WITH polling booths in WA closed for just more than 2h the federal election has already been called with Anthony Albanese’s government to be returned Just before 7.30pm ABC chief election analyst Antony Green’s analysis was predicting the ALB would win 77 seats the Greens three and others 11 with 26 seats in doubt At about 7.33pm Mr Dutton conceded the Coalition had lost the 2025 election About 8.30pm with 26 per cent of the vote in Pearce counted and based on preference count the ABC was predicting that incumbent Tracey Roberts would end up with 57 per cent of the vote and Liberal candidate Jan Norberger 43 per cent The first preference vote count was showing a swing away from both Labor and Liberal with increases in first preference votes for Legalise Cannabis party In other news the ABC said Opposition leader Peter Dutton was predicted to lose his own seat of Dickson in Queensland with a 10.7 per cent swing to Labor with a third of votes counted With 48.7 per cent of the vote counted in Dickson the ABC said Ali France had won the seat at third attempt defeating the Liberal leader Visit ABC results for Pearce  Website by Oz Group Media ABC News News HomeYanchep Two Rocks residents say they need new hospital as area's population boomsShare Yanchep Two Rocks residents say they need new hospital as area's population boomsCBy Courtney Withers The site purchased by the WA Planning Commission for a hospital in Yanchep Residents in Perth’s northern corridor say they’re living in a "healthcare blackhole" without a hospital as the population booms A potential site for a hospital has been earmarked next to Yanchep train station The state government says it’s monitoring demand for health services across the state Link copiedShareShare articleResidents of Perth's northernmost corridor whose nearest hospital is a 30 minute drive away say the booming population’s access to healthcare has been "forgotten" by the state government The Two Rocks Yanchep Residents Association said in 2019 the then-Health Minister Roger Cook told a health forum that a hospital would likely be built in the next five years but would be guided by population growth Never before in Australia has a state government had so much political power with so much wealth at its disposal What does Labor have to show for its total control The City of Wanneroo has told the ABC planning documents indicate a site for a hospital has been earmarked next to Yanchep train station but the state government hasn't announced any plans is in remission from breast cancer and has ongoing health issues after having a pacemaker inserted in 2021 She's worried about how quickly an ambulance could take her to her nearest hospital "I'd have to take pot-luck," she said Sue Dash said a local hospital would be "tremendous" for the community 'am I going to get there in time?'” Ms Dash runs the Tea Rooms in Yanchep National Park and said she regularly hears concerns from locals about access to healthcare "A staff member told me today … she's not gone to hospital because the thought of driving all that way down to Joondalup … she'd rather stay at home and put up with what was wrong with her," Ms Dash said The residents association’s chairman Graeme Simmons,73 said residents have been advocating for a hospital since 2013 "Politicians are aware of the situation up here … they're all aware of it but no one seems to be talking about it." He said the group’s aim was to raise awareness about how a hospital would benefit residents Two Rocks Yanchep Residents Association Chairman Graeme Simmons said locals feel forgotten and isolated "The bottom line is we don't have the facilities we don't have the niceties of jumping in our car to go have an X-ray Mr Simmons said the group is planning to conduct its own survey of Yanchep locals about the need for a hospital and release the findings before the state election City of Wanneroo Mayor Linda Aitken believes the population in Perth's northern corridor is already booming and a local hospital plan is "behind the eight ball" "We should have started building our small district regional hospital so those facilities are there now … we need to catch up as soon as possible." said the City of Wanneroo was concerned about the strain Perth's northern population is putting on Joondalup Health Campus (JHC) — a combined public and private hospital we've got East Wanneroo being built which is another 150,000 residents and in East Wanneroo all of those residents will feed into Joondalup hospital for their healthcare as well," Ms Aitken said City of Wanneroo Mayor Linda Aitken said the lack of a hospital in Yanchep is putting pressure on Joondalup Health Campus According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare which tracks emergency department data at all Australian hospitals presentations to JHC's public emergency department are increasing Notable increases can be seen in resuscitation emergency and urgent triage presentations from periods dating back to 2013 the ratio of patients being seen within the recommended time in the urgent and semi-urgent categories is worsening A JHC spokesperson said a major expansion of the hospital "This major redevelopment will see JHC become one of the biggest health campuses in Western Australia within a year enabling the hospital to meet the needs of a rapidly growing population," the spokesperson said the hospital has a whole raft of initiatives underway to improve patient flow including the emergency department redesign project." An expansion of Joondalup Health Campus is in the works The spokesperson said the hospital saw a "slight increase" of 1.5 per cent in emergency presentations last financial year compared to the year before The City of Wanneroo told the ABC a 9.6-hectare site has been earmarked for a hospital north-east of the newly opened Yanchep train station It said planning documents show the location of the site and indicated plans were approved by the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) in 2018 — however noted they were subject to change the site was purchased by the WAPC in 2021 The site purchased by WAPC for a hospital is next to Yanchep train station The government confirmed in a statement it owns the lot however didn't respond to questions about whether it's earmarked for a hospital "Part of the strategic planning function of the Western Australian Planning Commission is to acquire land that may be required for future infrastructure road reservations and public purposes," a spokesperson said A spokesperson for Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson also indicated the Department of Health is "monitoring demand for health services across the state" and pointed towards the newly opened ECU Yanchep Health Hub. "The state government recognises that Yanchep is a growing community, which is why the state government invested $8.1 million to help deliver the ECU Yanchep Health Hub," it said. 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) Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time A man has died north of Perth after an early morning brawl on Saturday Major Crime detectives are investigating after reports a fight broke out between several people in Capilano Avenue in Yanchep It is believed the friends of a 20-year-old man seriously injured in the fight had been attempting to drive him to hospital when they were intercepted by police about 3.10am on Wanneroo Road between Trian Road and Kiro Street in Carabooda Police officers provided first aid to the man until St John paramedics arrived – but he was unable to be revived Several people are assisting police with their inquiries Detectives are urging anyone with any information relating to this incident, to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via www.crimestopperswa.com.au Police officers provided first aid to the man until St John paramedics arrived \\u2013 but he was unable to be revived Detectives are urging anyone with any information relating to this incident to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via There is no lack of picturesque beach spots along the WA coastline and every Perth local knows should they seek a reprieve from the harsh summer sun For those more adventurous beachgoers, Omeo Shipwreck trail and Mettam’s Pool offer stunning underwater visuals for snorkelers while Trigg Beach is THE surf spot There are plenty of great spots a little further out from the city that deserve more attention too… Just like Yanchep Lagoon: clear stretch of coastline featuring a lagoon that is a beautiful stretch of reef spanning 300m from the shore with basically non-existant waves making it a popular snorkel and swimming spot the quaint Orion café and public shower/toilet facilities it offers something for the whole family to enjoy The Yanchep Lagoon is located 60km north of Perth’s CBD Follow Mitchell freeway for 30km north before taking the Neerabup Road exit which will lead you to Wanneroo Road Once on Wanneroo Road you will enjoy the scenic 17km trek until you veer left onto Yanchep Beach Road going straight through all roundabouts until your final left turn onto Brazier Road which leads you straight to the lagoon The spacious stretch of shore means that there is plenty of room for the whole family to spread out and enjoy a refreshing swim between the flags in the tranquil An abundance of marine life resides along the lagoon reef which make for interesting underwater photos when caught in large schools the Lagoon’s often calm waters which make it an easy spot to learn the ropes of underwater exploring Beach fishing is permitted outside the red and yellow flags and there are BBQs to cook up your catch located at Fisherman’s Hollow The lagoon is nestled within the larger Yanchep National Park boasting an array of wildlife like kangaroos making it an ideal place for nature enthusiasts to explore trailbikes and driving vehicles along the beach Be aware of a sharp drop off as you venture towards the reef In the rare incident that you are caught in a rip remain calm and await rescue from the Yanchep Lifeguards who patrol from 8am to 4pm during surf life saving season (October-April) Always remain cautious of changing weather conditions to ensure you remain safe which enjoying a day to remember HOUSING and access to health care are two issues important to Pearce voters in the federal 2025 election campaign with election day tomorrow Saturday Recently Liberal candidate for Pearce Jan Norberger said Pearce had the unfortunate