🌄 No Bluff News #38

G'day {{first_name | Friend}}! We're back with edition 38 of No Bluff News – your weekly wrap of positive local news, weekend plans, and all the community highlights you actually care about.

What you can look forward to today:

Now, onto the good stuff!

Albany's about to get busier. The city's just locked in $47 million in outside grants for a run of projects locals will actually get to use, not just read about.

Top of the list: a brand new Artificial Fishing Reef, stage two of the Regional Tennis Centre, and a $3.5 million Botanical Link Walkway connecting the city centre straight through to Heritage Park.

Councillors point to years of behind-the-scenes advocacy from the mayor and CEO for landing the total, the difference, they say, between a wish list and shovels in the ground.

Albany's Brad Doyle first found his love of military service as a teenager. He's just been named the 13th Regimental Sergeant Major of the Australian Army, the most senior enlisted soldier in the country.

He enlisted in the Army Reserve back in 1986 while training as a mechanic, then spent decades climbing the ranks through deployments to East Timor, Afghanistan and Iraq.

Doyle's picked up a swag of honours along the way, including the Medal of the Order of Australia, and says the job now is making sure every soldier feels valued enough to want to stay.

Wildflower season's here, and the region's about to put on its biggest show of the year. The 2026 Bloom Festival program has dropped: a full month of events across the Great Southern, 12 September to 11 October.

Nearly every shire's got something on, from wildflower hikes up Bluff Knoll and the Stirling Range to open gardens, Noongar cultural experiences and the Frankland River Wine Festival, backed by a dedicated $150,000 pool for Aboriginal-led events this year.

It's the one time of year you can watch the whole region turn technicolour, worth planning a weekend (or three) around.

Albany invented Granny Grommets 26 years ago, the surf group getting older women into the ocean, and it just landed a brand new chapter on the NSW coast.

The North Haven crew pulled in almost 200 women online within weeks. Not bad for an idea that started with a handful of Albany women wanting to bodyboard together.

Middleton Beach whale-watchers already know exactly where to gather every winter, phones out, necks craned. Council's finally giving them a permanent lookout to do it from.

The $40,081 build's got roughly $25,000 still going into seating and signage before it's officially open.

Community Bank Albany's marking two decades in business, all built on one idea: keep the profit here instead of sending it off to a major bank's head office.

That model's now put $1.6 million back into local groups, backing everything from Foodbank WA to Anglicare's Young Hearts Program and Albany Pride.

Steve Pinner kept seeing tenants stuck with old mattresses they had nowhere to take, sometimes putting their tenancy at risk over it.

His fix: getting Albany Regional Prison to rebuild them as sturdy, washable replacements, some crafted by inmates helping their own families. It's now a finalist for the WasteSorted Awards, WA's top recognition for cutting waste.

Perth Zoo's Western Ground Parrot chick just had her first vet check, and the reveal has locals talking: she's a girl, and she's in perfect health, feathers, eyesight and joints all given the tick.

She's one of as few as 150 left anywhere, all holding on in a stretch of Great Southern coastal heath. Every milestone she hits matters.

Beers not Bauxite: Informative night of speakers, local music and beer backing the campaign against forest mining, 5:30pm | Dune Beer Co | Tuesday, 4 Aug

Midds Reef 1 Year Anniversary: Albany Boardriders fires up the hot dogs to celebrate the reef's first year, 12pm | Surfers Beach | Thursday, 6 Aug

ASESC Gala Fundraiser: Fundraising gala with tapas, live music from Funk the System, student performances and an auction, 5:30pm | Stirling Club | Saturday, 8 Aug

International Year of the Woman Farmer Afternoon Tea: CWA Denmark hosts female agriculture students for afternoon tea, 4:30pm | CWA Hall, Denmark | Monday, 10 Aug

Albany Farmers Market: Fresh local produce, coffee, hot food and live music, 8am-12pm | Collie Street, Albany | Saturday, 8 Aug

