in.” Assassins plays from February 28 to March 15 at the Roleystone Theatre Tickets can be purchased online at https://events.humanitix.com/assassins The community will finally get a chance to check out the new Roleystone Theatre at an Open Day this Sunday The Roleystone Theatre group will be running a sausage sizzle as part of the event and visitors can go on tours of the building and speak to members about the journey of the building and about the theatre group itself Festivities will be on between 11am and 1pm at the Roleystone Theatre at 587 Brookton Highway you could also check out the new digs of the Roleystone Karragullen Volunteer Bush Fire Brigade The brigade will be also hosting an open day on Sunday from 10am to 2pm There will be an official opening of the Van Uden and Winstanley Memorial Garden And throughout the day there’ll be raffles The new state-of-the-art brigade building is situated at 59 Springfield Rd On Sunday Roleystone Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service members got the keys to their brand-new Light Tanker The new Light Tanker is being commissioned as a replacement appliance Funded by the Emergency Services Levy (approximately $320K) the Light Tanker appliance is designed to carry two crew with 500 litres operational water and 20 litres foam capacity Other features to keep the crew safe include Automated Vehicle Location Roleystone VFRS has attended over 100 incidents including 66 over the past fire season with attendance at several large bushfires such as the Mariginiup and Gingin Complex Fires in 2023 and more recently the Red Hill the Roleystone VFRS also commits many volunteer hours to training and supporting the community through a proactive Bush Fire Ready Group Roleystone VFRS operates a permanent fleet of two appliances with an additional appliance allocated during the High Threat Period Member for Darling Range Hugh Jones officially handed over the keys on behalf of DFES Minister Stephen Dawson “Congratulations to the Roleystone volunteer firefighters and DFES personnel who did such an outstanding job in the very challenging high-threat fire season that has just concluded This has been one of the longest and most intense seasons for many years,” Mr Jones said “It was a fire season that just kept on giving and wouldn’t go away It’s a tribute to the dedication and expertise of all concerned that there wasn’t any loss of life and we didn’t see large numbers of property loss especially with several complex fires in this area alone “On behalf of the State Government and Western Australians thank for the incredible job that you do in protecting local communities.” The Nationals WA have announced they intend to expand Royalties for Regions to include the Perth Hills including Roleystone and Karragullen if they’re elected to government on Saturday Leader of The Nationals WA Shane Love said the expansion would bring long-overdue support to communities in the City of Armadale “The Perth Hills face many of the same challenges are regional communities – population growth ageing infrastructure and stretched services – but they’ve been overlooked for too long,” Mr Love said we will direct funding where it’s needed most To ensure funding remains focused on rural and regional areas the City of Mandurah will be removed from the Royalties for Regions program as part of the policy shift One immediate benefit for Roleystone and Karragullen will be access to the Regional Pensioner Travel Card which The Nationals WA will increase from $675 to $800 per year to assist seniors with travel costs thousands of pensioners living in the Perth Hills will be eligible for this vital cost-of-living measure helping them cover fuel and transport costs just like other regional West Australians,” Mr Love said Mr Love said Royalties for Regions – which The Nationals WA fought to introduce in 2008 – had reinvested over $7 billion in regional WA under the former government “The Nationals WA will restore and strengthen Royalties for Regions ensuring mining royalties continue to benefit the communities that need them most,”he said Candidate for Darling Range Morgan Byas said the Perth Hills had been left behind for too long and deserved real investment Armadale Police are investigating a stealing and trespass incident on Mirfield Street a man was seen acting suspiciously outside a residential address and removed a black eScooter from the front porch Police believe the man approached several other properties in the area around the same time The man is described as aged between 30 to 40-years-old was shirtless and wore dark trousers and blue trainers with white soles Police urge anyone who may have any information relating to this incident, or knows the identity of the person involved, to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a report online via https://www.crimestopperswa.com.au Two Kelmscott locals have been charged after a home invasion and battery on Clarence Road on Monday night a 31-year-old man and 32-year-old woman entered a home on Clarence Road a fight then broke out between the two and an 18-year-old man The argument escalated with the man and woman allegedly assaulting the 18-year-old victim who was taken to hospital for medical treatment Armadale Detectives have charged the 31-year-old Kelmscott man with: one count of Aggravated Home Burglary and Commit; One count of Assault Occasioning Bodily Harm; and two counts of Impeded Another Person’s Normal Breathing or Blood Circulation by Applying Pressure to Neck He was due to appear before the Armadale Magistrates Court on Tuesday The 32-year-old Kelmscott woman is due to appear before the Armadale Magistrates Court on 15 May 2025 charged with: one count of Aggravated Home Burglary and Commit; and one count of Common Assault the Roleystone Theatre building has been restored to its former glory – and its theatre company is bringing the stage to life again with the musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying The historic venue was built in 1922 and classified by the National Trust in 1998 – but the City of Armadale closed it in 2018 due to major structural concerns After an intense “Save Roleystone Theatre” campaign the council committed to renovating the building so it could be brought back up to standard with the theatre company using temporary venues while works took place How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is Roleystone Theatre’s first show back in the venue with the opening weekend part of the Armadale Arts Festival Directed by Armadale resident Peter “Pear” Carr Pierrepont Finch and his desire to climb the corporate ladder from lowly window-washer to chairman of the board The satire of big business and all it holds sacred sees Finch navigate dangers such as the office party the show won a Tony Award for Best Musical and Pulitzer Prize for Drama “I’ve always had an affinity with golden age musicals and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is a great insight into the world of business and love,” Mr Carr said amazing songs and it’s an all-round fantastic show “The main challenge is understanding the comedic style of the ’60s without becoming overly cliché while bringing the text into today’s world.” Mr Carr has performed in more than 100 shows with Roleystone Koorliny and Mandurah Performing Arts Centres and Laughing Horse Productions He has worked as a deputy master carpenter at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London’s West End for three years and head machinist at Perth’s State Theatre Centre Mr Carr is currently head technician at the Don Russell Performing Arts Centre and describes theatre as his life “The is the first musical I’ve directed and both cast and crew are some of the most talented people I’ve had the pleasure of working with,” he said How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying plays at 7.30pm May 17 31 and June 1; 5pm May 19; and 2pm May 25 and June 1 Tickets are $28, $24 concession – book at tinyurl.com/roleystonebusiness Note: show is best suited for those aged 16+ Roleystone Theatre is at 587 Brookton Highway The clouds parted long enough on Sunday for the community to explore the brand-new Roleystone Karragullen Bush Fire Brigade building It was the first time the general public had been welcomed into the state-of-the-art brigade base since the crew moved in late last year And the community turned out in force – hundreds descended on Springdale oval for a sausage a fire truck ride courtesy of ‘Fireman Steve’ and a guided tour of the whizz-bang facility “We almost cancelled when we looked at the forecast I’m so glad we didn’t,” brigade captain Sean Anderson said “It’s good