title of being the most financially strained electorate in Western Australia because of mortgage In Household budgets and Labor’s re-election hinge on Reserve Bank interest rate decision February 17 it was reported that Pearce had more than 50 per cent of households with a mortgage making it the most indebted electorate in the country But more recent CoreLogic data about housing affordability across the nation’s federal electorates published on April 29 shows no WA electorates are represented in the top 20 list of most unaffordable federal electorates to buy a home which is positive news for Labor and incumbent Pearce MHR Tracey Roberts The CoreLogic data also showed Pearce’s neighbouring electorate Durack – which includes the Shire of Gingin – held by Liberal Melissa Price was one of  two WA electorates to make the top 20 list of most affordable federal electorates to buy a home Mr Norberger said a senior family in Eglinton had told him if they faced one more rental increase they were probably going to end up living in their car In some potentially good news for those looking to rent a property in Pearce, REIWA on April 17 said they had seen a strong increase in rental supply where investors had purchased house and land packages Mrs Roberts said housing and the cost of renting had not been raised with her in her electorate during the campaign but it was one of the fastest and largest growing areas in Australia and a lot of vacant land had been developed She also mentioned the Albanese government’s commitment to give all first homebuyers access to 5 per cent deposits In How do the Coalition and Labor plans on housing differ – and what have they ignored? April 29 UNSW Sydney housing research and policy professor and City Futures Research Centre associate director Hal Pawson wrote that the 5 per cent deposits measure could have some inflationary impact “But given the modest nature of the assistance provided and that it only expands the existing home guarantee scheme maximum annual quota of 50,000 to an expected take-up of around 80,000 Professor Pawson said the Albanese build to sell pledge could see collaboration with state and territory governments to commission 100,000 new homes in eight years although much about the build to sell plan was still to be revealed it looks like a bold initiative in challenging conventional modern thinking about the proper limits of direct state involvement in supplying a commodity largely provided through the market,’’ he said it could help in slightly moderating prices market-wide as well as benefiting the homebuyers directly involved.’’ Among the biggest ticket item pledged by the Coalition was the $5 billion national program for enabling infrastructure to unlock up to 500,000 new homes Professor Pawson said the lack of detail about the infrastructure announcement and its potential impact had generated some scepticism Mr Norberger said it would target head works such as sewerage or underground power projects that were shovel ready He also said if elected the Liberals would ban foreign investors or foreign buyers of established homes in Australia for two years so Australians were not competing with foreign buyers Professor Pawson said also announced ahead of the campaign was the Coalition’s plan to allow first home buyers to draw down on their superannuation – they would be able to withdraw up to $50,000 to help fund mortgage deposits He said the proposal attracted some qualified support but had been rejected by most of Australia top economists with concerns the measure could prove highly inflationary “It also risks a net loss for scheme participants if devalued retirement savings outweigh the benefit of accelerated access to home ownership,” he said Mr Norberger said the senior Eglinton family urgently needed any kind of relief but in their case income tax relief was not going to benefit them He said the Liberals promised fuel rebate would benefit them “If you’ve got a two-car family and you’re filling up once a week In his Budget reply federal Liberal leader Peter Dutton said if elected his government would halve the fuel excise for 12 months and then it would be reviewed Mr Dutton said for a household with one car filling-up once a week that would be a saving of $14 a week on average – or about $700 over 12 months with the policy to cost $6 billion He said this was better than 70 cents a day in 15 months’ time in reference to the Albanese Government’s cost‑of‑living tax cuts which passed the House of Representatives on February 15 but won’t come into effect until July 1 next year On February 27 – the day the Treasury Laws Amendment (Cost of Living Tax Cuts) Bill 2024 passed the Senate which the Coalition has vowed to repeal if elected – Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the legislation meant all 13.6 million taxpayers would receive a tax cut – 2.9 million more than would have benefited from Scott Morrison’s plan from five years ago – and 11.5 million taxpayers (84 per cent of taxpayers) would receive a bigger tax cut “It means that 5.8 million women (90 per cent of female taxpayers) will now receive a bigger tax cut,’’ he said and truckies are some of the most likely to benefit with more than 95 per cent of those taxpayers getting a bigger tax cut.’’ Both Mrs Robert and Mr Norberger said health care in the area was a hot topic In New hospital for North Wanneroo in maybe five years 2019 Yanchep News Online reported then state Health minister Roger Cook’s saying at a health forum for Wanneroo and Joondalup residents that a new hospital would be built in North Wanneroo sometime in the next five years Mr Cook’s comment was in response to a question by Two Rocks Yanchep Residents Association secretary Lorraine Jackson When Mrs Jackson asked Mr Cook what discussions were being had about a hospital in the Eglinton-Alkimos-Yanchep area he said there was no timeline but certainly in the next five years with the decision to be driven by population growth in the area The Albanese government has already committed to opening a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic in Yanchep if re-elected Mrs Roberts said they had been talking to now Premier Roger Cook and his ministers about a hospital for Yanchep but apparently they don’t think it is quite the right time She said it took a long time to plan for and build a hospital On March 2 Mr Dutton said if elected a Coalition government would kick start the process for a new hospital in Yanchep by committing up to $1 million to fund a comprehensive business case He said Wanneroo was one of the fastest growing areas in Australia but access to health services had gone backwards under the state and federal Labor governments Mr Norberger said the hospital should at least be a district hospital with an emergency department that also benefited everyone in Pearce because it would take pressure off Joondalup hospital “So if you’re living in Wanneroo or Carramar it’ll take pressure off Joondalup,” he said “But then for people living in the northern parts of Pearce it gives them the health services that they need.’’ EARLY voting places for the 2025 federal election include Shop 5/8 Enterprise Ave The AEC said early voting centres would open progressively across the country from Tuesday April 22 and will run up to and including Friday Check the opening dates as not all early voting centres are open for the entire two-week early voting period In a federal election you can vote early either in person or by post if on polling day you: All early voting centres will be closed on Anzac Day Friday The AEC is reminding voters to keep an eye on their mailbox as the official guide is delivered to households ahead of the federal election on Saturday Australian Electoral Commissioner Jeff Pope says its crucial people plan their vote and understand how the election works “The official guide provides a range of information about voter options and a list of frequently asked questions,” Mr Pope said “There is so much information out there about voting options so that each person can plan their vote according to their circumstances.” The guide is also available digitally including in 34 different languages Further accessible versions will be available in the coming days – this includes braille YANCHEP Rise Primary School held its annual Anzac dawn service Principal Helen Demiris said the flags were respectfully raised by students and the school choir gave a beautiful performance of You Raise Me Up that set the tone two of our students delivered a thoughtful Acknowledgement of Country in both language and English paying respect to the traditional custodians of the land,’’ she said “A special feature of our service was the involvement of our Māori community “This term the focus for Kapa Huka has been not only on learning to perform the Haka but also on understanding its deep cultural significance.’’ proudly shared their learning with the wider school community “Local residents were invited to join us and it was wonderful to see so many from the community come along “A big thank you to our P&C for providing a breakfast afterwards – it gave everyone a chance to come together “It was a special morning that showed the strength of our community and the importance of remembering together.’’ After the commemorative service Yanchep News Online asked Yanchep Two Rocks RSL president Bill Jones what message he had tried to get across to the students and parents in relation to Anzac Day Mr Jones said his speech had to be suitable for young children “I sort of have to structure things because a lot of the kids are really young but to let them know basically how many people died in the service of the country that we owe a debt of gratitude to,’’ he said “But at the same time pointing out that war isn’t anything good so hopefully we learn to do more talking and less fighting “At the same time (I stay) away from horrible bits like World War I in the trench warfare where 72,000 were dead by lunchtime and things like that because you can’t really pass that on to kids “It’s okay for adults and maybe secondary college age and they’ve probably heard a lot of it anyway “But the average person doesn’t spend much time looking that kind of stuff up.’’ He said it was always a big thing for the RSL to go to the schools and do all the school services “We’ve got another one coming up now at the secondary college – I think we’re doing seven altogether this year the big thing is the school kids are the ones that are going to carry on our legacy “Hopefully we won’t have too many wars to be on TV and things like that but we can’t forget what’s happened in the past.” Anzac Day on April 25 is Australia’s national day commemorating all Australians who have served in times of peace and war This year it will also mark the 110th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings EDITH Cowan University’s school of medical and health sciences hosted federal Health Minister Mark Butler and Pearce MHR Tracey Roberts at ECU Health Centre Yanchep East on Monday School of medical and health sciences acting executive dean Professor Amanda Devine said ECU was delighted to host Mr Butler and Mrs Roberts to the health centre and update them on their services “Ability WA has been providing disability support services for the last few months,’’ she said “ECU has recently commenced two student-led programs at Yanchep the community counselling clinic and the occupational therapy clinic for children and we’re proud of bringing these much-needed services to residents from Yanchep and surrounding regional areas” Professor Devine highlighted to Mr Butler that ECU Health Centre Yanchep provided evidence-based programs to community members as a part of ECU’s research translation platform She looks forward to collaborating with the government on new initiatives to support the growing health and wellbeing needs of families living in the area While at the centre – and with the federal election likely to be called soon after Treasurer Jim Chalmers delivers the federal budget on Tuesday March 25 – Mr Butler told Mrs Roberts said it was good to be back in Yanchep talking to her about healthcare “You’ve been such a strong supporter of our Medicare agenda to deliver more doctors more bulk billing and more urgent care services for the people of WA,’’ he said “Already there are eight urgent care clinics here in WA “If we are re-elected we’ll deliver six more including one here in Yanchep and if all 14 are operating they’ll see 200,000 people every year “They’re open seven days a week plus importantly they’re fully bulk billing – all you need to take is your Medicare card – that’s what strengthening Medicare looks like.’’ Local Directory REIWA says there has been a strong increase in the metropolitan rental supply In March Perth’s rental vacancy rate rose to 2.5 per cent up 0.2 percentage points higher than the 2.3 per cent recorded in February According to REIWA the last time the vacancy rate was 2.5 per cent was September 2019 REIWA president Suzanne Brown said while the institute considered a balanced market to have a vacancy rate between 2.5 and 3.5 per cent reaching this milestone did not mean the challenges of the past few years would suddenly disappear “WA is still recording strong population growth and the estimated number of rentals remains about 5 per cent below the peak recorded in February 2021,” she said “These factors are maintaining pressure on the rental market as a whole “There will still be some increases in Perth rent prices in the months ahead and challenges finding rental properties Ms Brown said the vacancy rate reaching 2.5 per cent highlighted the significant changes seen in the rental market over the past 12 months the vacancy rate was 0.4 per cent and 95.2 per cent of Perth suburbs* had recorded an increase in their median weekly house rent price – 40 per cent of suburbs recorded growth in excess of 20 per cent 79.7 per cent of suburbs have seen their median house rent price increase (while) the rate of price growth has slowed significantly in many suburbs “We also have seen a strong increase in rental supply where investors have purchased house and land packages.” Ms Brown said it was important to remember the vacancy rate was for the whole of Perth and talk of a balanced market did not mean conditions would be the same across the metropolitan area it means an easing of rent price growth and more rental opportunities and negotiating power for tenants than they have had in the past few years conditions vary significantly from suburb to suburb and the increased opportunities and negotiating power may not necessarily be in areas that tenants want to live such as those closer to the CBD or key lifestyle attractions where competition for rental properties remains high and the vacancy rate is under 1 per cent property managers are still seeing large numbers at home opens and receiving multiple applications particularly where a lot of investor-owned new builds have come to the market and supply can outweigh demand “In some of these suburbs the vacancy rate can be more than 3 per cent “Our members report there are fewer people at home opens and homes can take longer to rent with some investors having to lower their asking price to secure a tenant “I encourage investment property owners and tenants to speak to local REIWA property managers about the conditions in their area.” *filtered for suburbs with 15 or more leases in the quarter IF re-elected in the still-to-be called federal election the Albanese Government says it will open an urgent care clinic in Yanchep On March 2 when Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised six new urgent care clinics for WA he said – if his government was re-elected – the new clinics would open during the 2025-26 financial year Both Pearce MHR Tracey Roberts and WA Labor candidate for Butler Lorna Clarke have called for an urgent care clinic to be established in Yanchep In Butler candidate Lorna Clarke says she is listening to voters Ms Clarke said she would always be a strong advocate for local health services and it was one of the reasons she was pushing for a petition for an urgent care clinic in Yanchep In total Mr Albanese committed $644 million to open another 50 Medicare urgent care clinics across the country “Whether your family needs urgent or ongoing health care Medicare will be there for all Australians “Four in five Australians will live within a 20-minute drive of a bulk billed Medicare urgent care clinic Health and Aged Care Minister Mark Butler said the federal Liberals had had nine years to open Medicare urgent care clinics and “they never opened a single one” “Now they call Labor’s clinics ‘wasteful spending’ and want to close every single one of them,’’ he said “Medicare urgent care clinics are an Albanese Government initiative because we believe in Medicare and in free urgent care On March 3 the Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) President Dr Michael Wright questioned whether the clinics were the answer to improving patient care across Australia and also raised concerns about how they would be properly staffed March 7 said if elected on March 8 in the WA state election her government would immediately begin redirecting ambulances with low-priority patients to St John Urgent Care Clinics to reduce ambulance ramping implement reforms and incentivise a local health workforce to address bed block in our health system,’’ she said In June 2023 the Albanese Government announced an urgent care clinic for Clarkson Daily Crossword JOONDALUP detectives are appealing for information as they continue to investigate a series of burglary and stealing offences from December 2024 where homes and vehicles across the northern suburbs were targeted last year there were four burglaries in Dartmouth Circle and Ocean Dr Merriwa and an e-scooter was stolen in Kolan Elbow Banksia Grove was also burgled while several vehicles were targeted in Ornata Bend Featherleaf Elbow and Sawtooth Bend overnight Police are now calling for public assistance to identify the person in the CCTV video below seen walking through several streets in the area holding a replica firearm which police have since recovered They believe this person may be able to assist with the investigation Anyone with information regarding these matters, or who has vision from the locations on these days, is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestopperswa.com.au Reports to Crime Stoppers can be made anonymously MAJOR crash investigators are seeking information after an off-road fatal crash in Pinjar on Friday a white Isuzu utility was being driven in the ‘mudflats’ adjacent to Old Yanchep Rd A police spokeswoman said the driver lost control of the vehicle She said a male passenger in the vehicle – believed to be 18-years-old sustained life-threatening injuries and died at the scene The 19-year-old male driver of the Isuzu utility was not injured and is assisting police with their investigation Major crash investigators are urging anyone who saw, or who has any information relating to the crash, to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestopperswa.com.au Dash-cam, CCTV, or mobile phone vision relating to this crash, can be uploaded directly to investigators via this link If you or anyone you know has been affected by a road crash contact Road Trauma Support WA on 1300 004 814 YANCHEP and Banksia Grove are among a group of top performers recording sales price growth of 2.3 per cent or more in October But REIWA said the suburbs with the most growth in October were Craigie (up 4.6 per cent to $775,000) Applecross (up 4.4 per cent to $2,360,000) Riverton (up 4 per cent to $1,030,000) and Yokine (up 4 per cent to $920,000) The median sales price in Yanchep has increased by 29.4 per cent in the past 12 months to reach $662,500 The digital property advertising business said 262 houses were sold in Yanchep in the past 12 months THE alert level for a bushfire in Carabooda has been downgraded to watch and act as it is now stationary with firefighters strengthening containment lines The Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) said the cause of the fire was accidental At 9.28pm DFES said the bushfire watch and act was in place for people in the area bound by Wanneroo Rd Bernard Rd North and Bernard Rd South in parts of Carabooda In the same alert DFES said a bushfire advice was in place for people in an area bound by Wanneroo Rd Bernard Rd South and Bernard Rd North in parts of Carabooda and Yanchep The alert said Wanneroo Rd was closed between Karoborup Rd and Pipidinny Rd Wanneroo Rd is open south bound only between Karoborup Rd and Romeo Rd Motorists are asked to avoid the area, reduce speed and drive carefully. Road information may also be available from Main Roads WA by visiting the Main Roads Travel Map, calling 138 138 or by contacting your local government authority Visit Emergency WA, call 13 DFES (13 3337), follow DFES on Facebook, listen