🌄 No Bluff News #9: Junior cricketers dominate Country Week, Gnowangerup Hotel revamp begins & summer events everywhere

G'day {{first_name | Friend}}! Today we’ve got edition nine of No Bluff News – your weekly wrap of positive local news, weekend plans, and all the community highlights you actually care about.

What's coming your way:

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Great Southern junior cricketers brought home three titles from CSBP Junior Country Week in Perth, with five teams making grand finals across the age groups.

Albany's Under-14A squad chased down Peel Country's 132 with nine wickets in hand, while Upper Great Southern's Under-14B and Under-14C teams both brought home wins. Albany's Under-16A team and Great Southern's Under-16B side picked up silver medals in tight contests.

The region fielded multiple teams and made five grand finals - a ripper result that shows the depth of talent coming through. The young guns did the Great Southern proud.

The GNP360 co-operative took over the Gnowangerup Hotel on 1 December and has already ripped out asbestos and started earthworks to turn the old pub into a community hub.

The group is targeting accommodation, a common area and local jobs as part of a wider recreational precinct. They've landed $25,000 from the Bunya Fund and $10,000 from FRRR, are selling $500 shares to locals, and have a $7 million federal grant application in the works.

The co-op has already shown what locals working together can achieve - they shifted 1,200 tonnes of grain in seven hours. Now they're calling for volunteers and equipment to help with the six-month initial phase while the hotel stays closed for renovations.

Albany's Avenue of Honour at Mt Clarence has reopened after a community-led upgrade, with a new winding pathway and native plantings making the memorial plaques easier to reach.

The project brought together the RSL, City of Albany, Veterans Assist, APEX, Southern Regional TAFE, Farmer Family descendants, Pardelup Prison Farm participants and local businesses.

A volunteer program is now in place to keep the avenue cared for alongside the City's maintenance. Vietnam veteran Geoff McNeill reckons the space helps him remember mates lost in service: "It's important that we remember these people."

Walpole Nornalup volunteers pulled off the first major rescue on the newly opened Giants Trail late Sunday, with eight crew from St John, SES, Fire & Rescue and DBCA carrying an injured mountain biker 350m down steep terrain.

The trail winds from Tree Top Walk to the Visitor Centre through National Park. It's already drawing visitors, and local volunteers showed they're ready to keep them safe.

Albany's Greg Sharp has stacked 50 pinball machines in his shed and wants to open them as a public, playable museum. He's hunting rare Bally-Williams titles from 1986 to 1999.

Sharp runs local competitions that are attracting a new generation of players and growing WA's pinball community.

Albany Motorsport Park has wrapped up stage 1 of its sealed northern circuit after more than 20 years - a 1km, 12-metre-wide track forming the first section of a planned 3.25km circuit.

Once permits come through, it'll host motorsport events, cycling and driver training. Albany Motocross pulled in hundreds of competitors and spectators in its first year.

Gnowangerup Shire has landed a big boost in Regional Road Group grants (up from $114k to $530k) and is fast-tracking plans for up to 13 staff housing units to attract workers.

The shire is also lobbying over the $350k annual GP cost eating into rates, while a $50,000 grant will fund sport and recreation programs. Council says it's rebuilding basics while setting the town up for growth.

Disabled Surfers Association Great Southern is calling for volunteers for its 2026 sessions on 14 February, 28 March and 18 April at Middleton Beach. Set-up starts 7.30am, surfers hit the water at 9.30am, then everyone shares a free barbecue.

President Kerry Oakley reckons the event's been running eight years and they're always after fresh faces to help on the sand, in the water or cooking snags. "We call it putting smiles on dials."

Eclipse Events: Summer market showcasing local stalls, food and family-friendly vibes, 9am–2pm | Albany Town Square | Saturday, 17 Jan

Fiddy-Fiddy Festival '26: Albany Snake Run's 50th with a skate jam, BBQ and a shed party featuring local bands | Snake Run, 9B Ashford St | Saturday, 17 Jan

Come Try Badminton: Intro to badminton for ages 6+, parents welcome, bring water and enclosed shoes, 1:30pm | Albany Leisure & Aquatic Centre | Wednesday, 14 Jan

Stop Motion 2: Make objects come to life by creating your own stop-motion video, 10.30–11.30am | Denmark Public Library | Thursday, 15 Jan

Make a Terracotta Dinosaur: Kids 6-11 hands-on pottery workshop guided by Rosy Kerr to make a terracotta dinosaur, 9–10.30am | Vancouver Arts Centre | Friday, 16 Jan

Soccer Skills & Drills: Football West session for 6–8-year-olds to build skills and confidence, $5, 9:30–10:30am | Albany Indoor Centre | Friday, 16 Jan

Make a Terracotta Octopus with Rosy Kerr: Teens 12-17 will handbuild a terracotta octopus and learn basic pottery, 9–11am | Vancouver Arts Centre | Saturday, 17 Jan

BMX, Scooter & Skate workshops: Hands-on coaching for riders of all levels (beginner and intermediate sessions), $5, 8:30am–5pm | Youth Challenge Park | Saturday, 17 Jan

Stitch a Sea Creature: Kids sew ocean-themed felt creatures using safe plastic needles and pre-cut pieces, 10am–2pm | Historic Whaling Station | Mon to Thurs, 19–22 Jan

Create the Space: drama activities designed for young creatives to explore how setting shapes story, $75 ticket covers the week | Albany Entertainment Centre | Mon, 19 Jan

Little Builders at CPC: building session for kids 3+, exploring construction and making monsters, 10:30–11:30am | Child and Parent Centre Mt Lockyer | Tuesday, 20 Jan

