🌄 No Bluff News #40

G'day {{first_name | Friend}}! We're back with edition 40 of No Bluff News – your weekly wrap of positive local news, weekend plans, and all the community highlights you actually care about.

In today’s edition:

Okay, time to get stuck in!

On Saturday 7 November, thousands of locals will walk the foreshore from Emu Point to Binalup, each carrying a lantern they've made themselves. Carrying the Fire closes the city's bicentenary, and it's free.

It needs 200 people to lead it, a group each along their own stretch. Anyone 15 or over can put their hand up, and you don't need to have performed before.

Free lantern-making workshops are running now.

The fences go up at Berridge Park this month. Behind them, Denmark starts building the nature playground, skatepark and all-abilities courts locals asked for back in 2023. Demolition goes first.

None of it comes out of rates. Lotterywest, the federal Growing Regions Program and the state's PlayOn WA covered the $5.5 million

The mature oaks stay where they are, and you can follow the build as it goes up.

A Menang family in Albany can now read their ancestors' names off a fish label written in the 1840s. Twenty-seven boxes of fish skins have come back from the National Museum of Scotland, each specimen labelled in Menang with the name of the man who caught it.

Robert Neill collected them here using knowledge locals shared with him, then sent the lot to Britain.

Menang curator Shona Coyne calls it a wonderful archive to explore. Returns like this are rare. It's on show now at the Museum of the Great Southern.

Albany's Homelessness Week fundraiser pulled in a record $72k this year under a new name, taking over the PCYC with school bands, the Albany Shantymen and a panel on what sleeping rough actually looks like.

Albany Community Foundation executive officer Laura Alexander says the turnout shows what the town can do when it works together.

The Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk turned 30 on 6 August, and drew 171,809 visitors last financial year, its best in 20 years.

It took two years of planning and almost no machinery. Riggers raised the pylons on scaffolding to keep the tingles intact. Not a crane in sight. Worth the drive if you haven't been.

He made it. Ronnie rode into Mt Clarence on Monday with sons Jacob and Flynn, 450km from Mandurah in three days, through hail that split them up twice.

They rode for the Black Dog Institute. Ronnie reckons the real win was blokes his age hearing the message, the ones who don't usually talk about it. Donations remain open till the end of August.

The Great Southern took $6.6 million from the State's regional housing round, and most of it goes to a vacant block on Spencer Street. Advance Housing will put 18 social and affordable homes there.

The grant pays for the earthworks, which Advance Housing's acting CEO Kim Daniel calls the substantial but least visible part of a build. Without it, nothing else moves.

Albany's Christmas Pageant is taking entries from schools, sporting clubs, community groups and businesses. The pageant rolls down York Street at 6pm on Saturday 5 December, with free markets, food and live music in the Town Square from 3pm.

August sounds early. It isn't, if you've ever tried to build a float.

Meet the Authors: Jeffrey Peirce and Chris Handley on their Great War Stories series, free lunch provided 12pm, 12pm | Gnowangerup CRC | Wednesday, 19 Aug

Albany Farmers Market: Fresh produce, baked goods and breakfast straight from the growers every Saturday morning, 8am–12pm | Collie Street, Albany | Saturday, 22 Aug

Death Lingo Bingo: RockWiz meets bingo, a night of tunes and prizes, doors 5:30pm for a 6pm start | Middleton Beach Bowling Club | Saturday, 22 Aug

Albany Boatshed Markets: Weekly market with local produce, gourmet food, Great Southern wines, artisans and live music, 9am–1pm | Albany Boatshed | Sunday, 23 Aug

Jumbo Sale for Homeless Project Denmark: Garage-sale fundraiser with free soup and live music, 11am–3pm | Denmark Scout Hall | Sunday, 23 Aug

Harrington Circus: International big top show with aerials, clowns, magic and death-defying acts, from $20 | Centennial Park, Albany | Thursday, 20 Aug to Sunday, 6 Sep

Batts Incredible: Storyteller Tanya Batt and musician Peter Forster weave bat folklore and bat science into one family show, $25, 6:30–8pm | Denmark ArtsHouse | Friday, 21 Aug

Karate WA Come and Try Day: Free beginner session for kids, teens and families, 10am | Denmark RSL Hall | Saturday, 22 Aug

Matcha, Monastic Wisdom & Go: Child-friendly afternoon of matcha, monastic wisdom and the ancient board game Go, 1–3pm | Denmark CRC | Sunday, 23 Aug

Beers & Braids #2: Dads and guardians learn to braid hair with Kate Samiotis, ticket covers a pint, nibbles and a practice hair dummy, 2–4pm | Dune Beer Co | Sunday, 23 Aug

Sign of Four: Contemporary string quartet playing originals and reworkings that pull from classical, folk, jazz and rock, 6:30–9:30pm | Denmark Country Club | Friday, 21 Aug

Noir: Standards and originals from Michelle Nicolle and Paul Grabowsky's ABC Jazz album, $45, 7:30pm | AEC | Friday, 21 Aug

The Arcade Lights: Punk and pop-rock with support from No Hat No Play, free entry, 8:30–11pm | Six Degrees | Friday, 21 Aug

Julia Anwar Trio and The Deepfakes: Covers and originals for publican Sam's birthday, $25, 7pm | King River Tavern | Saturday, 22 Aug