to ABC Local Radio computer or other electronic devices connected to the NBN will not work Include a battery powered radio in your emergency kit THE fire that is thought to have sparked the 2019 Yanchep bushfire happened when a tree fell on a powerline starting a small scrub fire directly beneath the line and disrupting power Parks and Wildlife Service (PWS) said the Yanchep bushfire was first reported to them at 7.23am on December 11 with all running fire extinguished and the fireground on the eastern side of Wanneroo Rd secured by 8.15am The fire crews had remained on site until 1.30pm to support Western Power personnel during and after the line clearing process and to ensure that the fire ground was secure As reported in Embers from much earlier fire sparked big Yanchep bushfire the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) concluded that strong easterly winds vehicular movement or a combination of both blew an ember or embers from the initial fire into an unburnt area on the western side of Wanneroo Rd This bushfire was reported at 2.16pm and by 3.07pm DFES had put out a bushfire watch and act for Yanchep National Park Then about an hour later at 4.14pm that was upgraded to an emergency warning for the national park as well as Old Yanchep Rd and Yanchep Beach Rd including Yanchep Golf estate Less than an hour later at 5.02pm residents in the Yanchep town centre were receiving texts messages advising them of the emergency warning and telling them if the way was clear they should leave the area As the bushfire raced along Yanchep Beach Rd heading towards the Yanchep town centre it quickly destroyed beehives and a house as well as the Yanchep Service Station owned by the Vaz family It also threatened businesses and the koala enclosure in Yanchep National Park where 1127ha of land was burnt before in the coming days threatening residents and homes in Seatrees and Breakwater estates Guilderton and Woodridge with other areas in both local government areas put on watch and act In total the Yanchep bushfire burnt about 13,000ha of land and potentially put about 25,000 people at risk in the northern parts of the City of Wanneroo and the Shire of Gingin At its peak 400 firefighters fought the blaze which accounted for about 4.7 million litres of the 8.9m litres of water used to fight bushfires in WA in that year No lives were lost and the firefighters – from the Parks and Wildlife Service Volunteer Fire and Emergency Services and the Career Fire and Rescue Service – saved more than 6000 homes which had been in the path of the bushfire A timeline of the Yanchep bushfire and a Timeline of the Yanchep bushfire part two were put together in December 2020 and January 2021 respectively using Emergency WA alerts issued by DFES during the bushfire Meanwhile, West Australians can use the My Bushfire Plan website or mobile application to create a plan that outlines what they will do in the event of a bushfire Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm said having a bushfire plan was vitally important “The 2023-24 bushfire season was longer and more intense than we have experienced in recent years and should serve as a wake-up call to the community,” he said “The first emergency-level blaze arrived much earlier than usual and over the seven months that followed firefighters battled 5088 bushfires – 1000 more than the previous season “But the reality is firefighters can’t be at every home during an emergency so it’s important that people sit down with their family now complete a bushfire plan and agree on a course of action to keep them safe using the my bushfire plan app or website.” WA Labor has promised to build a career station in Yanchep if they are re-elected at the March 8 state election When making the announcement this morning Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson said if Labor was returned planning for the new career fire station would take place after the election with it to be built in about the following 18 months or so Labor has pledged $22.7 million to build the new career fire station “We’ve already got a block of land just down the road on Yanchep Beach Rd,’’ he said Yanchep News Online understands the block is between the Yanchep Police station and the Y.hub Mr Dawson said a career fire station would improve emergency response capacity in the northern suburbs and employ 36 career firefighters once fully operational Yanchep News Online asked if the establishment of the new career fire station would affect the Yanchep Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service Mr Dawson said the volunteer firefighters already played a role in the Yanchep community and they would continue to play a role in backing up when there was the need for extra resources “The announcement today is for a career station (and) we will work with the union but also with volunteers locally to ensure both play a part keeping the community safe.’’ WA Labor’s candidate for Butler Lorna Clarke said Yanchep’s population was growing and the new rail line was expected to increase those numbers even more in years to come “The Cook Labor Government’s commitment to build a new Yanchep fire station will help keep local families safe into the future,’’ she said KOALAS are once again set to become one of the biggest attractions at Yanchep National Park following the introduction of three new ones recently Until the arrival of the three new koalas earlier this month the national park’s population had dwindled to just two Yanchep National Park senior ranger Pip Jarvis Carboon said the park had had a colony since 1938 “It also means that we are a satellite breeding program for the southern koala Pearce MHR Tracey Roberts said the marsupials were sure to thrive under the expert care of park manager Julia Coggins and her dedicated team of park rangers often regarded as the jewel in the crown of the Pearce electorate offers a stunning array of attractions,’’ she said “Visitors can enjoy the historic Yanchep Inn explore the enchanting Crystal Cave and engage in informative Aboriginal education programs led by Derek Nannup the park features a treetop adventure course a golf course and picturesque walking trails “Seeing koalas in their natural habitat is always a unique experience and the addition of this highly anticipated trio will undoubtedly encourage both locals and visitors to explore all that Yanchep National Park has to offer.’’ A strong breeze didn’t deter those looking for abalone at Yanchep Lagoon on the final fishing day this season On Saturday while fishers eagerly searched the reef in the lagoon early morning swimmers weren’t put off by the chilly wind either with the low tide likely making both experiences more enjoyable The conditions probably made the job of volunteer lifesavers from Yanchep Surf Life Saving Club much easier too Earlier in the week Surf Life Saving WA modelling had predicted a low tide from 0.4m and an average wave height of 1.1m or above and medium offshore winds gusting above 22.3 knots between Halls Head and Yanchep But the high number of rescues across the West Coast zone for the first three sessions compared with the total number of rescues last season had volunteer lifesavers bracing themselves for the final session Lifesaving services manager Cam Robbins from Surf Life Saving WA said during the first three sessions lifesavers had carried out 108 rescues which was already more than last season’s total of 101 During the one-hour fishing session on February 1 surf lifesavers performed 55 rescues with most of them in the Yanchep zone Mr Robbins said it was amazing there had been no loss of life so far during the season He said this was thanks to the efforts of volunteer lifesavers patrolling the zones On Saturday Yanchep lifesavers carried out Jet Ski inflatable rescue boat and beach-based patrols The West Coast zone extends from the Busselton jetty in the south to the Greenough River mouth in the north Surf Life Saving WA does not patrol north of Yanchep to Greenough River mouth so essentially it’s up to fishers in those areas to be aware of the local ocean and weather conditions and ensure they have sufficient water skills to manage the risk During the 2024-25 West Coast zone abalone season more than 3000 preventative actions and 72 first aid treatments Surf Life Saving WA received funding for three years from the state government and DPIRD’s recreational fishing fund towards abalone patrols AT the annual Remembrance Day service held at Yanchep National Park today Yanchep Two Rocks RSL president Bill Jones said November 11 marked the end of fighting in the most horrific war of the modern era Mr Jones said none of those who took part in that war were still living very few from World War II – 1939 through 1945 – still survived and even those from the next two major conflicts – Korea and Vietnam – were seeing their ranks thin by the day “Nowadays we pause to remember not just the military personnel from both sides involved in war but also the civilian casualties who are always collateral damage in times of conflict and not forgetting the animals in earlier conflicts before war was modernised and industrialised in the way of transport and weapons especially,’’ he said “A little known fact is that almost more animals took part in World War I than people with about three million horses involved on both sides camels and other animals required for specialty assignments rather than dwell on such facts and figures as usual in the numbers of deaths I thought we should cover a couple of lesser known facts that have become part of today’s service why do we observe the last post prior to a minute of silent reflection during a commemorative service “It dates back to when English troops fought in Europe back in the distant past “A retreat was sounded as it became too dark to continue fighting “The soldiers then retired to the closest town or village to spend the night with sentries placed at the entrance of their camp “As the duty office marched the sentries around to man their posts an accompanying bugler sounded the ‘first post’ as the first sentry took up his position “The bugler then sounded the “last post’ as the final sentry took his position by manning the last entrance and making the area safe.’’ He said in recent times the last post sounded at a funeral or commemorative service symbolised dead soldiers having ended their journey through life “Shortly after WWI a Melbourne journalist Edward George Honey who was in London at the time was dismayed that in the noisy celebrations marking the end of the war no real thought was given to the human sacrifice making such celebrations possible “He suggested that everyone should stand in silence for five minutes in memory of the fallen “It was decided that five minutes was too long and King George the fifth accepted two minutes in length “In 1997 Australia’s Governor General issued a proclamation that the silence be for one minute “I intend covering other such aspects of commemoration during future services…may all of those who have fallen in past conflict IN May 2024 a Yanchep tavern proposal was deferred and a video on Yanchep’s cycling track proved popular – continuing the series on most-viewed and important stories on Yanchep News Online in the past year The proposed tavern for the corner of Marmion Ave and Peony Blvd – to cater for 800 patrons – was deferred with a shortage of parking bays one of the issues highlighted only for the  proposal to be approved in August Yanchep tavern proposal deferred for up to three months May 20 reported that when the proposal went before the Outer Metro development assessment panel (DAP) City of Wanneroo councillor Natalie Herridge put forward a motion that the DAP refuse the development application because it proposed 394 parking bays Cr Herridge’s motion – seconded by councillor Sonet Coetzee – also said the city’s district planning scheme required a minimum of 8 per cent landscaping to be provided on site In August Cr Herridge and Cr Coetzee once again opposed approval of the tavern but were outvoted by the other three DAP members The minutes of the DAP meeting said the building design was considered appropriate “It addresses the requirement to extend the Main St concept along Peony Blvd from the existing shopping centre and the use of extensive glazing along the street front provides appropriate passive surveillance,’’ the minutes said “The tavern will complement the other existing uses in the Yanchep district shopping centre and is unlikely to place undue demands on parking primarily as the primary operating hours of the tavern will occur outside of the main retail shopping hours “The condition imposed to provide the full 8per cent landscaping for the centre recognised the need for the overall landscaping to comply with the requirements under DPS2 to soften the current stark looking parking areas “Approval by the majority of the panel was therefore considered appropriate.’’ Splendid Park’s cycling track is the only one of its kind in WA reported Northern Beaches Cycling Club president Chris Howard as saying the racing circuit with its 1.4km asphalt surface was of an international level The video was published in early March and it was May before it started to attract readers but has continued to gain momentum since then AT 2.49pm DFES said the alert has been downgraded to a watch and act – monitor conditions – due to the current fire conditions easing But a change in wind direction is expected at 4pm today (December 22) and people in the warning area are urged to continue monitoring the warning for any updates or changes to the fire conditions DFES said the City of Wanneroo is managing the fire A BUSHFIRE emergency warning was in place for people in an area bounded by Sovereign Dr Indian Ocean Dr and Wilbinga Rd including the Two Rocks townsite in parts of Two Rocks At 1.26pm DFES said if you are located in the Seatrees Estate leave in an easterly direction towards Indian Ocean Drive if it is safe to do so leave in a southerly direction along Two Rocks Road if it is safe to do so December 22 the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) said the new alert was a Bushfire Emergency Warning – LEAVE NOW – YANCHEP Breakwater Dr is closed between Indian Ocean Rd and Damepattie Dr The bushfire is moving in an northerly direction The following alert has been issued by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) It is essential that the words are not changed Bushfire Emergency Warning – LEAVE NOW – YANCHEP A Bushfire Emergency Warning is in place for people in an area bounded by Sovereign Drive Indian Ocean Drive and Wilbinga Road including the Two Rocks townsite in parts of YANCHEP TWO ROCKS in the SHIRE OF GINGIN and CITY OF WANNEROO A number of roads have been closed including: Motorists are asked to avoid the area, reduce speed and drive carefully. Road information may also be available from Main Roads WA by visiting the Main Roads Travel Map, calling 138 138 or by contacting your Local Government Authority model aircraft or multirotor near bushfires Doing so poses a major safety risk to firefighting personnel in the air and on the ground and forces aircraft to be grounded or redirected pets and companion animals should activate their own animal welfare plan During a bushfire take advice from Local Government Authorities to protect the lives of your animals while keeping yourself safe For more information on actions to take for each bushfire warning level, please see the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development website A 22-year-old man has been charged with murder after the stabbing death of a 28-year-old man in Perth’s northern suburbs last week WA Police allege a fight broke out between several people on Capilano Avenue in Yanchep around 2.55am on December 14 They further allege the accused and the victim became involved in an altercation and the victim was stabbed It is believed the friends of the man had been attempting to drive him to hospital when they were intercepted by police about 3.10am on Wanneroo Road Homicide squad detectives arrested the accused in the northern suburbs on Saturday and charged him with murder A 22-year-old man has been charged with murder after the stabbing death of a 28-year-old man in Perth\\u2019s northern suburbs last week A FOURTH service station has been approved in the Yanchep shopping area despite 127 submissions against the proposal and concerns raised by Main Roads WA about direct access onto Marmion Ave On August 1 Main Roads recommended refusal of the 24-hour service station dog wash and fast-food proposal valued at $3 million Main Roads cited concerns with the left-out turn outlined for Marmion Ave as it was within 150m of the Marmion Ave and Yanchep Beach Rd roundabout on a curve at 60kmh and there were affected sightlines Not mentioned in the publicly available reports submitted by the City of Wanneroo and the Western Australian Planning Commission is that a bus stop is in the slip road to the service road for Lot 395 (no 1) Peony Blvd On November 5 the Outer Metro development assessment panel (DAP) which includes two city councillors – North-East ward Cr Bronwyn Smith and Central ward Cr Jacqui Huntley – voted for the proposal but with conditions – a) the conditions recommended by the City of Wanneroo in its responsible authority report and b) the following conditions: “Prior to the development opening to the public a road safety audit is to be conducted at the 15 per cent design concept stage by an independent third-party consultant at the cost of the applicant,’’ the DAP report said “First the applicant shall forward the completed road safety audit report to the City of Wanneroo and Main Roads WA “The recommendations relevant to the development in the road safety audit report shall be implemented in their entirety and to the satisfaction of the City of Wanneroo and to the specifications of Main Roads WA “Second prior to the issue of a building permit the developer must undertake a 15 per cent design concept plan for the intersection-crossover at Marmion Ave (onto the service road) including any road upgrades onto Marmion Ave at the full cost of the landowner-applicant to the specification of Main Roads and to the satisfaction of the City of Wanneroo “Third prior to the occupation of the development the applicant must upgrade the intersection-crossover at Marmion Ave (onto the service road) and complete any other necessary upgrades on Marmion Ave and the service road at the full cost of the landowner-applicant to the specification of Main Roads and to the satisfaction of the City of Wanneroo “The upgrades must be in accordance with the 15 per cent design concept plan outlined in condition two.’’ The advice notes included in regard to condition two that the road safety audit was also to be submitted with the 15 per cent design concept plan as part of any approval required from Main Roads for works undertaken in the road reserve with Main Roads advising no works were permitted within the Marmion Ave road reservation unless Main Roads had issued a working on roads permit and that no direct vehicular access to Marmion Rd was permitted Meanwhile, a 2024 Department of Health Position statement: Service stations and sensitive land uses details the department’s position on adequate separation distances between service stations and sensitive land-uses including schools “This document is predominantly for local governments to support them in their decision-making for development applications involving service stations,’’ the position statement said “The department is regularly requested to provide public health advice on planning applications involving development of service stations in close proximity to an existing sensitive land-use or for the development of a sensitive land-use that may be in close proximity to an existing service station “The department refers to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) Guidance for the assessment of environmental factors: Separation distances between industrial and sensitive land uses (EPA “The Department of Health continues to support the use of minimum separation distances of 50m for service stations operating during normal business hours “At this time there is insufficient evidence to support the 200m distance for non-freeway 24-hour service stations.’’ WA Police will be searching roadside areas in Yanchep today December 21 in relation to the death of a man last Saturday A police spokeswoman said road users in the vicinity of Yanchep Beach Rd Spinnaker Blvd and St Andrews Dr were urged to exercise caution in the area “The search is in connection with the investigation into the death of a 28-year-old man in Yanchep on December 14,’’ she said “Search activity will commence in the early morning and may continue throughout the day.’’ Anyone with information that may be relevant to the investigation is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or report online via www.crimestopperswa.com.au People reporting information to Crime Stoppers can remain anonymous if they wish Call for information after Yanchep fight YANCHEP resident Jagdeep Bhatia has been writing since he was seven-years-old His first story was about an eagle that used to visit their apartment terrace in Mumbai in India He describes his early writing as childish in nature but he did end up writing for his college magazine While his father wanted him to become an electronic engineer he finished college with a degree in English literature After he and his family left India he stopped writing for many years During this time they lived in New Zealand for seven years before he got a job in Australia and trained to be a policeman In 2016 while facing hardship at work and in his personal life he started writing inspirational quotes “So I didn’t write (about) the incident and that quote reminds me of what lesson I have learned because you never stop learning,’’ he said His efforts resulted in a book of inspiration quotes called Amanishad: Whispers of Resilience Other books by the author are Poems and Blues in Solitude Ode to Experience and Echoes of the Ages of Vedas He has weaved many life lessons from his time in service into the following piece which is written in a 16th-century English style while exploring themes of resilience duty and the inner battles that shape humans THE Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) is throwing its support behind Western Australia’s influenza vaccination drive which the Cook Government announced on April 4 The peak period for influenza transmission in Western Australia is typically June to September but the government said there were already more influenza cases than usual in WA for this time of the year Health Minister Meredith Hammat and Preventative Health Minister Sabine Winton urged people to get their influenza vaccine as soon as possible older adults and those with underlying medical conditions Their statement said it was especially recommended for people aged over 65 who were at higher risk of serious complications from influenza RACGP vice president and WA chair Ramya Raman said Western Australia was leading by example with a fourth annual influenza vaccination drive and other states and territories should follow suit recommended for everyone over six months of age and the RACGP is urging patients to visit their local GP and get vaccinated,’’ Dr Raman said “Making this vaccine accessible for everyone state-wide will save lives there were more than 4000 lab-confirmed cases of influenza and this is likely only scratching the surface and the number one defence we have against this virus is getting as many people vaccinated as possible “More than 1000 deaths in 2024 involved the flu a 67.3 per cent increase on the year before.’’ Dr Raman said vaccination rates were falling vaccination coverage was only 30.3 per cent in 2023 and just 25.8 per cent last year,’’ she said we’re witnessing record case numbers and it’s vital that we get as many people vaccinated as possible many practices won’t have received their vaccine supply yet if your GP clinic has not yet received sufficient stock or they’re prioritising certain patient groups please be patient and speak to practice team members with respect and courtesy they will be doing their best to get you vaccinated as soon as they can “The more people we have vaccinated within our communities the easier it will be to protect those most vulnerable including older patients and those who are immunocompromised.”  Australia wide there have been more than 48,000 cases of lab-confirmed influenza recorded this year which is 50 per cent higher than this time last year In WA to access a free flu vaccine in May and June people can book an appointment at participating GPs corporate vaccination service providers and community health clinics individual providers may charge a consultation or service fee The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) regulates annual influenza (flu) vaccines Online TGA information about the flu virus says it can infect the throat airways and sometimes the lungs and can cause mild to severe illness including death “When you get a vaccine your immune system responds and creates antibodies to protect you against future infection,’’ the TGA said A NORTHERN suburbs man is due in the Joondalup Magistrates Court today after being charged with the murder of a man in Yanchep WA Police said homicide squad detectives have charged the 22-year-old northern suburbs man with murder as the result of an investigation into the death of a 28-year-old man in Yanchep on December 14 the accused and the victim became involved in a verbal altercation on Capilano St during which time the 28-year-old man was stabbed He was provided with medical treatment by St John WA but was declared deceased shortly after This morning a police spokeswoman said on Saturday December 21 the accused was arrested in the northern suburbs and charged over the incident Man facing murder charge back in court next month Santa’s sleigh is taking a break and he’s upgrading to the Yanchep Volunteer Fire & Rescue Service (YVFRS) big red trucks to spread some Christmas magic December 22 Santa will be making his rounds through Yanchep and surrounding areas Park times and locations will be announced this weekend, so keep a close eye on the Yanchep Volunteer Fire & Rescue Service Facebook page for all the details to catch him and grab a sweet treat This is a Yanchep tradition you won’t want to miss As the community grows your support is needed to keep the YVFRS Santa lolly run going strong It’s not too late to donate and help bring Christmas joy to the kids of Yanchep A BUSHFIRE emergency warning is in place for people in an area bounded by Airfield Rd Yeal and Coonabidgee in the Shire of Gingin In an emergency alert at 3.11pm the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) said homes on Duffy and Airfield roads were under threat by fire now The alert said it was too late to leave Bambun which is moving fast in a north westerly direction is not contained or controlled Burning embers are likely to be blown around homes and spot fires are starting up to 300m ahead of the fire Bambun bushfire burns 820ha with watch and act out to Military Rd THE City of Wanneroo is proposing to change the density coding of 15 existing residential blocks along Knoll Rise and Seaside Ave from R10 to R25 which if approved will increase the amount of housing able to be built in that part of Yanchep The proposed amendment area is bounded by Seaside Ave to the east Sapphire Lane to the south-west and Seadrift St to the south If successful the proposal would allow for 43 grouped-single dwellings in the area As part of the original estate development the area was allocated a low-density coding of R10 to create some bigger lots in the Yanchep area which was something residents requested during earlier consultation on the development of the Capricorn Coastal part of Yanchep But documents on the city’s Have your say page for proposed amendment 13 of Capricorn Coastal Village LSP 44 said the R10 density coding of the land area was outdated and represented a failure in utilising the surrounding established infrastructure (local shops the low-density coding fails to allow for increased housing-population within a well-established area and is out of character with the existing built form within the immediate area,’’ the amendment 13 report said “A review of the area has identified that only seven of the 15 lots (coded R10) have been developed since being created in 2007 “A further review of this part of the Yanchep locality has identified that the surrounding areas coded R20 The amendment report concluded the proposed change to the density coding of R25 would deliver much needed housing within a well serviced area close to the future Yanchep activity centre and would be consistent with the strategic direction set by both the city and the state government Comment on the proposed amendment closes on Friday Following the conclusion of the consultation period the amendment application will then go to the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) for determination OUT of the 38 rescues made by volunteer surf lifesavers this morning 70 per cent of those rescues were carried out in the Yanchep zone Without the Yanchep Surf Life Saving Club (YSLSC) volunteer surf lifesavers coming to the aid of those people some of those rescues could have had a more serious result In April last year Yanchep Surf Life Saving Club (YSLSC) patrols on abalone fishing days described how as well as patrolling the beach and carrying out rescues YSLSC also tries to educate the community But while volunteer surf lifesavers can ask people if they have the right clothing and gloves etc they have no way of knowing people’s swimming or self-survival capabilities The Yanchep zone includes Yanchep Lagoon and Fisherman’s Hollow beaches Surf Life Saving WA (SLSWA) said overall in the West Coast zone there were 911 preventative actions and 21 first aids during the hour-long abalone fishing session During the week SLSWA advice for the Perth coast between Yanchep and Halls Head indicated a medium risk with fishers urged to remain cautious and alert as ocean conditions could be challenging for those with little to no swimming or self-survival capabilities I am writing to thank the Two Rocks Yanchep Residents Association for their August 19 correspondence regarding staffing and operational hours at Yanchep Police Station The Western Australia Police Force advise that metropolitan police districts provide the community with a 24 hour per day When police stations are closed to the public the policing service is resourced by police officers from other police stations in the district additional officers were deployed to the Joondalup district to better support the policing service to the community WA Police Force further advise that a review was undertaken in relation to police response times to calls for assistance and crimes reported in August 2024 The review determined police response times to calls for assistance in the Yanchep sub-district were similar to response times within the Joondalup district It was also determined police response times to calls for assistance in the Yanchep sub-district exceed key performance indicators set by the State Government I am advised that Acting Inspector Fuller of Joondalup district office contacted you by telephone