What's happening in Perth

The Blue Room Theatre has been allocated $495,000 for refurbishment and technical upgrades in the first round of Lotterywest’s Arts and Culture Infrastructure Grant Program — part of $10 million distributed across 41 Western Australian arts organisations.

Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts has received $328,477, and the City of Fremantle will put more than $280,000 towards upgrades at the heritage-listed Victoria Hall. The funding covers refurbishments, audio-visual and technical equipment, touring rigs, and building improvements, all delivered under the state government’s Creative WA roadmap.

Premier Roger Cook said, “Western Australia is home to a host of vibrant arts and culture organisations that deliver enriching programs, displays, festivals and initiatives for the WA community to enjoy.”

“Meaningful investment in infrastructure, equipment and technology within these spaces will create long-lasting benefits for WA’s creative sector, supporting local artists and strengthening arts and culture in our regions.”

Where does the money go?

The Blue Room grant goes to the Performing Arts Centre Society for work at the Northbridge theatre. PICA, in the same cultural precinct, has been allocated funds for comparable infrastructure work. Victoria Hall, a Fremantle building with heritage protection, will be fitted with modern infrastructure to support accessible performances while preserving its historic character.

Creative Industries Minister Simone McGurk framed the program as allowing artists to concentrate on their work rather than on the buildings they work in. 

“Through supporting upgrades to spaces and access to new equipment and technology, this funding is helping our WA creatives focus on the creation and delivery of their work. It is also helping to deliver a better experience for our audiences — not just in Perth but also our regional areas.”

Regional WA takes almost half

Close to $5 million — just under half the total — has gone to regional WA, reaching the South West, Gascoyne, Wheatbelt, Goldfields-Esperance, Mid West, Great Southern, Peel, and Kimberley regions.

The largest regional grant is more than $420,000 for a new cultural and creative space in Warburton, a remote community in the Goldfields-Esperance region.

Another $20 million still to come

This is the first of three planned rounds. A further $20 million will be distributed across the next two financial years, bringing the full program to $30 million.

The post Blue Room Theatre, PICA, & Victoria Hall Share In Lotterywest’s First $10 Million Arts Round appeared first on So Perth

Coroner Michael Jenkin handed down his findings of his inquest into the 2023 Wheatbelt shooting on Wednesday.

The Australind train service will formally resume on Monday, June 29th, reconnecting Perth and Bunbury by rail after a long pause and the retirement of a fleet that first entered service in 1987. The first of four new three-car trains will begin running on the opening day, with the remaining three rolled out in stages over the coming months.

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti commented, “I’m so excited for the return of the Australind, with new trains and more frequent services for local communities from Byford to Bunbury.”

“The Australind has been a key link to the South West for decades, and the Cook Labor Government is proud to have secured this service for the future.”

Some coach services will continue operating until the second new train comes online.

What’s different about the new trains

The new Australinds are a full generational jump from the old railcars. Interiors feature LED lighting, in-seat USB-C charging, improved accessibility, an onboard buffet, and dedicated storage for 14 bicycles per train.

Each of the four trains will also carry unique Aboriginal artwork by a local Indigenous artist, tied to the culture and landscape of the South West. Rather than rolling out in matching livery, each train will have its own distinct identity.

More frequent services by early next year

The Cook Labor Government has committed $45 million in the 2026-27 State Budget to increase Australind service frequency. The state is working with Arc Infrastructure to finalise additional timetable slots, aiming to double the number of services by early next year.

“These new trains will not only provide a more comfortable travel experience for locals and visitors, but we’ll be increasing the frequency of this service supported by a $45 million investment in our upcoming State Budget,” Saffioti added.

The stopping pattern isn’t changing. Trains will run along the original route between Perth and Bunbury, stopping at Armadale, Byford, Mundijong, Serpentine, North Dandalup, Pinjarra, Waroona, Yarloop, Cookernup, Harvey, and Brunswick Junction.

