🌄 No Bluff News #22: Gyroscope's back in Albany after 15 years, $1M in regional development grants & Benang Koondarm at the Whaling Station

G'day {{first_name | Friend}}! Week two of school holidays is here, and so is edition 22 of No Bluff News – your weekly wrap of positive local news, weekend plans, and all the community highlights you actually care about.

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Gyroscope is headlining Festival of Dusk at Albany Town Hall on 16 May. It's their first Albany show since 2011. Both previous editions sold out, so it's worth locking in early.

Also on the bill: Perth pop-rockers The Frauds, Albany alt-rock five-piece Ivory Dusk (who also organise the whole thing), hardcore locals Packhoarse and groove-rock trio Dig The Dust. Between sets, Aaron Crosby and Caleb Drage host Waxing Lyrical, a live music talk show with a behind-the-scenes look at the artists on the night.

Carrying the Fire is part of Albany 2026 and billed as one of the largest community gatherings ever staged in WA. Locals and visitors of all ages will hold handmade lanterns and walk the coast together, pausing to form a string of lights photographed from above and shared with the world.

Southern Edge Arts is calling for community groups, schools, businesses and sporting clubs to register for free lantern-making workshops. Artists come to you, with sessions for groups of up to 30 across all ages and abilities. Arts workers can also sign up for a professional development workshop to run their own sessions.

November's a way off, but workshop registrations are open now.

Six local businesses have landed $1.02 million in Round 8 of the state's Regional Economic Development Grants.

Albany's Castlehow scores $200,000 to move into advanced switchboard manufacturing. Mount Barker's Fulcher Contractors gets $200,000 for a new heavy plant workshop and training centre. Nowanup Noongar Boodjar picks up $160,000 to support Aboriginal-led cultural tourism and land management. Denmark Hotel, Frankland Landholdings and Albany waterfront operator Yefsea share the rest for accommodation upgrades, agribusiness services and a new seafood restaurant.

Manufacturing, tourism, agribusiness, hospitality. A solid round for the region.

The Borden, Gnowangerup and Ongerup volunteer bushfire brigades have been named Community Group of the Year at the Gnowangerup Dandjoo awards, recognised for a year of extraordinary unpaid service.

The centrepiece was the 16 December Mindarabin fire, where Incident Controller Darren Baum coordinated more than 100 firefighters to save three farmhouses and stop the blaze from reaching Ongerup. Every one of them a volunteer.

Albany's Historic Whaling Station has taken Silver for Cultural Tourism and Bronze for Tourist Attraction at the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards in Fremantle, going up against the country's leading visitor experiences.

The wins follow a double Gold at the 2025 WA Tourism Awards. A regional not-for-profit with more than 40 years on the clock, every award gets reinvested into the heritage-listed precinct at Princess Royal Harbour.

Sculpture at Binalup is running along Middleton Beach as part of Albany 2026, with 16 contemporary sculptures from WA and Great Southern artists spread across the coastal landscape.

One of the works is a Menang collaboration with Aunty Carol Pettersen and local students. A permanent piece will also remain in the Albany Historic Society gardens once the exhibition wraps Sunday.

Rod Moir has been named Senior Citizen of the Year at the Gnowangerup Dandjoo awards, recognised for more than 30 years running Borden's ANZAC Day service. It's the only daytime service in the Shire.

A Life Member of Borden Bowling Club, he also quietly keeps Borden tidy year-round. His citation describes him as serving "without anyone being aware of what he is completing."

Art in the Porongurup wrapped up last weekend, drawing 2,000 visitors across nine days at the Porongurup Hall and surrounding bushland. Melaine McQuillan's "Fading From Sight" took the Open Judges Award and Jess Burcham's "Nemesis" won the People's Choice on 167 votes.

The 2026 edition featured 66 sculptures and an $8,000 prize pool, with special awards added to mark 100 years of Porongurup National Park.

Telethon Fundraiser: Golf day, auctions, raffles and live band. Tickets $40pp (dinner and band) or $90pp (incl. golf), from 10am | Albany Golf Club | Friday, 17 Apr

Disabled Surfing Great Southern: Surf morning for people of all abilities. Wetsuits, sunscreen and a free BBQ all provided, 9am | Middleton Beach | Saturday, 18 Apr

Dune Beer Co. First Birthday: DJs running 11am to 8pm, merch giveaways, jugs and a draw to win a custom 7'4" surfboard. Free entry | Dune Beer Co. | Saturday, 18 Apr

Gun Salute: The 9-pounder gun fires twice daily at Princess Royal Fortress, 10:30am & 1:30pm (standard entry) | National Anzac Centre | Thursday, 16 Apr & Tuesday, 21 Apr

Katanning Farmer's Market: Locally produced fruit and veg, homemade preserves and crafts, 8am–12pm | 4 Pemble Street | Saturday, 18 Apr

Scout Hall Markets: Local stalls, food vans and family-friendly activities, 8am–12pm | Denmark Scout Hall | Saturday, 18 Apr

Shire of Denmark Youth Fest: All-ages celebration with kids activities and The Youth Arts Market running alongside, 11am–3pm | McLean Sports Precinct | Wednesday, 15 Apr

NEON SKATING: Neon skate night for all ages with pizza provided. BYO skates and helmet, 6–8pm | Mount Barker Recreation Centre | Wednesday, 15 Apr

