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Articles by Rosemary Murphy
Port Hedland elders speak after inquest announced into death of Hawke children
Kimberley Putland and Rosemary Murphy Western Australia's premier has defended his government's handling of persistent calls for an inquest into the deaths of three children murdered by their mother in the state's north, as Indigenous elders criticise what they perceive as an unnecessary delay. WARNING: This story contains details some readers may find distressing.
Port Hedland elders speak after inquest announced into death of Hawke children
Western Australia's premier has defended his government's handling of persistent calls for an inquest into the deaths of three children murdered by their mother in the state's north, as Indigenous elders criticise what they perceive as an unnecessary delay. WARNING: This story contains details some readers may find distressing.
WA government announces coronial inquest into death of Margaret Hawke's children
A coronial inquest into the deaths of three children killed by their mother in Port Hedlandhas been requested byWA's Attorney General, after a sustained campaign led by their grandmother for answers and ongoing political pressure. WARNING: This story contains images of Indigenous people who have died. Margaret Hawke was sentenced to life in prison for the 2022 murders of the children aged 10, 7, and four months. Tributes at the burial site of the three children in WA's north.
Youll Like My Mother 1972 1080p BluRay x264-OFT
redcherrie: Could you make available the RAWR web-dl 1080p version of this episode and an x265 encode of the RAW... Demonz: https://clicknupload.click/myzuc78d6czh stefan43: upload please the 1080p x265 version :-) stefan43: upload please the 1080p x265 version :-) D3m0N81: Must be interesting to watch … D3m0N81: Interesting, will watch it once, to pick up any driving tips & tricks.
Artefacts from southern WA return home from overseas museums
Cultural artefacts from Western Australia's southern coast have been returned home after spending hundreds of years in museums across the world. They are on display in the Kalyagul: Connections to Menang Country exhibition at the Museum of the Great Southern, aiming to share knowledge with residents and visitors. The exhibition is on display at the Museum of the Great Southern in Albany.
Blackouts and maintenance problems hit farmers forced onto solar and batteries in Western Australia
By Jo Nova Things are so bad, some farmers just want the old grid back, but the government won’t let them. Back in 2022, Western Power was excited about their big plan to get rid of 23,000 kilometers of wire in regional Western Australia by forcing about 4,000 farmers off-grid and supplying them with solar panels and batteries. As of 2026, they have installed about 500 systems. Those farmers are the guinea pigs for the forced transition, whether they like it or not.
Great Southern records highest rate of whooping cough cases in regional WA
One hundred and seventeen cases of whooping cough have been recorded so far this year in WA's Great Southern region. The figure is up from just 38 cases in 2025. Residents are urged to get the whooping cough vaccination. Parents in Western Australia's south are being urged to get their children vaccinated against whooping cough, as cases in the region surge to more than three times last year's numbers.
Maintenance issues, outages plague WA standalone power systems
Farmers in rural Western Australia say they have had to grapple with power outages and frequent maintenance issues after being moved off the grid and on to standalone power systems by Western Power. A standalone power system which typically consists of solar panels, a battery and a back-up diesel generator was installed on Ben Parsons's farm in Tenterden, about 340 kilometres south of Perth, in 2022.
Parents say 'not enough' being done to stop asbestos in WA school
Parents of children attending Hyden Primary School in regional Western Australia say not enough is being done to address the ongoing problem of asbestos being found in the playground, sometimes by children. Catherine Mayfield, president of the parents and citizens association, said locals and students at the school had been finding pieces of asbestos for at least 12 years. "It's exposed in a storm or a gardener or a kid has actually dug it up, and then there's this piece of asbestos," she said.
Portrait exhibition showcases stories of southern WA's Menang elders
Aunty Vernice Gillies describes the attachment she feels when visiting a site of ancient local fish traps as like "an umbilical cord". A Menang elder from Albany, on Western Australia's south coast, she relishes the peacefulness of the landscape. "Because she, our Boodja [land], has been healed by all the right people," she said. "You can feel it when you just sit and breathe deeply." Vernice Gillies feels a close attachment to the fish traps.
Pauline Hanson's monoculture comments prompt calls for unity over division in Katanning
When Imam Alep Mydie heard One Nation leader Pauline Hanson's call to establish a monocultural Australia, he was more confused than concerned. "Even in the place I call home, which is Katanning, I have been here for the past 56 years, multiculturalism has existed before I arrived here," he said. During her address to the National Press Gallery last week, Senator Hanson said the policy of multiculturalism in Australia was "utterly flawed".
