So Perth

Perth’s newest Italian venue pours its first aperitivo on Thursday when it opens in Claremont on the popular Bay View Terrace. It’s being pitched as a wine-led osteria with fresh pasta made daily and more than 30 Italian wines available by the glass.

Il Santo comes from the operators behind Il Lido and Canteen Pizza, and draws on both. The brief is for an osteria rather than a trattoria, bringing a tighter menu and a venue designed for stopping in after work for a casual glass of wine, as much as for sitting down to dinner. Given Il Lido is one of Perth’s best Italian restaurants, and Canteen is one of the top pizza places, we’re excited about going in to try it out.

“We’ve had this restaurant in mind for quite some time for this space and it reflects a lot how people want to dine these days,” says operator Lyndon Waples. “Il Santo will have a tighter and simpler menu offering, more osteria and less trattoria. Quality drinks and very good snacking will be the key features, as well as a rotating pasta and main selection derived from the classics that will keep you coming back day after day.”

A pasta menu built around Italian classics

The kitchen is led by Executive Chef Nicola Lunardi, who has designed a menu that rotates through Italian classics. Lunardi’s pick on the menu is the mafaldine e fagioli, a pasta soup from his hometown with roots across Veneto, Tuscany, and Campania, which lands on the menu in time for the cooler months.

There’s a lot on the menu for share-style dining: a Shark Bay prawn sandwich with house-made tartare, mortadella skewers with quince, and local octopus with gremolata. A rotating selection of pasta and main dishes are also on the menu, either to share or to have by yourself.

The team is also pushing one ritual hard, cantucci e Vin Santo to finish. Almond biscotti dipped into sweet Tuscan dessert wine until they soften.

“This is the best way to end a meal,” says Lunardi. “You don’t just eat the cantucci, the crunchy biscotti must be dipped into the wine, and it softens beautifully. The almond flavours are perfect with the wine’s caramel sweetness.”

More than 100 Italian wines

Wine Director Michael Mori has built a list of more than 100 predominantly Italian labels, drawing on the cellar at Il Lido, which took Australia’s Best Italian Wine List 2025. More than 30 wines are poured by the glass at any given time.

“Our drinks programme is dedicated to the classics — they are classics for a reason, plus a few little twists,” says Lovell. “Get settled into Il Santo with a Lemon Drop Martini with a refreshing yuzu kick or a Milano Torino, a delicious aperitivo with Campari and Punt e Mes. My pick would be a savoury Tomatini with the beef carpaccio.”

Where is Il Santo?

Il Santo can be found at 16 Bay View Terrace, Claremont. 

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If there’s one thing the Kailis team know how to do well, it’s coastal dining. Think Gibney, the Shorehouse, and Magic Apple.

Their next coastal precinct takes it up a notch further. A four-metre marble statue. Custom coins placed into every guest’s hand on arrival. A walk-in wine cellar holding 4,000 bottles, with a tasting table set among them. George Kailis has just unveiled the design details for Surreo and Bar Surreo, the first two venues inside his Sorrento Beach precinct.

Kailis Hospitality Group bought the entire 1,500 sqm hospitality stretch on West Coast Drive in 2025 — described as the largest single sale of coastal hospitality real estate in metro Perth in decades. The new venues will occupy 1,000 sqm of it, with construction already underway. The plan is to open in April 2027, following a multi-million dollar fit-out by Rezen Studio, the design team behind Gibney Cottesloe. 

A coastal steakhouse and a bar

Surreo will operate as a seaside steakhouse with Basque-leaning, Roman-inspired food and design. Bar Surreo sits alongside it as a coastal bar with a substantial dining menu, its own head chef, and its own kitchen. 

“The bar and restaurant offer two different experiences,” Kailis said. “While you can use one before or after the other, we wanted to create a point of difference to provide options for guests. Bar Surreo has its own kitchen and head chef, whilst still a bar, the culinary agenda is a priority.”

It’ll be WA’s largest beachside restaurant precinct, and the only seaside steakhouse. Although George Kailis describes it as more of a grillhouse than a traditional steakhouse.

“The concept leans more toward a grillhouse than a traditional steakhouse, reflecting a menu that balances premium meats with a strong emphasis on seafood and vegetables. While Basque and Roman traditions have informed the culinary direction, the intent is to create a broader seaside o/ering, featuring seafood, house-made pasta and produce-driven dishes, with steak as the hero.”

The actual menu will be announced closer to its opening.

The story behind the name

Surreo is the Ancient Greek word for Sorrento, meaning “a coming together.” There’s a lot more to it than that: Sorrento, the Perth suburb, was carved up as a private land division in the 1900s by an Italian family who named it after their hometown. That sent Kailis down a research path through Ancient Rome and back out into Perth’s northern suburbs.

