G'day {{first_name | Friend}}! We're back with edition 46 of No Bluff News. The kids are home for the next two weeks, so we've packed this one with things to do. Here's the news, and everything that's on.
What's coming your way today:
A federal grant is paying for the roads and parks in Lockyer's newest estate
The Kalgan firefighter who's been in brigades since 1970
Kids can catch and cook their own lunch on Oyster Harbour this Wednesday.
The old Wignalls cellar door reopens this Sunday. Heading out?
Let's get into it!
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
✈️ Albany Airport's runway rebuild is locked in for January
Source: City of Albany via Facebook
Albany councillors awarded the contract to rebuild the airport runway last Tuesday night, and work starts in January. At $43 million, it's the biggest single job in the City's budget this year.
The new pavement is designed to take jets the size of a Boeing 737. Right now the biggest plane landing here is the Fokker 100 on the FIFO run.
The runway will shut for up to three 12-day stretches, with dates still to come, and it's all finished by March.
🎶 The old Wignalls is now South Coast Social Club
Source: Paul Nelson via Facebook
The cellar door on Chester Pass Road opens its gates this Sunday for the first of three Sunday sessions. Each runs from 12 to 6pm, with local wine, live music, and gin and wood-fired pizza taking turns.
Denmark winemakers Paul and Bianca Nelson leased the place when the Wignalls retired their label last year. These Sundays are their soft launch, and before the first one they're dropping 100 invitations into Albany letterboxes. Check yours.
Buy a carton on any of the Sundays and you get a voucher for the bar at the official opening.
🏡 Lockyer and Bayonet Head could get about 240 house lots
Source: City of Albany via their website
Albany councillors voted last Tuesday night to take two new housing estates to public comment, about 240 lots between them.
McAlpine Rise in Lockyer is 107 lots averaging about 500m². The $14 million federal grant paying for its roads and parks comes with a condition that it supports affordable housing. The first lots go on sale in mid to late 2027.
Bayonet Head's 130-odd lots sit next to the existing estate off Elizabeth Street, around a park with a fenced playground and BBQs. The bush to the south, home to ringtail possums and quenda, stays as it is.
COMMUNITY DIGEST
🎟️ A cancelled dentist appointment won Albany twins $1 million
Albany twin brothers have just won $1 million on Millionaire Medley, 19 months after winning Set for Life. Both tickets came from Clark's on York Street.
One brother's dentist appointment was cancelled, so he bought a ticket, then realised he'd forgotten his usual numbers and went back for a second. That one won. Set for Life bought their sister's house. This one pays it off, then buys two caravans.
🍷 Two of WA's top wine honours just went to the Great Southern
Porongurup's Castle Rock Estate has just won the trophy for best wines of provenance at the Perth Royal Food Awards. The category judges how riesling ages, and theirs spanned 2011, 2018 and 2024.
Frankland Estate co-founder Judi Cullam also took WA wine's Jack Mann Medal. She and her late husband planted at Frankland River in 1988, when few outside WA knew the place.
🚒 Don Tomlinson is stepping off the fire truck at 80
Kalgan's Don Tomlinson got a plaque in Albany last Tuesday for 36 years in Great Southern fire brigades. He's been in brigades since 1970.
"The only reason I've given up is because I'm 80 now and I don't think I should be on the fire truck," he says. Most of the job is dragging hoses and cleaning up afterwards. The mates are why you do it, he says.
🧵 Albany's own gnome maker is on the Art Trail
Anne Sparrow's handmade fabric gnomes are on show at Handasydes Café for the Southern Art and Craft Trail until 11 October.
They've been posted to New York, Alaska, Switzerland and Hong Kong. Her partner Steve cuts all the fabric, and she says she couldn't sew as many without him. An artist is working at Handasydes every day of the trail.
🐳 A whale and her calf joined an evening fish at Cheynes Beach
Mathew Wilson filmed them off Three Stripes rock, near Cheynes Beach, earlier this month.
His running commentary sums it up: "Crazy... huge whale... absolutely amazing." Whale season on the south coast runs into October, so there's still time to see one from shore.
WHAT’S ON
🎒 SCHOOL HOLIDAYS
The kids are back at school on 12 October, and Albany and Denmark both have programs on. In Albany, 10 to 17-year-olds can fish and crab on Oyster Harbour with Kaarl Wirn, then cook their catch with damper ($10, Wednesday). ALAC fills the pool with inflatables on Tuesday, Wednesday and Monday 5 October ($10). In Denmark, $5 gets kids into come-and-try volleyball, table tennis against a new robot at the Rec Centre, or a geocaching hunt at Kwoorabup Community Park.