Former WA potato farm transformed into wetland sanctuary for rare and endangered birds
As you look out across the expansive Eungedup Wetlands, there is little evidence of its previous life as a potato farm. Environmentalists bought the property near Denmark, 420 kilometres south of Perth, in 2023 with an ambitious plan. Having raised close to $700,000, they wanted to flood the 104-hectare property and turn it into a sanctuary for rare and migratory birds. The endangered Australasian bittern travels to the wetlands in southern Western Australia.
The season doesn't matter as wildflower hunters can always find gold in WA
Spotting wildflowers is like second nature to Terry Dunham, as he walks through Gull Rock National Park in Western Australia's south. "You could walk down here and someone might say; 'oh, there's not much flowering,' but if you look out, the bush is actually full of flowers," he said. WA's wildflower season generally starts in the northern parts of the state around June, and gets underway further south in later months, running through to about November.
Albany musician Eddy Jay turns to 3D printer for new supply of musical instruments
It began as a bet with his father. Could you make your own concertina? West Australian musician Eddy Jay decided to give it a try. "My dad plays the concertina, he's a teacher, a workshop leader in the UK, and he'd been wanting to make his own concertina for decades," he said. "I wasn't very good at woodwork, so I bought a 3D printer and re-engineered it on a computer.
Albany community come to grips with fatal shark attack that claimed 35yo resident
The regional city of Albany is mourning the loss of a resident in a shark attack, with community leaders saying it will take time to heal. Daniel Turpin had been spearfishing with family near Michaelmas Island on Saturday morning when the attack happened. Albany Mayor Greg Stocks said the 35-year-old was a well-respected member of the community and his wife was a council employee.
Diver dies after attack by suspected 4.5m shark off Albany
Warning: This story contains images that some readers may find distressing. A male diver has died after he was bitten by a suspected 4.5-metre shark off the southern West Australian coast, WA police have confirmed. The 35-year-old man was taken by boat to shore after emergency services responded to reports of a shark attack at 11:25am, local time, on Saturday. WA police say the diver was spearfishing with family off Michaelmas Island.
Albany bakery cops fines over $60,000 after inspectors find rodent faeces and animal blood on bread
A country bakery has been ordered to pay more than $60,000 for serious food safety violations, including rodent faeces on food and blood dripping from raw meat onto fresh bread, in what prosecutors described as one of the worst cases the regional city has ever seen. Albany French Hot Bread Shop, about 420 kilometres south of Perth, was sentenced in Albany Magistrates Court on 21 charges of failing to comply with the Food Standards Code.
Grain growers adapt as low May rainfall highlights a drying autumn trend
Farmers in Western Australia's agricultural heartland are hoping forecast rain this week will make up for a month of unpredictable conditions. The first major cold front of the year is expected to begin crossing the WA coast on Wednesday, with falls of up to 30 millimetres forecast for some parts of the state's south. It comes as farmers further inland continue to deal with months without any substantive rainfall.
Conservation work helps endangered flora recover in Stirling Range
If you take a hike across the mountain tops of the Stirling Range National Park in WA's south, you might be lucky enough to come across a plant found nowhere else in the world. The area is home to 1,500 native flora species, many of them rare and endangered. They were at risk of being permanently lost when bushfires swept through the park in 2018 and 2019.
Albany long-term caravan park tenants evicted after change of ownership
Reg Hoyling and his partner Eva Johnson thought the park home they bought with their life savings on WA's south coast was where they would see out the rest of their days. "It was $154,000 for the house, and then $16,000 paid to the current owner for all the furniture and everything in the house — I thought it was a good deal," he said. But when the Acclaim Rose Gardens Beachside Holiday Park was sold in early 2025, the couple were among two dozen other long-term residents given notice to vacate.
Mark Gregory's mum just wants to know what happened to her son 35 years ago
Marg Gregory isstillplaguedby rumours about what happened the night her son was killed in a hit-and-run 35 years ago. "It's been shocking, terrible … it just gets to you after a while," she said of the ongoing chatter in her hometown of Albany, on WA's south coast. Shearer and father-of-two Mark Edward Gregory was 28 when he died, hit by a car as he walked home at night from a party along Mercer Road on April 7, 1991, in the semi-rural suburb of Walmsley, on Albany's outskirts.