“I had many friends that lived in Stirling and Dianella, the European influence in these suburbs was awesome — columns, statues of lions — the similarities between them and this ancient Rome period we were in was uncanny,” Kailis said. “Having some authentic Northern suburbs DNA in the venue was essential.”

Bringing the Gibney design team back to do it again

Rezen Studio, the design firm behind Gibney, is handling the fit-out, with directors Rhys and Zenifa Bowring describing the bar as a grotto-like retreat with mother-of-pearl detailing and textured ceilings and walls throughout.

Inside the main dining room, a stained-glass dry-ageing room sits at the kitchen pass, where chefs will cut steaks in full view of the room. A Champagne Lounge near the entrance will seat up to 30. Three handcrafted selenite crystal chandeliers will hang above the dining space, inspired by the Greek goddess of the moon. Outside, the alfresco terrace will be the largest on West Coast Drive, anchored by that wishing well and marble statue we previously mentioned, where guests will use those custom Surreo coins they were handed on arrival.

The 4,000-bottle walk-in cellar will house a bespoke tasting table for bookable private wine tastings led by Surreo’s sommelier team.

What’s still to come

Plans for the remaining two spaces in the precinct will land later this year. Kailis has confirmed they’ll be more casual — breakfast and coffee-focused — to round out the 1,500 sqm site.

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May’s headliner is Brian Cox at RAC Arena, but there are a lot of other big events onb this month: a Margaret River winemaker dinner, debate club at Lawson Flats, and bottomless drinks in Northbridge that finish before dinner. 

Here’s what’s on this month.

A community call to action: volunteering at Whiteman Park

There are plenty of ways to support your community, but few are as tangible — or as local — as lending a hand at Whiteman Park. Each year, tens of thousands of visitors go through the gates to experience Western Australia’s living history, bushland and waterways, cultural experiences, and family events. Much of what they see and enjoy is powered by volunteers.

More than 600 people have already donated their time across the Park’s volunteer-led attractions, welcoming guests, guiding tours, restoring machinery, caring for collections, gardening, supporting events, and keeping the backstage wheels turning. The roles are as varied as the people who fill them — whether you bring a trade, a knack for storytelling, a love of heritage, or simply a few hours to spare, there’s likely a place where your skills can make a visible difference.

For anyone curious about getting involved, Whiteman Park is holding a volunteer information session on Saturday, May 23rd, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. Representatives from the attractions will be on hand to answer questions and help prospective volunteers find a starting point that suits their interests and availability.

Places can be reserved by calling 9209 6000 or emailing enquiries@whitemanpark.com.au.

Brian Cox brings Emergence to RAC Arena

Professor Brian Cox returns to Perth on Saturday, May 23rd, with his new world tour, Emergence — the follow-up to Horizons, which played to close to half a million people globally. The show traces how the universe builds dazzling complexity from a small set of physical laws, taking the audience from the cosmic web of galaxies down to snowflakes and the structure of the human brain.

Cox has spent the last 15 years fronting BBC science programmes, including Wonders of the Solar System and The Planets. For Emergence, he’s pulled together scientists, musicians, filmmakers, and graphic artists, with the production running across some of the largest LED screens currently available.

Where: RAC Arena
When: Saturday, May 23rd
Tickets are available here.

Debate Club lands at Lawson Flats

Lawson Flats has a new addition to its calendar this May: Debate Club, an evening of arguments on a question shaping communities right now — exclusivity versus inclusivity. One team makes the case for open doors and broader perspectives; the other defends curation, trust, and a strong identity over scale.

A judging panel calls a winner, but the final vote goes to the room. Dinner at Luis’ follows for anyone who isn’t quite ready to go home.

When: Tuesday, May 19th
Where: Lawson Flats
Cost: Members $15.00 per person, public $25.00 per person (drink on arrival included)

Daycap at The Rechabite

Bottomless drinks have moved to the afternoon. Daycap runs at The Rechabite every Saturday from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm with free-flowing pours, a DJ keeping the room moving, and a share-style menu from Chef Navarre Topp.

The drinks list runs through Lemoncello and Yuzu Spritz, Sakura Blossom, and Silk Road cocktails alongside wines and tap beers. The food includes crispy prawn wontons, kimchi dumplings, and wagyu yukhoe tartare, with vegan and gluten-free dishes integrated into the menu rather than tacked on as an afterthought. Wrapping at 4:00 pm leaves you well-positioned to either head home or push straight on into Northbridge.

