Kimberley and Pilbara local news briefing, November 11, 2026

Detailed summary

Here's what's making news in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions today. Vast coral colony recorded off Cocos. One of the largest ever coral colonies has been recorded by researchers…

One of the largest ever coral colonies has been recorded by researchers in waters off the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

The rose coral colony was mapped using GPS and spans 1.56 kilometres, the equivalent of 100 buses laid end-to-end.

Lead researcher JP Hobbs said learning about this kind of deep-water coral could help other, more vulnerable species.

He said it could give insight into whether deep-water areas could act as a refuge for shallow-water corals affected by a bleaching event or cyclone.

A Men's Hub has opened in Kununurra to deliver culturally safe care and encourage Indigenous men to get regular check-ups.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data shows men are less likely to see a GP than women.

Regular check-ups are particularly important for Aboriginal men, who are more likely to experience chronic and acute conditions.

Men's Hub manager Shaun Cox said Aboriginal men in the East Kimberley faced cultural barriers when accessing health care, which the hub aimed to overcome.

He said some men left waiting rooms after seeing their mothers-in-law because they could not be in the same room as them.

Opening of the article, excerpted from ABC Environment. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.