for the community to see what the city and the federal government has provided us.” Captain Anderson said his crew has attended 66 incidents since their November move-in date including the Donnybrook and Serpentine Complex bushfires A couple of members have even gone up to the Pilbara and out east to help on major incidents The new building will serve as a control centre for any large-scale bushfires in the hills DFES and Parks and Wildlife can come in and utilise it,” he said the building has serviced the brigade’s needs impeccably and captain Anderson said there’s not a thing he would change about it “Having a say in the way the facility was built made a real difference – we’ve catered it to our needs.” The brigade’s open day also served a dual purpose as the official opening of the Winstanley and Van Uden Memorial Garden – a tribute created in honour of two belated and beloved former brigade members The garden itself has been constructed as an example of a fire-hardy landscape the Forever Project received federal funding to instal 18 FireWise gardens in partnership with local governments and key stakeholders in high-profile spaces such as town centres The Winstanley Van Uden Memorial Garden is the inaugural garden to be delivered based on five key principles: the use of fire-retardant plants and fire-safe management of existing trees “The Forever Project has pioneered designs and builds beautiful FireWise landscapes that effectively resist ember attack and fire creep while maintaining a cool vegetated landscape,” The Forever Project’s Mackenzie Young said “FireWise gardens mean that we can meet the firefighters halfway We can help reduce the risk and spread of fires when they do occur and reduce the devastating toll on firefighters A well-designed and maintained FireWise garden can help save lives and property from devastating bushfires “These central spaces will be designed as permanent community fixtures to inspire and encourage change.” Play Duration: 14 minutes 10 seconds14m Brought to you by Community outrage is growing in Roleystone, where a council proposal to split the existing volunteer firefighting service has caused alarm. DFES and the City of Armadale currently share the same volunteers in a single building, which means the volunteers have to operate under a different set of rules depending on whether the call-out is for a car crash, or a bushfire. Roleystone Volunteer Fire Brigade president-elect Richard Mons says his members want to stay together, and answer to a single master - DFES - who are dedicated to firefighting. However, the City of Armadale is set to consider a proposal that would see the DFES-operated fire and rescue service separated off into a new, purpose-built facility - leaving the council-run bushfire brigade in the existing building. Listen as Nadia hears from both sides of the dispute - the Volunteer Fire Brigade, and Joanne Abbiss, the CEO of the City of Armadale. (Supplied: Roleystone Volunteer Fire Brigade) A fundraiser for the Cancer Council has shown the community of Roleystone in a new light The Roleystone Laid Bare calendar features local ‘models’ who all have skin in the game – literally Each person photographed for the tastefully nude calendar has confronted cancer A range of locals volunteered themselves for the project including a trio from Luxe Mane Hairdressers a tree lopper and some mums from Roleystone Junior Tigers who bared all for one of their young players who died this year from sarcoma Local artist Kitty Woodhouse – AKA the Maiden of Metal – was one of the models who put her hand up for the gig after watching her mother-in-law battle and ultimately beat triple-negative breast cancer 10 years ago But that cancer diagnosis really got to her She was devastated and it was hard to see that,” Kitty said All I can say is that regular mammograms are so important and early detection is key.” Kitty has since been involved in cancer fundraisers over a number of years sometimes donating pieces of her craft to raise money But the usually camera-shy metal sculptor said this experience took her completely out of her comfort zone “I replied to the call-out for this project thinking no one would get back to me so when I found out I was going to be photographed it was nerve-wracking,” she said But creativity is rarely ever forged from safe places Together with local photographer Steve Parry who volunteered his time for the calendar project Kitty has produced a flaming masterpiece that sticks its middle finger up to the ‘Big C’ and I had to keep squeezing my boobs back into my overalls because they kept popping out,” she said “But Steve straight away made me feel comfortable and we spent as much time as I needed until I was happy,” she said The whole family got involved in the creative process with Kitty’s partner Dan O’Sullivan workshopping ways to set the giant metal ‘C’ alight and adding ambience to the shot with a stream of sparks while daughter Summer added her own artistic embellishments “We had flames overshooting the shed out the back during our practice run,” Dan said Kitty has specifically asked for her picture not to be photoshopped: “I wanted to put all of me out there” And she will continue to ride this momentum of baring all but I’m gonna start doing competitions and not hide myself away,” she said She will also continue to inspire others through her Women On The Tools masterclasses The Roleystone Laid Bare calendars are a steal at $20 each with all funds going to the Cancer Council You’ll want to get a copy for the front cover alone which features 66 bravely bare bums at Boulder Rock on a freezing winter morning Project Coordinator Linda Moore said “the chill of the morning was made bearable because of the camaraderie coming from the group” You can pick one up from locations around town including the Roleystone Karragullen Community Bank and The Armadale Visitor Centre And if you’re planning to head to the Kelmscott Show there’ll be copies for sale at the Perth Hills table of the City of Armadale tent Round eight saw four wins for the Kelmscott Bulldogs as the League heads to its mid-season bye the Kelmscott Reserves achieved a well-deserved win against North Mandurah There was a hunger for the scoreboard when Billy Westcott scored the team’s first goal of the game in an uplifting run from the midfield North Mandurah held the lead at quarter time the Kelmscott midfield welcomed the inclusion of Mick Anderson who provided a strong link across the centre getting the majority of football and kicking his goal young ruckman Malakye Hansen dominated the clearance to his fellow midfielders with Hiroshi Masatora repeatedly snatching and clearing the ball forward and Robert Turner cutting off the opposition’s advances Wingman Brayden Davies and Speed Machine Brendan Sleath gathered both the contested and loose footballs and drove them straight into the hands of the dominating forwards North Mandurah tried to respond in the second half but were cut down by backmen River Anderson River ran up the ground to intercept several advances The real reward went to the team’s new player – Jason Green – who kicked an exciting five goals to lead the team to a great win on the day Coach Travis Burges gave credit to all the players saying the team had worked hard and gotten better each week North Mandurah Reserves 2.5 (17) defeated by Kelmscott 9.9 (63) the League team didn’t take long to start dominating the scoreboard “The league boys played some great football against North Mandurah,” Coach Shannon Collard said and Angus Yarran and Rodney Jetta with four each.” Even the team’s regular centre half back Liam Hansen decided to get in the action “The back line held up really strong and helped set up play as they rebounded from the interceptions” coach Collard said Captain William Walley dominated across the centre at the ball-ups as his teammate Kristian Egan took several impressive overhead marks “Kristian Egan had another best on ground game in the middle with some help in the second half in there from Lawrence Hansen who played a great game through the middle and also got forward and kicked two goals,” coach Collard said “And the club’s first game player Nixon Hamlet added some speed and good run to the team’s new style of fast ball movement” Eric Alone played high up the forward line while the run from Robert Miles on the wing drove the football from the release of the backline North Mandurah returned from the half-time break with several forward entries against the Bulldogs but the combination of Corey and Graham Hansen was too strong for the Magpies “The feel around the club was positive as we hit the half way mark and set our sights