Vincent locals are mobilising to save their heritage neighbourhoods as WA government changes came into effect yesterday, Friday August 2, allowing 240sqm blocks to subdivide. The changes affect R80-zoned blocks, meaning more than 550 properties in Vincent could now be split in what’s expected to lead to a developer stampede. Marie Slyth has long-fought to…

newsclips THE ageing Carillon Arcade (right) is up for an $8 million facelift (far right). Landowner Hawaiian Investments has asked the PCC for the green light to close part of the arcade and demolish 35 shops over three levels. Planners reckon the spruce-up, with the big window area facing Forrest Place “represents a sophisticated design…

Gathering 60,000 followers in 10 weeks, Lost Perth would have to be one of the most popular Facebook pages in town. The site collects old images and stories of Perth, focusing on the way things used to be and the old buildings and businesses that have disappeared, and it’s captured Perth’s imagination lock stock and…

Perth/Stirling split the ‘worst case scenario’ Vincent looks to be split down the middle in what the mayor describes as “a very poor outcome” for ratepayers. Alannah MacTiernan has heard Perth will gobble up the bit to Bulwer or Vincent Street. The rest will be swept into Stirling. She would have preferred all of Vincent going…

Satellite navigation company TomTom allows a list of 18 Perth and Fremantle brothels to be made available to drivers as “points of interest” on its WA map. The list—created by Perth cabbie Phillip McGree— is free and can be downloaded by anyone with a compatible TomTom who connects to its online update service. It is…

A Vincent council candidate has been banned from posting comments on the council’s official Facebook site. Perennial council critic Debbie Saunders, whose nom de plume was Bob Jones, was blocked after what council CEO John Giorgi claims was a, “series of negative comments (across a variety of matters on our Facebook page)”. Unconcerned by claims…

A journalism academic well versed in defamation law believes Vincent city council is leaving itself wide open to being sued by people with the same names of people convicted of trawling for sex in Highgate. When Vincent first published its rogues gallery it left out middle names and suburbs and, in all but one case,…

‘Selfish’ attack on foreshore flora Three mature native gum trees have been poisoned along the Maylands foreshore. Two have died, one struggles on. Bayswater council staff suspect homeowners of killing the trees at Berringa Park Wetlands in order to get a better view of the Swan River, but proving it is hard going. “The drill…

Backers hope for no bitter after taste from 7th attempt A mammoth $350 million, three-tower project has been given the thumbs up for the old Emu brewery site on Mounts Bay Road. The Perth development assessments panel—including PCC councillor Rob Butler—unanimously approved the 268-apartment, 120-hotel room development by owner AAIG Pty Ltd (said by local…

The Barnett government is set to do a u-turn and allow Muslims to celebrate Eid at Kings Park. In March, the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority refused an application for a 2000-people Eid-al-Fitr celebration at the Saw Avenue picnic area, arguing capacity for the area was limited to 500 (Voice, March 9, 2013). BGPA chief…