Western Australia's state record for heaviest pumpkin smashed with 408kg feat Original
By Atlas Cook, Rosemary Murphy and Paul Cook, ABC A 408-kilogram pumpkin grown in Western Australia's Great Southern has claimed the record for heaviest pumpkin ever grown in the state. Kelsey Freemantle's Atlantic giant pumpkin took out the win last weekend in the Lower Kalgan Pumpkin Competition, about 420 kilometres south of Perth. She said the size came as a bit of a surprise. "I know that they can grow that big, but I wasn't sure that I would be able to do it," she said.
Albany woman smashes WA's state record for heaviest pumpkin with 408kg feat
A 408-kilogram pumpkin grown in WA's Great Southern has claimed the record for heaviest pumpkin ever grown in the state. Kelsey Freemantle's Atlantic giant pumpkin took out the win last weekend in the Lower Kalgan Pumpkin Competition, about 420 kilometres south of Perth. Kelsey Freemantle won the competition run annually in the Great Southern. (ABC Great Southern: Atlas Cook) She said the size came as a bit of a surprise.
Husband pleads not guilty to careless driving charge over wife's death
The man behind the wheel of a vehicle that collided with a freight train at a level crossing near Albany, killing his wife, has pleaded not guilty to careless driving causing death. Haydn Thomas Mansell was driving near Redmond, 400 kilometres south of Perth, in July last year when his Mitsubishi Triton collided with a grain train at a level crossing on Redmond-Hay River Road. His 29-year-old wife, Cailee Mansell, who was in the passenger seat, died at the scene.
World's largest light installation hosted in Western Australia combining 'ancient times, the land and the cosmos'
The world's largest light installation, covering 12 kilometres of Western Australia's southern coastline, is on display in Albany. Finnish light artist Kari Kola spent two years planning the installation, requiring 750 LED lights to illuminate the night sky. The installation is on display in Albany for nine nights over three weekends this month. A spectacular light show that lit up the Albany night sky has drawn thousands of tourists to Western Australia's south coast.
Researchers call for more awareness about the dangers of distracted driving
Activities like eating or drinking behind the wheel are the most dangerous distractions for drivers, a new study has found. University of Canberra (UC) researchers used a driving simulator to study a range of different driver distractions — visual, cognitive, behavioural/manual and auditory. The 103 participants aged between 16 and 82 were distracted in various ways to analyse the impact in all four areas.
Rescue underway after two climbers injured in fall at Bluff Knoll
Emergency crews have been deployed to assist two injured climbers at Bluff Knoll in Western Australia's Great Southern region. Authorities were called about 8:30am today to assist the 30-year-old woman and 29-year-old man. A rescue helicopter has been dispatched to assist with the operation, about 100 kilometres north of Albany. Multiple emergency services are responding, including crews from the Department of Fire and Emergency Services, WA Police, St John WA and the State Emergency Service.
WA government moves to make wind, solar farms pay their host communities
The West Australian government wants to make new wind and solar farms pay into community funds, but host towns say more work needs to be done to make sure the payments actually happen. Shires in regional WA have cautiously welcomed new guidelines outlining what renewable energy developers should pay to the communities where the projects are being built. The plan will apply to wind, solar and standalone battery energy storage system projects that connect to the South West Interconnected System.
Seismologists investigate 'mysterious' earthquake swarm near Gnowangerup in southern WA
Farming communities in southern Western Australia have been hit by more than 70 earthquakes since the start of February. Gnowangerup, about 345 kilometres south-east of Perth, recorded a dozen earthquakes on Monday alone, followed by a magnitude 3.1 earthquake on Tuesday. Many of the tremors are localised in a patch of ground close to local farmer Timm House's property.
Great-grandmother's garlic mushroom artwork puts new spin on managing food waste
Sewing has been a part of Elizabeth Jenkins's life since she began helping turn the wheel on her mother's sewing machine as a child. "She showed me how to make dolls' clothes and I've always sewn," Ms Jenkins said.
Employees of Albany lolly shop fined for illegal tobacco sales say they were never paid
Employees of an illegal tobacco trader masquerading as a lolly shop in Albany say they do not know who they were working for, knowing him only as "The King". The man and woman, who the ABC has chosen not to name, were working at the Albany CBD outlet when detectives raided it last month, seizing 22,000 cigarettes and 89 nicotine vapes. They faced the Albany Magistrates Court on Thursday, admitting to selling tobacco products without a license and unlawfully possessing a prescription drug.
