Dony Black

Perth's most tightly-held suburbs

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 20 Oktober 2013 | 22.16

Tracy Booth, with her son Curtis (16) and grandson Jaxon Gate (7 months), has lived in Gnangara for over 10 years Picture: Marie Nirme Source: PerthNow

A SECRET millionaire enclave in Perth's northern suburbs is one of the city's most loved areas residents don't want to leave.

Residents of Gnangara, wedged between Wangara and the Gnangara-Moore River State Forrest, hold onto their properties for an average of 14.3 years, the latest RP Data figures show.

That's almost six years longer than the average time Perth residents will spend in a property.

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The semi-rural suburb, with a population of just more than 1000 people, took out the top spot for Perth's most tightly held suburb jointly with Herne Hill.

Its median house price was $1m as of June 2013, the data shows.

The cheapest properties sell for about $850,000, while the most expensive go for between $3.5m and $4m, local property agents said.

* CLICK ON A SUBURB BELOW TO SEE STATS ON THE TOP 25

Davey Real Estate director Sam Hedges described the suburb as leafy with "large, architecturally-designed type homes" on properties between two and a half and ten acres in size.

But aside from the locals not many people know about Gnangara - the suburb does not even feature in the Real Estate Institute of WA's interactive list of Perth suburbs because it is considered a "lifestyle living" area with properties more than one hectare.

Resident Tracy Booth, who has lived in Gnangara with her husband and five children since 2003, said friends and visitors were often surprised by the area when they visited.

"When we moved here I had a friend who said 'Why on earth would you move from Hillarys to Gnangara?" Ms Booth said.

"When she came and visited … she said 'what a fabulous spot'."

The Booth family moved from Manchester, England 16 years ago and rented in Scarborough and lived in Hillarys for two years before they decided they needed more space to raise their young children.

The home they picked in Gnangara was a four-bedroom, two-bathroom Colonial style house on almost three acres.

"It gave the kids freedom to be children," Ms Booth said.

"They could get dirty and play but you always knew they were safe on the property."

The space has also allowed the family to add three bedrooms, a guest house and an indoor pool, among other renovations.

Ms Booth said the family's 10 years in Gnangara was the longest they had lived anywhere.

"We've always had itchy feet; we used to buy houses then move on within about two years in England," she said.

The Booth family's neighbours are also long-time residents; the newest ones moved in five years ago.

"We don't live in each other's pockets but everyone is really friendly," she said.

"We all get together about three times a year to catch up."

Mr Hedges said Gnangara's residents were mostly self-employed with businesses which operated heavy machinery.

"They like to house their gear on their property; they don't have to pay to house it and they can work on it on the weekends, if they like," Mr Hedges said.

"They had to have built something quite impressive or be quite well to do because properties up there weren't cheap."

Oceanside Realty agent Deb Treloar, who has sold homes in the area for eight years, said people tended to stay in Gnangara for between 15 and 18 years.

"They move in when the kids are little and tend to move away when their kids move out of home," Ms Treloar said.

"The properties with their big houses and tennis courts and the like are too big for two people."

The suburbs residents stayed the longest after Gnangara and Herne Hill were Murdoch (13.4 years), Hovea (13.2 years), Coogee (12.4 years) and Bibra Lake (12.3 years).

Top 10 longest held suburbs:
GNANGARA
HERNE HILL
MURDOCH
HOVEA
COOGEE
BIBRA LAKE
DAGLISH
WOODVALE
KARDINYA
GOOSEBERRY HILL

*Data is all to July 2013 and the source is RP Data

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Telethon raises $20.7 million for WA kids

Rob Palmer, George Houvardas and Mark Gibson celebrate after catching the two million dollar bill in the In It To Win It challenge. Picture: Matthew Poon Source: PerthNow

Rob Palmer and George Houvardas celebrate after winning $2 million from Crown Perth in 'In It to Win it' Picture: Matthew Poon Source: PerthNow

Scott and Emma Diffen introduce Molly Meldrum to daughter Celia at Princess Margaret Hospital. Picture: Matthew Poon Source: PerthNow

Catch up with the biggest stars this Telethon who today, donated their time to visit sick kids at PMH.

Melissa Doyle, Fat Cat and Omar Dean with twins Aaron and Jake McMillan (10), and Harrison Cooper with mum Danielle. Picture: Matthew Poon Source: PerthNow

A RECORD-breaking $20.7 million has been raised for Telethon in 2013, smashing last year's tally of $16.8 million.

Earlier this afternoon, organisers passed the $150 million mark for total donations since Telethon began in 1968.