Country Blues with Martin Lee Cropper: 1920s Mississippi Delta and Hill Country blues played on National guitars, 4–7pm | The Earl of Spencer | Sunday, 23 Aug

Friday at the Club: Bar and restaurant open to the public every Friday with good-value food, drinks and the view, 11:30am–7pm | Albany Golf Club | Friday, 21 Aug

Paella Dinner: First of the Italian Club's monthly dinners, book a table for the family or a few mates, doors 5pm and dinner at 6:30pm | Albany Italian Club | Saturday, 22 Aug

Albany Schools Showcase: Students from Albany and North Albany senior highs play ensemble and solo sets, $25, 7pm | AEC | Tuesday, 18 Aug

Pioneers of Porongurup: Professor Kingsley Faulkner AM’s talk on the range's history, free, 7:30–9pm | Karribank, Porongurup | Friday, 21 Aug

Turkish Lamp Workshop: Hands-on session making your own glowing lamp, no experience needed, 3–5:30pm | Denmark Art Club | Saturday, 22 Aug

ALCO & CO: The Albany Chamber Orchestra plays with guests Adam Cook, Shamara de Tissera and Kathryn MacNeil, 4pm | AEC | Saturday, 22 Aug

Ngoolak, Karrak – Keep the Black Cockatoos Flying: Talks and displays on what's being done to keep them here, 10am–3pm | 2 Strickland Street, Denmark | Saturday, 22 Aug

ACCI Social Sundowner: Networking drinks with a door prize draw, 5:30–7:30pm | Albany Motel | Wed, 19 Aug

The AI Edge: Mark Shenton from the Albany Business Centre on using AI to claw back time in your business, 5:30–7:30pm | Mount Barker CRC | Thursday, 20 Aug

The Wildflower Society's Albany branch fills St John's Hall on York Street with more than 500 labelled specimens, alongside displays of local fungi, banksias and carnivorous plants. Entry is $5.50 and goes back to the society, 9am to 5pm daily, Wednesday, 23 Sep through to Sunday, 27 Sep. Find out more.

Gilbert Wines marks the turn of the season by burning last year's vine cuttings, woven around the vine goddess. Your ticket covers a drink on arrival and the entertainment, with wine, live music and a food van on site. Tickets are $47 plus booking fee, 4:30pm to 10pm, Sunday, 27 Sep at Kendenup. Book now.

A day on the Emu Point foreshore with talks, interactive displays and stalls from the groups looking after Oyster Harbour. There are kids' activities and local entertainment too, plus ticketed boat tours out on the water. Free, 10am to 2:30pm, Saturday, 10 Oct. Check out the program.

Katanning's show hits its 135th year and the gate is free for everyone. A full day of activities and entertainment at the Katanning Leisure Centre, 9:30am through to 11pm, Saturday, 24 Oct. Check it out.

Four days of country at Mt Trio Bush Camp, opening with an outdoor movie night at 7pm on Thursday, 29 Oct and running through to Sunday, 1 Nov. Music runs 10am to 10pm Friday and Saturday, with market stalls, wine tasting, food vans and a dance floor. Your ticket covers three days of unpowered camping, and extra nights cost more. Get your tickets.

Albany's story is now a free audio app: 170 locals, 11 walking journeys, plus a listening booth at the library. Take a listen.

Plant a native tree, claim up to $150 back: Eligible Australian natives on your own block, claimed through the ServiceWA app. See what qualifies.

Mitchell Swainston's fund has passed $27k: 266 locals have chipped in for the 17-year-old apprentice, recovering in Royal Perth Hospital. Add yours.

Nominations close Monday for the Great Southern Business Awards: A business, an employee, an apprentice, or your own outfit. Nominate by 24 August.

Crave Albany has new owners: Tiarna and Michaela took the keys from Tay this week. Meet them.

Carpenter: all-round carpentry and maintenance with a workshop and weekly pay, $50–$70/hr | Lindsay Gunn Constructions | Albany

Fresh produce manager: run the fruit and veg department, from supplier relationships through to ordering, $75k–$90k plus bonus | IGA Local Grocer | Denmark

Swimming instructor: casual poolside work teaching lessons at ALAC, $41.46/hr, closes 5pm Thursday | City of Albany | Albany

288 Serpentine Road, Mount Melville: 2-bed, 1-bath on 718m². 1964 cottage with jarrah frames, stone fireplace, R30 zoning, views to the Stirlings | Offers above $670,000

3 Gairdner Road, Spencer Park: 4-bed, 2-bath on 718m². Escarpment views, 6x6m shed and side access | Offers above $725,000

43 Deane Street, Mount Barker: 3-bed, 1-bath on 2,003m². Renovated, two living areas, sunroom and a powered shed | $650,000

Renae Parsons brings home a world masters silver: The Mount Barker Hockey Club veteran played for Australia's O40 women's side at the World Masters Championships in Rotterdam. She picked up best on ground in the opening win on the way to the medal.

Kojonup's Run 4 Resilience raises $23k through the canola: 186 runners took on 21km, 10km, 5km and a kids dash along the Norrish family's farm laneways, with Joel Gray quickest over the half in 1hr 17min 59sec. Half the money stays in town to start Active Farmers classes.

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!