on finals at the end of the home and away season” Shannon Collard said North Mandurah League 4.8 (32) lost to Kelmscott 21.11 (137) The Derby between the Kelmscott and Roleystone Colts demonstrated the talent of the local area with WAFL development players featured in both teams but the connection across the ground gave up several opportunities to the Roleystone side The Bulldogs’ Vice Captain Raymond Aston and forward Jeb Ronan both kicked two each Kelmscott Colts 4.6 (30) lost to Roleystone 13.12 (90) The Kelmscott Integrated All Abilities faced the 2023 A Grade Premiers Coolbinia It was a fast-moving game as both teams were equally equipped with a running midfield and talented State Inclusion Academy Players Coolbinia missed two chances at the goals and gave Kelmscott a one-goal lead at half time The pace of Kelmscott’s Vincent Fraser and Timothy Davies through the centre was incredibly hard to stop as they linked with the skilful kicking of teammates Lee Maas and Fraser Kickett with his goal The girls got into the action again this week as Tara Wichman had her turn in centre and kicked one goal up forward the team’s big man – Warren Gregson – committed to several strong leads and opened up a goal square to his teammates unlucky not to kick one for all his efforts despite just five points separating the lead both team’s coaches celebrated the inclusion spirit as players who appeared to receive less football possession were rewarded with the midfield and centre play Several minutes went past as the ball was shared amongst many of the centre players aided by the help and support of their teammates snatching a two-point lead over the Bulldogs the crowd cheering and screaming for their respective team dashed into the forward to mark one inside shooting range The ball was kicked and the players screamed “goal.” and players of both team celebrated a nail-biting game which went right down to the wire Coolbinia Integrated 5.4 (34) defeated by Kelmscott 5.8 (38) The Kelmscott Bulldogs will return on June 8 with three home games after this weekend’s bye round There’s been a groundswell of anger after it was heavily publicised last week that beverage giant Coca Cola Europacific Partners has been carting truckloads of precious groundwater from Karragullen each week for its bottled water The practice has been going on for decades people around the state have been quenching their thirst without a second thought that the bottle they just cracked open likely came from our neck of the woods for Roleystone local Meg Travers that was absolutely the case Until a neighbour shed some light on the subject for her “I had no interest in bottled water up until about a week ago I was talking to a local about how sad the bush looked at the moment and that there were a lot of old trees dying and that’s when they dropped the bombshell about Coca Cola,” she said “My first thought was that it’s obviously so wrong “We’re living in a drying climate – the last season has really brought that home “And WA is basically giving away a key resource for free it’s as valuable as iron ore or anything else.” The City of Armadale granted a planning approval in 1992 for the cartage of spring water from a private property on Irymple Rd two to three times a week But they balked at a request to increase the supply to 18-22 truckloads a week in 1996 opting to wait for a hydrogeological report before making a decision Then-Minister for Planning Graham Kierath overrode the city’s authority and approved a maximum of 15 x 28,000L loads per week citing that: “It has not been demonstrated that the owners of any other rural lots in the vicinity have been required to obtain planning approval for this part of their activities” City of Armadale CEO Joanne Abbiss said there is “no end date on the Minister’s approval” and that “Minister Kierath’s decision does not allow the City to monitor the bore for groundwater extraction from the property as part of this planning approval” the multinational bought the rural-residential lot at 15 Irymple Rd for $1.42 million A spokesperson for Coca Cola has said the company replenished water it extracted and that it has “consistently drawn less water that the permitted extraction volume limit” we ensure that the source is sustainable both for us and for that of all other users of the same aquifer,” they said “In addition to adhering to all relevant regulatory requirements for the extraction all sites that we extract water from are monitored regularly through independent hydrological assessments and rigorous site management plans.” But locals are curious how they test their impact on the local environment and water table The extracted water in the Roleystone-Karragullen hills does not come from a single aquifer but rather multiple sources through a series of fissures between fractured rocks and clay – so monitoring it often proves difficult The rub is that there is nothing illegal about this apparent carte blanche to mine water for commercial gain the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) confirmed that Coca Cola was not required to pay license fees for the water as the bore was located in an “unproclaimed groundwater area” Water Minister Simone McGurk said there would likely be other companies exploiting bore water for financial gains This is the reality of our state and the way that our water systems work,” she said Ms Travers and a small group of other Roleystone locals have begun to uncover information about other local properties bought up by water bottlers for the purposes of tapping into the unregulated water source “We think we’ve found evidence of up to seven properties between Bedfordale and Martin where this could be happening,” she said so we’re having to go through 30 years of records in our spare time “I think it’s just like the wild west for water bottlers out here – no one is monitoring it.” The state government scrapped 18 years-worth of water resource management reforms just before Christmas last year despite every other state working towards compliance with an Australia-wide standard – the National Water Initiative Water Minister Simone McGurk said after speaking with stakeholders it was decided the reforms weren’t needed anymore and therefore legislative change is not required when there are other immediate practical avenues to improve water security,” a statement from the minister’s office read The Rights in Water and Irrigation Act is more than 100 years old But Minister McGurk has come to the table over the Roleystone issue “I think most people are frustrated knowing that they have to buy a bottle of water knowing that a company as big as Coca Cola can source that for free,” she said “I think it just doesn’t pass the pub test.” She said she would be working closely with Coca Cola and the City of Armadale to ‘revisit’ the arrangement On Friday the minister also said that her department was looking into the possibility of ‘proclaiming’ the land but warned that imposing regulations could have knock-on effects for local orchardists and horticulturalists who also draw on the groundwater But orchardists believe there could be an easy fix to the solution: a simple legislative change to the Water Agencies (Powers) Act 1984 which makes it a requirement to obtain a licence for those who wish to use bores for the removal of water And many local orchardists have said they’re already suffering; The Bureau of Meteorology has reported that Perth and coastal areas of the South West have just experienced the driest nine months since records began 120 years ago residents believe watching the Coca Cola trucks cart up to 400,000L of water away each week is a cruel joke have operated a cherry orchard in the Irymple Valley for 123 years She said they’ve noticed the water table dropping significantly over the past 30 years “We chose the valley because we had a permanent water supply “And the orchardists here all get along with each other – when one person says their water is low someone further up the hill stops their pump for a day or so “But there has been a huge decline over the past 30 years which is exacerbated this year by the weather we’ve been having “But it doesn’t seem to be affecting Coca Cola “This is not a new problem – we’ve been opposing this since the 90s.” Minister McGurk said there’d been some good progress made after an initial meeting with Coca Cola on Monday arrangements will be made so Coca Cola can work with scientists at the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation so we are able to better understand their operations,” she said I want to address community concerns around whether there is any impact on water users nearby “There is also