Year in Review: Take a look back at the stories that shaped Perth’s western suburbs in 2023

As the year draws to a close we look back at the unmissable stories that shaped Perth’s western suburbs in 2023.

From council leadership tussles and social media snafus, record-breaking sporting achievements to the spud king’s brush with Barbie — there were plenty of stories that kept us talking this year.

It will be a year that will shape the western suburbs in the decades to come after the starting flag was finally waved for some transformative — albeit divisive — developments in our corner of Perth.

So let’s take a walk down memory lane and relive some of the highs and lows of the year that was.

JANUARY

With the new year came the long-awaited return of a western suburbs institution, The Claremont Hotel, finally reopening after nearly three years and a $12 million facelift.

Pressure was mounting on the Town of Cambridge to ban shark fishing at its beaches, with one scuba diver and marine life activist warning fishers were dumping bait — including pig carcasses and berley — to lure sharks close to shore.

FEBRUARY

In a tragedy that sent shockwaves across the nation, a shark attack claimed the life of beloved Shenton College student Stella Berry while she was swimming with friends in North Fremantle. A constant flow of mourners paid tribute to the vibrant and happy 16-year-old, with her heartbroken peers laying flowers on the banks of the Swan River in memory of their friend.

After years of planning and legal limbo, Woolworth’s $25 million redevelopment of the site surrounding the Captain Stirling Hotel was finally given the green light. The redevelopment had been floated since 2015.

MARCH

Residents of a leafy Subiaco street were up in arms over a short-stay residential service for young people at risk of suicide operating next door. The organisations behind the WA-first service said it would save young lives, but residents claimed it would put their safety and own mental health at risk.

Former Planning Minister Rita Saffioti offered an olive branch in the war of words between the State Government and western suburbs councils by backing the Town of Cambridge in its effort to stop Christ Church Grammar from rezoning its Mt Claremont playing fields for housing.

APRIL

Presbyterian Ladies’ College principal Cate Begbie was pleading for traffic wardens to help her students cross Stirling Highway over fears someone would be “hurt or killed”. It came after senior PLC staff were forced to put on high-vis vests themselves to help students cross the notoriously dangerous four-lane highway. “It is only a matter of time before a child is injured — or worse,” Ms Begbie said.

In a shock decision expected to resonate until the next State election, the State Government announced it had abandoned long-held plans to build Perth’s new women and infants hospital at the Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre in Nedlands. Health Minister Amber Jade Sanderson caused outrage among Perth’s medical community with the news the hospital will be built at Murdoch in Perth’s south, near Fiona Stanley Hospital.

MAY

Dalkeith’s controversial Tawarri Hot Springs project was approved by the WA Planning Commission. It came after the plans for the $25 million luxury wellness centre and day spa had caused a bitter battle between Lands Minister John Carey and the Nedlands council.

Community anger over the Cambridge council’s decision to do away with automatic postal voting at its October election came to a head at a fiery meeting. More than 1200 petitioners said they feared the change would cause voter participation rates to plummet, with Local Government Minister John Carey slamming the decision as an “absolute disgrace” .

JUNE

Cottesloe’s iconic Ocean Beach Hotel was set for a $221 million transformation after the WAPC pledged its support despite protests from the local council. The 115-year-old cornerstone pub will be bulldozed and replaced with a five-star hotel, apartments, shops and restaurants.

Hospitality king George Kailis revealed his vision to revive beloved local health food brand Magic Apple at the former Barchetta site in Cottesloe. In a decision that shocked its operators, the council decided to not extend Barchetta’s lease in mid-May.

JULY

City Beach residents were fed up with teenagers running amok in their suburb. Residents banded together to produce a report titled “Straight Outta City Beach”, tracking incidents of teens egging homes and properties, fighting, damaging public parks and schools, underage drinking and littering.

Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation finally breathed a sigh of relief when the State’s first children’s hospice was approved. Barbara and Adam Goodwin — whose son Winnie has been under PCH’s palliative care team for most of his life — said the $33 million centre would “mean the world” to families like theirs.

AUGUST

Parents were fuming after a shop selling cigarettes and vapes less than 200m from a local primary school opened on Subiaco’s main street. In a win for people power, the store was re-branded and ultimately shut just weeks later.

A new golden girl of the pool was crowned after 16-year-old Nedlands school girl Inez Miller swam her way to a trio of gold medal victories at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago.

SEPTEMBER

Locals were rejoicing after Aldi confirmed it would finally start demolishing its derelict and graffiti-riddled Nedlands shopping centre after years of inaction.

Nedlands mayor Fiona Argyle ruffled the feathers of her election rivals not once but twice after making “exasperated” social media jibes, firstly labelling her contenders “dinosaurs” and then posting a follow-up response loaded with questionable hashtags such as #youwilldie. Ms Argyle later admitted she could have “provided better context” to the posts.

OCTOBER

The parents of a 13-year-old girl allegedly raped inside Perth Children’s Hospital by a male patient spoke out about its devastating impact on their daughter. It was revealed the horrific incident occurred in a mental health ward on January 2022 but was kept under wraps.

Cr Gary Mack wrested the mayoral chains from his frequent adversary and sitting mayor Kerri Shannon in the Town of Cambridge local government election. In a three-horse race in Nedlands, incumbent mayor Fiona Argyle won exactly half the votes, giving her another term at the top.

NOVEMBER

Cottesloe beach said ‘Hi Barbie!’ as superstar Margot Robbie stopped by on a whirlwind visit to Perth. The megastar was swarmed by adoring fans, among them Perth’s own spud king Tony Galati who chatted with the 33-year-old starlet and proudly showed her photos of his granddaughters.

Peppermint Grove teenager Zara White, 17, walked her way into the record books by becoming the youngest person to hike the entire 1000km Bibbulmun Track solo.

DECEMBER

A bid to renovate one of WA’s most famous homes — once a lavish party pad for businessman Alan Bond — caused a rift between its wealthy neighbours in Dalkeith. Neighbours of former elite bodybuilder and fitness entrepreneur Danny Pavlovich said his reno plans had caused them “distress” and “great dismay”.