Bushfire threatens homes, locals told to flee

A BUSHFIRE is threatening homes near the WA Kimberly coast town of Broome and residents have been told to head for the beach.

The blaze has so far blackened some 15,000 hectares and houses in Coconut Wells, about 18km from Broome, are now at risk, says the Fire and Emergency Services Authority (FESA) says.

Residents who abandoned their homes were advised to go to the beach as the blaze has also begun to close in on Morrel Park and Lullfitz.

“It may be hours before it is safe to return home so take water, food and sun protection,” FESA said in a statement.

“People who have decided to stay and defend their home should prepare for the fire.”

Residents have been told to close all doors and windows and turn off evaporative airconditioners.

The FESA says 25 volunteer fire and rescue service and bushfire service firefighters from two brigades are involved in the operation.

They saved six homes yesterday and extra crews are being flown in.

Road closures are in place and motorists have been urged to drive slowly.

Source  :  www.news.com.au

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Broome stopover port for 2011 Around Australia Race and Rally

The Broome to Fremantle Ocean Race will be a part of the 7,500 nautical mile Around Australia Race and Rally event.

Bob Williams the CEO of Ocean Events Pty Ltd, the Western Australian company behind the 2011 ‘Around Australia Ocean Race and Rally’ has spent the last few days in Broome, located in the Kimberley Region of Western Australia, and an important stop-over port for both the Around Australia Ocean Race and Rally.

Williams has been meeting with local authorities and business people discussing the event coming to Broome waters in August and September 2011.

‘I couldn’t be more pleased with the reception that I have received in Broome and the enthusiasm for our event. Broome people will make this a memorable stop-over port that everybody associated with both the Race and Rally yachts will thoroughly enjoy.’

Incorporated into the 2011 Around Australia Ocean Race is the Broome to Fremantle Ocean Race. The Perpetual Broome to Fremantle Ocean Race Trophy is designed and manufactured in Broome by the internationally renowned pearl jewellery company Linneys of Broome.

Principal owner of Linneys Mr Bill Reed yesterday gave Bob Williams and Broome Shire President Mr Graeme Campbell the first viewing of of the trophy.

Linneys apprentice Joshua Gower is the proud craftsman of this fine trophy a copy of which will be taken home by the winning skippers of the 2011 Broome to Fremantle Ocean Race.

Originally founded as a pearling port over a hundred years ago, Broome now boasts a multicultural population of many nationalities lured here by the promise of finding their fortunes. Asian, European and Aboriginal cultures have all blended to create a captivatingly friendly and flamboyant personality that is the heart and soul of Broome.

Broome pearls are recognised as the best in the world and pearling remains one of the town’s major industries.

Broome has a permanent population of 15,000 which expands to 40,000 around the time of the Broome Cup Week horse racing carnival (August) attracting visitors from all over Australia and around the world.

The crews of the Around Australia Ocean Race and Rally yachts, shore crew, family, friends, supporters, sponsors, and local and international media people are bound to be captivated by Broome – one of Western Australia’s and Australia’s best loved tourist attractions.

‘Since we opened the doors for Slot Reservations we have been staggered by the responses for both the Race and Rally – still about neck and neck in event preferences at this stage.

Skandia – 2011 Around Australia Ocean Race and Rally for Cruisers  Andrea Francolini ©

‘We’ve heading towards 100 boats now from 100 foot super maxis to Transatlantic racers, from cruising and racing catamarans and many cruising monohulls and the reservations just keep rolling in and we expect that at this rate we will have a total of around 300 reservations.

‘It’s very gratifying to see such interest in the event. It’s plain that the event has such national and international appeal with Event Slot Reservations coming in from South Africa, Europe, the USA, and New Zealand already.

‘Some very significant Australian yacht clubs have chosen to join with us in planning and running this major event and we will be making announcements about that in coming days.

‘Please get your Slot Reservations in as soon as possible, the news is spreading internationally now!!’

Got to www.sailaroundaustralia.com.au to read more and fill in your Slot Reservation now

Source  :  www.sail-world.com

 

 

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Five walk away from plane crash

FIVE people have walked away from a light plane crash with minor injuries in Western Australia’s northwest, police say.

