What's happening in Perth

Brabham Hotel opened this morning at 11:00 am, giving a rapidly growing Perth suburb a pub that locals can call home. Inside there’s a modern bistro, a dedicated sports bar, a beer garden, and a private function space for those special events.

Parents will be happy; there’s a large outdoor playground within the beer garden, and an inside playroom next to the bistro so parents can eat while the little ones stay occupied. The beer garden also has live music sessions and screens showing sport, which is going to make it popular for Freo fans on their run towards the big dance in late September.

“We are so excited to finally welcome the Brabham community through our doors,” said Venue Manager Dave Snelgar.

“We wanted to create a genuine local where families, friends and sports fans could come together, whether it is for a relaxed meal, a few drinks, live music or a big game.”

The food menu is as you’d expect from a venue like this, leaning on pub staples — chicken parmi, fish and chips, steaks, and burgers, with maple sriracha fried chicken wings, salt and pepper squid, pork belly bites, and crispy eggplant alongside them.

Opening weekend

The pub is marking the occasion with a Locals Weekend from Friday, July 31st to Sunday, August 2nd.

• Friday starts with Spin the Wheel, a meat raffle, and giveaways, with live music from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm and sport on the big screen. 
• Former West Coast Eagles ruckman Nic Naitanui drops in on Saturday from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm, followed by another round of live music from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. 
• Sunday is the one for the kids, with a Teddy Bears Picnic pop-up, face painting, and free entertainment from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm, then live music from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm.

The post Brabham Hotel Opens Today With A Bistro, Sports Bar, And Beer Garden appeared first on So Perth

The prime minister and premier travelled to the Pilbara for the announcement while visiting Perdaman’s $6.45 billion Project Ceres urea plant on the Burrup Peninsula.

Follow our live coverage of all the news around WA here.

The business owner behind a covert recording at the centre of a defamation trial has admitted he decided to record a meeting with the Peel Development Commission because he had concerns he was “getting set up”. 

The 29-year-old has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity and appeared in the Supreme Court of WA for the first time on Monday where her legal team foreshadowed an application for a judge-alone trial.

Andres Felipe Valencia Barrientos, better known as Yung Filly, is accused of biting, slapping, strangling and raping a 20-year-old fan after a gig at a Hillarys nightclub.

The FMG boss warned it would be “naive to extinction” if nations do not collaborate to govern the growth of artificial intelligence.

Perth Film Studios will open to the public for two days in September, with a careers day for students on Friday, September 11th and a family open day on Saturday, September 12th. Entry is free, registration is required, and capacity is limited across sessions.

Free tickets and the full program will be released on August 3rd. Until then, the Arts and Culture Trust is taking registrations of interest so people are notified the moment booking opens.

The Friday careers day

The first day is aimed at secondary students weighing up a career in screen. It’s open to teachers, principals, and educators at WA high schools, TAFEs, and tertiary institutions running film, television, and related courses. Schools will book their excursion sessions directly; students don’t need to register individually.

The program covers education pathways and the range of jobs a production runs on, with industry professionals and filmmakers on site. Job roles on show run from runners and riggers to programmers, post-production staff, line producers, location managers, gaffers, and games animators.

“Whether you’re a student, a local, a Western Australian creative looking to break into the industry, or simply curious about how it all works, this is your chance to step inside and learn more,” Creative Industries Minister Simone McGurk said.

“We want Western Australians to feel proud of the creativity happening in their own backyard and to enjoy a fun, hands-on day that brings our world-class screen industry to life.”

The Saturday open day

Saturday is family day. The studios will run live demonstrations, hands-on workshops, and activities across the site, including a Behind-the-Scenes Zone that takes visitors through each stage of shooting a music video in a working studio.

Australian screen productions including Outback Truckers and Whale Shark Jack will make appearances. Spare Parts Puppet Theatre is bringing the interactive puppet whale from The Whale, and Freestyle Now will perform a BMX Bandits-themed stunt show.

Fremantle-based Ben Elton will be the keynote speaker on the Saturday session, hosting an in-conversation session on his career writing and producing across television, radio, film, and theatre.

“The Perth Film Studios open day is a chance for families to explore the magic of filmmaking right here in Malaga,” Deputy Premier and West Swan MLA Rita Saffioti said.

“There’s something to spark every imagination – from movies to games, costumes, and special effects.”