a mutual commitment to boosting Coca-Cola’s transparency in relation to this matter.” The local community is watching with interest as things develop and has started a Facebook group – Save Perth Hills Water – to share information they discover along the journey Roleystone Hockey Club is preparing to hit off a great winter season ahead after Hockey WA approved their application to submit a team in the women’s over-35s Division 4 Midweek Masters competition The club will also field a women’s team playing Saturday afternoon social hockey on grass in the Metro 5 competition But Club President Lee Jefferies said more players are needed we are seeking players aged 35 and over who have a bit of experience and are familiar with the game “Moving across to this competition is an exciting step for our club family-friendly club with only two women’s teams means that Roleystone is a great place for players who want to return to the game First games for the season begin this week with the Roleystone Metro team taking the field at 2pm on Saturday 6 April at Sutherlands Park The Midweek Masters side will begin next Wednesday evening and the home ground for both sides will be Sutherlands Park in Huntingdale Anyone interested in playing can contact Carmen on 0408 192 006 A life-saving engagement strategy aimed at improving bushfire preparedness in Perth’s Hills has earned Roleystone’s Volunteer Fire Brigade a gong at this year’s state firefighting awards The brigade received the Team Achievement Award for its work in launching the strategy and keeping the community informed after being nominated by the Department of Fire and Emergency Service’s own community preparedness team The campaign saw the brigade engage stakeholders to inspire behavioural change driven by increased social media engagement and presentations to local community groups The brigade also organised an evacuation drill to give the community a more practical understanding of bushfire safety – efforts that were put to the test during a bushfire emergency warning late last year The community successfully enacted its bushfire plans The value of bushfire preparedness is not lost on the local brigade which was one of the first to attend the devastating Kelmscott-Roleystone fire in 2011 that destroyed 72 homes and significantly damaged 37 With the 10th anniversary of the incident now just months away Roleystone Volunteer Fire Brigade community engagement officer Steven Jefferies said it was just as important as ever to promote behavioural change among residents and increase awareness the brigade has been a vital part of the local community – fighting fires in the local grassland and Jarrah environment and attending structural Department of Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm said this year’s awards recipients had all made significant contributions to WA’s emergency services through their dedication to community safety “These awards recognise the achievements of Western Australia’s career and volunteer firefighters who have displayed exceptional leadership dedication and empathy in their service to this state,” he said “A common theme among the winners was their commitment to strengthening community resilience either by growing volunteer brigades or engaging the public through initiatives such as improving fire awareness in vulnerable or at-risk communities “Congratulations to the 2020 Firefighting Award winners – they deserve our gratitude for ensuring that Western Australia is a safer place to live a commodities trader and a school teacher have swapped their everyday roles for steel capped boots and shovels to deliver a first for a local community Roleystone’s first dedicated over 55s village Robin Glades has been a long time coming and wouldn’t be where it is today without the efforts of determined community members Pat Hart The former Roleystone primary school site was rezoned in 2012 from public purpose-primary school to residential-restricted use after the group campaigned for the need of an independent living village Community stalwart Pat Hart said the journey started in November 2005 when Dale Cottages raised the need for seniors’ accommodation in Roleystone “In February 2009 I convened the setting up of Roleystone Karragullen Seniors Housing Committee to pursue seniors housing on the school site,” she said “In June 2010 we undertook a comprehensive survey of Roleystone-Karragullen residents from over 45 to over 89 and 209 residents responded with 60 indicating the need to downsize and 84 interested in a seniors village “We then approached council with the results after further detailed investigations initiated the site for rezoning seniors housing.”  After the land was successfully rezoned in 2012 the group then had to wait patiently for a buyer to come along in order to make their dreams become a reality The Robin Road site was bought by family-owned and run business Abbie Holdings in May 2015 Project manager Alex Maguire said the company had to jump a number of hurdles to get to where they are today “The first step was enlisting consultants to assess and report on various areas of consideration all the while continuing our close consultation with the community,” he said “From there we produced engineering plans for the civil works sewage and storm water management as well as environmental and fire risk management plans “The next step was obtaining all the necessary approvals for the civil works from the City of Armadale Department of Fire and Emergency Services and the Water Corporation “After the demolition of the old school buildings we engaged the workforce and equipment needed to get to where the site currently stands which is with eight lots ready for sale.”  The development will be completed in two stages and will include 27 survey-strata homes and 17 single-level homes most of which will fit within the footprint of the old school buildings For more information about the development visit the website or email info@robinglades.com.au Police have revealed a 21-year-old woman killed in yesterday's crash in Roleystone had been working into the early hours at her family's bakery before the crash Tiffany Flavel had been travelling to her home in Roleystone after working at Baker's Delight in Bentley when she lost control of her car crashed into a tree and her vehicle burst into flames Tiffany Flavel had been travelling to her home in Roleystone after working at Baker's Delight in Bentley when she lost control of her car crashed into a tree and her vehicle burst into flames.Credit: Channel Ten It is understood that she had been only been a few hundred metres from her house when her Suzuki Swift skidded on the gravel shoulder on Urch Road overcorrected and hit a tree just after 8am said she had been working with her parents at the bakery but had finished her shift that morning Police said the car burst into flames upon impact with the tree.Credit: Channel Ten But then the call came from police and Ms Bruz said she was called by Mr and Mrs Flavel to come quickly to work in order to allow them to leave the shop "They were all working over the Christmas holidays in order that we did not have to come in If we didn't have such nice bosses working it might not have happened," she said "They're doing okay but they've had such a bad year Their house was burnt in the Roleystone fires and had trees crashing down on the sheds but they had managed to pick themselves up." She said that Ms Flavel and her mother were more like sisters than parent and child because they were so close happening this time of year," Ms Bruz said Ms Flavel had planned to join the Air Force with her younger sister and was accepted into the boot camp this coming year because the family "were big on serving their country" "She was so excited about that," Ms Bruz said Ms Flavel had been working at the bakery for two years and loved baking "She was definitely the life of the bakery she was always happy and listening to the radio and dancing around," Illi Bruz said "She was definitely an individual person; there was no one like her." Ms Flavel also leaves behind her half-brother Nathaniel who was flying in from the eastern states to be with the family The car burst into flames shortly after crashing and the fire spread to a nearby bush at the corner of Urch Road and Peet Road Police are investigating whether fatigue or speed were factors A friend posted on Facebook: "R.I.P Tiffany Flavel I remember our days in High school joking around and having fun. The death is the second fatality over the Christmas celebration period after a 27-year-old Taiwanese student The Taiwanese Consulate have notified Mr Wu's family and will help make arrangements for the transfer of his body The road toll for the year has reached 175 deaths including 2008 when fatalities reached 199 Follow WAtoday on Twitter @WAtoday Police have revealed a 21-year-old woman killed in yesterday's crash in Roleystone had been working into the early hours at her family's bakery before the crash \\\"They were all working over the Christmas holidays in order that we did not have to come in If we didn't have such nice bosses working it might not have happened,\\\" she said \\\"They're doing okay but they've had such a bad year Their house was burnt in the Roleystone fires and had trees crashing down on the sheds but they had managed to pick themselves up.