🕯️ COMMUNITY
Great Southern Noongar Festival: Cultural dancers, live music, damper making, Noongar art & kids' activities, 11am–3pm. Free | Alison Hartman Gardens | Thurs, 1 Oct
Cranbrook turns 100: A centenary exhibition of Shire memorabilia, wildflowers and stories, 10am–2pm. Free | Gillamii Centre, Cranbrook | Friday, 2 to Sunday, 4 Oct
👨👩👧👦 FAMILY FUN
Bornholm Family Fun Day: Jamie the Clown, a bouncy castle, face painting, craft and a sausage sizzle, as part of the Art Trail, 10am–2pm. Free | Bornholm Hall | Friday, 2 Oct
Albany Farmers Market: Local growers, coffee and live music in the CBD, 8am–12pm | Collie Street, Albany | Saturday, 3 Oct
Albany Boatshed Markets: Growers, makers, cooking demos and Great Southern wine by the water, 9am–1pm | Albany Boatshed | Sunday, 4 Oct
Lucinda's Everlastings Open Day: Walk through the everlasting fields and take a bunch home for a $5 donation, 10am–5pm. Free entry | Mobrup, near Kojonup | Sunday, 4 Oct
Sunday Sundae Bar: Build your own sundae with vanilla or chocolate ice cream and 10-plus toppings, 12–7pm, $6–$15 | Wilson Brewing Co | Sunday, 4 Oct
🛝 FOR KIDS
Circus and aerials have-a-go: Beginner circus for ages 5 to 14 ($15), then aerial silks and trapeze for ages 8 and up ($17), 10am–4pm | Southern Edge Arts | Wednesday, 30 Sep
Emma Memma's Jungle Picnic: 40min of songs and dancing for little ones, with Auslan interpretation, 10am, $42.50 | Albany Entertainment Centre | Thursday, 1 Oct
Frog Friendly Backyards: Learn about local frogs and FrogID, then build a frog hotel to take home, 9:30am–2pm. Free, bookings needed | Elleker Hall | Saturday, 3 Oct
🎭 ADULTS ONLY
Oktoberfest at the Premier: German food specials and German beer on tap in the sports bar, from 11am. Free entry | Premier Hotel | Friday, 2 to Sunday, 4 Oct
Oktoberfest at Rockcliffe: Beer, bratwurst, pizza, wine and live music, with a prize for the best dressed, from 11am. Free entry | Rockcliffe | Saturday, 3 Oct
Scent and Sip: A tasting of eight Great Southern wines in a spring garden, and you make a bouquet to take home, 2:30–5pm, $110 | Whooley Hill, Ocean Beach | Saturday, 3 Oct
Daytime Disco: 80s, 90s and 00s anthems with confetti and giveaways, 6pm | Eve Late Night Bar | Saturday, 3 Oct
🎵 MUSIC
Matt Black and The Two Timers: Rock trio, 6–9pm | The Earl of Spencer | Friday, 2 Oct
RnB Soul Train: RnB and soul through the afternoon, from 4pm | Boston Brewing Co, Denmark | Saturday, 3 Oct
Mister Sister and Kwooradub: Denmark Arts' last gig of 2026, 6:30–9:30pm, $25 or $10 for under-18s | Denmark ArtsHouse | Saturday, 3 Oct
Adam Grok: Homegrown folk, 5–8pm | The Earl of Spencer | Sunday, 4 Oct
The Albany Shantymen: Sea songs in the front bar, 7:30–9pm. Free | Six Degrees | Tuesday, 6 Oct
🎨 ARTS AND CULTURE
A Taste of Ireland: Live Irish music and dance from former world champions, 7:30pm, tickets from $65 | Albany Entertainment Centre | Tuesday, 29 Sep
Paperbark Book Club with Sasha Wasley: The author talks about The Society of Literary Marauders, with audience Q&A, 6–7pm | Six Degrees | Wednesday, 30 Sep
Wildflower Embroidery Workshop: Stitch your own wildflower design, with equipment and afternoon tea provided, 2–5pm, $25 | Borden Pavilion | Sunday, 4 Oct
Carrying the Fire lantern workshop: Make a lantern to carry in the 7 November procession, for ages 18 to 25, 11am–12:30pm. Free | Southern Edge Arts | Monday, 5 Oct
Fiona McArthur in conversation: The author talks about her new novel The Featherwood Beekeeper, 2–3pm. Free | City of Albany | Tuesday, 6 Oct
🏉 SPORT
WA Bike Month: Rides around Albany, including a women's cycling program, a story ride and scoot, Ride 2 Work Day and a bike film night | City of Albany | From Thursday, 1 Oct
AFGRI Albany 7s: RugbyWA's biggest junior 7s tournament, from under-8s to under-15s, from 8:15am | Centennial Park Eastern Pavilion | Saturday, 3 to Sunday, 4 Oct
ON YOUR RADAR
🌼 MT BARKER WILDFLOWER & NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION
Local photographers' wildflower and nature shots fill Frost Pavilion in Mount Barker for ten days, from Friday 16 October to Sunday 25 October. Entries closed in September, so what's on the walls is this year's full competition field. Details here.