Actor George Houvardos won an In It To Win It money grab challenge and was rewarded with an astonishing $2 million donation from Crown Perth, tipping the tally board over the $16.6 million needed to reach the special milestone.

Over decades, Australia's biggest TV charity appeal has improved the lives of thousands of WA children by raising money for Princess Margaret Hospital, the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research and other beneficiaries.

Tonight's total tally of $20,701,272 was helped by a $500,000 personal donation from Crown chairman James Packer and Multiplex heir Tim Roberts, who gave $1.5 million.

GALLERY: See all the action from Telethon 2013

Kerry Stokes, executive chairman of Seven West Media, contributed $1.5 million on behalf of his private company Australian Capital Equity.

Mining billionaires Andrew and Nicola Forrest and their Minderoo Foundation pledged to match each dollar donated for the first five hours of Telethon, which saw the tally climb by one million dollars late on Saturday night.

The McCusker Charitable Foundation donated $1 million. Saturday night's Lexus Ball raised $558,000, the federal government donated $2 million and the state government chipped in $500,000. The 2013 Telethon home in Wandi was sold at auction for $700,000.

Telethon general manager Steve Mummery was blown away by the staggering amount raised over the weekend.

"Western Australians continue to astound me with their generosity which has created the highest donating Telethon (per capita) in the world - something we should all be very proud of," he said.

Follow all the action from Telethon by replaying our feed below, or join the conversation by tweeting with the hashtag #Telethon7

On Saturday night performers including Samantha Jade, Tina Arena and Johnny Ruffo lit up the stage for the opening ceremony, as West Australians opened their hearts and their wallets for our young battlers.

But it was this year's Telethon children, Jack Day and Tahlia Polmear, who really stole the show.

Eleven-year-old Jack has already undergone nine operations for cerebral palsy, but he's determined not to let it stop him from achieving his dreams.

His co-star, Tahila, also 11, from Esperance, was diagnosed last year with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. But the brave schoolgirl not only has been fighting her own battles; she's also been helping to improve the odds for future cancer sufferers through medical research.

More than 600 entertainers and 1300 volunteers helped make sure each and every hour of the 26-hour-long broadcast was a show-stopping success.

Sunrise newsreader Natalie Barr grew up watching Telethon. She said her family would have a sleepover every year to mark the occasion.

"We would all sleep in the lounge room," she said. "My dad would donate $25 on behalf of the Barr family and then we would sit up for hours and hours and hours and wait for our names to be called out and we were thrilled.

"The important thing is for us to pass this on to other generations so kids today have the love of Telethon that we had."

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SES search bushland for missing mum

Police today searched bushland in Bertram for clues to the disappearance of Helen Rocha.

Missing woman Helen Rocha. Source: PerthNow

POLICE have called in SES volunteers to help in the search for missing Perth mother Helen Rocha.

Officers and about 40 SES volunteers searched bushland surrounding Kwinana train station in Bertram today.

WA's Major Crime Squad was called following Ms Rocha's last known sighting in the Mailton Hill or Willagee areas on September 26.

A house in Parmelia was searched by police 10 days ago.

Ms Rocha is about 157cm tall, of slim build, with an olive complexion, black hair and brown eyes.

She was last seen wearing a black top, black tights and black running shoes.

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Warning of horror WA bushfire season

WA's wet winter could create a dangerous bushfire season in the hot months. Source: PerthNow

WA authorities fear a devastating bushfire season ahead after a wet winter.

WESTERN Australia's wet winter has authorities fearing a devastating bushfire season to come, as New South Wales firefighters continue to fight their worst blaze for 50 years.

Launching WA's Bushfire Action Week, Emergency Services Minister Joe Francis said the wetter than usual winter months had meant higher grass growth and less prescribed burns across the state.

``That means any bushfire has the potential to be intense and dangerous,'' Mr Francis said.

Firefighters 'fed up' with bureaucrats withholding funds for vital training and resources

``We have done everything we can to prepare for any threat that arises. Our firefighters are set for the season, but people have to understand that there are no guarantees in bushfire season.

``It's a dangerous time. Last year alone, there were more than 3,800 bushfires across WA.''

WA and federal governments, supported by the National Aerial Firefighting Centre, have boosted the overall capacity of WA's aerial firefighting fleet, which will include an Erickson Aircrane.

``This year's fleet of 22 helicopter and fixed-wing water bombers can drop more water than previous fleets, greatly helping firefighters who protect lives and properties on the frontline,'' Mr Francis said.

WA land owners were also urged to play their part in reducing the risk of bushfire, by clearing around their property, installing firebreaks and cleaning out gutters.