When: Every Saturday, 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Where: The Rechabite, Northbridge

Lawson Flats Wine Club turns two

A day after Debate Club, Lawson Flats throws a second birthday for its Wine Club. Host Emma Farrelly pours six wines across the evening — bubbles to open, something from a magnum, and a blind tasting with a bottle on the line for whoever calls it correctly.

Cake is locked in. So is a playlist. A DJ is not out of the question.

When: Wednesday, May 20th
Where: Lawson Flats
Cost: Members $40.00 per person, public $70.00 per person

Hot Keys piano nights at Deadbeat Bar

Friday and Saturday nights at Deadbeat Bar belong to Hot Keys — live piano, crowd-led requests, and group sing-alongs of the classics, usually a few drinks past the original key. Pre-night or post-night, it works either way.

When: Every Friday and Saturday
Where: Deadbeat Bar, 440 Murray Street, Perth

Salsa lessons at The Leederville 

Every Tuesday from 6:30 pm, the Red Room upstairs at The Leederville runs beginner salsa with Liliana and the Ritmo Caliente crew. No experience expected, no partner required; just a way to do something on a Tuesday night that isn’t dinner and a movie.

When: Tuesdays from 6:30 pm
Where: The Leederville Precinct, 2/742 Newcastle Street, Leederville

Producer Wine Dinner — McHenry Hohnen at City Cellar

McHenry Hohnen winemaker Jacopo Dalli Cani is in town for an intimate dinner in Cherubino City Cellar’s Private Dining Room. The Margaret River estate works biodynamically across three vineyards in the southern reaches of the region, with classics like Chardonnay and Cabernet alongside Marsanne, Roussanne, and Grenache.

Six wines are on pour, including the 2024 Hazel’s Chardonnay, the 2023 Grenache, the 2020 Hazel’s Cabernet Sauvignon, and the 2019 Rolling Stone — paired with a relaxed dinner from the City Cellar kitchen.

When: Thursday, May 14th, from 6:30 pm
Where: City Cellar

The post What’s On In Perth This May appeared first on So Perth

If you bought your investment property before 7:30 pm last night, nothing about negative gearing or the capital gains tax discount changes for you. Not now, not in 2027, not ever. 

The 2026 Budget rewrites the rules for future investors and introduces long-discussed structural changes to how Australia taxes capital gains. The reforms have a 14-month runway before they begin, and a long tail of transitional arrangements, meaning even the people they do affect won’t see a dollar of impact until well into 2028. 

Here is what is changing.

What is negative gearing?

Watching the discussion around negative gearing for the last couple of years, especially on social media, one thing is clear: most people don’t actually know what negative gearing is. 

The common misconception is that mortgage payments are tax-deductible. Not quite how it works.

Negative gearing is when the costs of owning an asset — say, an investment property — exceed the income it generates — i.e., rent. For an investment property, which is what most people talk about when discussing negative gearing, that could include things like interest on the loan, maintenance costs, etc etc. These losses can then be used to reduce your taxable income.

Residential property is often negatively geared for the first few years until it reaches a point where the loan amount and subsequent interest drop to a point where they are less than the rental income. Then, the income is subject to income tax in the same way as other income streams.

The two changes you need to understand

From July 1st 2027, two things happen.

The first is that negative gearing will be limited to new builds only. If you buy an existing house and rent it out at a loss after that date, you can still claim those losses, but only against income from residential property. Unused losses carry forward to future years.

The second is that the 50% capital gains tax discount disappears for assets bought after July 1st 2027. In its place, Treasury is restoring cost-base indexation against the Consumer Price Index — the system Australia used between 1985 and 1999 — alongside a new minimum 30% tax rate on real capital gains. The indexation does the same job the 50% discount was meant to do: strip out inflation from the taxable gain. The minimum tax stops someone with a very large gain in a year of low other income from paying almost nothing on it.

There’s a related but separate change to discretionary trust distributions, which will be subject to their own 30% minimum tax from July 1st 2028. That one will mostly affect higher-income families who use trust structures to split income among family members.

What does it mean if you already own an investment property?

Almost nothing. The changes are being grandfathered. Any property held at 7:30 pm last night, including any where contracts have been exchanged but settlement hasn’t happened, keeps the existing negative gearing treatment for the rest of the time you own it.

The CGT side is slightly more nuanced but still favourable. If you sell the property in five years, you get the existing 50% discount applied to the growth between purchase and July 1st 2027, and indexation plus the new minimum tax applied to the growth after that date. Treasury’s own worked example — Michael, who sells two years after the changes — comes out paying about $2,200 more in tax on a property that gained $60,000 in those two years. Across the full holding period, the difference isn’t that significant.

What does it mean if you’re thinking about buying one?