🤠 MOUNTAIN COUNTRY MUSIC MUSTER
James Blundell headlines this year's Muster at Mt Trio, with Paul Costa, Connie Kis Andersen, Rogue Pony, and Tammy and Simon London also on the bill. It runs Thursday 29 October to Sunday 1 November under the Stirling Range, and $198 covers the music plus three nights of unpowered camping. Mt Trio is closed to everyone but ticket holders that weekend. Tickets here.
🎃 HALLOWEEN AT BOSTON
Boston Brewing in Denmark is doing Halloween on Saturday 31 October, with face painting, trick-or-treat lolly bags for the kids, and costumes encouraged for everyone. Nikki C and The Flight Risk play from 4pm. See the details.
🏇 MELBOURNE CUP DAY
The Cup runs on Tuesday 3 November, and three local spots have it covered. The Albany Italian Club has just 70 seats for its lunch from 11am, $50 or $40 for members, with a grazing table, sweeps and a best hat prize. The Premier Hotel screens it free in the sports bar, with grazing boards to pre-order, and Boston Brewing in Denmark is taking table bookings.
🎸 NEWFARM, NEW COUNTRY
NewFarm's campground has sold out for the festival on 6 to 8 November, but Saturday and weekend tickets are still on sale. Twenty acts play near Bow Bridge, minutes from Greens Pool, including Kangaroos With Machine Guns, Charlie Mgee and a Saturday nightfall set from Rachael Dease. Weekend ticket holders can stay nearby. Tickets here.
COMMUNITY NOTICE BOARD
📢 PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Local groups can get up to $100k for projects backing women and girls: Smaller one-off grants go up to $10k. Applications close 3pm, 28 October. See who's eligible.
The Crown Princess opens Albany's cruise season on 16 October: It's the first of 13 ship visits, bringing about 17,000 passengers by April. See the ship schedule.
Albany's new indoor soccer comp closes EOIs on Thursday: Five-a-side over ten weeks, with nights for masters, mixed, women's and men's teams. Get your squad in.
Albany's Christmas Pageant is taking floats for Saturday 5 December: Schools, clubs, businesses and community groups can all enter one. Enter a float.
📣 BUSINESS ANNOUNCEMENTS
💻 BUSINESS OF THE WEEK
There's an IT business that will drive to the farm and not charge you for the trip
If your laptop, Wi-Fi or printer plays up, Sammy IT will come to you, at home, at work or out on the farm. Travel is included in the price, which starts at $129 for the first hour.
It's run by cousins Anakin Smithers and Allan Walkerden, who started it in 2025. Anakin spent years as a systems administrator in corporate IT, and they look after homes, farms and small businesses across Albany, the Great Southern, the Wheatbelt and the South West.
Their promise is tech support without the jargon.
Denmark's Christmas Festival wants stallholders, food vans and bands: Free to take part, Saturday 12 December at McLean Oval, carols included. Register your interest.
Karribank wants a local band for New Year's Eve: Classics people can dance to, at the Porongurup retreat on Thursday 31 December. Get in touch.
🛠️ JOBS
Food and beverage attendant: part-time across the hotel's dining outlets, with weekend and public holiday shifts | Hilton Garden Inn | Albany
Spa therapist: massage, facials and body treatments, 15 to 38 hours a week, from $40 an hour | Chimes Spa Retreat | Denmark
Customer service officer: part-time at the community bank branch, Monday to Friday, closes 9 October | Community Bank Mt Barker | Mount Barker
🏡 REAL ESTATE
28 Miramar Road, Mira Mar: 5-bed, 2-bath on 1,575m². Views across Oyster Harbour and King George Sound, renovated in 2016 | Mid to high $1m's
117 Albany Highway, Mount Melville: 2-bed, 1-bath on 653m². 1920s home with jarrah floors and high ceilings, 450m from York Street | Offers above $799,000
49 Le Grande Avenue, McKail: 5-bed, 2-bath on 1.55ha. Zoning and approvals for up to 10 lots, two big sheds | Offers above $1,450,000
🏅 SPORTS
OG's turn the tables in a five-set final: The OG's beat reigning premiers Wrenegades 15-13 in the fifth set to take the Albany Volleyball Association's men's Premier League, and the Pirates won the women's final in five as well. A record 53 teams played this season, with junior teams up from six to 16.
Kojonup's Sheridan Kowald is the KNA's best A-grader: The Kojonup shooter took the A-grade fairest and best at the Katanning Netball Association's season awards, edging Allstars' Lara Rodney in a tight count.
Did today’s news feel just right, or was it a tad rocky?
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.
Enjoy the school holidays, and good luck to all the parents keeping the kids busy.
Catch you next Tuesday!