Albany Boatshed Markets: Local growers, gourmet food, Great Southern wine and live music, 9am-1pm | Boatshed on Princess Royal Drive | Sunday, 9 Aug

Denmark Markets: Weekly local market with fresh produce, handmade goods, clothing, jewellery and hot food, 9am-1pm | Denmark Senior High School | Sunday, 9 Aug

Live music with Ben Chambers: Kick off the weekend with big songs, stripped-back acoustic covers and cold beers, 5-8pm | Wilson's Brewery Bar | Friday, 7 Aug

Hometown Hard Mode: Heavy Friday night featuring Section Attack, Ivory Dusk Band and 1080, 8-11pm | King River Tavern | Friday, 7 Aug

Kris Nelson Live: Award-winning Great Southern indie/folk artist brings his originals to the stage, 5-8pm | Wilson's Brewery Bar | Saturday, 8 Aug

Blue Stuka: Epic night of live music | King River Tavern | Saturday, 8 Aug, 7:30pm

KT Southern Sessions: Relaxed Sunday arvo with live tunes, long lunch and Porongurup views, 1-4pm | Karribank, Porongurup | Sunday, 9 Aug

Nikki C & The Flight Risk: Heartfelt harmony-rich covers from Powderfinger, Crowded House, Missy Higgins and The Waifs, 1-4pm | Wilson's Brewery Bar | Sunday, 9 Aug

Friday-Night Texas Smokehouse Feast: Brisket, pulled pork, Diablo chicken, smoked sausage and Southern sides, 5:15pm | Rock Salt | Friday, 7 Aug

Saturday The Big Seafood Bash: Seafood Saturday buffet with a coastal feast of prawns, crisp bites and bold ocean flavours, 5:15pm | Rock Salt | Saturday, 8 Aug

Tuesday Curatorial: Protecting Albany's Wildlife: Landcare, the annual Ringtail Tally and the impact of roaming cats, 10:30-11:30am | Co-op Building | Tuesday, 4 Aug

Book Launch: To Be Believed by Maggie Dawkins: Free launch celebrating Maggie Dawkins' new book, 11am | Albany Public Library | Thursday, 6 Aug

Our Personal Connections to Time and Place: Featuring works by Dianne Bee, Joyce Hogen-Esch, Margaret Gorman and Margie McIntosh, 10am-4pm | VAC | Friday, 7 Aug

Book Launch: Great War Stories 1914–1919: Local wartime stories from Light Horsemen and Cameleers of SWA, 10-11am | Mt Barker Library and CRC | Tuesday, 11 Aug

Tea of Extinction: Faunal Studies in China Paint: Art exhibition by Jacqui A'Court, open Monday to Friday, 10am-4pm | Vancouver Arts Centre | Tuesday, 11 Aug

Preparing for Spring with Neal Collins: Hands-on workshop on seed raising and getting garden beds ready for spring, 9am-12pm | Ficifolia Community Garden | Sunday, 9 Aug

Fruit Tree Grafting Workshop with Richard Pittaway: Hands-on session covering grafting, tools, materials and afternoon tea provided, 1pm | Elleker Hall | Sunday, 9 Aug

ANA Rd 11: A1 and A2 fixtures across grades, with Royals, Railways, Magpies, Tambellup, Bullets, Narrikup, Griffins and Kangas all in action from 1pm | ALAC | Saturday, 8 Aug

GSFL Rd 13: Mt Barker takes on Railways and Royals faces Albany on Saturday, plus North Albany v Denmark Walpole on Sunday, 2:30pm | Round fixtures | Sat, 8 Aug - Sun, 9 Aug

Committee Meeting – Community and Corporate Services: City meeting open to all ages, 5:30-7:30pm | City of Albany | Tuesday, 11 Aug

Live @ the Town Hall returns with a huge night of First Nations talent, headlined by Baker Boy and Miss Kaninna, with support from INKABEE, JJ Vacant and Ricky Neil Jr. Doors open 6pm, Saturday, 22 Aug, with food and a courtyard market running from 5pm. Tickets start at $60 (plus booking fee). Book here.

