Year in Review: Stories and pictures from May 2017

Our review of May includes an event which provides a significant step towards community reconciliation and the biggest morning tea - and event which has raised $280,000 by organisers, William Barrett and Sons.

Residents question grain site location

A Group of Roelands residents labelled CBH Group’s bid for a $9 million grain receival site near Treendale Road as “devastating” and raised environmental concerns with the proposal.

The home owners held a community meeting after the grain grower announced it was considering building the 120,000 tonne grain silo project.

Tanya Wilmot-Silva, who lives on Treendale Road in the Roelands’ estate of Meadow Landing, questioned why CBH was exploring basing the facility close to homes.

Bridge walk towards reconciliation

A strong crowd marched in the walk, held on National Sorry Day, with event organisers hailing it a step towards bolstering the community in the region.

One Aboriginal elder said the Reconciliation Bridge Walk would mark a significant step in the South West’s efforts to strengthen ties between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

Dennis Jetta, an Aboriginal pastor and former Aboriginal employment officer, identified the walk across Koombana Bay bridge as a step towards bolstering the community.

Biggest Morning Tea a fund-raising winner

William Barrett and Sons raised $19,000 for the Cancer Council WA with the help of the community at their annual Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea event.

About 800 guests came along to enjoy a cup of tea or a sausage sizzle, with this year’s total adding to a collective $280,000 raised by the funeral company over 24 years.

William Barrett and Sons event coordinator Joscelyn Jones said she was thankful to the Bunbury community for their support.

New bridge for Treendale / Millbridge takes shape

Construction of the bridge connecting Treendale and Millbridge was well under way with the first set of support beams nearly ready to be put in place.

The bridge, over the Collie River, will connect the Treendale and Kingston subdivisions in Australind to the Millbridge Private Estate and the Parkridge Estate in Eaton.

Main Roads superintendent representative Michael Hickling said work on the bridge was progressing well with the date of completion still at January next year.

Students join project to landscape entrance

More than 4000 new Australian native plants will “beautify” one of the main entrances into Bunbury when a handful of the city’s students finish a labour-intensive project.

Students from Bunbury Senior High School’s Shed Works program are set to finish stage three of landscaping work at Wally Crowd Reserve along Koombana Drive.

The students joined forces with Bunbury City Council for the project, which involved planting 4300 plants, re-mulching and digging up weeds in the area.