The warnings came as the state's Fire Commissioner Wayne Gregson said councils were failing to properly train and resource volunteer fire brigades.

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Chopper claims he killed four people

Notorious standover man Mark "Chopper" Read has received a final farewell at a public service

AUSTRALIA'S most infamous criminal Mark 'Chopper' Read made four chilling murder confessions from the grave - at times startling viewers with tales and re-enactments from a life of crime.

In an extraordinary interview on 60 Minutes, Read - who has never been convicted of murder - came clean about the deaths of influential union member Desmond Costello, pedophile Reginald Isaacs, gangster Siam Ozerkam (more commonly known as Sammy the Turk) and bikie boss Sydney Michael Collins.

Recorded, fittingly, in the now-defunct Pentridge Prison just two weeks before his death from liver cancer, the shocking admissions were full of the theatricality and dry humour that has become a Chopper trademark over the past four decades.

"Four is all you're getting, that's it. I haven't killed any more than that, and don't try to tell me, don't try to make out that I have," Read said.

Mark "Chopper" Read has never been convicted of murder.

Using his well-known blue take on the English language, Read began by confessing to the murder of union heavyweight Desmond 'Dessie' Costello outside Collingwood's Leinster Arms Hotel in 1971.

"He didn't really see it coming," Read said.

"He didn't believe it was going to come - not from me. I was only a young kid. I was about 17 years old."

A gravely ill Mark 'Chopper' Read talks everything from cancer to his new show with Herald Sun's Nui Te Koha.

A gaunt Mark Read also talked about his battle with cancer, adding he was happier to die a slow death than with a bullet in his brain.

"It doesn't even hit me emotionally," he said.

"I'd like to come back and see what all the fuss is going to be after I'm dead - read a few of the papers and watch a few of the TV shows and listen to a few of the arty-farty debates that are going to be on after I'm dead."

Tom Malone, executive producer of 60 Minutes, said Channel 9 had made verbal and written submissions to Victorian police in the wake of Read's on-camera confessions.

He said producers were still working to establish the veracity of his confessions when he died earlier this month.

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Councils 'putting lives at risk'

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 19 Oktober 2013 | 22.16

Fire Commissioner Wayne Gregson has accused councils of putting lives and property at risk. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: The Sunday Times

FIRE Commissioner Wayne Gregson has accused some councils of putting lives and property at risk by failing to train and properly resource their volunteer fire brigades.

Mr Gregson believes it's time to consider bringing WA into line with other states that have stripped local government of the responsibility for managing volunteer brigades.

But a group representing 26,000 volunteer firefighters warns that putting too much power in the hands of Perth "bureaucrats" will only lead to cock-ups because they don't understand local issues across a vast state.

The Sunday Times understands officials are worried about lax protocols among bushfire brigades in high-risk areas. These include:

Local governments not keeping membership data.
Volunteers turning up to emergencies in unlicensed vehicles.
Questionable spending of funds.
Some units even choosing leaders based on drinking games.

Mr Gregson declined to comment on these specific claims, but said he was alarmed by the lack of consistent training, record keeping and adherence to operational protocols across the state.

"The dedication of bushfire brigade volunteers is unquestionable," Mr Gregson, the head of the Department of Fire and Emergency Services, said.

"There are some local governments that are just as passionate and committed to emergency management, particularly bushfire (management), as their volunteers. However, many local governments are under-prepared and their ability to respond to the hazard is inadequate.

"The fire legislation in Western Australia is almost 70 years old and a number of reviews have recommended changes that would bring us in line with incident management structures, protocols and procedures in other states."

However, Association of Volunteer Bush Fire Brigades president Terry Hunter said local councils were best placed to manage volunteer brigades. He said they just needed more funding and support from the WA Government.

"The Association is concerned that restrictive bureaucratic processes, policies, budgets and inequitable funding . . . is restricting local governments' ability to adequately support their volunteers," Mr Hunter said.

"There is a fundamental difference between government command models and community respect and volunteerism models."

Last week The Sunday Times exposed the poor communications and coordination between a local council, DFES and the Department of Environment and Conservation that contributed to the death of firefighter Wendy Bearfoot during a blaze near Albany.

An official review into the incident said other Australian jurisdictions have already removed local government from the control of operational response to bushfires.

Emergency Services Minister Joe Francis said DFES was conducting a comprehensive review of emergency services in WA, including who should manage volunteer bushfire brigades.

"DFES is seeking the opinions of local governments, volunteers and other relevant parties in this process," Mr Francis said. "At this time the State Government does not have a position."

Mr Gregson said a three-year trial had started in the Kimberley with DFES responsible for all bushfire operations and management of all five volunteer brigades in the region.