\\\" happening this time of year,\\\" Ms Bruz said because the family \\\"were big on serving their country\\\" \\\"She was so excited about that,\\\" Ms Bruz said \\\"She was definitely the life of the bakery she was always happy and listening to the radio and dancing around,\\\" Illi Bruz said \\\"She was definitely an individual person; there was no one like her.\\\" A friend posted on Facebook: \\\"R.I.P Tiffany Flavel The Taiwanese Consulate have notified Mr Wu's family and will help make arrangements for the transfer of his body Two young boys have lost their mother in a tragic house fire in Roleystone Neighbours from all sides recalled being woken by the children’s terrified screams Emergency services were called to the traumatic scene on Tyers Road shortly after midnight on Monday night Dirk Matthiesen was just heading to bed for the night when he saw the fire He raced over to help and spotted two young kids inside the burning house with a torch “banging” on the wire mesh of the security screen door He smashed through a window to get to the seven and nine-year old boys but said the dense smoke prevented him from re-entering the house Acting Senior Sergeant Chris de Bruin praised the quick-thinking actions of Mr Matthiesen and other neighbours who rushed in to help “Two children managed to be saved while the house was on fire so their actions were commendable,’ he said this situation could be a lot worse.” Scott Higgins said he could feel the intensity of the heat from the inferno as he madly hosed his backyard to prevent his own house from going up too with only a few metres and a stand of tall trees separating it from his neighbours’ “The flames went up about 20 feet from the roof,” he said packing everything of value – including the family cat – into the car They got it under control pretty quickly,” Mr Higgins said no one was able to find the children’s mother when the firefighters were finally able to enter the blackened remains of the home we didn’t know she was in there,” Ms Higgins said Acting Senior Sergeant de Bruin said the children’s father was not home at the time of the fire The cause of the fire is still unknown and investigations are continuing Acting Senior Sergeant de Bruin said the arson squad had found no signs to indicate it had been “deliberately lit” The Roleystone community was in mourning on Tuesday as news of the tragedy spread Outpourings of condolences flooded social media Premier Roger Cook also shared his sentiments on Tuesday describing the events as “desperately sad” “We’re obviously deeply relieved that the kids were able to be rescued from that situation,” he said and to lose their life under such circumstances [is] incredibly saddening and our hearts go out to everyone involved.” Maddington and Murdoch were called to a house fire yesterday morning The fire at the Roleystone home was first reported to authorities at 8.24am on September 19 A Department of Fire and Emergency Services spokesperson said the house was fully engulfed when crews arrived and the house could not be saved Locals and nearby shop staff helped out before fire crews could get to the scene Roleystone Settlements owner Shelley Hickinbotham said she saw someone help the occupant out of the burning property “They placed her and her dog on the block of land next to the house and then proceeded to take some items from the garage out of the way of the fire,” she said “Bystanders were asking them to move away from the home when all of a sudden loud explosions from inside the house could be heard “The fire took hold very quickly with huge plumes of smoke rising into the air and large flames spreading very quickly.” St John Ambulance officers treated one person at the scene for minor smoke inhalation Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire or ‘Spookeystone’ as it called every October 31 have outdone themselves again putting on an amazingly creative costume display for Halloween Over the past few years Roleystone residents have gone to great lengths to celebrate the spirit of All Hallows Eve dressing as everything from Batman to Harry Potter characters and ghosts ghouls and goblins all in the name or free sweets and brightening up their neighbourhood This year was no exception as houses throughout the hilly area turned their homes into horror houses of fun In all hundreds of residents participated in family-friendly fun for this year’s Halloween celebrations We look forward to see what’s in stall for next year The Roleystone Tigers went into the 2018 WAAFL E1 grand final on Saturday full of confidence after a great but tough preliminary final win over Swan Athletic it wasn’t their day at the Wanneroo Showgrounds with the scoreboard at the final siren declaring Noranda champions 8.6 (54) to Roleystone 6.7 (43) The Tigers got off to a fast start kicking the first three goals of the game and controlled the play for most of the first quarter with Noranda taking the time to settle But to Noranda’s credit they bounced back to kick the next three and both teams were within a point heading into the second quarter The game would continue to be very close with teams going goal for goal throughout the match with both teams missing chances to put the other team away Again to Noranda’s credit they opened up a two-goal lead in the final quarter and were able to hold on in a very tight and tough contest to win the 2018 E1 grand final Although the team was unable to bring home the flag the umpires voted Roleystone’s captain Mitchell Lewis best on ground It was a bittersweet moment for the captain as he would have happily swapped it for the grand final win The season will still go down as a very successful one for the club and with the young team once again playing above themselves week in week out the team look forward to next season where they will have another crack at winning the flag No expense has been spared in transforming this turn of the century Perth Hills home into a picturesque family hideaway – complete with every car enthusiast’s dream man cave Named ‘Hakuna Matata’, 577 Brookton Highway in Roleystone has a garden just as well known locally as the home’s owner The heritage home sits on an enormous parcel of manicured land Selling agent Sam Saffioti from Roleystone Real Estate said the vendor – a retired national Australian drag car champion driver – had used the property to showcase his work to potential clients “It is one of the most precise properties that I have come across,” Mr Saffioti said “I have sold a lot more extravagant properties but everything he has done There are no shortcuts on it – he’s a real man for detail.” It features a man cave that's a car enthusiast's dream making a grand first impression – and costing $50,000 The property was established in the 1930s as an orchard to sell fruit during World War II The original hut that the first owners raised their daughters in remains on the property The main residence has been carefully restored to its grand former glory The homestead itself features four bedrooms and two bathrooms Central to the outdoor space is a Bali themed cabana The home has space to park eight cars and in addition to the jaw-dropping man cave “The owner’s attention to detail has ensured that any prospective incoming buyer is not going to have to do a thing,” Mr Saffioti said as quite often with acreage you will get something where the residence has been done but the land needs work But this is a complete property in every aspect." The alfresco kitchen and entertaining area are real highlights The type of buyer suited to the residence was wide-ranging “I think the home would definitely suit a family but it would also suit retirees who would like a substantial property but one that’s not too big,” he said it would suit a tradie or a car enthusiast.” The home is being sold via an Expressions of Interest campaign and Mr Saffioti expects it to fetch in excess of $1.6 million third parties have written and supplied the content and we are not responsible