Help name the new fleet

A public naming competition is open now and closes on May 18th. Anyone can submit a suggestion for the four new trains via the My Say Transport website, and submissions will be shortlisted for how well they reflect the history, people, and future of the South West. Winners will be invited to board the first service on the new train.

South West Minister and Bunbury MLA Don Punch added, “The naming competition provides an opportunity for the community to play an active role in shaping the identity of the new Australind trains.”

“The return of the Australind is welcome news for Bunbury and communities right across the South West, strengthening regional connectivity and delivering real benefits for residents, businesses and visitors.”

A community event in Bunbury the day before

A community event to mark the return of the service will be held at Bunbury Passenger Terminal on Sunday, June 28th — the day before services begin. More details will be released closer to the date.

The post The Perth To Bunbury Australind Train Service Is Returning: Here’s What You Need To Know  appeared first on So Perth

City of Melville councillors have voted to clear more than half a hectare of remnant native bushland in Leeming to make way for a new cricket pitch - but only if the project gets 50 per cent government funding.

Cultural leaders across the Pacific and northern Australia have demanded an end to tribal auctions, after a Perth auctioneer and vendor raked in $8000 for a war club sacred to the Fijian islands.

Aliyah Yugovich should have celebrated her fifth birthday on Sunday. Instead, her parents Jessica and Josh Yugovich are still trying to comprehend life without their little girl.

Follow our live coverage here.

A cost-benefit analysis is weighing up combining UWA, Curtin University and Murdoch University; merging UWA and Murdoch; and merging Curtin and UWA.

This couple have decided to uproot their lives to move east to avoid WA’s crushing rental crisis.

The burger at Bistro Massilia arrives halved and laid on a bed of béarnaise. The swordfish cotoletta is finished with bouillabaisse, poached mussels, and chervil butter. The pasta dish, which owner David Pille grew up eating in his father’s home village, appears on the menu as coquillettes jambon — small elbow pasta with ham, mushrooms, paprika, sage, and Comté.

All three are on the menu at a new Euro-leaning neighbourhood bistro opening in Inglewood on Friday.

From Besk and Clancy’s to his own Inglewood bistro

Pille lives locally and has been watching this particular corner of Beaufort Street for a while. Most recently, he was General Manager at Besk, and before that, he spent five years with Clancy’s Fish Pubs. When 965 came up, the brief he set himself was a proper bistro. Locally owned, designed to be visited repeatedly by people who live within walking distance, and built for the test of time.

The building has some history. It was the original Cecchi’s before the family relocated the restaurant up the road. It most recently ran as House on Beau from October 2025, closing earlier this year. 

“What I love about Marseille is that it has a real multicultural nature to it as a port city, bringing migrants from the Middle East, North Africa and Asia,” says Pille. “It’s known as the city of 100 neighbourhoods, and I feel this is reflective of what Inglewood is.”

The food: French technique, Mediterranean flavours, WA produce

Head chef Matt Mills is running the kitchen in his first head chef role. He moved to Perth after working in the UK at Michelin-starred venues including Pensons and Foxhill Manor, followed by stints at Rose and Crown and Hillary’s Beach Club.

The menu leans European with Mediterranean edges, built around seasonal Western Australian produce. Mills’ signature dish is the swordfish cotoletta with bouillabaisse, poached mussels, and chervil butter. “It speaks to that Marseille way of cooking, where different influences come together on the plate,” he says.

The burger is what they expect people will keep coming back for. It arrives halved on a bed of béarnaise, which he says is a presentation Perth hasn’t seen before and encourages sharing. Then there’s the coquillettes jambon, a nostalgic French comfort dish. “Think of it as a French take on mac and cheese,” says Pille. “The kind of dish your parents would throw together after school.”

European influence continues through the drinks list

Sommelier Trent Everitt has put together the wine list, drawing from Western Australia alongside old-world European classics. It’s written to be approachable, with plenty available by the glass and a handful of benchmark producers for those special occasions where you want to celebrate. 