DFES recently wrote to councils asking them if they would be willing or inclined to hand over control of volunteer brigades if the option was available.

Of the 121 councils that responded, 47 per cent said no.

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Telethon kicks off 45th birthday

Catch up with the biggest stars this Telethon who today, donated their time to visit sick kids at PMH.

Fat Cat and this year's Telethon children Jack Day and Tahlia Polmear hope WA will give generously and support the charity this weekend. Picture: Richard Hatherly Source: PerthNow

AUSTRALIA'S biggest TV charity appeal, Telethon, kicked off its 45th birthday today.

Channel 7 stars converged on Princess Margaret Hospital – a beneficiary of the charity – this afternoon for one of a long line of events planned for the weekend.

The 26-hour long broadcast will start at 6.30pm.

But for those without tickets, there are a number of other ways to show your support for Telethon.

Celebrities Samantha Jade, Johnny Ruffo, Reece Mastin and Nathaniel Willemse will join Fat Cat at Harbour Town from 11am tomorrow.

And the Coles Kids Carnival will be on at pavilions 4, 5 and 6 of the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre all weekend.

You can also follow all the action on Twitter using the #Telethon7, or stay tuned to Perthnow from tomorrow for live updates.

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How education cuts affect your school

The Education Department will save $16 million next year. Source: The Australian

THE biggest losers in the Barnett Government's cuts to education funding are some of the state's most vulnerable students.

A report obtained by The Sunday Times reveals the 30 per cent across-the-board reduction to the School Support Program Resource Allocation - which helps schools tackle behaviour, attendance, literacy and numeracy problems - will hit many remote Aboriginal communities the hardest.

Cuts to this program are just one of the measures being introduced in 2014 to rein in education spending across WA.

SEE HOW THE CUTS AFFECT YOUR SCHOOL HERE

Halls Creek District High School will suffer a $159,918 cut next year - or 3.07 per cent of its total resources based on this year's funding, as a direct result of cuts to the SSPRA program.

And, Fitzroy Valley District High School will see a $114,417, representing 2.6 per cent of its budget, loss.

Other losers include Kununurra District High School, which will lose $196,648, or 2.27 per cent of its budget, Carnarvon Community College ($150,568 or 1.9 per cent), and Derby District High School ($139,904 or 2.11 per cent).

The Ngaanyatarra Lands School, where most of the school's 300 students speak different indigenous dialects as their first language, will suffer the harshest blow, with a loss of $210,722 or 5.2 per cent of its budget.

Although the Education Department said that was due to an ``administrative error'' that had seen the school overpaid about $400,000 for that program in the past two years.

By contrast, most of the state's other public schools will report a loss of less than one per cent of their budget as a result of the cut to SSPRA next year.

The report, provided by the department to a parliamentary committee in response to Opposition questions, shows a saving of $16 million by slashing the fund by 30 per cent next year, as part of a number of cuts that saw teachers and principals walk off the job last month.

Opposition education spokesman Sue Ellery said the cuts to SSPRA funding, which addresses attendance and behavioural issues as well as poor literacy and numeracy results, would affect WA's most vulnerable students.

Ms Ellery said it was unfair to impose across-the-boards cuts to the program when there was a greater need for that support in some areas more than others.

``Clearly, from this list, the most disadvantaged schools are the ones that are worst hit by these cuts,'' she said.

``This clearly demonstrates that this is a blunt instrument and it's hitting hardest those students who need the most help.

``For example, Roebourne District High School (which will lose $74,035) is a school under real need and that money would make a significant difference. There is also Gilmore College in Kwinana - it's a great school, but that population is facing some real issues and taking $125,000 out of their budget is a huge chunk from a school that needs every cent and more.''

Education Department acting deputy director-general of finance and administration Brett Roach said ``even with reductions and the return to the appropriate funding level, (Ngaanyatarra) will still receive more SSPRA funding in 2014 than any other school''.

Mr Roach said the school also received more than $660,000 in ``special purpose grants'' for 2013 ``to assist with the specific needs of the school'', and it was receiving the resources ``to deliver the best possible education and support programs to its students.''

Schools will continue to receive special purpose grants in 2014, he said.

Education Minister Peter Collier said that growing demands on the system meant schools were being asked to ``tighten their belts with a reduction in some resources'', but the education budget had increased $300 million this year.

``This will mean schools will have to review what they offer and how this can be done more efficiently,'' he said.

``While some programs may need to be reduced, the vast majority will remain and schools will continue to be committed to providing as much variety in programs as possible. Most importantly, children who really need more support will continue to receive it.''

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Suburbs Perth residents won't leave