for it completeness or reliability of the information nor do we accept any liability or responsibility arising in any way from omissions or errors contained in the content We do not recommend sponsored lenders or loan products and we cannot introduce you to sponsored lenders We strongly recommend that you obtain independent advice before you act on the content realestate.com.au is owned and operated by ASX-listed REA Group Ltd (REA:ASX) © REA Group Ltd. By accessing or using our platform, you agree to our Terms of Use. Skateboarding enthusiasts as young as two years old turned up in large numbers at Roleystone Skatepark last weekend to learn new tricks and show off their skills in the bowl who had the audience cheering and clapping as they landed their tricks welcomed the free clinic and competition put on by Skateboarding WA Skateboarding WA director Ben Bowring said these sorts of events were important for the local community to help promote positive behaviour as well as teach people how to develop skills and interact with positive skate park etiquette “At the clinics we are able to encourage new people to try skateboarding for the first time and also help existing skateboarders to continue to develop their skills and follow our development pathways,” he said “The competitions held after the clinics then extend on from these pathways to further challenge people and allow progression in a fun environment.”  Last weekend’s clinic at Roleystone Skatepark was postponed in January due to extreme heat conditions intermediates and advanced skaters from as young as two years old right through to 40-plus Mr Bowring said the sport really has no age barriers which therefore allows for an amazing and supportive skating community When Pat Hart looks back on her life and all she has achieved so far From white water rafting in Fiji and land sailing in Norseman to pioneering the local landcare movement and achieving the nation’s highest honour for service to her community “It’s certainly been an exciting journey,” she said recounting how she was hand-picked to make introductions to the Queen during her 2011 visit But her origin story is a far cry from rendezvous with royals Pat came from ‘humble beginnings’ in Mosman Park That’s where her love for the river has flowed from; a childhood spent frolicking down in the bay Her official schooling finished at the tender age of 15 “My qualifications aren’t written on paper but have been earned through life experience,” she said and she was elected as chair for the Mosman Park Netball Club That role marked the beginning of a life of leadership But Pat is very quick to point out this is no tale of ‘Great Men’ (or women “My greatest skills are being able to see a need I love people and I’ve been very fortunate in my life to work with so many great people to achieve good outcomes for the community.” Shortly after arriving in Armadale 50 years ago after seeing a need for one in the community the Swan Working Group which later became the Perth Region Natural Resources Management (NRM) In 1997 she helped establish the Armadale Gosnells Landcare Group which she chairs to this day Then in 2001 she set up and chaired the South East Regional Centre for Urban Landcare (SERCUL) Pat has recently been successful in helping to advocate for $10 million in federal funding for cleaning up the Canning River catchment – a multi-pronged project in which SERCUL Department of Conservation and Attractions Town of Victoria Park and local Traditional Owners will team up to improve water quality and habitat Perhaps the other thing Pat is particularly skilled at is never letting an opportunity slip away In 1987 opportunity called on the telephone – it was the local fire brigade “A huge fire came up the valley the day after we moved into Roleystone – it was truly terrifying,” she said so years later when they called looking for my husband I volunteered in his place to knock on people’s doors to tell them the brigade was conducting a burn-off.” That one little yes propelled Pat into a seven-year stint with the Roleystone Volunteer Bushfire Brigade then as chair of the Swan Regional Fire Advisory Committee Another door opened a few years later when a fractious debate around the development application for the Araluen Golf Course left a vacancy on council “It just came to me that I should run for council,” she said And I believe that if you see something wrong you can’t just ignore it or you become party to the event.” and had sat in on her first meeting as councillor for Roleystone The following year “it just happened” that she was voted in as deputy mayor “Life really does just take you on a journey sometimes,” she said “One thing leads to another – but you have to leave yourself open.” Pat became the first woman to ever chair a full council meeting at the City of Armadale in the mayor’s absence “It was such a male-dominated arena back then – I was one of only two women on council but I just kept thinking ‘I’m doing this for women’,” she said “It’s really pleasing to see the representation of women in the City of Armadale now.” Then in 2001 she was asked by the Environment Minister to become a member of the Kings Park Board She still marvels at being asked to sit alongside renowned scientists and lawyers or volunteered for a list of local and regional organisations as long as her arm Listing all of her varied services to the community is well beyond the scope of this article she well-and-truly earned her inaugural induction into WA Landcare’s Hall of Fame last December and her Medal of the Order of Australia the year before Pat doesn’t like to rank her achievements – big or small a highlight was the Order of Australia because it recognised everything I have worked towards in my lifetime here in Armadale,” she said you just work on things because you love it “I love the people here in Armadale and I love what we’ve achieved together Because it’s only together we make a difference.” Pat will present a talk on her extraordinary life at the Armadale Library from 10.30am as a celebration of International Women’s Day Places are limited and bookings are essential Roleystone Karragullen Cricket Club have won their first silverware of the 2018/19 season with the inaugural senior women’s team defeating Applecross Red in a tight T20 contest The game was played in front of a large local crowd at Cross Park on Sunday Applecross were sent in to bat on a slow field that typically produces low scores Roleystone Karragullen got off to a strong start with an early wicket each for Adriana Della Franca and captain Sherrida Ziedas Applecross continued to lose regular wickets and were in a perilous position after 10 overs at 4/44 Applecross rallied compiling a 32-run fourth wicket stand and finished the innings 6/92 Captain Sherrida Ziedas was the pick of the bowlers with 2/13 off four overs and Adriana Della Franca produced a miserly 1/10 off four overs with two maidens 92 still represented a strong score and the Roleystone Karragullen women knew there was plenty of work left ahead of them Applecross started strongly removing star batter Samantha Thomason in the first over but they were unable to stem the flow of runs or take regular wickets The game was perfectly poised halfway through the innings with Roleystone Karragullen exactly half the score on 3/46 after 10 overs Robyn Ormesher scored the winning runs in the eighteenth over supported at the crease by Maddison Briggs After 20 overs Roleystone Karragullen finished on 4/100 with captain Sherrida Ziedas top scoring with 15 not out This was strongly supported by Adriana Della Franca (13 not out) Club coach Gavin Taylor said the women’s team had exceeded all expectations “From where they were 13 weeks ago when they hit the side of the nets with the ball and couldn’t hold the bat it is absolutely chalk and cheese,” he said “Whether they won or lost I would have been proud because they have fallen in love with the game and that was the main objective.”  