🌄 No Bluff News #43

G'day {{first_name | Friend}}! We're back with edition 43 of No Bluff News – your weekly wrap of positive local news, weekend plans, and all the community highlights you care about.

Here's what's in store:

Alright, let's crack on!

It was proclaimed in 1926. Friends of the Porongurup Range are marking the hundred years with a programme running through November.

An exhibition at Porongurup Hall from the 14th, ecology talks on the 22nd, and a commemoration at the Karri boya-k picnic area on the 28th.

But you don't have to wait until November. The wildflowers are out now, and Castle Rock and the Granite Skywalk are about as good a walk as you'll get this time of year.

It's the Great Southern's spring wildflower festival. Last year Bloom pulled 12,607 people through these towns. This year it opens free at Woodanilling on Saturday, 11am, with markets and food on the rec centre lawn.

From there it's five weeks and more than 50 events, from Kojonup out to Pingrup, down to Bremer Bay and across to Frankland River. Open gardens, wildflower walks, Noongar cultural experiences, wine tastings, art and craft.

It finishes 11 October. Pick a couple and make a day of it.

The Albany artist calls Numen a multimedia song cycle, and it's about this coast. It begins with the largest structure in the universe and finishes somewhere in the deep future.

Six parts get you there. The Earth forming. The Menang six seasons of Kinjarling. The European four arriving after them. Now. And what might come next. Glenn Rogers and Steve Richter wrote the score.

Three screens at the Town Hall, 17 September to 14 October.

Council approved it last month. The quote to extend Skinner Pavilion came in at $397k. The Turf Club only had $190k.

So they got resourceful. They found a second-hand demountable to join onto the pavilion, and they're paying for it themselves. It has to be in by the first race meeting on 11 December.

The venues are half the fun. Borden Primary's in the post office. Gnowangerup's in the community resource centre. Elleker's in the general store, Braeside Primary's in Peter Rundle's electorate office, and two Albany schools got Bunnings.

The trail runs 26 September to 11 October. Go and see what they've made.

It's in this year's budget and the approvals are through. Family-friendly up to advanced, going in a couple of trails at a time.

Mount Hallowell was the original site. The community asked for it to move, and a heritage survey done with Wagyl Kaip Southern Noongar representatives gave Turner Road the tick. You can follow the build.

That's 2017/18 against last season. Camp and cooking fires went the same way, six down to none, and firebreak compliance across the Shire has climbed from half the properties to 87 per cent.

That's people doing the work. Check what your own block needs before summer.

She's deaf and arthritic and still out there doing the work. Vaux calls her devoted. She's not alone either. Another Great Southern farm dog, Bundy, is 13 and still going.

Young kelpies get the limelight around here. The old ones just know the job.

Healthy Women, Strong Communities: Cervical screening session over morning tea, with prizes and giveaways, 10:30–11:30am. Free | City of Albany | Friday, 11 Sep

St John Community Open Day: Meet the volunteers and book a behind-the-scenes building tour, 10am–2pm. Free | St John Albany | Saturday, 12 Sep

Harrington Circus: Aerials, clowns and magic under the big top, 7pm, under-3s free, from $20 | Mount Barker | Thursday, 10 to Sunday, 13 Sep

Albany Farmers Market: Produce, baked goods and breakfast straight from the growers, 8am–12pm | Collie Street, Albany | Saturday, 12 Sep

Albany Boatshed Markets: Local produce, gourmet food, Great Southern wines and live music, 9am–1pm | Albany Boatshed | Sunday, 13 Sep

Kingfisher Fair and Open Day: Laserscape, giant inflatables, carriage rides, a pet parade and mini golf, 11am–3pm | Great Southern Grammar | Sunday, 13 Sep

Kingfisher Concert: More than 160 students from Years 1 to 12 across jazz, pop, rock, folk and classical, 7pm, $29.50 | Albany Entertainment Centre | Thursday, 10 Sep

Polly: Indie rock, free entry, 18-plus, 8:30–11pm | Six Degrees Goldroom | Friday, 11 Sep

Emily Barker: Songs across 13 albums plus poems from her two books, with guitarist Luke Dux, 6:30–9pm, $25 or $20 concession | Denmark ArtsHouse | Saturday, 12 Sep

Dig the Dust: Saturday night rock, free entry, 8:30–11pm | Six Degrees Goldroom | Saturday, 12 Sep

Lighthouse Sessions: Section Attack launch their new work with 1080 supporting, hardcore and metal, free, 9pm | Wilson's Brewery | Saturday, 12 Sep

Martin Lee Cropper: Solo set through the afternoon, everyone welcome, 1–4pm | Karribank, Porongurup | Sunday, 13 Sep

Friday-night Texas Smokehouse Feast: Brisket, pulled pork, Diablo chicken and Southern sides, seats limited so RSVP, 5:15–9:30pm | Rock Salt | Friday, 11 Sep

Saturday Big Seafood Bash: Seafood buffet the night after the smokehouse, same kitchen, 5:15–9:30pm | Rock Salt | Saturday, 12 Sep

Between the Mountain and the Sea: Wellstead's history in photographs, artefacts and personal stories, 10am–4pm. Free | City of Albany | Until Monday, 21 Sep

