Mayor Amber Kearns

01/11/2026

I still remember lingering in our school health nurse, Ann Leavers office as she dreamt up the idea of YOH Fest…

Almost 30 years later, I’m sitting in the crowd next to my high school drama teacher, Miss Palmer, now the YOH Fest Board Chair, watching as Mayor of our city. I was captivated, not only by the incredible theatrical talent, but by the important health messages being delivered through creativity, courage and the voices of our young people.

Last night was not only a walk down memory lane, it was an evening of wisdom sharing, entertainment, community building and a reminder of just how powerful young voices can be.

Thank you, Official YOH Fest💛

A massive shout-out to EVERY single person, past and present, who has helped make this incredible initiative all that it is today!

31/10/2026

On Thursday, I had the pleasure of attending the official opening of Murphy’s Sky Deck~ an exciting milestone for a business that has been part of the fabric of Mandurah for many years. 

Today feels like the perfect day to reflect on the contribution of small businesses to our community.

We often see the finished product: the busy venue, the new development, the success story. What we don’t always see are the years of hard work, long hours, risks taken, challenges faced and obstacles overcome to get there.

Edward, Peta and their family have been backing Mandurah for a long time. Through multiple businesses, they have created jobs for local people, supported community groups and charities, sponsored events, and helped make our city a more vibrant place to live and visit. It's also great to see this project supported through the WA State Government's Regional Economic Development (RED) Grants Program, delivered locally through the Peel Development Commission, helping businesses continue to invest in our community.

This achievement also belongs to the many people who have been part of the journey over the years. The staff, managers, chefs, bar team, suppliers, contractors, family members and loyal customers who have all played a role in getting Murphy’s to where it is today.

Successful businesses are never built by one or two people alone. They are built by teams, supported by communities and sustained by people who continue showing up day after day.

Through changing markets, uncertainty and the challenges that have tested businesses everywhere, Edward and Peta have continued to back themselves, back their team and back Mandurah.

Congratulations to everyone who has been part of the Murphy’s story so far. The Sky Deck is a fantastic addition to our foreshore and an exciting new chapter for a business that has already contributed so much to our community.

Most of all, thank you for continuing to invest in Mandurah. Our community sure is better for it❤️

Murphy's Irish Pub

31/10/2026

Awesome to join YouthCARE Australia Chaplain Racheal and the wonderful village at Ocean Road Primary School for their Coffee Connect Community Breakfast yesterday💛

So grateful to the church community volunteers who put on such a delicious breakfast, and to everyone who continues to care for, support and nurture our school communities.

Thank you to Cr Mulder for joining me, and to all the teachers, staff and families who help make Ocean Road such a special place. And of course, a special shout out to the exceptional young people at the heart of it all!

This amazing school is celebrating 25 years next week, what an incredible milestone!

A massive congratulations to every single person who has been part of the journey and helped shape Ocean Road into the school it is today.

Here’s to you, Ocean Road! 💛

30/10/2026

💛 Happy Fun Fact Friday, Mandurah!

Now, you'll have to listen carefully to today's fun fact... the noisy seagulls were trying to steal our limelight!

This week I'm joined by Dr Alan Cottingham, a researcher at Murdoch University who heads up a real-time water quality monitoring system with some interesting little creatures at the centre of it all! Mussels!

For the past three years, the Mandurah Ocean Marina has been home to one of the program's monitoring stations, where sensors are attached to living mussels! As filter feeders, the mussels can tell us a lot about the health of the waterways around us 💦

The mussels are continuously sampling the surrounding water, and if they detect something they don't like, they close their shell. These behavioural responses, which are monitored by researchers on a real-time dashboard, are an indicator of changing water quality. Incredible!

The marina site was used as a case study for research into ecosystem health and received an excellent health score of 87.9 percent, based on the behaviour of the mussels.

The marina has played an important role as a demonstration site for a framework which researchers are hoping to apply to other locations.

Who would have thought the humble mussel could tell us so much?! It’s great to see Mandurah contributing to this environmental work 💚

Thank you, Alan for telling me all about the water quality monitoring work that's being done! You can see more of Alan's mussel work over on Instagram at

30/10/2026

🧡 What a night for Mandurah 🧡

Last night we came together to celebrate 50 years of Mandurah SES and the generations of volunteers who have given so much of themselves to our community.

And we made a little bit of Mandurah history along the way.

For the first time ever, the City of Mandurah awarded the Keys to the City, with this special honour presented to Mandurah SES in recognition of 50 years of dedicated volunteer service. Council unanimously supported this earlier in the year and I honestly can’t think of a more deserving recipient.

