The Nepean River once again became the heart of Penrith as thousands flocked to Tench Reserve for the annual Real Festival, held from the 12th-14th of September. Over three days, the riverside transformed into a lively celebration of art, food, music and...
Off Campus
Liverpool’s Ganesh Chaturthi: Perseverance Against Protests
(Caption: Bharatnatyam dancers at the religious event. Photo credit: Samina Rakhshani, 2025) Hundreds of people gathered in Liverpool to celebrate the birth of Hindu deity Ganesha on Suday, 31 August 2025. The event coincided with large nationwide anti-immigration...
Queer Social Club Celebrates 2 Years
Josh Bouman (he/him) is the Queer Social Club (QSC) co-founder. The QSC runs events such as, picnics, hiking, queer trivia, beach days, game afternoons, brunches, trips to a café, craft-days, karaoke and craft-days. ‘[The Queer community] is very important...
Penguin Fantasy Fest Comes to Sydney
July 2025 saw Penguin’s ‘Fantasy Fest’ arrive in Australian cities, readers enjoying exclusive previews of upcoming fantasy novel releases and extensive author panel discussions. In 2023, Penguin Random House Australia, one of Australia’s ‘big five’ publishing...
When petals fall, and culture blooms: Auburn Cherry Blossom festival 2025
'Music has no borders, but we definitely try to teach our culture from Japan through our performances’. For shamisen player and singer songwriter Noriko Tadano, the Auburn Cherry Blossom festival is more than entertaining a crowd: it's about cultural exchange. The...
Business Priorities or Academic Values? An Analysis of University Governance
The new parliament has readopted a Senate investigation into the nature of governance at Australian Universities. The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) supported the action, which is generally regarded as an essential first step in addressing what many...
Let’s Teach Consent with Chanel Contos
On May 26, 2025, Teach Us Consent – a movement founded by activist Chanel Contos, advocates to dismantle rape culture, launched the Promoting Consent Initiative. The initiative aims to provide young people with online content communicating the importance of healthy...
Uncle Greg Simms OAM – Saying Goodbye to a Pillar in Our Community
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this article contains images, voices and names of deceased persons. ‘I remember him being a very gentle, kind, knowledgeable man, wearing a hat, he had the biggest smile and was always very highly...
Sydney Writers’ Festival Launches Year-Round Program In Landmark Partnership
A New Chapter for Literary Engagement The Sydney Writers’ Festival (SWF) is one of the world's leading literary events, taking place in May each year. Since 1997, it has provided opportunities for storytelling and cultural exchange. Now, the SWF will...
Want to Stay in Australia After Graduation? Read This First!
It’s the final year of uni, and while assignments and exams loom large, for many international students, an even bigger question hovers in the background: “Can I stay in Australia after I graduate?” If you’ve ever Googled visa types or relied on a friend’s...
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Student Elections 2026: Kirk Gomes
Disclaimer: This post is published for information only and does not constitute an endorsement of any nominee or ticket by W’SUP, its editors, or the Western Sydney University Student Union (WSUSU). Nominee details and statements are supplied by the nominee and have...
The WEST Journal Brings a Voice to the Outer Suburbs
In a bid to rewrite the disconnect between capital cities and outer suburbs, The WEST Journal strives to provide a space for the Western Sydney community in the media. Founded in 2009, The WEST Journal is an independent Australian media platform built around...
My Experience at Edcon 2026 – And Why People Should Attend
My name is Kirk Gomes. I’m one of the interim disability officers at Western Sydney University (‘WSU’). I was recently invited to attend the National Union of Students (‘NUS’) Education Conference. This was a four-day conference hosted by the NUS, and it was held at...
Homegrown Mystery: Tamara Moss
Tamara Moss majored in Asian Studies at the University of Western Australia before going on to work as a primary school teacher. In 2017, she published her debut book in the Lintang series. The series was shortlisted for the Readings Children’s Book Prize in 2018,...
The Heart Behind the Hands
Before the sun begins to rise, a nurse is already by someone’s side. Not just asking what hurts today; But wondering what words cannot say. They carry no spotlight, applause, nor fame; Just quiet commitment to every name. With tired eyes and steady hands, ...









