Hi, I’m Wade, a 22-year-old independent community journalist behind the Baldivis Times.

For the past 3 months, I’ve been building a local media platform completely on my own, documenting local stories, helping local residents, non-for-profit organisations and local businesses have a voice in the community, covering emergencies, documenting environmental issues, giving vulnerable people a voice, and reporting honestly on what matters here in Baldivis, Rockingham, Kwinana, and surrounding areas.

I built Baldivis Times because I grew up watching people I care about around me struggle without support.

My mum survived domestic violence.

I grew up with brachydactyly Type A1 (missing joints in every finger and toe) and two severe clubbed feet resulting in a double Achilles Tenotomy (cutting of the Achilles tendon). These disabilities led me to suffer from severe bullying and isolation most of my life throughout the education system.

Those experiences taught me one thing:

Our community deserves to be heard.

People deserve a voice.

People deserve the truth.

People deserve journalism that actually cares.

That’s what Baldivis Times is all about.

WHY I’M ASKING FOR YOUR HELP

Right now, I’m doing everything using second-hand gear, borrowed equipment, and a lot of luck.

But as the page grows, more stories, more investigations, more travel, more interviews, the limitations are starting to show.

To continue serving the community properly, I need to upgrade my tools and build the foundations of a sustainable local newsroom.

Your support will help me:

FUNDING GOALS

Total Goal: $8,500

Broken into clear milestones:

Milestone 1 – $2,000 (Drone Purchase)

DJI Air 3S Fly More Combo: $1,700

Extra battery, SD cards, insurance: $300

This drone allows me to film environmental damage, bushland dumping, landcare issues, and get wide-angle footage for documentaries and photography coverage

Milestone 2 – $1,500 (Camera Upgrade)

Blackmagic Pocket 4K or Sony A7III

These will give me a secondary camera for more professional investigations, interviews, and documentary-style storytelling.

️ Milestone 3 – $700 (Website + SEO)

Domain, Hosting, SSL security, SEO tools and Professional site layout.

This lets us build a real local news website and helps Baldivis Times show up on Google search.

Milestone 4 - $1,500 (Reporting Travel + Fuel)

Covering areas:

Fuel is my highest non-equipment cost.

Milestone 5 – $800 (Software & Tools)

To ensure the processing and post-production phase runs smoothly.

❤️ Milestone 6 - $2,000 (Community Support Fund)

This is for giving away to the community such as local non-for-profit organisations, people in need:

This allows Baldivis Times to give back, not just report.

WHY THIS MATTERS

This isn’t about me.

It’s about us, our suburbs, our people, our issues, our environment.

We don’t have a strong local media voice anymore.

Most outlets won’t cover local issues unless they’re dramatic or negative.

People feel ignored, unheard, left out.

Baldivis Times was created to change that.

With your help, we can build WA’s first independent, community-led newsroom.

No corporate influence.

No political pressure.

Just real stories.

Real transparency.

Real community.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

If you believe in:

Then please consider donating.

Every $5, $20, or $50 helps.

Every share matters.

Every bit of support brings us closer to building something that will outlive me, something our region desperately needs.

Thank you for standing with me, Baldivis.

I won’t let you down.

Wade McColl

Baldivis Times

[email redacted]