I’ve known many of these volunteers for decades, and to have the privilege of presenting the symbolic Keys to our City to this incredible group is something I don’t think I’ll ever forget. I can’t imagine many greater honours in my role as Mayor.

For five decades, these volunteers have answered the call when our community has needed them. Storms, rescues, searches and emergencies, often in difficult and sometimes dangerous circumstances. But their contribution goes well beyond emergency response. Those familiar orange uniforms are also there at Crab Fest, ANZAC Day, Christmas celebrations and so many of the events that bring our community together.

We also celebrated an extraordinary 40 years of service from the wonderful Chris Stickland ESM. Forty years of giving his time, skills and commitment to others. Congratulations Chris!

A big thanks to the Hon. Reece Whitby MLA, Minister for Emergency Services, and Acting Deputy Commissioner Paul Carr ESM for joining us and sharing their words on the night. And to David Templeman AM, Mandurah SES Life Member, for a very impromptu rendition of Happy Birthday! What a treat!!

A special thanks too to SES Patron Robyn Clarke, who worked alongside our team to bring the evening together. There was so much care behind the scenes and it was lovely to see it all come together.

To every person who has worn the orange over the past 50 years, thank you. For the hours of training, the preparation, the time away from family, the call-outs and the countless ways you have looked after our community. Your service has helped make Mandurah a safer place and is woven into the fabric that holds our community together.

Here’s to you, Mandurah State Emergency Service - SES🧡

📸 A few happy snaps from last night’s celebrations.

29/10/2026

Happy World Teachers Day Mandurah 💛

29/10/2026

Hey Mandurah 👋

As we head into the festive season, I’m pleased to share details of Mandurah’s inaugural Community Prayer Breakfast, with this year’s theme of Light.

The breakfast is an opportunity to bring people together from across our community to pray for Mandurah, its people and its future, while building connections between church, community and civic leaders.

The morning will include a performance by a local school choir Foundation Christian College, live art by the extraordinarily talented Deb from Zibah Artworks, a panel discussion with Mandurah community leaders, and prayers led by people with experience and insight across different areas of our community.

At the heart of this gathering is the hope we can share, the support we can offer one another and the positive difference we can make in the lives of others.

I look forward to being part of this special occasion and joining with our community to reflect on hope & light for our amazing city.

If you’d like to attend, you can find the event details and ticket information below💛

👉

Celebrate Mandurah's faith communities, volunteers and leaders, and unite in gratitude, reflection and unity.

29/10/2026

A massive shout out to all of Mandurah's younger residents💛

Today I got to spend some time with the wonderful Winnie, chatting, colouring in and talking about the things that matter to her.

Our young people have important perspectives, big ideas and plenty to teach us if we're willing to take the time to hear them.

Thank you for the visit, Winnie. The future sure is bright with young people like you helping shape it!

29/10/2026

Grateful to join my fellow members of the Zonta Club of Peel Inc. for our dinner meeting last night.

Last night we had the opportunity to hear from the inspiring Nicci Lambert from Allambee. I've known Nicci for many years, including during my time on the Allambee Board, and having seen this work firsthand, I know just how important it is.

Far too many people in our community live with the devastating impacts of sexual violence and family and domestic violence. The effects can last a lifetime, shaping a person's sense of safety, relationships and future. It's an issue I care deeply about, both personally and through my time on the Allambee Board.

For more than 30 years, Allambee has provided vital specialist services, alongside important work in advocacy, education and prevention. It's about not only supporting people when they need help, but also helping to create a future where fewer people experience this harm in the first place. I have enormous respect for Nicci and her team and the work they continue to do for our community.

While the evening touched on some serious and important issues, the two very cute little lambs brought along by Bee at the end of the evening were certainly an unexpected highlight! Thanks Bee for bringing along your special little friends🥰 and thanks to my fellow Zontians for all you do, both seen and unseen.

For more information:

Allambee👉 https://www.allambee.org.au/
We Say No to Violence 👉 https://wesaynotoviolence.org.au/
Zonta👉 https://www.zontadistrict23.org.au/what-we-do/

28/10/2026

Hey Mandurah👋

Last night we held our Ordinary Council Meeting for October, with a strong focus on governance, future planning, financial stewardship, and advocacy for our community.

Here’s a snapshot of what Council resolved.

Thank you to everyone who attended, asked questions, or tuned in online.

You can watch the livestream or read the agenda and minutes on the City website at www.mandurah.wa.gov.au