This is where the policy has been designed to have the most effect. There are three pathways:

If you sign before July 1st 2027, on an existing home, you get negative gearing under the current rules through June 30th 2027, and then you switch to the new restricted regime where losses can only offset residential property income from that point forward. The CGT treatment is split across the two regimes.

If you buy after July 1st 2027, and choose an existing home, you can still deduct rental losses against other residential property income and carry them forward, but you can’t offset them against wages. The CGT change applies in full. Treasury’s modelled investor — Yoonseo, buying a $519,000 property and holding for ten years — pays an extra $186.00 in tax across the whole investment period compared to the old rules. 

If you buy after July 1st 2027, and choose a new build, almost nothing changes. You keep negative gearing in full, and when you sell, you can choose between the old 50% CGT discount or the new indexation regime, whichever produces the lower tax bill. The Government wants to encourage investors to use their money to increase the overall housing stock.

“New build” has a specific definition. An off-the-plan apartment counts. A duplex built where one house used to stand counts. Construction on previously vacant land counts. A granny flat doesn’t count. A knock-down rebuild that replaces one house with one house doesn’t count. A renovation, regardless of size, doesn’t count. The test is whether the work adds dwellings to the housing stock.

What it means for first-home buyers

This is the cohort the policy is designed to help, and Treasury is explicit about why. Since 1999, when the 50% CGT discount was introduced, average house prices have risen more than twice as fast as average full-time earnings. The homeownership rate among Australians aged 25 to 34 fell by seven percentage points between 2001 and 2021. The reforms are framed as an attempt to flatten that curve.

Treasury’s modelling estimates 75,000 additional owner-occupiers over the next decade as a result of the changes, described in the Government’s own fact sheet as “equivalent to reversing around 10 years of declines in the home ownership rate.” That’s a national figure, and Perth is over-represented in the first-home buyer cohort relative to the east coast.

Whether it works depends almost entirely on what happens to investor demand on the ground. If investors retreat from the established market faster than first-home buyers can step into it, the result is softer prices and fewer transactions. If they retreat more slowly, prices keep rising, and the policy moves the needle very little. 

Our prediction is that the policy changes have little to no effect on housing affordability. The changes don’t materially affect the long-term profitability of investing in residential real estate. This feels more like policy designed to attract headlines and encourage voter behaviour than it does to actually reform how taxation is applied. 

How will it affect renters?

Treasury’s modelling estimates an increase of less than $2.00 a week at the median rent. This takes into account the expected downward pressure from the housing supply measures elsewhere in the Budget.

REIWA’s view is sharper. Investors supply more than 86% of WA’s rental properties, and chief executive Suzanne Brown has flagged that any policy that nudges investors out of the market will hit Perth renters harder than the national average suggests. Her concern is timing as much as anything else. Perth’s vacancy rate sat at 2.0% in March 2026, and REIWA’s forecast for the year has median house prices rising more than 10% and unit prices rising 15% to 20%. Supply is below the February 2021 peak, and the population has grown significantly since then.

The Government’s counter to that argument is the $6.3 billion total it now has earmarked for housing-enabling infrastructure, including a new $2 billion Local Infrastructure Fund, and the foreign-buyer ban on established homes, which has been extended to mid-2029.

What should investors do?

Probably nothing this week, or at all, to be honest.

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Treasurer Jim Chalmers handed down his fifth Federal Budget last night, framing it as the most ambitious tax overhaul in 26 years. For Perth households, the headline news is a pair of new personal tax cuts, the biggest rewrite of negative gearing and capital gains tax in a generation, and a $12 billion commitment to expand the Henderson Defence Precinct south of the city.

The new tax measures take effect in 2026–27 and 2027–28. The negative gearing and capital gains tax changes don’t begin until July 1st 2027. Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson called the Budget “weird” and a package of “broken promises, higher taxes, lower living standards and fewer homes”, pledging to repeal the property reforms if the Coalition wins office. The next 12 months will likely be dominated by Senate negotiations and industry lobbying.

What’s new for workers

Two new personal tax measures are landing on top of the cuts already legislated in previous Budgets.

The first is a $1,000 instant tax deduction, effective from the 2026–27 financial year. Workers can knock $1,000 off their taxable income for work-related expenses without keeping receipts. Treasury estimates 6.2 million Australians, or 42% of taxpayers, will use it, for an average benefit of $205.00.

The second is the new $250.00 Working Australians Tax Offset, a permanent annual tax cut beginning in 2027–28. It effectively lifts the tax-free threshold by nearly $1,800 to $19,985.

For a worker on average earnings of $81,245, Treasury’s modelling estimates a cumulative tax cut of $1,978 in 2026–27 and $2,496 from 2027–28, rising to roughly $2,700 if the new instant deduction is used. 

