Nationals MP Wendy Duncan says the State Government is paying the price for the shortage of doctors in regional Western Australia. She says the Commonwealth should fund efforts to attract doctors to regional areas.

Authorities are warning the Great Southern and lower Wheatbelt need to be on alert over the next few days, with sweltering conditions expected to create a serious fire danger.

How many worms can you count in an hour? Albany backyard farmer Bede Harold claims that he can count one thousand red wrigglers an hour. Bede also believes it is his worms that are the key to his vegetable patch.

Local governments have expressed concern about a decision to kill off merger discussions between four Wheatbelt shires.

The Town of Narrogin says the latest proposal to merge with the neighbouring Narrogin Shire is just weeks from being finalised.

Albany's resident snake catcher shares her passion for chasing reptiles.

How do you like your avo? On toast with salt and pepper, or perhaps you simply just scoop out the creamy flesh with a spoon?

Albany's peak business lobby is calling for closer cooperation between the city's businesses, in a bid to ensure the region capitalises on November's Anzac centenary commemorations.

The Maritime Union says it has made concessions and lowered a pay claim to try to forge a new wages deal for support staff in the offshore oil and gas industry. The union is now seeking pay rises of 22 per cent over four years from marine contractor, Tidewater, down from its original claim of 24 per cent over the life of the agreement.

"We'd rather be taken by a grey nurse than a nursing home."

The Local Government Advisory Board says its decision to terminate the proposed merger of four Western Australian Wheatbelt shires was driven in part by financial concerns, a lack of common goals and the community's reaction.

This week's backyard farmer believes that every family needs a cow - and that getting up at 4am to do the milking is great fun.

The first government funded program to assist those affected by younger onset dementia has been announced in Albany.

The State Government says it has sent a serious warning to the owners of one of Albany's prime vacant lots, by signing off on a plan that would allow it to forcibly reclaim the site.

Farmers are gathering in Merredin this weekend to give thanks for what they believe was 'divine intervention' in the last cropping season.

As warm temperatures continue throughout much of Western Australia, residents are being warned about diseases which lurk in dirty pools and waterways.

The State Government says it's sent a serious threat to the owners of one of Albany's prime vacant lots, by signing off on a plan that would allow it to reclaim the site. But the Opposition maintains it's a hollow threat.

The Town and Shire of Narrogin have chosen to pursue an amalgamation option which would deny residents the opportunity to defeat it through a vote.

The outgoing Mental Health Commissioner says the state's Indigenous population is over-represented in the suicide rate.

Agricultural lobby group WA Farmers has urged the Federal Government not to forget struggling growers in parts of Western Australia, in talks over a drought assistance package.

The Shire of Narrogin says its proposed amalgamation with the Town of Narrogin will require about $2 million of state funding if it is to go ahead.

Nigerian police have arrested a man after the death of a West Australian woman who was caught up in an online romance scam.

The passionfruit vine is a typical grievance for those with a green thumb, a temperamental plant that just won't do what it's told.

Regional local governments say the Western Australian Government's handling of council mergers in Perth is increasing their fears they will be forced into mergers they do not want.

The Jerramungup Shire says it is working with Bremer Bay residents to address concerns about proposed bushfire safety measures.

A man has been sent to jail for a crime spree, that included the theft of firearms, tens of thousands of dollars worth of jewellery, and an attempted theft of an ATM.

Two men have been charged with raping an Albany woman while she was asleep.

The Western Australian Opposition is calling on the State Government to revisit the eligibility criteria for its concessional farming loans because of limited demand so far.

This week on backyard farmer, find out how to keep your fruit and veges in the cupboard all year round, and snag a great recipe for chilli jam!

Residents in the Great Southern town of Broomehill West have expressed frustration over a lack of information during a recent blackout.

The WA Local Government Association (WALGA) says it is hopeful regional councils which lost a combined $20 million in previously allocated funds will be given a State Government reprieve.

This week on Backyard Farmer, we are delving into the strange and wonderful world of alpacas.

A Liberal MP has told State Parliament that council amalgamations should have started in regional Western Australia.

A study shows the mining boom has generated up to 65 per cent more wealth for the top 20 per cent of West Australian households. But the research by Curtin University shows not all areas have reaped the rewards. It analysed the effects of the boom from 2003/04 to its peak in 2009/10 and found while those with higher incomes benefited substantially, other residents also benefited due to increased employment opportunities.

We're almost in the third month of the year, and it's likely that your garden is looking a little on the tired side. Never fear, help is here!

A Denmark man has pleaded guilty to more than 50 charges relating to filming, or attempting to film, his teenage step-daughter.

Several accommodation providers in Albany have expressed frustration at delays in finalising plans for the city's Anzac centenary commemorations.

Farmers in some of the driest parts of Western Australia are concerned they will miss out on funds from the Federal Government's drought assistance package because they will not meet the criteria.

A parliamentary committee tasked with reviewing the Patient Assisted Travel Scheme wants to hear your experiences with the initiative.

The Member for Moore, Shane Love, is hoping a parliamentary inquiry will address issues with a scheme which helps regional people travel to get medical treatment.

A group of West Australian farmers is planning a class action in the federal court after their lenders shortened the length of their loans, in some cases, from 25 years to just 12 months.

People experiencing homelessness are being moved from the street and shelters into four-star hotels. The radical plan is meant to protect them from the pandemic and it's temporary. But as Hagar Cohen discovers, there are questions about what happens once the virus crisis is over.

Queensland's cotton towns welcome Chinese investment in Cubbie Station and full irrigation dams.

The names of towns, roads and localities of central and western NSW are a treasure trove of toponymy, or the study of name origins, but their meanings also provide powerful connection for people and the places they call home.

Wild donkeys are known as environmental pests in Australia, causing erosion and damaging vegetation, but there is growing interest in turning that pest into a profit.

Residents have been left without water for a day after a breakdown at a local treatment plant and as western NSW sweated through a heatwave.

Pat O'Sullivan took over the Hillston Spectator from his dad more than 60 years ago. But now, with his garden calling, the publication could be at risk of folding.

Shearers, labourers, chefs, farmers and lifeguards are among the workers who push through the heatwave.

Lucy Moss's boutique in Coonamble is bursting with colour, and her latest venture offers various shades of relief for drought-affected farmers.

Water is extensively treated before it's used for dialysis