A 29-year-old man has been refused bail after allegedly firing at a car in Conder, Canberra, seriously injuring a teenage passenger. Police say four teenagers were in a red Ford Falcon when a red Hyundai i30 followed them and fired at about 10pm on Friday. The Ford's occupants called police. The accused was arrested at his Gordon home and charged with using a firearm to endanger human life. Magistrate James Lawton refused bail, citing the risk he could access the firearm, which has not been found. The matter returns to court on November 4.
Sculptors from across the Ballarat region are showing original works at Ross Creek Gallery, which launched its Ballarat Sculptors exhibition last Sunday. The show uses materials including wood, glass, steel, silver and bronze. Artists include Gordon's Mary-Teresa Ritchie, whose bronze works are cast from wax, and Nick Doran Adams, who works with molten glass. The gallery says the series will rotate annually to support regional artists. The exhibition runs until Sunday 25 October, and the gallery, in Smythes Creek, is open on weekends and by appointment.
Five period homes across Sydney are currently listed for sale, each offering original architectural features. Balmain East's Kaikoura, built around 1840, has views of Sydney Harbour and the Sydney Harbour Bridge from three levels. Avalon Beach's Leontine, a late-1930s Spanish Colonial residence, sits on about 1636 square metres with a 14.5 metre pool. In Gordon, Stoneyhurst, built in 1890, was once the Love family estate and has not been offered for more than 70 years. Turramurra and Bayview properties feature ornate ceilings, fireplaces and timber floors, plus modern kitchens and pools.
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A 41-year-old woman has been denied bail after being charged with manslaughter over the alleged fatal reverse-ram of a 73-year-old man in Bega, NSW. Melinda Jane Avison allegedly struck Trevor Gordon Fleet with her vehicle following a roadside argument on August 31. Police allege she reversed into Mr Fleet at an intersection near the Princes Highway, causing injuries that proved fatal. Avison appeared in court via video link and was remanded in custody until her next hearing on December 15.
A 41-year-old woman has been charged with manslaughter after a 73-year-old man died following an alleged road-rage incident in Bega. Police allege Melinda Jane Avison reversed her vehicle into Trevor Gordon Fleet after an argument on Newtown Road. Avison did not apply for bail and will face court again in December. Fleet died in hospital the day after the incident in August.
A heritage-listed home in Gordon, built for the family behind Uncle Tobys, is up for sale for the first time in 70 years. The 1890s property, known as Stoneyhurst, has a $6 million auction guide and is divided into four apartments. It will go to auction at the end of October, with the buyer likely to restore it to a grand home. The house sits on 1680 square metres of land, 1.1 kilometres from Gordon station and 2.3 kilometres from Killara High School.
An 88-year-old man accused of stabbing his 78-year-old wife to death in their Canberra home has been found unfit to plead. Manfred Uhle was charged with murder after police discovered Wanda Uhle's body in June 2024. The court ruled that the elements of murder were met, and a nominal sentence will be set, with future care arrangements to be determined by the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
The Rotary Club of West Pennant Hills and Cherrybrook is running its Trees of Joy campaign again this year, aiming to deliver more than 1,000 Christmas gifts. Shoppers choose a gift from a bauble bearing a person's story and wish, then return it to a drop-off point. The club works with more than 10 local charities to reach children and adults who may otherwise go without. Trees are at four shopping centres in Cherrybrook, Westleigh, Pennant Hills and Thornleigh from 2 November until 10 December. Rotary asks people to return gifts early to ease distribution.
Sydney researchers at Royal North Shore Hospital say they have developed a screening process that could detect coronary plaque before symptoms appear. The process uses blood samples and CT scans from more than 5,000 heart disease patients, and identifies five biomarkers. The team is seeking $8 million to speed up clinical trials and put screening kits into the hands of GPs across the country. Indigenous adults experience heart attacks at almost three times the rate of non-Indigenous adults, and people in regional and remote areas stand to benefit most.
Researchers at Royal North Shore Hospital and the University of Sydney are developing a world-first screening method to detect coronary artery disease before symptoms appear. The approach combines blood tests for biomarkers with CT imaging. More than 5000 people have taken part so far. Sydney mother Jennifer Tucker found she had a severe blockage in a coronary artery after collapsing while pushing a pram. Researchers want to expand the program into rural and remote areas, where heart attack rates are higher and preventative care is harder to access.
Councils on Sydney's North Shore want smart glasses banned from indoor public facilities such as pools, libraries and community centres. North Sydney and Mosman councils have asked for the ban and for signage to be installed. Willoughby Council will debate a similar motion on Monday evening. City of Sydney and Inner West Council already have such bans. Mosman has also asked staff to examine restricting use at beaches, parks and foreshore areas. Mayor Anne-Marie Kimber said enforcement may be difficult but the idea is worth examining as a deterrent.