Negative gearing and CGT — the “broken promise”

This is the part Chalmers is calling generational, and the part Tim Wilson has already promised to repeal. From July 1st 2027, negative gearing will be limited to new builds only, and the 50% capital gains tax discount will be replaced with inflation indexation plus a minimum 30% tax on real capital gains.

Every property held at 7:30 pm last night is fully grandfathered, so existing investors are not affected. The changes hit future buyers of established homes, and Treasury says only about 230,000 Australians a year acquire a negatively geared property — roughly 1% of taxpayers. Investors who buy new builds can still negatively gear and can choose between the old 50% discount or the new indexation regime when they sell.

REIWA chief executive Suzanne Brown has flagged concerns that the changes will push some investors out of the WA market at a time when Perth needs more rentals, not fewer. Investors supply more than 86% of WA’s rental properties, and the vacancy rate sat at 2.0% in March; well under the 2.5% to 3.5% range REIWA considers balanced. Treasury’s counter-modelling estimates the rent impact at under $2.00 a week and projects 75,000 additional owner-occupiers over the decade.

There’s a separate, dedicated explainer on the negative gearing and CGT changes coming on So Perth, because it’s such a big subject and hot topic that people think will be the silver bullet to make housing more affordable. Hint: It won’t affect housing affordability in any meaningful way and will likely widen the wealth inequality gap.

Henderson is the biggest WA story

Easy to lose in the noise, but the single biggest dollar figure for Western Australia in this Budget is the $12 billion initial commitment to expand the Henderson Defence Precinct south of Perth. Independent advice puts the eventual decade-long bill closer to $25 billion, and Defence is projecting 10,000 direct jobs over the next 20 years, plus subcontracting work for hundreds of WA small and medium businesses.

Henderson is being built out to handle the construction of naval ships, the sustainment of surface combatants, and docking for AUKUS nuclear-powered submarines from the early 2030s onward. A further $30 million in this Budget covers design work and interim facilities for the non-defence industry being displaced to make room. The flow-on effect through Cockburn, Kwinana, and Rockingham will run for two decades.

Cheaper meds and a permanent urgent care guarantee

The Government is spending $5.9 billion to list new medicines on the PBS, including treatments for cystic fibrosis, chronic kidney disease, and several cancers. The RSV vaccine Arexvy is being added to the National Immunisation Program for eligible older Australians at a cost of $449.3 million.

The 137 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics — Perth has them in Armadale, Joondalup, Midland, Rockingham, Cockburn, and elsewhere — are being made permanent with $1.8 billion in funding plus $580.2 million each year going forward. The Government’s target is that nine in ten GP services will be bulk billed by 2030. As of January, the national rate was 81.4%.

What’s the catch?

The 2026–27 underlying cash deficit is $31.5 billion. The Government claims $63.8 billion in savings, with the largest single chunk — $37.8 billion over four years — coming from NDIS reforms. The fine print on those reforms includes standardised functional capacity assessments, tighter plan reassessment rules, and an explicit return to “the original intent” of the scheme. Early media reporting has flagged that the new eligibility tests could result in significant numbers of existing participants being reassessed under the scheme over time. The detail will dominate the Senate inquiry to follow.

Inflation is forecast to peak at around 5% mid-year, real GDP growth is being downgraded from 2.25% to 1.75%, and Treasury has been frank that the Middle East oil shock is the main reason. The Budget commits $14.8 billion to a longer-term fuel resilience package: a $3.2 billion strategic Fuel Security Reserve, a $7.5 billion Fuel and Fertiliser Security Facility, and a 20% domestic gas reservation from July 2027. The temporary excise cut that has been in place at the bowser since April 1st runs until the end of June.

What happens now, and what’s missing?

Most of these measures still need to pass Parliament. While the Coalition opposes the property reforms, Wilson has signalled support for the $250.00 tax offset, the permanent $20,000 instant asset write-off for small business, and the $2 billion housing infrastructure fund. The property tax fight will likely dominate headlines across Australia for the next few months.

What’s missing is any plan to give the people what they want and adequately tax multinationals and gas exports.

The post Tax Cuts, Negative Gearing Changes, And $12 Billion For Henderson: What Perth Got From The 2026 Federal Budget appeared first on So Perth

Whale shark swims, manta ray encounters, scenic flights over Ningaloo Reef, and Aboriginal cultural tours are now all available at half price, after the State Government launched a new voucher program to bring visitors to the Coral Coast.

The Ningaloo Adventure Vouchers apply to eligible tours and experiences in Exmouth, Coral Bay, and Carnarvon and are valid from today until June 30th, or until they sell out. Bookings can be redeemed any time before November 30th.

