What's happening in Perth

WA Police is examining the conduct of officers following viral footage filmed in the state's Pilbara region.

The discovery sparked urgent warning on fishing line entanglements.

Five people sleeping rough in Perth’s southern suburbs have been given two days to pack up their personal belongings and move on, sparking backlash on social media. 

In the four finals played under Justin Longmuir, Fremantle have lost the opening quarters by a combined total of 99-19.

Follow our live coverage from around Perth and across WA here.

The Guildford building was the home of Australia Post for 120 years, but will soon become a café and restaurant that pays homage to its heritage.

Report author Lachy Haynes said while the country had vast experience delivering resource projects like coal and iron ore, critical minerals operations are a different game.

Apprentice glazier Jonnie Hartshorn, 23, died when the roof he was installing at the university’s Bentley campus collapsed under him in October 2020.

It would be easy to describe Alex Pearce as Fremantle’s captain courageous and leave it at that, but behind the powerful frame is a man who inspires with his mind as much as his body.

The proposed bill aims to establish Australia’s first national gas reservation policy. However, conservation groups say the gas industry has been getting away with daylight robbery for years.

From July 2027, a new health service provider will take statewide responsibility for maternity, neonatal, and child health in WA. The Child and Adolescent Health Service will merge with King Edward Memorial Hospital, and the new Women and Babies Hospital will be under one organisation, a change the Cook Government says follows clinical consultation carried out in 2023 and 2025.

At Perth Children’s Hospital, an additional $95.4 million will fund 19 new neonatal beds, along with two new rooms for mothers who need hospital care themselves while their baby is at PCH for specialist treatment.

A dedicated Newborn Emergency Transfer Service hub will be set up at the new Women and Babies Hospital in Murdoch, with a smaller expansion of the existing NETS service at PCH. NETS runs a mobile intensive care unit that moves about 1,100 sick newborns and young infants each year from the hospital where they were born to another one for urgent care. Paediatric services at Fiona Stanley Hospital will also expand, with more paediatric specialists available to residents in Perth’s south and east.

“Following consultations with clinicians and Western Australian families, we’ve identified a need to align our State-wide maternity, neonatal and paediatric services under one umbrella,” said Health Minister Meredith Hammat.

“A new dedicated health service provider will provide enhanced coordination and oversight, and support continuity of care for families from pregnancy, to birth and the childhood years.”

What doctors are still objecting to

The new Women and Babies Hospital is being built next to Fiona Stanley Hospital in Murdoch, about 20 kilometres from PCH, where some newborns will need to be transferred for specialist surgery and care. Doctors, families, and the Opposition have argued since 2023 that it should go on the QEII campus in Nedlands instead, alongside PCH and Sir Charles Gairdner. The Government says building there would either disrupt the hospitals already on site or delay the project unacceptably.

Australian Medical Association WA president Kyle Hoath told the ABC the upgrades were welcome but didn’t resolve the problem, with services that need to sit side by side still separated. The AMA estimates that between 100 and 200 babies a year would need to be moved between the two hospitals. The Government’s own response to the consultation report says there is no consensus on how large that group would be. Opposition health spokesperson Libby Mettam described the plans as flawed. Merging the services under one provider changes how they are run, not where they are.

That consultation report, dated November 2025, was only tabled in parliament this week. It records that clinicians considered and rejected a smaller satellite birthing facility at PCH on safety, workforce, and service fragmentation grounds. The PCH upgrades will also require moving admin staff out of the building and relocating a surgical ward.

The post WA Is Merging Maternity, Newborn, And Children’s Care Into One Health Service appeared first on So Perth

Happy Quokka Birthday! Just when you thought a quokka couldn’t get any cuter, the next generation of joeys have emerged from their mother’s pouches, taking the adorable factor to the next level.

This weekend (September 12th–13th) is Little Quokka’s Big Birthday Weekend on Rottnest Island.

“The return of Quokka’s Big Birthday Weekend celebrates the arrival of quokka joeys with two days of wildlife encounters, outdoor activities, live entertainment and hands-on fun,” said Tourism, Trade and Investment Minister Roger Cook.

“I’d encourage families to get along to the Quokka birthday celebrations, and this is made easier through free same-day travel and island admission for kids.”

What’s on across the weekend

Celebrate the wonder of nature and new life on Wadjemup / Rottnest Island with a weekend program of workshops, activities, and festivities for the whole family.

Around the Thomson Bay settlement, children can build native bee hotels from recycled and natural materials, make maps of Wadjemup from found objects, add to a collaborative 3D quokka sculpture, and take part in sensory play activities. Island rangers are running quokka talks and guided nature sessions across both days, and the event precinct has live entertainment, children’s shows, storytelling, yoga, and mindfulness activities.

Children aged between five and 12 can also collect a Wadjemup / Rottnest Island Nature Passport from the event information point, which replaces the Nature Play book handed out in previous years. You can download the full program and event map here..

Getting there Credit: Rottnest Island Authority

Getting to the island has never been easier, with free same-day travel and admission to Rottnest Island for children 16 years and under.

Ferries depart from Fremantle, Barrack St Jetty, and Hillarys Boat Harbour multiple times per day. The main operators are Sealink, Rottnest Fast Ferries, and Rottnest Express.

Where is it?

On Rottnest Island, obviously…The event is located in the heart of the settlement, across Thomson Lawn and the terraces in front of the Visitor Centre — just a two-minute walk from the main jetty.

Register for a free ticket

Join the celebrations on Saturday, September 12th and Sunday, September 13th. The event is free, but registration is required.

The famed quokka

Rottnest Island’s photogenic ambassador skyrocketed to international fame after high-profile celebrities, including Roger Federer, Margot Robbie, and Chris Hemsworth, posted selfies with the adorable marsupials on social media. 

Native to Western Australia’s Rottnest Island, a Class A Reserve with pristine beaches, abundant wildlife, and plenty of sunshine, it is no wonder the quokka is world-renowned as the happiest animal on earth.

The post Little Quokka’s Big Birthday Returns To Rottnest With Free Ferry Travel For Kids appeared first on So Perth

New documents reveal the state government warned Alcoa there was a risk of future operations being shut down if the company failed to address environmental concerns.

Follow our live coverage of news from around Perth and across WA here.

Consumer Protection launched an investigation into Burk Fuel after samples from four stations appeared to indicate the chain was selling “premium 95” that was consistent with 91 fuel.

Apprentice glazier Jonnie Hartshorn, 23, died when the roof he was installing at the university’s Bentley campus collapsed under him in October 2020.

The Dockers are staring down the barrel of a straight-sets finals exit after the minor premiers suffered a shock 32-point loss to Hawthorn in last week’s qualifying final.

Follow our live coverage here.

Melbourne is notoriously expensive to visit during the grand final weekend. But this year, Fremantle is nipping at its heels.

A “desperate” Perth mother whose 18-year-old daughter died hours after being discharged from a Perth mental health hospital has been refused a government payout for ongoing private psychological support for her family.