Potential first sighting of Antarctic type B killer whales near WA's Bremer Bay
A tour group visiting Bremer Bay Canyon off Western Australia's south coast has reported what is believed to be the first sighting of Antarctic type B killer whales in the area. The canyon, about 500 kilometres south-east of Perth, is a feeding hotspot frequented by Bremer Canyon killer whales in the summer, but rarely visited by Antarctic killer whales. Killer whales are classified into several distinct ecotypes, which have unique behaviour, diet and dialect.
Water Corporation makes 'error' in early publication of new desalination plant location in Albany
A desalination plant in Western Australia's Great Southern continues to draw controversy as the state government selects the location. The Water Corporation has said the additional water source at Nanarup, 430 kilometres south of Perth, is needed, with current projections showing annual demand in the region will exceed supply by 2030. Minister for Water and Climate Resilience Don Punch said the water supply would enable Albany to grow into the future.
Thousands in Albany told to switch to LPG bottles as gas supplier ATCO decommissions network
Paul Cook, Andrew Collins and Rosemary Murphy ATCO Australia has made the decision to decommission the Albany gas network, citing the excessive cost to carry out repairs. It will mean 8,000 businesses and homes currently using liquefied petroleum gas from the network will be transitioned to bottled gas over the next three years, starting in the second half of this year.
Thousands in Albany told to switch to LPG bottles as gas supplier ATCO decommissions network
ATCO Australia has made the decision to decommission the Albany gas network, citing the excessive cost to carry out repairs. It will mean 8,000 businesses and homes currently using liquefied petroleum gas from the network will be transitioned to bottled gas over the next three years, starting in the second half of this year. Les Palmer owns a steakhouse in Albany, about 420 kilometres south of Perth, and uses gas to power various appliances in his kitchen.
Tourists warned to avoid Fitzgerald River National Park as bushfire hits Emergency Warning
An Emergency level bushfire is active in the Fitzgerald River National Park area. Farmers and firefighters continue to fight a second fire in the Dunn Rock and Lake King area in the Shire of Lake Grace. DFES has combined the response to the fires, and evacuation centres have opened in Ravensthorpe and Jerramungup. Tourists have been urged to avoid Fitzgerald River National Park, 500 kilometres south-east of Perth, with a bushfire burning in the park escalated to an Emergency Warning.
Twenty-four parkruns in 24 hours no sweat for Albany runner Ben Castlehow
A West Australian parkrunner has run the equivalent of three marathons, completing 24 parkruns in 24 hours and raising thousands for charity in the process. Parkrun events are held every Saturday morning in communities around the world, with participants walking or running 5 kilometres. While generally focused on community building and fitness, Albany's course is known as a challenge, covering a hilly run up the city's landmark Mount Clarence.
Stolen Generation artwork discovered in trunk of regional WA museum
An Indigenous artwork which was made more than 70 years ago has been re-discovered after decades in a trunk at a museum in regional Western Australia. It was drawn in 1947 by 12-year-old Claude Kelly, who was part of Australia's Stolen Generation, at Carrolup Native Mission School near the town of Katanning, south of Perth. The museum that the artwork was found in is about 200 kilometres away from the Carrolup mission. The painting was found in a trunk at the Corrigin Historical Society.
Tasmanian pianist takes outdoor performances to striking Australian locations Original
By Rosemary Murphy, ABC The tune of I Am Australian adds to the dawn chorus as the sun rises on a beautiful January day at Wave Rock, 340 kilometres east of Perth. Kelvin Smith plays the song from a baby grand piano at the base of the iconic West Australian landmark. "It just felt right to play," he said. "A small little crowd gathered, and a few got teary, which was a bit cool." The Tasmanian began playing the piano at spectacular outdoor settings in his home state in 2019.
Pianist hauls baby grand to Aussie landmarks for moving outdoor performances
The tune of I Am Australian adds to the dawn chorus as the sun rises on a beautiful January day at Wave Rock, 340 kilometres east of Perth. Kelvin Smith plays the song from a baby grand piano at the base of the iconic WA landmark. "It just felt right to play," he said. "A small little crowd gathered and a few got teary, which was a bit cool." The Tasmanian began playing the piano at spectacular outdoor settings in his home state in 2019.