The scheme is part of a $1.45 million package the Cook Government has rolled out to help Coral Coast tourism operators recover after Cyclone Narelle disrupted the region.

Regional Development Minister Stephen Dawson said, “This voucher program will offer timely support to help businesses stabilise, continue operating and prepare for recovery as visitors return.”

“The Coral Coast is back open for business following the impact of Tropical Cyclone Narelle. We want visitors to take up this fantastic opportunity to explore this unique part of WA.”

What can you see and do?

The 50 per cent discount applies to whale shark and manta ray swims, snorkelling and eco adventures, hiking, scenic flights over the reef, and Aboriginal cultural tours, among other marine and outdoor experiences. Operators across Exmouth, Coral Bay, and Carnarvon are participating, with the full list available on the Western Australia tourism site.

Tourism Minister Reece Whitby said the discounts were aimed at making travel on the Coral Coast more affordable. “The Ningaloo Adventure Vouchers make it easier and more affordable for people to experience the Coral Coast’s incredible marine life, landscapes and cultural experiences, while generating forward bookings for tourism operators in the near-term to assist with recovery,” he said.

How to claim a voucher

Claiming a voucher is quite easy. 

Travellers need to register their details with one of three participating visitor centres — the Western Australia Visitor Centre, the Ningaloo Visitor Centre, or the Carnarvon Visitor Centre — to receive a unique discount code, which is then applied at the time of booking.

A region rebuilding after the cyclone

The voucher scheme runs alongside Tourism Business Support Payments that recently opened for operators affected by Cyclone Narelle, and a marketing campaign targeting Western Australians to drive intrastate visits.

Gascoyne Minister Hannah Beazley, who recently travelled through the region, said local operators were ready for visitors to return. “Local business owners are ready to welcome tourists back to the region and, having visited recently, I’ve witnessed firsthand their resilience and community spirit,” she said.

Visitors planning a trip are advised to confirm their accommodation before travelling.

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If your idea of a perfect family day out includes happy kids, hands-on learning that actually feels like fun, and something a little out of the ordinary, then WA Museum Boola Bardip should be at the top of your list. A brand-new, world-class exhibition has just arrived, and it’s making a splash.

Introducing OceanXperience, an Australia-first, international exhibition running from April 4th to October 11th. Designed for ocean lovers, curious minds, and families ready for an adventure, this interactive experience transforms a museum visit into an underwater journey far beyond the shoreline.

Inspired by National Geographic’s OceanXplorers documentary series, OceanXperience blends cutting-edge technology, real-world marine research, and interactive displays to bring deep-sea exploration to life. It’s hands-on, visually stunning, and built to spark curiosity, inviting visitors of all ages to step into the world of ocean discovery.

All aboard 

A highlight of the exhibition is the opportunity to experience life aboard the OceanXplorer through an interactive recreation of its most vital research spaces. Step into the role of Xplorer, choose your own mission, and move through the ship, exploring the workspaces scientists use to study the ocean every day during deep-sea expeditions. 

Start in Mission Control, where live data is transformed into detailed visualisations of the ocean floor, allowing researchers to navigate and investigate underwater ecosystems. On the Bridge, navigation becomes the focus, with over 100 switches and systems used by the crew to steer the vessel, monitor environmental conditions, and track deployed research vessels. 

Next, head over to the Wet Lab to see how aquarium technology enables scientists to study live deep-sea organisms while on a mission. The Dry Lab then extends this work with microscopes and genetic sequencers, allowing scientists to use these state-of-the-art tools and to study samples collected in the Wet Lab up close. 

Finally, the Sub Hanger showcases deep-sea vehicles such as Nadir and Neptune, along with ROVs and AUVs, highlighting how these technologies allow scientists to reach extreme depths, survey vast areas, and uncover new knowledge about the ocean’s hidden environments.

Explore after hours 

Get after-hours access to the OceanXperience exhibition at Dive Bar. A monthly Friday night pop-up bar featuring a fresh mix of marine science experts each month, alongside local musicians inspired by the Indian Ocean, so that you can wind down after work in a way that’s a little different from the usual. The Dive Bar runs from 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm, so give yourself enough time to explore everything and catch the entertainment.

Dive deeper 

If you’re keen to take things up a notch, there’s also an optional mixed-reality HoloLab experience available to add on to your OceanXperience visit. Using HoloLens technology, you’ll dive even deeper into the world of marine science through holograms and guided interaction. It’s a pretty unique way to see how cutting-edge tech is shaping real-world research… but even without it, there’s more than enough here to fill a few hours.