Roleystone Karragullen Cricket Club hosted the 2018-19 President’s Cup final at Cross Park on Sunday afternoon The President’s Cup is the one-day cricket flag for the Swan Helena Districts Cricket Association and despite several grand final appearances in recent years the flag had eluded the boys in green and gold The day kicked off with the Roleystone Karragullen women’s first ever local derby and an Epilepsy Awareness fundraiser with bouncy castles and face painting for the children Roleystone Karragullen first grade hosted Caversham Cricket Club for the final at Cross Park and the local team felt confident having dispatched the visitors twice already this season Roleystone Karragullen won the toss and sent the visitors in to bat first The choice was rewarded with three quick wickets to Toby Moore Caversham withstood the pace barrage and managed to compile 8/117 from their 40 overs The score was still competitive on the lush Cross Park and when Roleystone Karragullen lost their openers early Small partnerships developed and wickets continued to fall before the game became delicately poised at 8/110 in the 38th over The winning runs were hit by Mitchell Stuart who belted a boundary in the 39th over to finish 8/118 to bring up the first President’s Cup win for the club Club coach Gavin Taylor said he was proud of the team’s achievements “I believe the club has played in five President’s Cup finals and gone down in all of them so this being the first I have been involved in is a pretty good feeling,” he said “They have been by far the most consistent side this season and have pushed hard and deserve this victory “We enjoy this success but our eye is firmly set on the main goal of winning the first grade premiership flag and cup at the end of the season.”  Tension was thick in the City of Armadale council chambers on Monday Frustrated hills residents filled the otherwise empty public gallery hoping for some action from council on the Coca Cola saga one of the Roleystone locals spearheading the fight to ‘save Perth Hills water’ “It is my understanding that councillors at the City of Gosnells are making a resolution to support their residents on the Darling Scarp and writing to the minister to request that the state government resolve the issue of groundwater being taken by commercial water bottling companies to attract a great deal of media and public attention over the last couple of weeks and many of the City of Armadale residents in the Darling Scarp (as well as more widely) feel that in the current drying climate that rather than a convoluted and expensive monitoring program put in place across multiple LGA’s and only permitted by those who are using the water on the land from which it is being extracted rather than it being abstracted and taken out of the local environment altogether,” she said will the City of Armadale consider taking the same action on behalf of its residents in the Darling Scarp?” she said But those who were hoping for some urgency on the matter were frustrated when they came face-to-face with the slow-moving wheels of democracy Mayor Ruth Butterfield said she was uncomfortable advocating on behalf of residents until there was a more unified ‘vision’ from the community about what outcomes they’d like to see She also explained it wasn’t as simple as just ‘stopping the trucks’ and that there was more nuance that needed to be considered “I don’t think there’s a clear answer on what the outcome will be at this stage It comes down to where equity lies; who has the right to take water,” she said “There are other people taking water to fill up dams and water tanks “We can offer support by contacting the relevant department and going in to bat for our residents through lobbying “But we have no power to enact these manipulations of where water should be drawn.” The city’s CEO Joanne Abbiss gave a ‘fulsome’ explanation of the limitations imposed on the city by historical decisions from the state government She explained that when Minister Graham Kierath granted planning approval in 1996 for Coca Cola to increase the number of truckloads of groundwater it extracted each week from 15 Irymple Rd he also handcuffed the city from regulating their activities except for the ‘narrow confines’ of “truck movements and the size of the trucks” “The minister took water off the table,” she said “I don’t want to fill the community with false hope about the city’s power to change that activity,” she said She explained that the planning laws don’t even permit the current water minister Mayor Butterfield also said that it would be an uphill battle for DWER to assign blame to Coca Cola for the depletion of the water table and its effects on the surrounding properties and environment because there were so many other contributing factors “To be able to attribute any impact is going to be a really difficult exercise for those scientists to determine,” she said There was then a dance between the mayor and community members as they speculated on the best course of action The Roleystone community members present have said they will now work on drawing up a petition to be introduced to council at a future date A new multipurpose sports hall could be on the cards for Roleystone Community College if the McGowan government is re-elected next month On Monday the McGowan government announced a promise to invest in education across Western Australia including $9.7 million for new facilities at Roleystone Community College After strong advocacy from the Roleystone CC P&C $8 million has been committed to the construction of a multipurpose sports hall which will expand the performing arts and physical education curriculum The new space will also provide an all-weather whole school assembly space A further $1.7 million has been allocated to improve science and IT labs for the secondary school at Roleystone CC and convert a classroom into a science lab for the primary school A further $25,000 has also been allocated for science lab equipment Previously the McGowan Labor Government has invested more than $290,000 into Roleystone Community College including maintenance a trailer for containers for change and upgrades to the College’s kiss and ride Hugh Jones said he’s proud to announce the upgrades for Roleystone “The new multipurpose sports hall will herald a new era of performing arts and sports education at Roleystone Community College,” he said our STEM upgrades will help prepare Roleystone students for the jobs of the future.” President of the Roleystone Community College P&C said  the announcement is fantastic news for Roleystone CC “Our P&C has been strongly advocating for a new sports hall at Roleystone,” he said “This commitment will ensure our students have fantastic facilities in which to learn and grow.” Ten years of fundraising has paid off for two of Roleystone’s oldest sporting clubs after they were given the green light this week for a state-of-the-art home of their own Roleystone Karragullen Cricket Club and Roleystone Netball Club have spent the past decade selling raffle tickets and chocolates bringing in sponsorship and flipping sausages on the barbecue to raise $250,000 for a much-needed pavilion at Cross Park The donation this week was met with a $500,000 grant from the Federal Government along with a further $169,764 provided by the City of Armadale Cricket club president John Lewis said the new facility would be purpose-built with change rooms to suit the modern needs of both female and male participation “The support recently from Andrew once he heard of our journey as well as our efforts on and off the field to raise our $250,000 contribution and grow our junior and women’s program has been outstanding “This project is now a reality and it’s vindication for the dedication selfless giving and hard working nature of our club.”  Roleystone Netball Club president Sharron Hough said the decision to build a new facility meant the club would have a home for the first time in its 43-year history “At the moment it is hard to get parents involved because it is a matter of drop and run with nowhere to stay and the girls have to use the toilets or the car as somewhere to change,” she said it will mean more camaraderie and a place of belonging.”  