Sergeant Greg Lambert said the plane made an emergency landing about 8.30am (WST) on Thursday, about 20km north of Broome.

“It parked where it shouldn’t have been parking,” Sgt Lambert said. Five people on board the plane walked away with minor injuries but the plane was a wreck, Sgt Lambert said.

Source  :  www.news.com.au

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Rove McManus marries Tasma Walton in secret ceremony

ROVE McManus and Tasma Walton have tied the knot in a secret ceremony on a beach in Broome, Western Australia. 

They were married yesterday and celebrated the day with a small group of close family and friends.

It was Tasma who proposed to Rove, having first asked his mother for her blessing. There are no honeymoon plans and both Rove and Tasma will be returning to the east coast for work commitments.

Tasma said: “The day was everything we hoped for: simple, quiet and intimate, in a beautiful Broome landscape with a small group of family and close friends celebrating beside us.

Rove said: “Tasma and I are very happy and look forward to that continuing for a long time to come. It was wonderful to get to share that happiness with both our families and friends around us.”

Tasma wore a white, vintage 1970’s sundress. Rove wore no shoes.

The news comes as a shock given Walton, just two weeks ago, shut down the prospect of imminent marriage, saying: “Beyond this year, we’ll see what happens”.

News of their relationship hit the headlines in October 2007, a year after McManus lost his wife, Belinda Emmett, to cancer.

In a recent interview with the Herald Sun, McManus, renowned for guarding his privacy, confessed he was in a state of happiness that, two years ago, he’d have thought impossible.

“Yes, and not only that, it’s wonderful to have someone to share it with again,” he said.

Read full article in  http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25649256-5012974,00.html  :

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Kimberley boat fire ‘not suspicious’

A fire that destroyed a 24m cruiser in the North-West on Wednesday night has been declared not suspicious by FESA.  

Kimberley Quest was gutted by fire while on a slipway in Broome, with damage estimated at $3 million.

FESA’s fire investigation officer Kim Maldon and police arson today ruled out arson but said the cause of the fire would remain undetermined.

A small amount of fuel and oil spilt onto the beach as a result of the blaze. It is understood volunteer firefighters and the Broome Port Authority kept the environmental impact to a minimum.

Operated by family business Pearl Sea Coastal Cruises, the vessel is one of two cruisers owned by the company, the other being the luxurious tourist vessel Kimberley Quest II cruising through the Kimberley.

Kimberley Quest was the company’s original tourist cruiser from 2000 until 2005 but is now used solely as a scientific research vessel.

Source www.thewest.com.au

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New website for supermarket bargains

• A grocery comparison website was launched today
• Noosa has the cheapest basket of groceries in the country
• See the government’s grocery comparison site here

KEVIN Rudd’s new website for supermarket bargains has uncovered a suprising winner for the nation’s cheapest shopping trolley: it’s Queensland’s Sunshine coast, including Noosa, the preferred playground for millionaire babyboomers in search of a seachange.

The Prime Minister’s much criticised website to track grocery prices made its debut this morning, revealing something many families living in the regional areas already know – buying groceries in Broome, Darwin, Alice Springs and even Hobart is more expensive than the big cities.

But suprisingly shoppers in Noosa, the holiday playground lampooned by Kath and Kim’s Prue and Trude, enjoys the cheapest shopping basket in the nation, The Australian reports.

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Supermarket giant Coles has emerged as the cheapest option for a majority of regions in Australia, according to GROCERYchoice, but ALDI is up to $20 cheaper again for an basket of basic staples in the regions it operates.

The cheapest basic basket of staples in Australia is to be found on Queensland’s sunshine coast including Noosa, Maroochydore and Caloundra and Brisbane’s north, including Redcliffe and Northgate.

A combined basket of meat, fruit, dairy, general groceries and other items costs $150.58 on average at Coles in those areas. By comparison, the same combined Coles basket costs $164.76 in Broome. But the same shopping trolley costs up to $193.48 in Alice Springs if you shop independent.

The site – http://www.grocerychoice.gov.au/ – will provide monthly comparisons of a basket of selected groceries from supermarkets in 61 regions across the country.

Read the full report in The Australian 

extract from www.news.com.au

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