Investors will travel to Tamworth and Goondiwindi in November to meet rural business owners through the Invest Rural roadshow. The Tamworth event is at Goonoo Goonoo Station on Tuesday, 10 November, and the Goondiwindi event follows on Thursday, 12 November. The full-day workshops cover getting a business investment-ready, telling the business story and the R&D Tax Incentive. Co-founder Jo Palmer says the program aims to give owners access to investors who listen rather than sell. Tickets are available through the Invest Rural website.
A report co-authored by the Australian Democracy Network and Deakin University says council rules are hampering the right to protest. It cites a regional New South Wales council that required a $20 million public liability policy for a rally in a park, and a Queanbeyan organiser asked to pay insurance. A Bayside council spokesperson said it was not opposed to a rally but that planned activities required event approval. Local Government NSW and the Office of Local Government were approached for comment.
A magnitude 2.3 earthquake struck beneath the Cadia Valley gold and copper mine in New South Wales at about 10.25am on Friday 9 October, according to Geoscience Australia. The tremor was felt at 10 locations, all reporting weak or light shaking. Mine operator Newmont said the event caused no disruption to operations and no effects on personnel or infrastructure. It is unclear whether the quake was linked to mining activity. Earlier this year, a magnitude 4.5 quake shut underground operations at the site for days.
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Police in Orange have reported the results of a loss prevention operation targeting shoplifting and anti-social behaviour in the town's main shopping areas. Undercover officers arrested five people and charged them with theft or trespassing. Eight Field Court Attendance Notices and 21 Criminal Infringement Notices were issued, and 21 people were given Banning Notices. Police searched 41 people, recovered $3000 worth of stolen goods for business owners, and cautioned five young people. The operation followed a Retail Theft Forum held in September with retail managers, security staff and police.
Brodie Kostecki won the Bathurst 1000 at Mount Panorama after the leading Camaro of Anton De Pasquale ran out of fuel a few kilometres from the finish. Kostecki, who had dropped to fifth after a slow pit stop, passed the stalled car and took the win. Team boss Dick Johnson was moved to tears. The race ended a chaotic final stretch that began when Chaz Mostert crashed into the wall with five laps remaining. Columnist John Mikkelsen, a former editor, describes the finish as one of the most dramatic he has seen.
Canberra driver Zach Bates finished third at the Bathurst 1000 on Sunday, having started from pole position after topping Saturday's Top 10 Shootout. It was his second appearance in the race at Mount Panorama. Bates is the son of former rally and Supercars driver Rick Bates. His mother, motorsport broadcaster Alison Drower, died from cancer weeks before his debut last year. Bates credits his result to hard work and support from local sponsors and the Canberra community. He will next race at the Gold Coast 500.
Brodie Kostecki won the Bathurst 1000 for Dick Johnson Racing, passing leader Anton De Pasquale on the last of 161 laps. De Pasquale's Team 18 Chevrolet Camaro had run out of fuel. Team principal Adrian Burgess admitted there was an error in the fuel calculations. Kostecki had recovered from a poor pit stop that dropped him from first to fifth. Will Brown and Scott Pyne finished second and clinched the Enduro Cup. The win ended the team's seven-year drought at Mount Panorama. Dick Johnson, 81, was emotional after the result.
Canberra driver Zach Bates finished third at the Bathurst 1000, Australia's biggest race, in his rookie season. He became the first rookie since 2001 to start from pole position. Bates shared the car with Aaron Seton, and the pair stayed in the top 10 all race. Race leader Anton De Pasquale's car ran out of fuel on the final lap, handing Bates his first podium. Bates will next race at the Gold Coast 500.
Kenny Habul has bought the HDT Special Vehicles brand and will move its operations to a new facility in Bathurst, NSW. The site will include a workshop offering parts and HDT-approved performance upgrades for existing owners, along with a museum and showroom. Prototype testing for a reimagined HDT vehicle is underway in Australia, Germany and the United States. Habul is a two-time Bathurst 12 Hour winner and the founder of solar energy company SunEnergy1. He bought the brand from Peter Champion, who had owned it for nearly 20 years.
Brodie Kostecki won his second Bathurst 1000 after race leader Anton De Pasquale ran out of fuel on the final lap. Chaz Mostert had crashed into the wall five laps earlier, opening the way for Kostecki. Team boss Adrian Burgess said the fuel calculations contained an error. Will Brown and Scott Pye finished second, while Zach Bates and Aaron Seton took third. Kostecki and co-driver Todd Hazelwood crossed the line in tears.
Brodie Kostecki and Todd Hazelwood of Dick Johnson Racing won the 2026 Bathurst 1000 after a dramatic final stint. Their lead vanished when a slow pit stop on lap 125 dropped Kostecki to fifth. Team 18's Anton De Pasquale then led with Zach Bates closing fast, until a safety car was called after Chaz Mostert crashed. De Pasquale ran out of fuel one lap from the flag, leaving Team 18 devastated. Kostecki, who had passed Bates, took the lead with 22 corners remaining and crossed the line first.
Brodie Kostecki and Todd Hazelwood have won the Bathurst 1000 after Anton De Pasquale ran out of fuel while leading on the final lap. De Pasquale, who was less than a lap from victory, said he knew his team was cooked once he saw how short they were on fuel. Team 18 had urged him to save fuel with the chequered flag nearing. Kostecki, who passed Zach Bates on the final corner, took the win for Dick Johnson Racing. Will Brown and Scott Pye finished second for Triple Eight.
