Media releases

The Shire of Augusta Margaret River and the Response Recovery Resilience Augusta Margaret River Working Group are happy to announce the successful funding application from the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal grants program.
These funds will be used to implement a series of community healing events which will be open for anyone to attend.
Shire President Pam Townshend acknowledged significant grief and loss has been experienced by the community over the past decades due to a number of tragic events.
"These healing events are an opportunity for community members to come together in nature to reflect, heal and connect,” she said. 
The Shire and working group are in the process of planning these events, which are likely to include community tree planting and community healing walks.
Details surrounding these events will be published by the Shire in the coming months.
The next healing event will be a community healing planting on Saturday 15 June 2019.
More details are available online or by contacting the Shire on 97805255 or at amrshire@amrshire.wa.gov.au. 

Emerging watercolour artist Suzanna Hay will exhibit a selection of her works in the Margaret River Library’s Cocoon Gallery from 1 June to 31 July 2019.
Titled ‘Tidbits’, the exhibition is a showcase of works that predominantly reflect the artist’s environmental surrounds including the trees outside her property in Nannup, treeless red plains and blinding blue skies seen when she travels to northern WA.
Suzanna’s watercolour paintings have attracted a variety of awards in exhibitions across the South West including the 2017 Faith Hemsley award for the most innovative work at Busselton’s annual Art in the Park exhibition.
“Anyone who has tried the medium will know that some days are filled with torture and frustration,” she said.
“However, when the moment is right, this wonderful, transparent medium sparkles into life.”
An active member of the Busselton Art Society, Suzanna has conducted watercolour workshops for beginners in Margaret River and Nannup.  
She is a member of the selective Watercolour Society of Western Australia.
The pieces in the Cocoon Gallery are custom framed and being offered for sale.
To see more of her work visit: https://www.instagram.com/suzanna_hay/
For interviews please contact Suzanna Hay on 0447 537 365 or email suzanna.nannup@gmail.com

Due to a forecast of strong winds, the Chief Bush Fire Control Officer for the Shire of Augusta Margaret River has invoked section 46 of the Bush Fires Act 1954 (as amended) for the whole of Thursday 30 May 2019.
This means that landowners are not permitted to light any new fire in the open air on Thursday.
Furthermore, no additional fuel can be added to an existing fire.
Landowners who have active fires are encouraged to monitor their fires continually to ensure that the burn boundaries remain secure.
Any escaped burns need to be reported immediately to 000.

A copy of the decision notice is available for viewing. 

As part of the Dementia Friendly Margaret River initiative, two free community information sessions will be held to empower residents with the knowledge on how best to support and involve people living with dementia.

Developed by Alzheimers WA and supported by the WA Country Health Service, Margaret River Rotary, Margaret River Lions and the Shire of Augusta Margaret River, the initiative, aims to support people living with Dementia to feel welcome and included within their community.

Alzheimer’s WA CEO Rhonda Parker said the objective from the start for the Dementia Friendly Communities project was to reduce the stigma surrounding dementia.

“The goal is to develop a community that enables and supports people living with dementia to remain active in the community rather than be confined within the four walls of their home,” Ms Parker said.

“Through the Dementia Friendly Communities project, participating community members and businesses are educated on the background of dementia, how to recognise symptoms, and how to communicate with a person living with dementia.”

The two community information sessions will be held on:

Session 1

Monday 13 May 2019

6.45pm - 8.15pm

Stay Margaret River

78 Wallcliffe Road, Margaret River

Light supper provided

Session 2

Tuesday 14 May 2019

11.45am – 1.15pm

Margaret River Recreation Centre

51 Wallcliffe Rd, Margaret River

Morning tea provided

The informal sessions cover:

• What is dementia
• Potential early signs and symptoms
• How to communicate and connect with a person living with dementia
• How to build a community of support

There will also be an opportunity to talk with an Alzheimer’s WA expert and ask questions.

The sessions are free to attend however places are limited.

Please call 1300 66 77 88 to book or email dfc@alzheimerswa.org.au.

For more information about the Dementia Friendly Margaret River Initiative please contact the Community Development Team at the Shire on 9780 5255 or www.amrshire.wa.gov.au.

The Shire of Augusta Margaret River has announced that a new 3 bin service will come into effect on the 1 July 2019.

It is anticipated that the 3-bin service will assist in diverting up to 75% of rubbish in the Shire from landfill, prolonging the life of the Davis Road Waste Management Facility and helping to improve the quality of life for current and future Shire residents.

The roll-out of the new bins commenced yesterday and will run until 28 June 2019. Residents are asked to leave their bins on the verge from 6am to 6pm on their collection day while the bins are being rolled out.

The 3 bin service, will see the current general waste bin transition into a food organics and garden organics (FOGO) bin, complete with a new lime green lid. Residents will also receive a new 140L red lidded general waste bin, while the current yellow lidded recycling bins will stay in place.

An overview of the 3 bin service is –

• 240L lime green lid, food organics and garden organics (FOGO), weekly collection: For items such as kitchen scraps, meat, lawn clippings, small branches and garden debris, as well as a variety of other organic items can be placed in the FOGO bin.
• 240L yellow lid bin, recycling, fortnightly collection: For recyclable material only, which includes cardboard, paper, plastic bottles and containers, glass and steel and aluminium cans.
• 140L red lid, general waste bin, fortnightly collection: For materials that cannot be composted or recycled and its contents will be sent to landfill. These items include, nappies, sanitary products, toothpaste tubes and brushes, CDs, plastic wrap and plastic bags.

“Our community cares about the environment, our beautiful bush land, pristine beaches and sprawling farm land, which is why it’s important that we protect them from greenhouse emissions and polluting landfill,” Shire President Pam Townshend said.

“Looking after the environment for future generations is a key objective of the Shire of Augusta Margaret River and as such Council is excited to launch the 3-bin service and become The Best We’ve Ever Bin.

To learn more about the 3 bin service follow us on Facebook @thebestweveeverbin or visit www.amrshire.wa.gov.au/the-best-weve-ever-bin