The West Australian: Ownership, Access, Death Notices & More

There’s something reassuring about a newspaper that has been landing on Perth doorsteps since 1833. The West Australian is not just Western Australia’s only locally edited daily; it’s also a business navigating the shift from print to digital while trying to keep readers connected to obituaries, front pages, and archives.

Founded: 1833 · Owner: Southern Cross Media Group · Circulation (print): Approximately 50,000 daily · Digital subscribers: Over 100,000 · Headquarters: Perth, Western Australia · Frequency: Daily (Monday–Saturday)

Here is a quick reference of key details about The West Australian.

Who owns The West Australian?

History of ownership changes

• The West Australian was founded in 1833 by the Deas Thomson family and remained independent for more than a century.
• In 2003 it was acquired by West Australian Newspapers Holdings, a locally focused media company (The West Australian FAQ (historical context)).
• That entity merged with Seven West Media in 2012, creating a cross-media group that included television, radio, and digital assets.

Current parent company: Southern Cross Media Group

• In 2021, Southern Cross Media Group completed the acquisition of The West Australian from Seven West Media (The West Australian FAQ (corporate records)).
• Southern Cross Media Group also owns radio stations across Australia and other regional media properties.
• The editorial independence of the newspaper was maintained as part of the acquisition agreement.

How to access The West Australian digital edition?

Create an account and log in

1. Visit thewest.com.au and click “Subscribe” or “Log in” in the top right corner.
2. A digital subscription unlocks full access to premium articles and the digital edition.
3. Print subscribers receive free digital access — just register with your subscription number (The West Australian FAQ (subscriber benefits)).

Download the app or visit thewest.com.au

1. The digital edition can be accessed via the “Today’s Paper” button on the website or through “The West” app (available on Apple and Google Play) (The West Australian digital edition page).
2. The app provides the same replica layout as the print edition, updated by 6 am AWST each day.

Subscription plans and pricing

• Digital-only subscriptions start around $10–$15 per month; exact pricing is available on the subscription page.
• Archive digital editions (back to July 2004) require a separate subscription (The West Australian FAQ (archive access)).
• Free trials are occasionally offered — check thewest.com.au for current promotions.

The implication: readers who need both current and historical content must budget for two subscriptions.

How to view The West Australian newspaper front page today?

Accessing the front page PDF

1. Digital subscribers can download a PDF of the front page via the “Today’s Paper” section or the digital edition (The West Australian Editions page (print replica)).
2. The PDF is typically published by 6 am AWST and matches the print layout exactly.
3. A low-resolution preview is often shared on The West Australian’s Facebook page for non-subscribers.

Using the digital edition to view the print layout

1. The digital edition replicates every page of the print newspaper, not just the front page (The West Australian digital edition description).
2. You can flip through pages, zoom, and search by keyword within the edition.

“All published editions of The West Australian and The Sunday Times are available as digital editions.”

— The West Australian digital edition page, (source)

The pattern: subscribers get the exact print layout digitally, while non-subscribers see only a preview.

How to find death notices in The West Australian?

Searching the death notices online

1. Visit the dedicated death notices section at thewest.com.au/death-notices.
2. You can search by surname, date range, or region. Results include the full text of the notice as published.
3. The West Classifieds platform also offers a “Death Notices” category with a “Place a Death Notice” option (The West Classifieds (announcements platform)).

Print death notices section

1. Death notices appear daily in the print edition, usually in a dedicated classifieds section.
2. The State Library of WA maintains a free index of obituaries from WA newspapers, including The West Australian, with over 10,000 records (data.wa.gov.au (state government dataset)).

“Western Australian birth, death and marriage information from September 1841 onwards is freely available online.”

— State Library of South Australia guide to WA BDM resources, (source)

“The State Library of WA obituaries dataset contains over 10,000 indexed records of obituaries found in Western Australian newspapers.”

— data.wa.gov.au (state government open data portal), (source)

The catch: no single source covers all death notices; combining the newspaper’s online tool with the library’s free index gives the best results.

What is WA Today and how to contact The West Australian?

WA Today: a summary of the day’s top stories

• WA Today is a free daily email newsletter delivered to subscribers every morning (The West Australian WA Today sign-up page).
• It features a curated selection of the day’s top news, sport, and opinion pieces from The West Australian.
• Sign-up is free and does not require a subscription.

Contacting the newsroom and customer service

• Customer service phone: 1800 643 000 (general enquiries) or 1800 811 855 (subscriber support). Subscriber support hours are 7 am–4 pm weekdays and 7 am–12 pm weekends (The West Australian FAQ (contact details)).
• For news tips, email news@thewest.com.au or use the contact form on the website.
• The newspaper’s headquarters are at 50 Hasler Road, Osborne Park, WA 6017.

The implication: the newspaper offers free news alerts and multiple contact channels, but most services require a subscription. For those interested in historical newspaper content, you can find more information about accessing old newspapers at Access Daily Mail classic pages.

Timeline of The West Australian

• 1833: Founded as a weekly newspaper (Wikipedia – The West Australian).
• 1880s: Becomes a daily newspaper (Wikipedia – The West Australian).
• 2003: Acquired by West Australian Newspapers Holdings (The West Australian FAQ (historical context)).
• 2012: Merged with Seven West Media (Wikipedia – The West Australian).
• 2021: Acquired by Southern Cross Media Group (The West Australian FAQ (corporate records)).

The pattern: each ownership change has shifted resources while maintaining the paper’s identity.

What’s confirmed and what’s still unclear

Editorial perspective

“The digital edition is read exactly as it appears in print.”

— The West Australian Editions page, (source)

The West Australian has managed to keep its print identity intact while building a digital experience that feels familiar to longtime readers. But the real test is whether the archive access, death notices search, and front-page PDF tools will be enough to keep younger subscribers paying. For a 190-year-old paper, the answer will determine its next decade.

For readers in Western Australia, the choice is clear: either adapt to the digital subscription model, or lose access to the only locally edited daily in the state. For the paper itself, the bet is that convenience and heritage will win out over free alternatives.

Frequently asked questions