Scaled-down race cars, a few nerves and a tight-knit community at Narrogin speedway
As the dirt flies at the Narrogin speedway, some of the drivers are as young as 11 years old as the juniors get behind the wheel. While some of them are not old enough to drive on normal roads, they are provided with the training to race safely. The Narrogin Quarter Midget Youth Speedway project has been running for more than 20 years. (ABC Great Southern: Rosemary Murphy) Among them is rookie Lilly Kulker, who decided to give it a go after seeing her brother race.
Authorities urge total fire ban compliance a year on from destructive WA fire
A year on from a damaging blaze on a total fire ban day in Western Australia's Great Southern region, authorities are warning failure to comply with restrictions can have catastrophic consequences. The bushfire in a national park near Denmark started on January 2, 2025 and tore through about 200 hectares of vegetation. A WA man was fined $2,000 in September after he was charged with failing to take reasonable care to avoid lighting a fire that destroyed property.
WA commercial fishers face uncertain future as demersal fishing ban begins
After more than 55 years in the industry, Bunbury fisherman Nicholas Soulos's boat will not be heading out today. A permanent ban on commercial demersal fishing has come into effect along a large stretch of the Western Australian coastline and it is having an immediate impact. "I asked for some emergency funding for the skipper and crew of the boat so they can enjoy Christmas and be able to pay their mortgages come the middle of January and pay their rent come the first week in January," he said.
Regional communities pull together amid cost of living pressures
Rosemary Murphy and Peter Barr Community support programs helping residents cope with cost of living pressures in Western Australia's Wheatbelt are experiencing an uptick in demand, particularly across the festive period. Seven years ago, Sister Sahaya Arockiasamy started the Divine You support service in Narrogin, 200 kilometres south-east of Perth, to help struggling families with emergency food assistance.
Salt lakes' 'unreal' rainbow of colours captured by photographer in WA's Wheatbelt
Scott Jon McCook says the West Australian salt lakes he photographs from the sky can be like "little paint pots of colour" dotted across the landscape. For the past five years, he has spent hundreds of hours capturing their unique features, mainly in the central Wheatbelt. "Flying over them and seeing yellows and pinks and reds and your brain just doesn't quite compute that, that can't be real, and that started my deep dive," he said. Some of the salt lakes are millions of years old.
Fallen tree kills farmer tackling blaze in Mindarabin, in WA's Great Southern
A 34-year-old farmer has been killed helping fire crews battle a bushfire in WA’s south. The man was driving along Old Ongerup Road in Mindarabin at 8:10pm yesterday when a tree fell onto his vehicle, crushing the cab. He sustained critical injuries and died at the scene, about 400 kilometres south-east of Perth. Around 100 firefighters worked to tackle the blaze, which reached emergency level.
WA shire condemns theft of rip warning sign near Bremer Bay
A shire on WA's south coast says a "critical" beach sign warning about the dangers of rips was stolen the same day a woman was rescued. The sign was installed by the local shire in September following the drowning of a man at Native Dog Beach earlier this year. It was taken less than a fortnight ago. Shire of Jerramungup chief executive Martin Cuthbert said the beach, near the popular tourist town of Bremer Bay, could have dangerous conditions.
Girl Guides still going strong in Western Australia after 110 years
Girl Guides has been running in Western Australia for 110 years, and it is still going strong with 1,200 youth members across the state, aged from five to 17. Over that time, some things have changed, including its promise and its uniform, and it is no longer selling biscuits as a fundraiser. However, Great Southern region Girl Guide leader Tammy Flett said some elements, like camps, remained a key part of the program.
Federal government backtracks on reducing default speed limits
The federal government has decided not to proceed with a reduction of default speed limits. State and territory transport ministers raised concerns about the "blanket approach". Road safety experts say speed limit reductions should be part of efforts to lower the road toll. Western Australia's trucking industry has welcomed a decision by the federal government to step away from plans to reduce speed limits on unsigned roads.
School bus cancellations in regional WA prompt concerns from parents and providers
Four school bus routes in regional WA will be cancelled in the 2026 school year. Students on the routes in Tammin, Yuna, Broomehill and Kojonup will be moved onto other services. Service providers are at risk of job loss and parents face the challenge of getting their kids to school or to other bus routes.
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