A weekend of paddling and racing on the Kalgan River, sprints on Saturday and a marathon on Sunday, open to kayakers and surf ski paddlers of every skill level. It kicks off 1pm, Saturday, 12 Sep, running through Sunday, 13 Sep, from $15 for juniors. Enter now.

Indigenous hip-hop artist Kayps brings his debut national headline tour to Six Degrees Albany, melodic hooks, fast-paced rap and storytelling rooted in identity and cultural reconnection. It's free entry, from 8pm, Friday, 18 Sep. Details here.

Emma Memma brings her Jungle Picnic album to life for the little ones, sing-alongs, dance and inclusive storytelling, with Auslan interpretation throughout. It's on at the Princess Royal Theatre from 10am, Thursday, 1 Oct. Tickets are $42.50. Book now.

An intimate, immersive taste of the region, curated zones of local wine, food and producers, plus live music and interactive sensory experiences. It runs midday to 7pm, Saturday, 17 Oct, in Frankland River Town. Adults $20, under-18s $5. Tickets here.

WA Seniors Score a Cost-of-Living Boost: $114.20 for singles, $171.30 for couples, rolling out now to 350,000+ cardholders. Check if you're eligible.

Katanning Wants Your Say on Its Next Five Years: Feedback's open on the Shire's Draft Liveability and Wellbeing Plan. Have your say by 26 August.

Denmark Elects Clare Campbell as Deputy Shire President: Voted in unopposed after Nathan Devenport stepped down. Read the announcement.

Mario's Stock Feeds Finds a New Home in McKail: New Reddale Road shop, opposite the Speedway, open seven days. Find the new shop.

The Dam Launches Its First Loyalty Program: Founding member cards score dining, stay and spa discounts. See how to join.

Denmark's Pawprint Chocolate Is Racking Up Gold Medals: Award-winning flavours crafted with native ingredients. Taste the range.

Front of house all rounder/barista: serve coffees, take orders and keep the floor ticking over, casual with family-friendly hours | Mrs Jones Denmark | Denmark

Lawyer: handle wills, estates and family law matters across the Great Southern, hybrid work on offer | HFM Legal | Denmark, Albany & Great Southern WA

Monumental stone technician & installer: hands-on full-time role making and fitting stone products with a local team | Albany Monumental Masons | Albany

86 Campbell Road, Spencer Park: 4-bed, 1-bath on 813m². 1965 retro home, R60 subdivision potential, triplex garage | Offers Above $699,000

6 Shapcott Street, Bayonet Head: 4-bed, 2-bath on 1,007m². Elevated home, dual living zones, ocean and hinterland glimpses | Offers Above $869,000

7 Menston Street, Mount Barker: 3-bed, 2-bath on 3,501m². Character home, panoramic views, 3-bay workshop | $939,000

Frantic Fairywrens and Scintillating Spinebills claim GSBA tournament honours: More than 90 shuttlers turned out for the annual Great Southern Badminton Association tournament at ALAC, with travellers from as far as Geraldton and Esperance. The Frantic Fairywrens took out Division One, the Scintillating Spinebills Division Two.

Kojonup Cougars raise $2300-plus with icy post-match plunge: Players launched themselves down a slide into a freezing pool after Sunday's Lower South West Football League clash, with proceeds backing motor neurone disease research.

Spencer Park sweep both memorial matches at Cancer Awareness Round: The Sparkies (Spencer Park Dark) downed Spencer Park Light 4-0 in the Kellie York Memorial Match, before the Redbacks (Spencer Park A Grade Women) saw off North Albany 4-1 in the Jo Burling Memorial Match, with proceeds from the day's donation tins and raffles backing Albany Community Hospice.

And that's a wrap!

If you know someone who'd love the good stuff from the Great Southern, forward this their way or get them to sign up at noblufflocal.com.

Catch you next Tuesday!