Tennis Day: Indoor tennis for 10–17-year-olds with games, skills and friendly competition. BYO racquet, $10 per session, 9–11am and 1–3pm | On Court Tennis | Thursday, 16 Apr

Create with Clay: Hands-on polymer clay workshop for ages 8+, make unique pieces to take home, 10:30am–12pm | Mount Barker Public Library | Thursday, 16 Apr

Play in the Bay: Free day with games, an inflatable soccer pitch, adaptive sports, chair yoga, live music and a sausage sizzle, 10am–2pm | Middleton Beach | Saturday, 18 Apr

Let's Make Pasta!: Watch chefs make pasta then join in for a two-course meal. Two sessions: 9am–12pm and 12:30–2:30pm | Albany Italian Club | Saturday, 18 Apr

Moroccan Feast: Hands-on cooking class covering tagine, shakshouka, brochettes and sweet treats, 3–8pm | Kirby's Atelier de Cuisine | Saturday, 18 Apr

Saturday the Big Seafood Bash: Rock Salt's seafood feast night, 5:15pm | Rock Salt Albany | Saturday, 18 Apr

Steve Dougherty: Live set from local fan favourite, 6–9pm | The Earl of Spencer | Friday, 17 Apr

The Last Avocado: Slow-burn blues-funk with gritty originals and smoky vocals, 8:30–11pm | Wilson's Brewery Bar | Friday, 17 Apr

The Ultimate Fleetwood Mac Experience: WA tribute band with an hour of Eagles before a full Fleetwood Mac set, 7:30pm | Princess Royal Theatre | Saturday, 18 Apr

RNB Soul Train: Albany duo with originals and soulful acoustic covers in a relaxed afternoon setting, 2–5pm | Karribank | Sunday, 19 Apr

David Rastrick: Jazz, reggae, acoustic soul and blues as part of Wilson's Brewery Lighthouse Sessions, 5–8pm | Wilson's Brewery Bar | Sunday, 19 Apr

Mt Hallowell BioBlitz Findings: Local ecologist Melissa Howe presents 2025 BioBlitz findings, followed by a short film, 4–6pm | Denmark Environment Centre | Fri, 17 Apr

Living Landscapes Denmark – Surf Camp: Beginner-friendly surf camp with optional camping available. Sat 9–11am and Sun 7–9am | Parrys Beach | Sat, 18 Apr & Sun, 19 Apr

Amcal Albany – Women's GSFL Round 10: Triple-header at McLean Oval. Games are on 12, 2L45pm and 5:30pm | McLean Oval | Saturday, 18 Apr

ACCI Social Sundowner: Networking overlooking Princess Royal Harbour with ACCI business members, 5:30–7:30pm | Princess Royal Sailing Club | Wednesday, 15 Apr

Spiritual and Wellness Expo: Free-entry weekend of connection with readers, healers and market stalls, 9:30am–4pm | Albany Garden Inn | Saturday, 18 Apr & Sunday, 19 Apr

Denmark Women in Business: Free networking day with workshops and stallholders, 9am–4pm | Denmark CRC | Monday, 20 Apr

RSPCA WA community action days: free pet health checks and food with local vets and volunteers. Register for the Albany or Mt Barker community action day.

Tieline Road Floodway Upgrades Locked In: Works on Tieline Road kick off 8 April with a detour and one-lane access mostly for local traffic. See the Shire's public notice.

Walpole Tiny Tourism Town: Walpole has scored a spot in the 7NEWS Top Tourism Town finals with its first-ever entry. Voting open now until 1 May.

Body Serenity Studio: Sauna and ice bath setup has landed for slowing down, resetting and recovering; limited early-access spots available. Reach out to book your spot.

Canarian Cuisine: coming to Middleton Beach for a two-night paella pop-up (Tue and Wed 14 & 15 Apr. Head down and grab an easy dinner with family or mates.

Community education officer: develop and deliver education and engagement programs for sustainable fisheries | Dept of Primary Industries | Albany

Chef / cook: Short-order cook for a busy cafe preparing breakfast and lunch; flexible full- or part-time shifts including weekends, food safety cert required | Kate's Place | Albany

Operations manager: oversee day-to-day construction operations across residential and modular projects, leading site teams and subcontractors | Bilco Group Pty Ltd | Denmark

20 Muir Street, Mount Barker: 3-bed, 1-bath on 3,541m². Single-level 1950s fibrous-cement and corrugated-iron home, large yard | Cash sale by Sheriff's Auction

4 McCardell Crescent, Bayonet Head: 4-bed, 2-bath on 608m². Upscaled master double garage and gated rear access to a private easy-care yard | Offers Above $875,000

118 Serpentine Road, Albany: 4-bed, 1-bath on 966m². 1920s Albany brick character building, elevated with city and harbour views | Offers Above $1.2million

Broomehill Cricket Club: Jack Batchelor has been named the Ross Thompson Award recipient after helping the club clinch a fifth straight GSCA premiership, clocking 661 runs and winning club and GSCA cricketer of the year in 2024-25.

Xterra Asia-Pacific Championships: Albany's Keiron Benson took bronze in the 50-54 age group in Dunsborough on 28 March. He placed 24th in a 94-strong field and earns a slot at the world championships in New Mexico this November.

And that's a wrap!

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Catch you next Tuesday!