Cocktails come from Shirley Yeung and lean into European aperitif culture. Signatures include the Massilia Spritz (orange liqueur, quince vermouth, and prosecco), the Fleur de Massilia (vodka, elderflower, and passionfruit honey), and the Pastis Jardin — a herbaceous mix of gin, fennel, pastis, and mint.

Beers on tap come from FOUND. Subiaco and Margaret River Beer Co, with a bottled selection from Rocky Ridge, Shelter, and Eagle Bay.

The details

Bistro Massilia opens at 965 Beaufort Street, Inglewood, on Friday, April 24th.

The post Bistro Massilia Opens on Beaufort Street This Friday With a Marseille-Inspired Menu appeared first on So Perth

Free Sunday travel on buses, trains, and ferries across WA is being made permanent, alongside the Ride to School Free Program that covers student travel to and from school each day. The Cook Government has committed $70.1 million in the upcoming 2026-27 State Budget to keep both running indefinitely.

Both programs were introduced in 2024 as cost-of-living measures with no firm end date promised. The decision to lock them in comes off the back of record-breaking patronage across the network.

What the changes cover

The Ride to School Free Program gives students free travel to and from school when they tag on and off with a valid SmartRider. Around 300,000 students currently hold a Student SmartRider. For a household with two children commuting to school daily, the government says the program saves up to $560.00 across the school year.

Free Sunday travel applies to every passenger on the network. More than eight million trips have been taken on Sundays since it began.

WA Seniors Card holders also continue to travel free during off-peak periods Monday to Friday, and at any time across the weekend.

March was the biggest month on record

“We know these practical initiatives are providing real relief to families, with a record number of people choosing to make use of our public transport network last month,” said Treasurer and Transport Minister Rita Saffioti.

Patronage figures released alongside the announcement show March hit an all-time high, with nearly 15.7 million boardings across train, bus, and ferry services. That beat the previous monthly record — set back in March 2012 — by almost 1.5 million trips, and came in 14% above March last year.

Regional services have also seen a jump. Transwa patronage was up 21% in March compared to the same month in 2025, with the Prospector service between Perth and Kalgoorlie up 22%.

The Go Anywhere Fare is doing most of the heavy lifting for daily commuters

For anyone travelling beyond Sundays and the school run, the Go Anywhere Fare introduced at the start of this year has done more to cut daily transport costs than the free-travel programs. Passengers can now travel anywhere on the network for $2.80 per trip with a SmartRider on Autoload, or $3.50 per trip when paying with a credit or debit card.

Premier Roger Cook commented, “After my government introduced the Go Anywhere Fare, making public transport more affordable than ever, record numbers of Western Australians are now using buses, trains and ferries to get around.”

The government estimates regular CBD commuters are saving around $625.00 a year under the new cap, on top of what they were already saving from the previous two-zone fare cap.

Transwa fares for regional train and coach services have also been permanently halved, covering travel to more than 200 destinations across regional WA. A return trip between Kalgoorlie and Perth on the Prospector is now $100.00 cheaper, and the Esperance-to-Perth return is down $107.00.

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Nearly 300 drivers have been fined a day since the launch of the cameras but if you appeal, there’s a good chance it will get overturned.

BOM is investigating whether Bunbury experienced a tornado after wind gusts equivalent to a category 2 cyclone were recorded in the state’s South West. 

Follow our live coverage here.

More than 10 years after moving abroad, Evans is touring behind his newest album, Steel Town, described as a “cinematic love letter to his roots”.

Sanjoy Dhar wants more accountability of hospitals and doctors, telling media on Monday his son was robbed of the opportunity to grow up and become an extraordinary person. 

Former West Australian champion footballer Barry Cable has been found not guilty of historical child sex abuse charges dating back to the 1960s.

The funding, a pre-budget announcement, will include the land and early works for Alkimos North Senior High School and major upgrades at established schools across the state.

The Dockers continued their recent Western Derby dominance, and their game is in good shape, with a 5-1 win-loss record leaving just percentage between them and ladder-leaders Sydney.