on August 29 Acting Inspector Fuller reassured you the distribution of police resources is regularly reviewed I understand that Acting Inspector Fuller requested this information be shared with the Two Rocks and Yanchep Residents Association (TRYRA) and residents to ensure crimes and hooning behaviour are reported to police population growth and increased demand on police resources are all considerations during the allocation of police resources I trust this clarifies the position of the WA Police Force We are writing to tell your readers about The Atlantis Group supporting local community teamwork and active play – both in early childhood and beyond That’s why we are thrilled to announce our sponsorship of the Yanchep Netball Club for the upcoming season As strong advocates for children’s development we know that sport plays a vital role in building confidence active lifestyle – values that align perfectly with our philosophy of nurturing young minds and bodies we are proud to support young athletes in our community helping them thrive both on and off the court celebrating their achievements and strengthening our connection with local families Yanchep Netball Club turns 50 – Letter to the Editor WHILE in Crystal Cave visitors can see jewel-like sparkles on the ceilings along with stalactites and stalagmites and other formations A fascinating part of the tour is guessing what some of many cave decorations resemble – one looks like Bart Simpson another resembles Davy Jones from the Pirates of the Caribbean and your guide will point out many others Visitors can also see a shelter built after the Meckering earthquake and the root of a tuart tree that is – according to a Department of Environment and Conservation booklet titled Discovering Caves of Western Australia – about 13m below the surface During a tour of Crystal Cave visitors get to hear about how caves in the Yanchep National Park formed from underground streams flowing from the Gnangara mound A sobering part of the tour is realising how much the water levels in the cave have fallen since visitors first crawled through its then muddy streams to reach the best chambers WITH the fourth and final session of this year’s West Coast zone abalone fishing season to go ahead tomorrow surf lifesavers are bracing for what they expect to be another busy hour of fishing to wrap up the season Surf Life Saving WA (SSLS WA) lifesaving services manager Cam Robbins said during the one-hour fishing session on February 1 surf lifesavers had carried out 55 rescues already more than last season’s total of 101 “This equates to a potential 36 lives saved per one-hour of fishing,” he said it’s amazing we haven’t seen any loss of life this season so far this is thanks to the service of our volunteer lifesavers patrolling these zones.’’ Surf Life Saving WA said while a medium risk was forecast for Saturday’s session it did not mean that conditions at each location would be the same as the previous medium-rated sessions and those with little to no swimming capabilities were at significant risk of drowning or sustaining considerable injury if the past three sessions are anything to go by we are going to continue to see people making decisions that put themselves at risk Surf Life Saving’s message is simple: Stop “You need to stop and assess the risk and condition at that location on that day” “Just because you fished at Yanchep last time doesn’t mean the conditions will suit your abilities this week,’’ he said “Help us keep you safe by making responsible decisions about your safety and turning up with the correct gear.’’ lifesavers have performed 108 rescues and 2737 preventative actions and administered 63 first aid treatments Areas where Surf Life Saving WA will deliver safety services including Jet Ski inflatable rescue boat and beach-based patrols include Yanchep Lagoon 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 A clear majority has supported a motion for the City of Wanneroo to investigate adjusting its boundaries to exclude Yanchep City of Wanneroo Mayor Linda Aitken explained to Perth Today host Simon Beaumont why the council believes this is in the community’s best interest “It’s about being economically responsible and being able to resource the services for our community,” she said Click PLAY to hear from the City of Wanneroo Lizzy Lowe is affiliated with Invertebrates Australia Jess Marsh is affiliated with Invertebrates Australia Dr Leanda Denise Mason is affiliated with Centre for People Edith Cowan University and University of Adelaide provide funding as members of The Conversation AU View all partners strikingly coloured spider performing an elaborate courtship dance you may have seen your first peacock spider New species of peacock spider are discovered every year; the tally is now 113. One newly discovered species, Maratus yanchep, is only known to exist in a small area of coastal dunes near Yanchep As Perth’s suburbs sprawl ever further north and south it means one problem – the housing crisis – is worsening another The dunes which are home to Maratus yanchep are just 20 metres from land being cleared for large new estates If the species was formally listed as threatened, it could be protected. But the spider was only described in 2022 and has not been listed on state or federal threatened species lists. That means Maratus yanchep has no protection, according to the state government Peacock spiders are tiny The males only put on their mating displays during short periods of the year Their size and habits also make it hard to learn about their populations and preferred habitats This is partly why we’re only now realising how many peacock spider species there are Concerted effort by enthusiasts such as Jurgen Otto has greatly expanded our knowledge. Of the 113 described species, each has distinctive colouring and its own dances (males have the colour and the moves). But we know there are more species of peacock spider waiting to be recognised by western science Many species of peacock spider are only known from within a very small area of suitable habitat This puts the species at high risk of extinction because a single threat such as a large bushfire or a suburban development can destroy all their habitat at once Before any native bushland is cleared in Australia, developers have to undertake an environmental impact survey to look for threatened species and assess what damage the development would do the development can be scaled back or denied The problem is, these surveys only look for species known to be in danger. If a species isn’t listed on Australia’s growing list of threatened species But Maratus yanchep has not been assessed to see if it is threatened This means it has no protection from development This points to a wider problem. Large, well-known Australian vertebrates such as koalas and platypuses tend to get more attention – and conservation efforts – than humble invertebrates. We face an uphill battle to conserve our wealth of invertebrates the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Act The problem here is we don’t have enough data to assess most invertebrate species for formal conservation listing and protection Listing a species as threatened requires a large amount of data on where the species is and isn’t found our efforts to gather data on invertebrates often relies on passionate volunteers and enthusiasts who may often pick one genus – say peacock spiders – and set out to expand our knowledge When clear and immediate threats do appear – such as clearing coastal dunes in Yanchep – we are again reliant on the unpaid work of volunteers to gather information Perth is one of the longest cities in the world. Its suburbs sprawl for 150 kilometres running from Two Rocks in the north to Dawesville in the south Many Perth residents want to live by the coast, driving demand for new housing on the city outskirts. This drives destruction of native bushland and pushes species towards extinction. Some species tolerate the change from bushland to suburbia, but these are a minority – less than 25% localised species are at highest risk of extinction Perth’s sprawl shows no sign of slowing. Land clearing for housing has contributed to the worsening plight of the Carnaby’s cockatoo the iconic cockatoo flew over the city in flocks as large as 7,000 The one thing peacock spiders have going for them is their looks They’re also easily identified by the distinct patterns on the males – for most species you don’t need expert training to tell them apart peacock spiders have drawn attention from dozens of amateur arachnologists and photographers who collect and share information on where they can be found This citizen science data is often able to be used as evidence in listing a species as threatened – and unlocking vital protection Images of these spiders also boosts their public profile and support for their protection Despite the recent groundswell of interest in saving this tiny spider To avoid the mass extinction of iconic Australian species we must find better ways of building without large-scale habitat clearing the agency responsible for felling trees on Yanchep Beach Rd two weeks ago says most of the trees remain and new ones will be planted once an access upgrade in the area is completed In the days following the cutting down of the trees Yanchep News Online was contacted by a number of residents who were shocked at the loss of the mature trees DevelopmentWA chief executive officer Dean Mudford said as part of developing stages 26 and 27 of its Jindowie estate in Yanchep a small number of trees were removed to enable service works for those stages to enable more housing to be delivered Yanchep Beach Rd will be upgraded where it adjoins stages 26 and 27 which has been approved by the City of Wanneroo,’’ he said “The upgrade works will ensure Yanchep Beach Rd can function effectively as the residential population of Yanchep continues to grow.’’ Yanchep structure plan 76 outlines four stages of development of Yanchep Beach Rd in relation to the Jindowie development – east of the neighbourhood centre – all the way up to when the Mitchell Fwy is extended to Yanchep Beach Rd According to the structure plan in stage 1 Yanchep Beach Rd remains a single carriage way with one or both accesses to the housing estate to be constructed as full access t-junctions under give way control (priority with Yanchep Beach Rd) “The accesses would be constructed with right turn and left turn lanes on Yanchep Beach Rd in accordance with the appropriate design standards,’’ the structure plan said.’’ Stage 2 will upgrade Yanchep Beach Rd to a dual carriageway road while both access points to the housing estate are still full access t-junctions under give way control (priority with Yanchep Beach Rd) In stage 3 the main access to the local centre from Yanchep Beach Rd will become a signalised four-way intersection while Lot 2 Yanchep Beach Rd access will be restricted to left in-left out traffic movements by closing the Yanchep Beach Rd median Once the Mitchell Fwy extension is constructed stage 4 works will change access to either left in only or no access at all The structure plan said the timing for the provision of traffic signals to Yanchep Beach Rd would be determined by traffic volumes on Yanchep Beach Rd and likely pedestrian movements in the area Detailed design of signalised intersections will be subject to the approval of Main Roads WA and City of Wanneroo to the satisfaction of the Department of Planning WA Labor candidate for Butler Lorna Clarke says since she started campaigning her goal has been to listen to what people want changed or fixed up and from there she could start to see what she could deliver for the electorate She said retiring Butler MLA John Quigley had done a fantastic job for the electorate but there was obviously more to do as suburbs in the area continued to grow In the late 1980s when Ms Clarke was four-months-old her family left Sheffield in England she worked in London where she met her husband Laurence They were living in an old 1930s flat with mould on the walls and snow coming through the windows when they decided to move to Perth about 10 years ago Since then she has worked as a corporate lawyer for a couple of years tutored law students at Curtin University and been a City of Bayswater councillor and according to the WA Labor website she is still the state president of the party During an interview with Yanchep News Online Ms Clarke wouldn’t be drawn on whether she had any goals to become a minister down the track saying she was focused on getting a seat and would never take the electorate of Butler for granted has intensified since she resigned from the Bayswater council in December last year and stopped tutoring this year “I’ve been out since I stopped work for Curtin in January When door knocking in Butler the main thing raised by people was cost of living “It sort of comes up in round about different ways whether it’s the price of food or interest rates or not (being able to) afford school fees or swimming fees for the kids and things “So I’ve been talking a lot about the electricity credits that the both the federal and state Labor governments are delivering – the $2.80 cap to train fares as well if Labor is elected to keep the cost of transport down and then obviously it’s been reduced fees “And just chatting with people about a lot of stuff (that) is very local – it is the streetlights at the end of the road or the park across the road – so a lot of it connects in with local government.’’ As the mother of a toddler she thinks education and schools are really important and these topics are also raised with her On Saturday Ms Clarke told Yanchep News Online her time as a councillor for about seven years had helped her when she was door knocking in the Butler electorate “That experience has helped me to work out how to fix some of the problems – whether it’s footpaths or roads – but engaging with state and federal governments as well,’’ she said Ms Clarke said although some issues only affected a few people they were still issues that mattered to them There was also the need to be honest with people about what she could actually do to bring about change and not raising their expectations as realistically in some situations the action available to her might be limited to raising the issue and advocating for the people involved She said locally the Labor government had delivered the Yanchep rail extension extended the Mitchell Fwy to Romeo Rd and the new Eglinton Beach Primary School Also last year in November the $52.2 million second stage of Alkimos College was opened In January WA Labor pledged $22.7 million to build a new career fire station in Yanchep Ms Clarke and the Cook government have also promised $1.22m for school projects and community organisations in the Butler electorate if she wins the seat and Labor retains power Some of the promises include $52,000 to North Shore Christian Grammar School for shade sails $100,000 for an all-abilities playground at Butler College $50,000 to Eglinton Beach Primary School for a new playground $20,000 to the Two Rocks Volunteer Bushfire Brigade for firefighting equipment and $100,000 to Yanchep Secondary College for shade sails and toilet upgrades Yanchep News Online asked Ms Clarke what she would say to the people who think that money should have been pledged towards a hospital in Yanchep “I’ll always be a strong advocate for local health services and it’s one of the reasons why I’m pushing for a petition for an urgent care clinic in Yanchep and is deliverable and deliverable in the sort of short term as well “What I would say to some of those people is the relatively small amounts of money to schools and community groups and sporting groups – obviously they’re on the ground “But the scale of what we need to do with the hospital is much bigger I’ll always be a strong advocate for health services I’m hearing loud and clear that people want a hospital in Yanchep” The ABC election guide has Butler as a very safe seat for Labor with a margin of 32.6 per cent who writes children’s picture books will be at Perth Upmarket next Sunday with signed copies of his books Greenall and his wife moved to Perth from England in 2018 and lived in Balcatta and Osborne Park for the first couple of years before moving to Yanchep in about 2020 He gets the ideas for his picture books from all kinds of places but mainly from his five-year-old son “He just comes up with some crazy ideas and says some crazy things and you think there might be something to that,’’ he said “We were driving along and pulled up at some lights and he was like ‘Look dad the doggy’s driving the car’ “He was looking over and the person who was driving the car had bent over and the dog was in the passenger seat so it did look like the dog was driving the car “That then gave me an idea that it could look funny if a kid looked out the window and then (there were) ever increasingly smaller cars with ever increasing bigger animals as they went along.’’ A self-published author he has a friend in the UK who does the illustrations for him His already published books include Sam’s Stormy Night and Barry’s Broken Dam – they’re part of a series of four that go together Another book called the Beast Goes to the Circus involved working with Eddie Hall who was the world’s strongest man in 2017 and the first man to deadlift 500kg “He’s a bit like a sporting hero for me and we’re working on another book as well.’’ More than just a shopping destination Perth Upmarket is a celebration of WA’s creative community helping small businesses and artists grow their brands and reach new audiences University of Western Australia the market runs from 10am to 4pm RSVP to the event’s Facebook page To find out more visit  https://www.perthupmarket.com.au/ ONE of the things residents contact the Two Rocks Yanchep Residents Association about is graffiti and what is happening to prevent it Two Rocks Yanchep Residents Association (TRYRA) has put together some information for parents and what they need to know Warning signs that your child could be involved with graffiti include possession of spray paint cans or other types of paint and excessive quantities of big permanent marker pens Other signs include paint on their hands and clothing photos of graffiti on their mobile phones and social media Practising the same type of scribble or tags on paper continuously and tags or the same type of scribble on their bag or books are also signs they might be involved with graffiti If you suspect your child is doing graffiti vandalism discuss your concerns with your child remembering that there may be other issues that are causing them to graffiti Explain that graffiti is an illegal activity and let them know what the consequences are and Make sure you know where your child is and who they are with The penalties for graffiti vandalism for a juvenile – under 18 years – include a police caution or referral to a juvenile justice team or children’s court restitution for damage costs and/or juvenile detention For adults – 18 years and older – up to two years imprisonment and/or up to $24,000 in fines Involvement with the courts may also prohibit a person from getting a job or being able to travel to other countries later in life This information was obtained from the graffiti vandalism is illegal pamphlet put out by goodbye graffiti w.a which is now no longer available but TRYRA has received a quantity of the brochures as the information is still valid For children with issues that are causing them to graffiti the WA Police consequences of graffiti vandalism link includes information about Lifeline offering counselling and other support services that are available in communities around Australia Call 13 11 14(link sends email) or visit their website 24/7 telephone and online counselling service specifically for young people aged between 5 and 25 Call 1800 55 1800(link sends email) or visit their website THE bushfire warning for Two Rocks and Seatrees estate has been downgraded to a stay-informed advice At 9.51pm an alert issued by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) said the bushfire advice was in place for people bounded by Wilbinga Rd Two Rocks Rd extending to the intersection of Breakwater Dr and Indian Ocean Dr It also includes the Two Rocks townsite and Seatrees estate has been downgraded as it has been contained and controlled and the risk to the community has decreased Firefighters are strengthening containment lines Breakwater Dr between Indian Ocean Dr and Damepattie Dr has reopened with speed restrictions in place Motorists should exercise extreme caution as fire crews continue to work near the road The alert said there was no threat to lives or homes but people should stay alert and monitor their surroundings Be aware of other potential dangers such as falling trees and damaged properties and infrastructure The City of Wanneroo is managing the bushfire