Minister for Sport Senator Bridget McKenzie and Federal Member for Canning Andrew Hastie met with members of both clubs on Tuesday to announce the funding Ms McKenzie said it was great to be able to give money to clubs that have a vision for how they are going to serve their community and future generations of young athletes “To be able to provide a half a million dollars towards their desire to set up a clubhouse and change rooms that will support not just the existing players but the tsunami of interest A few months of running around gathering thousands of signatures of support has paid off for the members of the Roleystone Theatre group as the City of Armadale council voted to commit to the reopening of the historic site The Roleystone Theatre building on Brookton Highway has been closed since February this year after structural issues at the 1922-built building were identified Since then the group has been operating from its temporary home at Roleystone Hall and have presented a couple of performances at Cecil Andrews College and the Kalamunda Performing Arts Centre At Monday night’s ordinary council meeting councillor Mark Geary delivered a convincing speech to his fellow councillors in support of his original motion presented at the council’s community services committee meeting two weeks prior as well as proceed with finalising a design consider and seek funding sources and consider user arrangements was met with unanimous support from council this week Mr Geary said he didn’t know what the right answer was in relation to how the funding would work “sometimes you just have to do the right thing and stuff happens” “We have a building that holds significant value to the city… and I clearly believe we should restore the Roleystone Theatre,” he said Councillor Donna Shaw added a further condition to the motion which stated that council commit to the use of Roleystone Hall by the Roleystone Theatre Group until such time that the theatre be reopened Life member and committee member Bree Hartley said it had been a crazy few months for the group but hearing the decision made it all worthwhile “As a theatre group we are incredibly thankful for the community support and the Save the Roleystone Theatre campaign group,” she said “This is a major victory for our local community our theatre community and everyone down through the years who we were representing with our fight to not lose what they had built through blood “The Roleystone Theatre and Theatre Group live to fight another day.”  School children have avoided injury after the bus they were in collided with a parked volunteer fire truck attending an earlier accident on Brookton Highway near Holden Road in Roleystone this morning Roleystone volunteer firefighters were cleaning up a fuel spill from a collision between a ute and a white Hyundai Elantra which happened before 8am About 8.25am a white bus carrying children on their way to school collided with a fire truck parked across Brookton Highway The front windscreen of the bus and the bull bar were smashed in and the driver was pinned to his seat by his steering wheel Firefighters rescued the bus driver and he was taken to Armadale Kelmscott Memorial Hospital for observation A St John Ambulance spokesman said the bus driver was blinded by the sun while driving up Brookton Highway and didn’t see the fire truck before colliding with it A nearby resident said he heard both crashes like equipment being dropped off a vehicle,” he said The resident said since the Holden Road-Brookton Highway intersection had been upgraded there were less crashes but the morning sun over the crest of the hill made visibility an issue He said people drove to the speed limit on Brookton Highway and not the road conditions Children across Perth enjoyed Halloween celebrations last week with Roleystone families not holding back from getting fully into the event Local Julie Stack-Horgan and Jennifer Hodson dressed up as witches and flew around Roleystone on a broomstick picking up lollies and spreading the Halloween spirit Ms Stack-Horgan said the event had grown in popularity year on year mostly kids from four-years-old to young teenagers,” she said “The outfits are definitely getting more elaborate they’re getting into the spirit of it a bit – if you’ll excuse the pun!” Walking the streets in some of the more unusual costumes were Jude and Beck Glasgow and Mark Rutley who dressed up in World War costumes complete with gas masks Local Tawnee Campbell also came across three children with their dog chasing the scent of fresh lollies It was bitter sweet for Roleystone Karragullen Cricket Club’s two women’s sides on the weekend as they had to face each other for a spot in the Perth Scorchers women’s grand final Roleystone Karragullen’s green and gold sides went head to head at Karragullen Oval last Sunday which would see one of the sides progress to the grand final against Applecross Cricket Club and the other team finish their season just short of the big dance The gold side batted first and after 20 overs they found themselves on 3/132 Kirsty Woods top scored with 23 not out and was backed up by Samantha Thomason (20 not out) Robyn Baile (16 not out) and Sherrida Ziedas (16 not out) The three wickets were shared amongst Ashleigh Deroost Roleystone Karragullen’s green side then batted and though Louise Knitter (33 not out) and Maddison Briggs (13 not out) stood tall it wasn’t meant to be for the green side as they finished with 5/84 Wickets were taken by Sherrida Ziedas (2) and singles to Hannah Turner and Samantha Thomason Roleystone Karragullen’s gold side will now take on Applecross away from home on Sunday for a chance at glory Coach Gavin Taylor said the players have improved in all facets of the game “The one thing that can never be questioned is the girls’ effort whether it be at training or in the matches they are always looking to improve to the point where we have a few of them playing in the men’s grades,” he said “Seeing how much the girls enjoy the game and the fun they have we have already achieved what we set out to do.”  Mr Taylor said it was a pity both teams had to play each other for a spot in the grand final but that’s the game “I think if they can bat like they did last weekend against Applecross on Sunday and bowl well we are a very good chance to win the match,” he said “I am very pleased with all of their efforts this season winning this weekend would obviously be great but it’s not our main goal.”  The game will be played at Shirley Strickland Reserve this Sunday Roleystone roads have been cleaned of underpants cigarette butts and even adult toy packaging thanks to the hard work of a group of responsible residents June Copley and the Wednesday Warriors volunteers meet twice a month at entry roads into Roleystone determined to clean up their neighbourhood Last week the group managed to fill 19 rubbish bags in only an hour of cleaning but Ms Copley said even that amount was not a hugely surprising haul “We usually pick up between 12 and 18 bags in an hour,” she said “We’ve been going for a few years – it started off by myself and with the help of social media it’s become quite a regular bunch now but it’s sad that only 24 hours after doing it there’s often more rubbish to pick up.” the Warriors meet on Wednesdays at major entries to Roleystone usually in groups of up to 12 people Ms Copley said she did not think visitors would have a positive impression if they were greeted with roadside rubbish She said she believed the job would be much easier and the area much more welcoming if people stopped littering and adopted a small part of their neighbourhood to keep an eye out for “It is a fineable offence if you get caught dumping rubbish – and even in bushfire season people have been reported for throwing cigarette butts out of car windows,” she said “It’s hard to believe the intelligence of some people.” Ms Copley said the team often found items in the bush they suspected had been stolen including keys and wallets which they tried to return to their owners but had picked up more unusual items including cash underwear and even a plastic container for an adult toy About 20 people met last weekend to help rebuild the Roleystone Community Garden after vandals poisoned all of the garden beds and produce earlier this month Chairman Laurie Scidone said he visited the garden on the evening of December 7 and everything looked fantastic but the next morning members reported seeing the plants looking wilted and worse for wear Testing by the group found higher than normal PH levels in the soil indicating that some sort of herbicide had been applied to the gardens Mr Scidone said the recent poisoning was not the only damage the group had experienced in the past couple of months “We have got six water tanks and one of them was full but someone thought that they needed the brass cap on the bottom more than we did resulting in about 6000 litres of water wasted,” he said “Our tap connected to the reticulated water system has also been broken and a number of seedlings and about a dozen tomato stakes have disappeared.”  Mr Scidone said while the damage amount only equalled a few hundred dollars it was disappointing “Considering the aim of the community garden is to bring the community together it is unfavourable that someone has taken it upon themselves to destroy the hard work of our volunteers,” he said Member for Darling Range Alyssa Hayden said she visited the garden earlier this year and was disappointed to hear about the damage “The volunteers’ dedication and enthusiasm still shone despite the heartache over what has happened,” she said The recent activity has been reported to police and anyone with information was asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a report online at crimestopperswa.com.au