-
3 weeks ago | 
abc.net.au | Hayden Smith |Emily Smith
Christina Sobey sat alone in her home. More than a year after losing her husband, the 79-year-old's days were heavy and repetitive. With another long, hot summer looming, she knew it was time to act. "I needed to cut the circuit of grieving … start afresh," Ms Sobey said. In the back of her mind was a destination, though it was some 2,500 kilometres away from her home in Albury-Wodonga, on the border of New South Wales and Victoria. "It's too far, I can't go, I can't go," she thought at first.
-
1 month ago | 
abc.net.au | Hayden Smith |Emily Smith |Katrina Tap |Nadia Mitsopoulos
A surfer is missing after a shark attack at a popular beach near Esperence in Western Australia's south. A relative has confirmed the missing man was visiting from Melbourne. A search in the area will continue today but his family say they don't expect he'll be found. The family of a surfer who is missing after a shark attack off WA's south coast say they do not expect he will be found.
-
1 month ago | 
abc.net.au | Hayden Smith |Emily Smith
Authorities are responding to a reported shark attack at a popular tourist beach in Western Australia's remote south east. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) says the shark bite incident, at Duke of Orleans Bay, was reported just before 12.30pm on Monday. Two St John Ambulance crews are currently en route to the location. The bay, around 90km east of Esperance by road, sits in the Cape Le Grand National Park, and is a popular tourist destination.
-
2 months ago | 
abc.net.au | Hayden Smith
There are barely any long-term rental properties available in the popular WA coastal town of Esperance. But can an abundance of holiday homes be blamed?
-
Dec 30, 2024 | 
abc.net.au | Hayden Smith |Emily Smith
Laree and Kelvyn Bastin were looking for an adventure after their four kids flew the nest. So when they saw an advertisement for managers' roles at an outback roadhouse, about 1,200 kilometres from their Perth home, it felt like an opportunity to challenge themselves. "If we're going to do something silly, we might as well do it now," Ms Bastin, a retail manager, thought at the time. "We had to actually look Cocklebiddy up on the map.
-
Dec 6, 2024 | 
abc.net.au | Tara de Landgrafft |Hayden Smith
Helms Arboretum north of Esperance in Western Australia has been significantly damaged by fire. The location is popular among social media influencers and couples as a wedding venue. Authorities say the park will remain closed until damage is properly assessed and some areas may not be able to be saved. Brides and grooms, social media influencers and nature lovers may have to adjust their plans this summer after an iconic West Australian venue and biodiversity hotspot was damaged by fire.
-
Nov 21, 2024 | 
abc.net.au | Hayden Smith
One of the first things visitors are told upon arrival at an outback WA bird observatory — 1,200 kilometres from the nearest capital city — is to switch their watches to Tokyo time. Along the Nullarbor Plain, between Perth and the South Australian border, the Eyre Bird Observatory is Australia's oldest and most remote bird research station. It has also adopted an unofficial time zone, operating 15 minutes ahead of the nearest township, Cocklebiddy, and one hour ahead of Perth.
-
Nov 14, 2024 | 
abc.net.au | Hayden Smith
Today marks three months since William Wadsworth, 76, went missing in outback WA. His family are desperate to know what happened to the Vietnam veteran, believing he could have met with foul play. Police say an investigation is ongoing. The loved ones of a Vietnam veteran missing in remote Western Australia have implored authorities to continue searching for the 76-year-old.
-
Nov 5, 2024 | 
abc.net.au | Emily Smith |Tara de Landgrafft |Hayden Smith
Final plans for a controversial new marine park on Western Australia's south coast have been released, with fewer fishing restrictions than first outlined. The massive South Coast Marine Park will span from Bremer Bay to the South Australian border when it takes effect in late 2026. Speaking in Esperance this morning, WA Environment Minister Reece Whitby said 20 per cent of the 1.3-million-hectare marine park would be no-catch sanctuary zones.
-
Nov 1, 2024 | 
abc.net.au | Hayden Smith
Mining billionaire Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest has withdrawn from a bid to purchase Australia's largest sheep station with the goal of turning it into a green energy hub. Mr Forrest's Fortescue Metals Group first indicated its intention to acquire the 1-million-hectare Rawlinna Station, 1000km east of Perth, on the Nullarbor Plain, in April 2023.