“This is an opportunity for the community to see the screen industry in action and experience firsthand what we’re building for the future of Western Australia and our economy.”

How to get tickets

If you’d like to attend, you can register your interest here to be notified when general tickets go live.

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Perth will host AFL Origin two more times over the next four years, with a WA side to meet South Australia at Optus Stadium in February 2027 and Victoria again in 2029. The State Government confirmed both fixtures earlier today.

The February match this year sold out, drawing 58,141 to Optus Stadium for the first elite-level Origin game staged in Australia since 1999. Victoria took the Polly Farmer Cup by 24 points, 18.17 (125) to 15.11 (101), after WA cut the margin to six early in the final quarter.

WA and South Australia have not met at this level in almost 30 years, and the 2027 game will mark 50 years after the first State of Origin match was played at Subiaco Oval in 1977. Adelaide Oval then hosts the 2028 fixture between South Australia and Victoria, before Origin returns to Perth in 2029 for a rematch with the Victorians.

“Hosting the 2027 and 2029 AFL Origin against South Australia and Victoria is a significant boost for our local tourism industry and businesses, offering more local jobs,” Premier Roger Cook said.

“Western Australia has proven the natural home of AFL Origin after hosting the successful return this year against Victoria, drawing thousands of interstate visitors and millions of viewers from across the country.

“Western Australia cannot wait to host South Australia next year at Optus Stadium, in what will be the 50th anniversary of the first Origin match played in the State.”

Revenue from the sold-out February match totalled $1,501,500, which the State Government says is being reinvested into WA football through AFL Origin legacy initiatives including targeted school programs and regional talent development. Revenue from the 2027 and 2029 matches is earmarked for community participation.

“This year’s AFL Origin was a huge success, and bringing it back for two more years means even more fans will get the chance to experience the very best of our homegrown talent,” Sport and Recreation Minister Rita Saffioti said.

“We’re committed to ensuring the benefits of our major sporting events flow down to our grassroots clubs, with more than $1.5 million from last year’s event reinvested directly back into community football across our State.”

“AFL Origin is not only inspiring the next generation of football stars but building the programs and pathways they need to develop their talent right across Western Australia.”

How much is it costing taxpayers?

What hasn’t been disclosed is how much the Cook Government is paying to keep the fixture in Perth. Leaked documents obtained by 9News Perth and Business News, reported at the start of July, put the State’s spend on attracting major events at $33 million, including $13 million for Rugby World Cup matches. Cook disputed that total, telling WAtoday the figures didn’t line up with the government’s own record keeping, and pointed to $180 million in economic benefit from major events in the 2024-25 financial year.

Tourism Minister Reece Whitby, who has said every dollar spent returns $2.80, maintains that individual event fees stay commercial-in-confidence, on the grounds that disclosure would undercut WA’s ability to compete for events against other states and countries.

Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas has been pushing for those figures to be published, and named the Origin match among the deals he wants costed publicly, asking in March: “how much did AFL State of Origin cost?”

The post Perth Locks In AFL Origin For 2027 And 2029, With South Australia Up First appeared first on So Perth

Treebate reopens on Monday, August 3rd, with 10,000 more rebates of up to $150.00 for Western Australians who buy a native tree and plant it on their property. The terms have loosened in year two: anyone who claimed in the first round can claim again, and the $150.00 can now be spread across up to five trees rather than spent on one.

“More than 10,000 Western Australians took part in the Treebate program’s first year, helping to increase tree canopy, support local biodiversity and create more liveable suburbs,” Environment Minister Matthew Swinbourn said.

“We’ve listened to community feedback and expanded the program so residents can now claim a rebate of $150.00 for the purchase and planting of up to five native trees.”

The first year of the $6.9 million program cleared its 10,000-tree target, with more than 10,000 Western Australians claiming a rebate.

Perth’s canopy problem

Perth has the smallest tree canopy of any Australian capital city, and the Cook Government’s Urban Greening Strategy commits to lifting cover across Perth and Peel to 30% by 2040. Year two of Treebate is aimed at the suburbs sitting furthest from that mark.

“This round, we want to focus on Western Australia’s outer suburbs, which have typically had a lower percentage of urban canopy than the inner suburbs,” Swinbourn said.

Reaching 30% means planting faster than Perth loses trees, and the losses have been steep. The polyphagous shot-hole borer has forced removals across the metropolitan area since it was detected in East Fremantle in 2021, including at Hyde Park, and in June 2025 the national management group overseeing the response accepted the beetle could no longer be eradicated, shifting the work to slowing its spread. 