Tale of Four Whales: Dr Kate Sprogis, Dr Lynette Knapp and Shandell Cummings on science and Menang history together, 5:30–6:30pm | UWA Albany | Thursday, 10 Sep

Author Talk, Gillian O'Shaughnessy: On her short story collection Salt City Runaway, with books and signing, 5:30–6:30pm | Albany Public Library | Thursday, 10 Sep

Poetry and Songwriting with Emily Barker: Finding your voice, dodging cliché and editing, 10am–12pm, $30 or $25 concession | Denmark ArtsHouse | Sunday, 13 Sep

Wilbinga, Screening and Q&A: Documentary on the the proposed Wilbinga National Park, 5:45–8pm | Denmark Environment Centre | Monday, 14 Sep

Albany Kayak Festival: Sprints from 2pm Saturday, then disatance races from 8am Sunday. Free come and try | Albany Rowing Club | Saturday, 12 and Sunday, 13 Sep

Kwoorabup Community Park Planting Day: Plant native seedlings and take some wattle home for your own garden, 9am–12pm. Free | Shire of Denmark | Sunday, 13 Sep

WOW Trail Social Ride: Denmark MTB Club ride out from Ocean Beach with the Bens Place coffee van waiting at Lights Beach, 9am. | Ocean Beach | Sunday, 13 Sep

GSFL Grand Final: Albany v Royals for the flag, 2:30pm | McLean Oval | Saturday, 12 Sep

Kojonup v Bridgetown: Lower South West Football League final, 2:05pm | Pemberton Oval | Saturday, 12 Sep

Albany Netball Preliminary Finals: Royals 1 v Kangas 1 at 12:30pm, then Magpies 2 v Royals 2 at 2pm | ALAC | Saturday, 12 Sep

Lindsay Dean and his sons take you along the banks of Oyster Harbour hunting fish, crab and shellfish the old way, then you eat the lot with damper around the campfire. Two hours, $10, Wednesday 30 September from 10am. Book now.

Thousands of locals will walk the foreshore from Emu Point to Binalup on 7 November, each carrying a lantern they made themselves. This is where you make yours. Free, 11am to 12:30pm, Monday 5 October. Grab a spot.

The Museum of the Great Southern marks the bicentenary with watercolours of this country, from early colonial sketches through to work made this year. Free, 15 to 28 October. See what's in it.

A free family day built around the quenda, the southern brown bandicoot still turning up in backyards across the Great Southern. Saturday 24 October, 9am to 1pm. Details here.

The Show is on 13 November, but the horticulture entries are open now. Pot plants, hanging baskets, bonsai, roses, vegetables and fruit, plus Australian natives and a children's section. Council has just locked in three years of funding for it. Enter now.

The Bibbulmun Track wants photos for its 2027 calendar: Anything shot along the track, entries close 30 October. Submit yours.

Denmark's asking where food vans and market stalls should trade: Ocean Beach, Prawn Rock Channel, Berridge Park and Lights Beach are on the list. Have your say.

Denmark has $30k in community grants open: For community activation and minor infrastructure by local not-for-profits. Apply by 28 September.

Katanning's taking Community Citizen of the Year nominations: Individuals, young people, seniors, and community groups or events. Nominate someone.

Redgum Hill Orchard is bottling its own juice: Single-variety apple and pear, unpasteurised, from an orchard growing fruit since 1912. Find them Saturday.

Albany's getting a pelvic health and continence physio from October: Flourish runs out of Women's Health Great Southern, for women, men and kids. See the services.

One of Albany's early dairies is becoming a tasting room: Barrel Farm is keeping the original features, opening around November. Follow the build.

Chef supervisor: run the kitchen at the prison, $123,139 to $125,337 plus 12 per cent super, closes 14 September | Department of Justice | Mount Barker

Horticulture lecturer: teach the trade half-time, up to $124,271 pro rata with eight weeks leave, closes 16 September | South Regional TAFE | Denmark

Carpenter: maintenance and construction across port infrastructure, $64.71 an hour plus super, closes 5 October | Southern Ports | Albany

15 McLeod Street, Mira Mar: 3-bed, 1-bath on a fully serviced 978m² R25 block. Subdivision potential, and a second storey would get you the ocean | $825,000+

101 Elizabeth Street, Lower King: 4-bed, 2-bath on 688m². Fully renovated, two living areas, sheds and workshop, side access for the boat, 300m to Oyster Harbour | From $799,000

81 Hassell Street, Mount Barker: 4-bed, 2-bath on 992m². Built in 2022, two separate living areas | $789,000

Royals edge Railways by six to reach the grand final: Railways had the better of the attacking stats and still went out, with Royals holding on in the preliminary final to set up Saturday against Albany.

Kojonup's second half books an A-grade grand final berth: Down at the main break, Kojonup came back to beat Olympians 52-42 in the Katanning Netball Association preliminary final, and now meet Allstars for the flag.

Two leagues, two back-to-back medallists: Ryley Valli took his second H.B. Kleemann Medal with 26 votes, nine clear of the field, with brother Teague third in his first season at Railways. Up the road, Wickepin's Dion Anthony won the Upper Great Southern's Leo Graham Medal for the second year running.

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.

Good luck to Royals and Albany on Saturday.

See you next Tuesday!