Temporary weekend road closures will apply in Kirribilli from 31 October while jacaranda trees are in bloom. McDougall Street, between Clark Road and Willoughby Street, and part of Hipwood Street will be closed each Saturday and Sunday from 7am to 7pm for about six weeks. Traffic controllers will manage the closures, and only residents within the area can drive in. Visitors with visitor parking permits must park in surrounding streets. Drivers are asked to give way to pedestrians and slow to 10km/h.
Police arrested two people in Freshwater after a vehicle stop on 19 October. The driver allegedly returned positive drug tests and police allegedly seized drugs, knives and housebreaking tools. The driver was arrested and given a 24-hour licence suspension, and a 29-year-old passenger was charged with property, weapon and drug offences. Northern Beaches Police are also investigating alleged thefts at a Belrose store and warn residents about text message scams asking for money. An 81-year-old man transferred almost $10,000 after a scammer posed as his son.
Hornsby Shire Councillor Jane Seaglove has urged residents to prepare for bushfire season by clearing gutters, managing vegetation and keeping hoses accessible. Council's Love Your Home video series offers energy-saving tips, including solar panels, insulation and rainwater collection. The Glenorie Village Investigation report is considering housing, services and village facilities, while Glenorie spans both Hornsby and The Hills Shires. Councillor Seaglove is also seeking community views on a possible shared footpath along Galston Road in Dural.
A Remembrance Day service will be held at the Anzac Jawan Cenotaph in Cherrybrook, Sydney, on Sunday 15 November, from 4 pm to 5 pm. The Australia India Cenotaph Committee is organising the ceremony, which will honour those who lost their lives in military service. Veterans and participating groups are asked to gather from 3.45 pm. Community representatives may lay wreaths if they send names and titles beforehand. The event is supported by several local and community bodies, and the public is welcome to attend.
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Hornsby artist Roslyn Kean will show her woodblock prints at Wallarobba Arts and Cultural Centre in Hornsby. The exhibition runs from 20 November to 6 December 2026, Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm, and entry is free. Kean, who won the 2025 Hornsby Art Prize Local Artist Award, draws on the Japanese idea of ma, a pause in space or time. The show also includes Rock at the Roadside, a collaborative mokuhanga project pairing woodblock techniques with tanka poems. Hornsby Shire Mayor Warren Waddell encouraged residents to attend.
Hornsby Shire councillor Jane Seaglove urges residents to prepare properties for bushfire season by clearing gutters, managing vegetation and planning survival steps. She also promotes energy-saving home changes through a Council video series. Planning for the Glenorie village is progressing, and the Glenorie Village Investigation report considers housing, services and connections. Seaglove is also seeking community views on a possible shared footpath along Galston Road in Dural.
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.
A woman from Point Frederick has been charged by Australian Federal Police for allegedly displaying prohibited hate symbols on social media. She is the second person charged by the National Security Investigations teams over similar conduct.
A Westpac Rescue Helicopter was sent by NSW Ambulance to a motorcycle accident on the M1 Motorway at Somersby on Saturday, October 24, at about 4pm. A man was injured in the crash.
A luxury Byron Bay retreat linked to Hollywood actor Matt Damon has sold for $4.65 million. The Broken Head property, known as Blackwood House, was listed at a $12.5 million price guide in 2022. Damon rented the home in 2017 while filming a cameo for Thor: Ragnarok. He stayed for several months with friend Chris Hemsworth, which fuelled speculation he would move to Australia permanently. Damon did not buy the property, and he returned to the United States after his stay.
Parramatta Lanes recorded its biggest year yet, attracting more than 386,000 visitors over four nights from 21 to 24 October. The free festival used the city centre's streets, laneways and car parks for more than 400 performers, 70 food vendors and 10 stages. Lord Mayor Cameron MacLean said the event showcased the city's cultural diversity and its growing appeal in Western Sydney. The City of Parramatta said the festival was funded by the council and the NSW Government, with a $350,000 Open Streets grant to help deliver the event over three years.
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.
Credit Corp Group, which buys bad debts at a discount and collects them, is on track for another record result this year. The listed business posted a record $105.5 million net profit in 2025/26 and is targeting between $112 million and $120 million this financial year. Chief executive Thomas Beregi told shareholders the purchase of one of HSBC's run-off credit card books was a key driver. Its consumer lending arms grew almost a fifth in the September quarter, led by its Wallet Wizard loans, which carry an annual interest rate of 47.8 per cent.