Zac Bates will start from pole position for the Bathurst 1000 at Mount Panorama in Bathurst, New South Wales. The 161-lap race is scheduled to begin at 11:30 am local time, with the winner expected around 5:30 pm, depending on safety cars, yellow flags and weather. Fans can watch the race on the Seven Network free-to-air, on Fox Sports on subscription television, or stream it through Kayo and 7plus. Last year's race was won by Matt Payne and Garth Tander for Penrite Racing.
The Bathurst 1000, the most famous race on the Supercars calendar, begins on Sunday, October 11, at Mount Panorama in Bathurst. Fifty-four drivers across 27 cars will compete in the 1,000-kilometre endurance race. The race will be broadcast on free-to-air and pay television, as well as streaming platforms. Sunday is expected to be sunny, but rain is forecast for Saturday, which could affect the starting grid.
An 88-year-old woman has died in hospital after she was struck by a car in Pyree, in the NSW Shoalhaven region. Police were called to Pyree Lane at about 1:45 pm on Saturday, 24 October, after reports of a pedestrian being hit. Paramedics treated the woman at the scene before she was flown to St George Hospital in a critical condition. Police were told on Sunday, 25 October, that she had died. The 43-year-old driver returned a negative result on a roadside breath test and was taken to Shoalhaven Memorial Hospital for mandatory testing.
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A whale calf carcass has washed ashore at Malabar Beach in Sydney, the third landing spot for the same animal. Randwick Council workers moved the remains up the sand, roped off the area and closed the beach on Tuesday. Council said strong currents moved the carcass from Lurline Bay and that it will be removed and disposed of on Tuesday 27 October. Earlier, Coogee and Maroubra beaches were shut after the carcass became stuck against rocks at Lurline Bay.
The NSW Government has committed $6.8 billion to electrify the South Coast rail line between Kiama and Bomaderry and to double tracks at key bottlenecks. Construction is expected to be complete by the mid-to-late 2030s, with detailed planning starting in 2027. The announcement follows the government scrapping timetable changes that were due to take effect in November after community concerns. Premier Chris Minns said the upgrade would deliver faster, more reliable trains. An immediate $621 million will fund upgrades to power, signalling and flood protection ahead of the main works.
Kiama Community Radio is hosting Blues in the Night, a fundraising event on Saturday 7 November at Kiama Leagues Club. The station, run by volunteers, is seeking support to fund its equipment, technology and facilities. Headliner Frank Sultana will perform alongside Shane Flew and Matt Ross, and Jr and the Jewel-Tones, which includes Kiama musician Dave Shaw. Doors open at 5 pm. Tickets cost $50, or $40 for station members, plus a booking fee. Every ticket sold supports the station, which has operated since 2020.
Police are searching for a man in a balaclava after a suspected arson attack on a house in Abbotsford, in Sydney's inner west. Four people were taken to hospital. An 88-year-old woman was rescued by a 49-year-old man who climbed a ladder. A neighbour confronted the man while he was allegedly setting the house alight. Police believe he fled in a red Holden Astra and had suffered burns. About 40 firefighters attended the blaze, which spread to an adjoining house.
NSW gun owners can book to surrender firearms under the National Gun Buyback from Monday, 2 November, before rules on keeping extra guns are finalised. Under a draft proposal, licence holders with genuine reasons such as sport shooting, pest control or business could apply to keep more than 10 guns, while recreational hunters are capped at four. Only six stations, none in the New England, will take surrenders at first. Eligible licence holders will receive letters and must book through the Gun Safe portal.
Gun owners on the North Coast will have to wait months to surrender firearms under the NSW National Gun Buyback. Grafton is the only North Coast station opening from November 2. Lismore, Ballina and Tweed Heads stations start on February 8, 2027. The limit of 10 guns per licence holder is still a draft proposal, with exemptions under consideration. Walk-ins are not accepted, and surrenders require a booking through the Gun Safe portal.
Former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern has been hired as a professor of practice at the University of Sydney. The 46-year-old joins the faculty of medicine and health, where the role will focus on empathetic leadership, social cohesion and civic trust. Ardern will explore ways to address global health challenges, inclusion and wellbeing, and will lead guest lectures and masterclasses. The university says the position is not a full-time teaching role. Ardern and her family moved to Australia in February, reportedly buying a $5.3 million home on Sydney's northern beaches.
Will Lee has served 56 years with the NSW Rural Fire Service, which he began after helping fight a major fire in the northern Illawarra in 1968. He joined the Austinmer Bushfire Brigade in 1970 and went on to hold several leadership roles, including Group Captain. He was recognised with a National Medal with a fourth clasp at a recent ceremony, where his daughter Belinda Lee also received a 40-year Long Service Medal. Will now focuses on training young firefighters. He says the job of an old firefighter is to teach young firefighters to become old firefighters.
Former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern will lecture and mentor at the University of Sydney, beginning this month. Her work will focus on empathetic leadership, social cohesion and civic trust. Based in the school of public health, she will host guest lectures and masterclasses, although the university says it is not a full-time teaching role. Vice-chancellor Mark Scott praised Ardern's leadership, saying empathy and resolve can strengthen each other. Ardern moved to Australia earlier this year.