Beyond the exhibition itself, there’s even more to explore, with additional displays showcasing the WA Museum’s own marine research, plus a lineup of science-themed activities and live events happening throughout the season. It all ties into a bigger picture, helping visitors not just see the ocean, but understand it, and maybe even walk away caring a little more about protecting it.

More information and tickets to the exhibition can be found on the WA Museum website.

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CinefestOz has been handed $2.6 million through the 2026-27 State Budget, locking in funding for the South West film festival until 2029-30. The 2026 edition runs from August 29th to September 6th in regional Western Australia, with the long-term commitment giving the festival a little long-term certainty about where its funding is coming from.

The investment was announced yesterday by the Creative Industries Minister, Simone McGurk.

McGurk said, “CinefestOz connects our local creatives with national and international opportunities and inspires the next generation of storytellers to see a future for themselves in Western Australia.”

The $2.6 million is spread across four festival cycles, giving the organisation the runway to be more strategic with its future planning. That’s important for a festival that has been working off annual rolling funding. Long-term certainty means the festival can sign multi-year deals, plan industry programming further out, and grow the year-round side of the operation — which now includes the Cinesnaps School Program, an Industry Program, and Deadly Days community events.

The bigger screen industry play behind the funding

CinefestOz pulled more than 29,000 attendees last year across more than 200 screenings of 104 films. Those numbers are important to the South West tourism economy, but the State Government is also using the festival as part of its WA Screen Industry Strategy — pitching WA to producers, directors, and investors as a place where productions are actually shot, with the festival functioning as a shopfront.

South West Minister Don Punch said, “CinefestOz is a major driver of cultural activity, tourism and visitor spending in the South West, with last year’s festival attracting more than 29,000 people and delivering a strong boost to the regional economy.” 

“This investment provides certainty for CinefestOz to continue growing, strengthening the region’s tourism offering while supporting local jobs, building skills, and creating new opportunities for Western Australians across the screen and creative industries.”

The funding sits within the broader Made in WA Plan, which targets economic diversification and the growth of creative industries; areas the State Government has been spending more on as it tries to widen WA’s economic base beyond resources.

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The Reserve Bank lifted the cash rate by 25 basis points this afternoon, taking it to 4.35 per cent; the same level it reached in late 2023 when inflation was “out of control”.

It’s the third consecutive hike of 2026, leaving mortgage holders and those already struggling to absorb further pain.

Why the board moved

The decision wasn’t unanimous. Eight members voted to raise the rate; one held out for a pause at 4.10 per cent.

In its statement, the board pointed to two pressures. Inflation picked up materially through the second half of 2025, and recent data suggest that part of that lift reflects capacity pressures in the economy, meaning Australia is operating close to capacity, and any extra demand pushes prices up rather than output. On top of that, the conflict in the Middle East has driven fuel and related commodity prices sharply higher, with the cost already feeding into headline inflation.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics monthly indicator put inflation at 4.6 per cent in March, up from 3.7 per cent in February.

What’s causing the increase in inflation rates?

A lot of blame and hostility will be directed towards the Reserve Bank Governor, Michele Bullock, for the decision, but is that just? The short answer is no.

The Reserve Bank is the last line of defence against inflation, and they’re quite a blunt instrument in that it can only do one of three things:

1. Leave rates on hold
2. Reduce rates to spark the economy
3. Raise rates to slow down inflation

Will today’s rate rise curb inflation? Again, it’s unlikely to have the effect they’d like, and it will likely result in further rate rises this year. 

So what is causing inflation, given that people generally don’t have a lot of disposable cash at the moment, and discretionary spending is down?

The conflict in the Middle East is obviously a factor, with Crude Oil prices having jumped considerably in the last several weeks amid global shortages. This naturally flows through the economy, making everything more expensive.

But didn’t the rates start rising before the conflict in Iran properly kicked off?

One of the biggest factors driving inflation is government policy and spending. 

Federal and state governments combined have been spending at historically high levels as a share of GDP, and when the RBA talks about “capacity pressures,” that’s part of what they mean. Government demand competes with private demand for the same constrained pool of workers, materials, and services, keeping prices elevated.

In this instance, the government — both federal and state — has more power to slow inflation than the Reserve Bank.

Basil Zempilas commented, “This is another blow to WA households already being smashed by Labor’s cost-of-living crisis.”

“Every mortgage holder in WA is paying the price for a government that has failed on housing, failed on cost of living, and failed to ease pressure on family budgets.”

What it means for repayments

Macquarie was first to move, announcing within hours of the decision that it would lift variable home loan and savings rates by 0.25 percentage points from Friday, May 22nd. The other big four banks are expected to follow.

For a borrower with a $1 million mortgage, the cumulative effect of this year’s three hikes works out to around $453 a month in extra repayments compared with January.

