THIS year’s Bayswater youth fest is being bundled up with the city’s family fun day. In a move designed to lift the profile of young people, the council’s Youth Advisory Council has been involved in the planning of the event, which will feature a silent disco, mechanical surfboard, a gaming zone and inflatable soccer pitch…

WHEN Pavilion Books was looking to extend its worldwide line with a tome about Perth, the history publisher went straight to local historian Richard Offen. The head of Heritage Perth received the email out of the blue just before last Christmas last year asking for a “then and now” series on Perth, comparing historical photographs…

SCANDINAVIAN countries often lead social policy-making, but Denmark has taken cues from WA by adopting the state’s Act-Belong-Commit campaign. Based on research by Curtin University, Act-Belong-Commit encourages people to stay mentally healthy by getting involved in physical, social, and spiritual activities. Acting manager Bruno Faletti says the campaign is spreading around the world because it’s…

MOUNT HAWTHORN local Fiona Elmer has won a national award for supporting fellow families affected by the potentially fatal mitochondrial disease. Her four-year-old son Aidan failed to thrive after birth and was diagnosed with “mito” following a lengthy two-year process. It’s the second-most commonly diagnosed serious genetic disease (after cystic fibrosis) but little is known…

MAYLANDS’ main street will have a “bleak future” if it gets turned into a thoroughfare for buses, the Maylands Business Association warns. The Public Transport Authority is looking into running a permanent bus route down Eighth Avenue between Whatley Crescent and Guildford Road, but the MBA says a trial has proven it will be an…

TWO local artists have won a commission by Perth city council to add to the city’s ongoing photographic record of Perth. Graham Miller’s work A Place in the Sun focuses on people captured candidly around the city streets or lounging in local public spaces. As a foil, Jacqueline Ball’s work Swimming Home focuses on the…

PERTH lord mayor Lisa Scaffidi and the local government department have failed to reach  agreement during mediation at the State Administrative Tribunal. The department’s now in charge of prosecuting Ms Scaffidi over failing to declare gifts and travel, and the mediation was intended to prevent the issue going to a full public SAT hearing. Ms…

AFTER a fruitless search for the stolen gumnut baby sculpture Perth city council has installed a newly commissioned replacement. Based on May Gibbs’ Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, the artwork at Stirling Gardens was installed more than a decade ago but last March a hooligan stole one of the babies. It would’ve required a fair amount of…

THE future of the ageing Maylands Waterland park is at stake with Bayswater council facing a big repair bill if it’s to stay operational. The place opened in the late 70s and is nearing the end of its operating life. It’ll cost around $2.7m to $2.9m to fix, plus another $220,000 to run between November…

MAYLANDS’ ailing lakes and how to address their degradation will be the focus of an information session this coming Monday, October 24. The session follows a 12-month water quality study, with consultants preparing a range of options on how to deal with toxic levels of algae and contamination from the old brickworks. Chlorinated Whatever the…