How to claim a Treebate

The rebate matches what you spend, up to $150.00, and the tree has to be a native with a canopy that reaches at least three metres at maturity. Claims need a tax invoice and a photo of the plant label showing the scientific or common name. The ServiceWA app is the quickest and easiest way to claim the rebate, with a paper form also available for anyone who can’t, or doesn’t want to, use the app. Postal claims can take up to 30 days and require 100 points of identification. Claims close once the annual allocation of 10,000 has been reached.

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Follow our live coverage of all the news across WA here.

On the back of what shaped as a blockbuster derby, we look at the state of play of WA’s teams in the back half of the home-and-away season.

The big screen at Northbridge Piazza is showing events from the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games live, and it’s on every day until Sunday, August 2nd. The piazza is a free, open-air public space, and it’s being billed as the central place for Perth to gather and get behind Australia’s athletes.

Western Australia is well represented in Glasgow. Pole vaulter Nina Kennedy is carrying the flag for Australia, alongside track-and-field star Peter Bol, swimmers Iona Anderson and Shayna Jack, and 2025 Para cycling world champions Kane Perris and Luke Zaccaria. 

“As we’ve just seen with the World Cup, Western Australians love getting behind our athletes, and Northbridge Piazza will be a great place to watch the action live from Glasgow,” Sport and Recreation Minister Rita Saffioti said

“We have an incredibly talented group of WA athletes competing, and there will be plenty for people to cheer about.”

“I encourage everyone to wear their green and gold, head into Northbridge and get behind our athletes.”

A few minutes from the piazza, the WA Museum Boola Bardip has opened a pop-up in Hackett Hall marking Perth’s own turn as host, when the city staged the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games. The display gathers memorabilia from the WA Museum, the State Library of Western Australia, and the State Records Office, including the original gold, silver, and bronze medals designed by Frank Norton. Trevor Bickle’s 1962 pole vault gold is there too, alongside competitors’ and officials’ badges, volunteer uniform pieces, opening ceremony tickets, and souvenir programs.

“As we celebrate our current Commonwealth Games athletes, we’re also recognising the remarkable story of Perth’s own Games through this special exhibition at the WA Museum Boola Bardip,” Creative Industries Minister Simone McGurk said.

“The exhibition offers a fascinating glimpse into a landmark chapter of our State’s history, showcasing treasured objects that capture the excitement, ambition and community spirit of the 1962 Games.”

“Located within walking distance from Northbridge Piazza, the exhibition is the perfect complement to the live Games experience, connecting past and present through sport, history and culture.”

“Whether you remember the 1962 Games firsthand or are discovering these stories for the first time, this exhibition is a wonderful reminder of Western Australia’s proud contribution to the Commonwealth Games and the stories that continue to inspire new generations.”

The history behind this year’s Games

This year’s Commonwealth Games were initially meant to be held in Australia. Victoria was awarded the 2026 Commonwealth Games and handed them back in 2023 over a projected cost blowout beyond $6 billion. 

Glasgow stepped in to keep the event alive and is staging a lighter-than-usual version: ten sports across four venues, down from 19 at Birmingham in 2022, with hockey, cricket, rugby sevens, badminton, and diving among those cut. Victoria paid around $380 million in compensation to back out of hosting the Commonwealth Games, much of it directed to Scotland, so Australian taxpayers have largely bankrolled a Commonwealth Games held on the other side of the world.

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Work on the 29km stretch will start early next year, with joint state-federal funding set to ease peak-hour delays across Perth’s southern suburbs.

Laufey performed to a sold-out crowd at RAC Arena on Saturday night and showed why jazz music isn’t going anywhere.

As the hit show enters its 22nd season, host Scott Cam opens up about building crises, Fremantle nostalgia, and whether the show will ever come to WA.

The 30-year-old woman was a passenger in a Hilux that collided with a LandCruiser just before 11pm in Martin.

WA’s new Building Commissioner sits down with WAtoday to talk big promises, Nicheliving, bad paving and his 35-year career as a rule enforcer.

The first week of a defamation trial more than seven years in the making that has embroiled politicians, journalists and a Perth property developer has concluded.

The 30-year-old British presenter, singer and comedian denies allegations that he raped, slapped, bit and choked a fan after a Perth gig in 2024.