The family of Keren Rowland, a pregnant 20-year-old who vanished in 1971, believes serial killer Ivan Milat may have been responsible. Her body was discovered in a pine plantation near Canberra, similar to where Milat buried other victims. The AFP has offered a $500,000 reward for information, as the family continues to seek justice. Steve Rowland, Keren's brother, has spent 55 years investigating her murder, gathering circumstantial evidence linking Milat to the crime. Despite Milat's death in 2019, the family hopes new leads will emerge, providing answers about Keren's tragic fate.
Canberra's SpringOUT Pride Festival returns for its 27th year with its largest program yet, now running five weeks. A portrait of drag performer Courtney Act unveils at the National Portrait Gallery on 23 October. The free Fair Day at Glebe Park starts on 31 October and includes more than 80 stalls, food trucks and two dedicated quiet spaces. Festival Director Danny Corvini says the theme this year is Be Yourself. SpringOUT runs from 23 October to 1 December 2026.
The cheapest unleaded 91 petrol prices for the week ending 9 October 2026 were recorded at OTR Rouse Hill in Rouse Hill and BP Hornsby in Hornsby, both at 240.9 cents per litre. The lowest premium 95 prices were at OTR Rouse Hill at 256.4 cents per litre, while the cheapest premium 98 was at Ampol Kenthurst in Kenthurst at 267.9 cents per litre. For diesel, the lowest price was at Pearl Energy Annangrove in Annangrove at 278.5 cents per litre.
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Several Canberra venues are marking Oktoberfest this October with German beer, food and music. Assembly in Braddon offers $10 steins and a live oompah band on Saturday 17 October, and a free entry seat booking is recommended. The Harmonie German Club in Narrabundah hosts a two-day event from Friday 30 October, with dancing, a wurst eating competition and axe throwing. Other events include a garden party at Patrick White Lawns on Saturday 24 October and a Bavarian-themed night at Mooseheads in the City.
Canberra venues are hosting a range of Melbourne Cup celebrations on 3 November. The Hyatt Hotel Canberra has a garden party from 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm for $200 per person, with a seafood bar and live tiramisu bar. Thoroughbred Park offers Cup day racing with general entry from $20. Free options include the Canberra Labor Club, The Dock in Kingston and Mercure Canberra, which will show the races on multiple big screens.
Artist Penelope Boyd is showing a new exhibition, Surrender, at Grainger Gallery in Fyshwick, free to attend on several days this week. The Canberra Writers Festival runs from 15 to 18 October, marking its 10th anniversary with 110 events and 200 artists. The Canberra Fitness Expo is held at Exhibition Park on 17 and 18 October. The UC Capitals open their home campaign against Bendigo Spirit at AIS Arena on 17 October. The RSPCA ACT Drag Variety Night takes place at the German Harmonie Club on 22 October, raising funds for the charity.
Fashion brand birdsnest will run a pop-up store at the South Jerrabomberra Community Centre in Tralee from Thursday 22 to Sunday 25 October. The store will feature spring and summer styles from its nine exclusive brands, in sizes 8 to 22/24. Staff will help shoppers find their style. The centre is near a free splash pad, an all-abilities playground, a bike track and picnic shelters. The pop-up opens at 9 am daily and closes at 4 pm on Thursday and Friday, and 2 pm on the weekend.
The National Gallery of Australia's new Oculus Café x Kitchen by Mike, in Canberra, offers views of the Sculpture Garden. A reviewer visited for breakfast and found it quiet, with a menu of classics and sourdough pancakes with lemon curd. A later lunch visit was busier, with a canteen-style service. The roast chicken, bacon and cheddar quiche and salads were praised. The cafe is open daily from 8 am to 4 pm on the ground floor of the gallery.
The Canberra Writers Festival runs from Thursday 15 to Sunday 18 October, with more than 100 events on the program. More than half the events have already sold out. Saturday sessions are set at Verity Lane Market and Smith's Alternative, with nearby places to eat and drink. Sunday sessions are spread across iconic venues in the Parliamentary Triangle, with cafes open across the day. Chef Josh Niland and author Amie Kaufman are among the guests. A Top 100 Australian Books session will also run during the weekend.
A Dubbo District Court trial has heard that Jack Bowd, 25, was allegedly filmed driving at 160 kilometres an hour while holding an alcoholic drink before a crash on the Newell Highway near Tomingley in September 2024. Four people died, including Mr Bowd's passengers Lochie Jacobs and Joey Urban. Mr Bowd has pleaded not guilty to four counts of dangerous driving causing death and says he was sitting in the back seat. Prosecutors will rely on DNA evidence and expert opinion to establish who was driving. The trial before Judge Michael Smith is expected to run for two weeks.
The cheapest unleaded 91 petrol prices for the week ending 9 October 2026 were recorded at OTR Rouse Hill in Rouse Hill and BP Hornsby in Hornsby, both at 240.9 cents per litre. The lowest premium 95 prices were at OTR Rouse Hill at 256.4 cents per litre, while the cheapest premium 98 was at Ampol Kenthurst in Kenthurst at 267.9 cents per litre. For diesel, the lowest price was at Pearl Energy Annangrove in Annangrove at 278.5 cents per litre.
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.
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.
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.
