What made the news in Cockburn – 8-17 July 2026

Friday 17 July:
Bibra Lake shopkeepers say weeks of confusing road closures have slashed trade, with some businesses reporting their quietest weekends in years as frustrated motorists turn back before ever reaching the shopping centre.
 
The peace and quiet that drew Peter Edwards to Wattleup 25 years ago could soon be replaced by the sound of heavy machinery, reversing alarms and truck training just 15 metres from his back door.
A development application has been lodged with the City of Cockburn to convert a long-abandoned market garden over his back fence into a training facility for plant and machinery. 

Wednesday 15 July:
At the City of Cockburn’s Ordinary Council Meeting on Tuesday 14 July, Council adopted several recommendations, including requesting the Fisheries Minister establish a 50m no fishing zone around the engineered fringing reef at C. Y. O’Connor Beach.
For more information, see the Agenda.

Please note that due to Council decisions, some items that appear in the Agenda may not have been carried as recommended. Updated decisions will be detailed in the Minutes on the City’s website once published in about 10 working days.

Watch recordings of past Council meetings via a link on the City’s website.

The City of Cockburn will act on the wishes of its community and request the Fisheries Minister establish a 50m no fishing zone around the engineered fringing reef at C. Y. O’Connor Beach.

Tuesday 14 July:
The City of Cockburn is in the top 10 growth areas for small business activity in WA, adding more than 1,600 new businesses to the ledger between 2020-2025.

The appetite for free good quality fashion is alive and well in Cockburn with a community clothes swap saving more than 450 items from landfill.

Sunday 12 July:
Premier Roger Cook will assume responsibility for Defence Industries, to lead the development of Western Australia as the largest naval maintenance and ship building hub in the southern hemisphere.
Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson will support the Premier as Assistant Minister for Defence Industries, with Deputy Premier Rita Saffiofi incorporating the development of new common user infrastructure to support the defence industry in an expanded Transport and Major Infrastructure portfolio.
 
Saturday 11 July:
The City of Cockburn adopted its budget for next year, supporting a controversial 6.75 per cent rates increase to avoid cutting community projects and operating at a major deficit.
The 2026-27 Budget will maintain and improve essential services and facilities, in a challenging economy where costs have escalated significantly for the whole community.

Wednesday 8 July:
Beneath the peaceful surface of Cockburn Sound (Derbal Nara), south of Perth, millions of tiny marine engineers are hard at work.
The Byssal project is harnessing the remarkable abilities of the humble mussel to help restore the health of the sound.
In collaboration with the Fremantle Ports Authority (FPA) and DevelopmentWA, Byssal has recently completed the first round of mussel reseeding along limestone walls within the Australian Marine Complex at nearby Henderson.