ST BART’S homeless accommodation at Lime Street will be refurbished, incorporating psychology-driven architecture aimed at helping residents with complex needs.  Perth MP John Carey announced the $1.575 million state funding for the refurb and said “the grant will help St Bart‚Äôs make big improvements to the design and layout of the accommodation complex, as well…

QUENDAS are useful for our urban bushland according to new research from Edith Cowan University, which found their poo is full of helpful fungi.  Teaming up with scientists from Murdoch and UWA, lead researcher Anna Hopkins said they were surprised to find quenda poo in smaller bushland areas contained a larger variety of fungi. “Our…

A COMMUNITY forum about North Perth town centre’s megaproject at the corner of Alma and Fitzgerald Streets will be held February 9, with plans for a redesign now that the developer has more space.  Celsius Developments is holding the meeting and advised locals in a letter that “since our last consultation, the proposed development site…

Candidate pans system as costs kill court appeal A VINCENT council candidate who lost last October’s election by one vote has dropped his appeal due to the risk of hefty legal costs if he’s unsuccessful. At the October 2021 election south ward candidate Joshua O’Keefe received 978 votes, missing out on the spot won by…

MAYLANDS Waterlands won’t reopen this summer after delays caused by heavy rainfalls, labour shortages and global supply problems, and a new finish date’s now set for April 15.  Construction started mid-2021 and Bayswater council was originally hoping contractors would finish the first stage of rejuvenation works in time for a summer 2021 reopening.  Siteworks The…

FUTURE heat waves may be even more unbearable with fewer trees on verges now that Bayswater council’s gutted its tree protection policy.   A split council voted in favour of making it easier for residents to get verge trees removed and harder for the council to plant new ones.  Under the old policy the city…

INNER city dog owners are begging for a new spot to walk their dogs off-leash, but the scant number of CBD parks has them competing with other park users for a sliver of space. Perth city council recently consulted the public on a plan to build a new fenced off-leash dog area and dog owners…

FORMER Bayswater mayor Dan Bull has been ousted from an influential state government committee following a narrow and controversial vote from fellow councillors. The vote reflected a shifting balance of power since October’s election, with councillor Elli Petersen-Pik describing it as an unprofessional and “unprecedented” politicised vote.  Cr Bull previously represented Bayswater on the DevelopmentWA Midland Land…

MEMBERS of Perth’s faith groups were due to gather outside Wesley United Church in the CBD on December 17 to sing reworked versions of Christmas carols calling for firmer action on climate change. Australian Religious Response to Climate Change WA president Geoffrey Bice said “while we may be singing some light-hearted carols today, we hold…