Mingle with Singles: Casual meet-up for singles at Rockcliffe Winery, 5:30–9pm | Rockcliffe Winery, 18 Hamilton Road, Scotsdale | Friday, 16 Jan

A Tribute to the Eras of Taylor Swift Music: Fan-led tribute with full band and dancers performing 20+ hits from every era, 7pm | Albany Entertainment Centre | Friday, 16 Jan

The Nomadics supported by Charling: Soul‑infused, harmony‑driven country and folk featuring Charling, 7–9pm | Uniting Church, 12 Duke St, Albany | Friday, 16 Jan

House Concert w/ The Nomadics & Charling: Intimate listening house concert; BYO drinks and tucker, 7–9pm | 1/144 Peace St, Shadforth | Saturday, 17 Jan

Albany Blues Club featuring Triple Shot and the Southern Right Blues Band: Three hours of local Rhythm & Blues, 7:30–10:30pm | Albany Blues Club | Saturday, 17 Jan

Rob.V @ Wilson's Brewery: Rob.V returns for a relaxed Saturday night of live music, great food and brewery beers, 8–11pm | Wilson's Brewery Bar | Saturday, 17 Jan

RNB SOUL TRAIN: Local duo serving soulful acoustic originals and RnB covers in a relaxed bar setting, free entry, 4–7pm | Due South | Sunday, 18 Jan

Tony King | Live At Wilson's Brewery: Wilson's Brewery Lighthouse Sessions featuring singer-songwriter Tony King, 8–11pm | Wilson's Brewery Bar | Sunday, 18 Jan

Listening Fields: Homegrown celebration of experimental sound, field recording and improvisation, 4pm (doors 3:30pm), $20 | Denmark Arts | Sunday, 18 Jan

The Albany Shantymen: Rousing night of traditional sea shanties and crowd sing-alongs, 7:30–9:00pm | Six Degrees Albany | Saturday, 20 Jan

Make Your Own Woollen Blanket Oven Glove: Join Laura Westerberg from Is Olde for a hand-stitching workshop, 5.30–7.30pm | Albany Public Library | Thursday, 15 Jan

How the Beatles Changed the World: Film screening exploring the Beatles' cultural, social and musical revolution, 1.30–3.30pm | Albany Public Library | Friday, 16 Jan

Gabriel Evans Workshops: Two-session creative workshops with Gabriel Evans for adults and ages 8–16, 9.30am–12pm | Mount Barker Public Library | Tuesday, 20 Jan

Kelvin Sobey Memorial/Super Sedan Classic: Speedway racing night junior, production, street stock and super sedan classes, 4–11pm | Mt Barker Speedway | Saturday, 17 Jan

Social Mixed Netball Registration: registrations open for Social Mixed Netball; season starts 5 Feb with Thursday games, 5–9pm | ALAC | Monday, 19 Jan

Men's Fours Carnival: Two-day men's fours bowls carnival where you can register and enjoy country hospitality, all day | Mt Barker | Tues, 20 Jan & Wed, 21 Jan

Katanning Scouts registrations open: Limited spots for Joeys (5), Cubs (3), Scouts (6) and Venturers (3), plus seeking adult leaders. Register now.

Dig into Albany's maritime history: Southern Ports is running five community archaeological digs at the Port of Albany Pilot Station from 23–25 January.

Albany Library stationery swap: Drop off, swap or pick up pens, pencils, rulers and exercise books in good condition from 12–31 January at Albany Public Library.

Anzac Peace Park Jetty Closed After Safety Inspection: The City of Albany want locals to share how they use the jetty to help shape a future council decision.

Eve Open Mic Night: Local bands wanted for 30-minute sets in intimate late-night gig, limited spots available. | Eve Late Night Bar, Albany | Friday, 16 Jan

Sonder responder: provide on-the-ground safety, medical and mental health support on a flexible, paid on-call roster | Sonder | Albany

Event set-up team member: Join a busy local crew to set up and pack down events, a hands-on physical outdoor role with mainly weekday hours | Albany Event Hire | Albany

Internal sales: serve trade and retail customers; stable FT role in brand-new premises; attractive proft-share scheme (electrical experience preferred) | MM Electrical | Albany

5 Charles Street, Katanning: 3-bed, 1-bath on 1,113m². Solid 1950s double-brick and tile. Big block with side/rear laneway access, shed, carport and garage | $399,000

9 Harlequin Street, Denmark: 4-bed, 2-bath on 755m². Brick home (2001) with bright open-plan kitchen/living, new flooring, renovated bathroom | $895,000

237 Perkins Beach Road, Torbay: 4-bed, 1-bath on 17.57ha. Rustic beachfront cottage ~300m to Perkins Beach, multiple sheds, solid fencing, 3 car spaces | $2,200,000

🏏 Albany dominates revamped Great Southern T20 Carnival

Senior cricket returned to Albany last weekend with the revamped Great Southern Carnival, where teams from Esperance, Great Southern, Warren-Blackwood and Busselton took on two ADCA representative sides across two days of T20 action at Centennial Park.

Albany's ADCA 1 side topped ADCA 2 by eight runs (8/125 to 8/117) in Sunday's grand final after six rounds of cricket. The carnival revives a historic event that ran for decades until the 1990s, bringing regional senior cricket back to Albany as preparation for country week.

🚤 Albany Water Ski Club hosts state series on the Kalgan

Albany Water Ski Club pulled off a smooth weekend hosting round two of the Malibu WA State Series on the Kalgan River, with waterskiers from across WA competing in slalom and trick events across five divisions.

The field ranged from early teens right through to a 79-year-old who's been skiing for 65 years. Commodore David McCracken reckons it all ran smoothly because everyone pitched in, and the club says it's open to all abilities and keen for new people to come have a go.

And that's a wrap!

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Catch you next Tuesday!