Two teenage boys have been arrested and charged over the alleged fatal stabbing of a 36-year-old father at a Mt Druitt park on Friday night. Police were called to the park behind the Club Hotel just before 9pm after reports of an assault. The man died at the scene despite first aid and paramedic efforts. A 13-year-old boy faces a murder charge, while a 16-year-old has been charged with accessory to murder after the fact. Both were refused bail and will appear before a children's court on Monday.
Sydney's median rent has hit a record $800 a week, up 6.7 per cent over the past year, according to Realestate.com.au's Rental Report for September 2026. Renters are paying about $2,600 more a year than in 2025. REA senior economic analyst Megan Lieu said limited rental availability and population growth are key drivers. Vacancy rates have edged up to 1.7 per cent, giving renters more choice, though Ms Lieu expects rents to keep growing more slowly. Barangaroo has the most expensive rentals, while suburbs in Sydney's west are the cheapest.
Western Sydney International Airport at Badgerys Creek has opened to commercial passenger flights, operating around the clock. Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun says the city is positioned to benefit through jobs, investment and freight links. The airport's cargo precinct is designed to eventually handle up to 1.8 million tonnes of air freight a year. Construction has created more than 12,800 jobs, with around half going to Western Sydney workers. Mannoun says roads, rail and public transport must keep pace with development for residents to reach the new jobs.
AU Now app
Your suburb’s news, alerts and Shorts — in one app
Alerts, Shorts and your saved stories — free on Google Play.
A Sydney family endured a harrowing ordeal when masked assailants set fire to their car and fired multiple shots at their Moorebank residence. The incident, occurring just before 2:30am, involved a group of men who threatened the occupants before opening fire. A neighbour attempted to intervene as the attackers doused the vehicle in accelerant. Fortunately, the 32-year-old woman and seven children inside the home escaped unharmed. Police are investigating potential links to a separate arson incident in Bankstown and the woman's association with a luxury car rental business.
A woman and seven children escaped unhurt after gunshots were fired into their Moorebank home shortly after a car was set alight in the driveway. The attack happened about 2.30am on Sunday, and several unidentified males are believed to have fled in a white vehicle before police arrived. A video reportedly filmed during the attack shows a masked assailant holding a sign with a taunting message. About 4.30am, police found another burning car on Rabaul Rd near Bankstown Airport and are investigating whether it is linked. Anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
Police are searching for a group of men after shots were allegedly fired into a house in Sydney's south-west overnight. Officers were called around 2.30am on Sunday about a fire and found a car alight in the driveway of a home on Shoreline Road, Moorebank. Shots were reportedly fired into the house shortly after the car was set alight. Seven children aged between three and 10, along with a 32-year-old woman, were inside. No one was injured. Unidentified males fled in a white vehicle before police arrived.
A 22-year-old man was stabbed in the chest in Liverpool, in Sydney's west, at about 5.40am on Sunday. Paramedics treated him at the scene before he was taken to Liverpool Hospital, where he is listed in a serious but stable condition. Police have not made any arrests in connection with the attack. Investigations are continuing, and further details about what led to the incident have not yet been confirmed.
Sydney’s Southwest Metro will open on 30 October, extending the line from Sydenham to Bankstown. The 66-kilometre route will include stops such as Marrickville, Canterbury, and Lakemba, replacing the old T3 heavy-rail line. Transport for NSW says the new Metro will carry 50 per cent more passengers and provide faster trips, with trains running every four minutes during peak times. Premier Chris Minns and Transport Minister John Graham have thanked commuters for their patience during the delays. Further extensions to the line are in early planning stages.
Brendon and Emma Reynolds have put the historic Junee Hotel on the market so they can move closer to family. The couple took over the lease in 2023 and later bought the property, restoring its rooms, bathrooms and bar. They have added community events, including a singles night that Emma says led to five relationships. Emma criticised government taxes on regional pubs and staffing rules that limit backpacker workers. The couple plan to live in the hotel while a sale progresses, which they say can take six to 12 months.
Blacktown pilot Aglaya Papadokokolakis flew the first commercial aircraft out of Western Sydney International Airport on Sunday. She said the milestone was a career highlight, launching operations in her home region. Her father is also a pilot, and she encouraged young women to pursue aviation despite its male-dominated reputation. The airport opened after about eight years of construction and is set to run around the clock. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese officially opened it at a Sunday morning ceremony, and its first international flight arrived on Monday.
As part of Small Business Month in October, three New England and North Coast businesses are being highlighted. Steve Shaw runs GH Innovations in Thrumster, helping local firms attract customers through online search and sales improvement. Di Wade runs Rawspice Boutique in South West Rocks, offering independent fashion and lifestyle products. Meagan Hudson and Rory Taylor run Beardy Downs in Emmaville, making small-batch tallow and beeswax products through BD Collection.
Drivers travelling between Armidale and the coast on Waterfall Way should allow extra time from Monday, 26 October, to Sunday, 8 November. Transport for NSW says a string of maintenance jobs and projects may cause cumulative delays, with some sections of up to 10 minutes. Vehicles wider than 3 metres face restrictions on parts of the route, and a permit is needed. Motorists can follow signs and directions from traffic controllers, or use alternative routes including the Oxley Highway, Gwydir Highway or New England Highway.
Former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern has taken up a part-time professor of practice role at the University of Sydney. She will guest-lecture, run masterclasses and mentor students and researchers in the school of public health. Her work will focus on empathetic leadership, social cohesion and civic trust. Ardern, who led New Zealand from 2017 to 2023, said she has been focused on leadership since leaving office. University vice-chancellor Mark Scott said her leadership showed that empathy and resolve can strengthen each other.
A 28-year-old man has been charged after an alleged fight on Banna Avenue in Griffith. Police allege he threw punches at another man in the middle of the street at about 2 am on Sunday, October 25, after being refused entry to pubs. Officers had earlier told him to leave, and police say he later swore at them and kept approaching despite being directed to leave. He was arrested, charged with behaving in an offensive manner in a public place, and granted bail. He is due to appear before Griffith Local Court on November 18.
Sydney will host the 2027 Super Netball Grand Final for the first time since the competition began. The event is expected to attract more than 8,000 visitors and inject more than $4 million into the NSW visitor economy. The match will be played on Saturday 31 July at Afterpay Arena, Sydney Olympic Park, and is proposed rather than confirmed. Netball Australia chair Liz Ellis said the event would celebrate the sport's passion across New South Wales. NSW Premier Chris Minns said the state would invest more in netball, one of its biggest participation sports.
AU Now app
Your suburb’s news, alerts and Shorts — in one app
Alerts, Shorts and your saved stories — free on Google Play.
New South Wales Police Minister Yasmin Catley has defended the state's gun buyback scheme after 150 applications were lodged in its first hours. Bookings opened on Monday, and the government plans to remove up to 274,000 firearms from the community. Catley said fewer guns in circulation would make the community safer, pointing to firearms stolen across the state. Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane has criticised the scheme, arguing it focuses too heavily on licensed owners rather than illegal guns used by organised criminals.
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.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge Cycleway Ramp has been officially named Patyegarang, after a Cammeraygal woman who helped bridge colonial and Indigenous communities. The name was chosen through a collaborative process with local Aboriginal community members. Transport for NSW has also unveiled new bronze signage and a cyclist counter board, which shows live usage statistics. The ramp's opening in January has led to a 30% increase in cycleway usage, averaging 1,600 daily riders over the past six months.