There was a time when the ‘Great Australian Dream’ meant a quarter-acre block and a trip to Bunnings every weekend. These days, it’s all about maximising what you’ve already got, because as anyone who’s been to a home open lately will tell you, competition is fierce. 

Perth’s property market has been on a wild ride. In the last five years, local dwelling values have jumped an eye-watering 82%, with Perth officially overtaking Melbourne’s median house price for the first time in a decade. Crazy, right? Not bad for a city once dismissed as ‘sleepy’. 

Perth’s price growth is great news for investors, but it’s even better for everyday homeowners. It’s creating real equity that unlocks opportunity. Instead of selling or pouring money into an ageing floorplan, many smart homeowners are choosing to stay where they are and complete a demolition and rebuild.

Why? Because rising home values mean they can reinvent their lifestyle without giving up what they love — their street, their neighbours, their local coffee spot, or their preferred school zones. It also saves them from spending months competing for the limited stock available in today’s established market.

And the benefits stack up fast. By rebuilding, homeowners avoid the stress and costs of moving — from endless home opens to stamp duty and everything in between — all while building a brand-new home exactly the way they want it.

Summit Homes, one of Western Australia’s most trusted builders, has been part of that evolution for almost half a century. Since 1978, the company has helped more than 47,000 West Australians build homes that tell a personal story — homes with individual purpose, character, and style.

Designing for life’s stages, not just resale Credit: Summit Homes

Summit Homes’ philosophy — homes that fit your life — isn’t a slogan; it’s an ethos that shapes every brief.

For young families, that might mean a large communal kitchen and flexible play space that grows with the kids. For established professionals, it’s a home that balances privacy, home office space, and open living, perfect for working from home, entertaining, and unwinding. And for those planning ahead, it’s single-level design, wider corridors, and smart storage that make ageing in place effortless.

These designs aren’t trend-driven. They’re timeless in proportion and practical in function — grounded in an understanding of how West Australians actually live: outdoors, socially, and close to community.

What about renovating? Credit: Summit Homes

Renovating might sound romantic — the idea of “updating” an old home rather than starting fresh, and there’s no doubt a good reno can revive a tired space. However, older homes often come with quirks and constraints: dated layouts, ageing materials, and features that have well and truly seen better days. Sometimes, those limitations make it harder to achieve the transformation you’re really after.

In many cases, renovations end up costing considerably more than a demolish-and-build, without giving you the same design freedom that starting fresh allows.

Experience you can trust in an uncertain industry Credit: Summit Homes

In an industry that has seen too many headlines about insolvencies and abandoned projects, trust is no small thing.

Summit Homes’ 48-year track record is built on stability, local expertise, and genuine accountability. It’s part of Summit Homes Group — Australia’s most diversified building group with 21 subsidiaries spanning residential, commercial, and property services. That scale brings security; that longevity brings confidence.

With more than 47,000 homes built since 1978 and a trophy cabinet featuring six consecutive HIA Professional Major Builder Awards, the group’s longevity isn’t luck — it’s experience.  

Behind that experience and success is a team of New Homes Consultants with backgrounds in building trades, drafting, and architecture — people who understand both the creative and the technical sides of construction. They’re not just salespeople; they’re guides through one of life’s biggest investments.

The future of WA living is built, not bought Credit: Summit Homes

With only around 1,700 properties currently listed across Perth — some of the lowest levels in years — the competition for established homes remains fierce. Yet WA’s economy continues to outperform the national average, expanding 3.4% in the past year, fuelling both demand and optimism.

The smartest investment may be the land you already own. By leveraging built-up equity to rebuild, West Australians can design homes that reflect modern lifestyles while securing long-term value.

Whatever your budget, block, or Pinterest board, there’s a Summit plan to match. 

Take the first step toward the home and lifestyle you’ve always wanted. Explore one of Summit Homes’ nine display homes, located both north and south of the river.

The post Think Moving Is Your Only Option? Discover How to Use Your Equity to Redefine Your Life with Summit Homes appeared first on So Perth