More hikes on the table

The board kept its options open, saying it would “do what it considers necessary” to bring inflation back to target.

Westpac is the most hawkish of the major banks, forecasting two more 25-basis-point increases at the June and August meetings, which would push the cash rate to 4.85 per cent — a level not seen since 2008. 

Treasurer Jim Chalmers hands down the federal budget on Tuesday, a week in which mortgage holders will be hoping for something to help with the cost of living that doesn’t add fuel to the fire.

The post RBA Lifts Cash Rate to 4.35% In Third Straight Rate Rise appeared first on So Perth

The last time West Coast Fever met the Adelaide Thunderbirds, they walked out of the Adelaide Entertainment Centre 13 goals down. That was Round 2. Six wins later, the West Coast Fever return to RAC Arena on Friday, May 8th with a score to settle under lights for Friday Night Netty.

Centre pass is at 6:00 pm. It is the only Friday fixture on the entire Suncorp Super Netball calendar this season.

What happened in Adelaide

While the West Coast Fever started well and led at the first break, the Thunderbirds’ defensive end took the game apart from there. By half-time, the home side were five goals up. Five minutes into the third, the margin had blown out to 12. Fever were able to claw it back through supershots, but inaccurate shooting and turnovers proved too costly.

Eight weeks on, West Coast Fever sit third on the ladder with two losses. The Thunderbirds sit second with one. The Vixens are undefeated at the top, and the top three are essentially locked in. 

What’s still being decided is the order as the West Coast Fever look to climb further up the ladder. Add on Friday night, this is where they make their charge for second.

One of the best game day experiences in Perth

If you’ve never been to a Fever home game, this is the one to start with.

RAC Arena will not only turn green as fans gear up in green shirts, green wigs, green everything. But for the Friday Night Netty match-up, RAC Arena will turn on full disco mode.

Fever Alley opens before the game, on the ground floor. A pre-game zone built for kids — head through the green arch for photo opportunities, giveaways, and games. By the time you take your seat, the music is up, as the light show starts and the West Coast Fever take the court, and the energy holds from the first whistle to the last. In a special halftime experience and adding to the disco theme, Roller skaters will take the court, and those in attendance will need to keep their hands ready as Linley Valley Pork throw flying pig keychains into the crowd. And you get to watch the world’s best netball players in action.

Let the kids stay up late. Spoil mum with an early Mother’s Day gift or bring the social netball team. Wear green. Friday Night Netty is definitely more fun as a group than on your own.

Make a night of it in Perth

RAC Arena’s location means the venues around it are open before centre pass and still going after it. 

The pre-game can start at Copia, the sophisticated wine bar on St George’s Terrace sits a five-minute walk from RAC Arena. With an extensive wine list and seasonal sharing plates, get there from 5:00 pm and then make your way to RAC Arena.

Stories at Yagan Square have changed what a CBD pre-game looks like. Stories, the award-winning multi-storey precinct, gives you three dining choices under one roof, depending on the night you’re after. KARLA is the modern Asian flagship, run by head chef Ben Pienprasop, formerly of Chin Chin in Melbourne. Alba does handmade pasta and relaxed Italian. Ugly Baby is the left-of-centre option, with Middle Eastern share plates.

Then there is Market Grounds, which remains a CBD institution and often a go-to for the Green Army faithful. The Standard does Northbridge share plates and a cocktail list that has earned its standing as one of Perth’s best bars. Miss Chow’s on the Terrace is the right call for modern Asian and dumplings within walking distance, and Lil’s Rooftop Bar on Murray Street is the higher option for a post-game drink.

The hottest tickets in Perth sport

There’s a reason why West Coast Fever games are one of the hottest tickets in Perth sport. The club consistently draws some of the biggest crowds in the league, with passionate fans creating an atmosphere that’s second to none.

And with Friday night netball back on the calendar — under lights, in front of a packed house — this is set to be one of the marquee matchups of the year.

So whether you’re a longtime Green Army member or simply looking for a fun way to kick off your weekend, this game is one you’ll want to lock in.

Let’s go Fever.

Tickets

Tickets are on sale through Ticketek. Group rates apply for ten or more, which makes this the night to bring the social netball team. The fixture is the only Friday night game on the 2026 Suncorp Super Netball schedule, and it is West Coast Fever’s only home match against a top-four contender for the next month.

Now is the time to roll out the biggest and loudest Green Army.

Where: RAC Arena

When: Friday, May 8th, 6:00 pm

Tickets: Get your tickets from $20.00* via Ticketek

Free public transport with ticket purchase.*Ticketek handling & transaction fees apply.

The post West Coast Fever Take On The Adelaide Thunderbirds For Friday Night Netty appeared first on So Perth