NGAARDA STATEWIDE NEWS: Thursday 5th March 2026

Thursday’s stories from the Ngaarda Newsroom.

Communities across the Fitzroy Valley in the Kimberley are preparing to be cut off as heavy monsoon rains continue. The Great Northern Highway near Fitzroy Crossing remains closed with the Fitzroy River at minor flood level and expected to rise. Authorities warn some remote communities could be isolated for up to five days. Residents are urged to stay put with enough food, fuel, and medication, while some schools have already closed.

Mineral exploration spending in Western Australia has climbed to near-record levels, with companies investing around $723 million in the December quarter. Gold exploration leads the surge with about $380 million invested, driven by record gold prices, according to the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies.

Western Australia records the lowest school attendance rate of any mainland state. Attendance for year seven to ten students fell from almost 90% in 2016 to 85.8% last year, meaning over 58,000 students miss at least one day of school each week. Despite fines for non-attendance, no parents have been prosecuted in the past five years.

Australia’s first national lung cancer screening program has begun with a mobile CT scanner visiting regional WA communities in the Kimberley and Pilbara. Early detection is expected to dramatically improve survival rates, though regional health services may face additional pressure.

Cancer support services in the Pilbara will expand through a new multi-million dollar partnership with Hancock Iron Ore and Hancock Prospecting. Funding will allow Solaris Cancer Care to provide a cancer support coordinator and social worker across regional communities, aiming to reduce travel and health system barriers and ensure postcode does not determine treatment outcomes.