Clown doctor Freddie, played by performer David Wells, is taking part in a six-month trial at the Kingston Centre, a geriatric care and rehabilitation centre in Melbourne's south-east run by Monash Health. Patients who were at first doubtful now look forward to his visits, and staff have joined in singing. Wells has a 47-year performing career and completed a one-year training program with Clown Doctors Australia. The organisation's artistic director, David Symons, says about 100 clown doctors have visited more than 100,000 patients this year. Wells says the work is meaningful and rewarding, though emotionally demanding.
A Canberra food guide has named five places south of the lake serving favourite bowls of phở. +84 Kitchen in Woden offers beef toppings and a stone bowl version, with a special sauce. LL's Bakery in Fyshwick serves rare beef or a special mix of tripe, tendon, brisket and beef balls. 29 Cafe & Eatery in Curtin is praised for its brisket. Noi Noi in Kingston has a clear, spiced broth, and O Bach in Tuggeranong is recommended for cold days.
House prices in seven Queensland suburbs could more than double by 2036, according to new realestate.com.au data. Woodridge is forecast to rise from $781,000 to $1.64 million, a gain of more than $858,000. Kingston is also tipped to climb sharply. West End's median unit value could reach $1.84 million, while economists warn that such growth would come at a high cost to housing affordability. The projections assume historical trends continue and are not guaranteed forecasts.
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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.
Police are appealing for information after an armed robbery at a Beenleigh service station in the early hours of 14 October. Three people arrived in a stolen black Chery Tiggo just before 1am. Two men entered the store, one carrying what appeared to be a firearm and the other a sword. They confronted an 18-year-old employee, who fled, and stole the till and personal items. The employee was not physically injured. Around 1.30am, police were called to a vehicle fire at Kingston, which they are investigating to confirm whether it involves the Tiggo.
Police are appealing for information after an armed robbery at a Beenleigh service station in the early hours of 14 October. Three people arrived in a stolen black Chery Tiggo just before 1am. Two men entered the store, one carrying what appeared to be a firearm and the other a sword. They confronted an 18-year-old employee, who fled, and stole the till and personal items. The employee was not physically injured. Around 1.30am, police were called to a vehicle fire at Kingston, which they are investigating to confirm whether it involves the Tiggo.
Three generations of the Notaras family have shaped Canberra's cafés since the 1920s. Greek migrant Harry Notaras opened the Highgate Café in Kingston three weeks before Parliament House opened in 1927, serving more than 4000 meals on opening day. The family's Australian roots reach back to a 1909 naturalisation certificate still held by Eleni Notaras. Sophia Notaras, now 81, recalls home life that mixed Greek customs with Australian customers, including scarce olive oil. Highgate Lane now carries the family name, while the café itself has closed.
A historic farmhouse on 1.77 hectares in Kingston, Tasmania, has been listed for sale by expressions of interest. The Old Farmhouse formed part of an original early-1800s land grant and has been owned by the same family for close to 60 years. Agent Susan Kay says the family is selling because they are downsizing. The property includes four bedrooms, a historic barn, a studio, a heated saltwater pool and a two-lot subdivision that is well advanced but awaiting final approval. The Hobart CBD is about 15 minutes away by car.
The Suburban Land Agency has given potential developers more time to submit proposals for the first stage of the Kingston Arts Precinct. The deadline has moved from 20 October to 1 December. The agency said the extension gives respondents sufficient time to prepare their proposals. Kingston Quarter will include 250 new homes, hotel, hospitality, retail and commercial space, and a multi-level carpark. Chief Minister Andrew Barr said further stages of the precinct could move forward once parking capacity is in place.
Kingston Butter Factory has released a run of upcoming events, starting with an acoustic set by Jack Jones, the singer of Southern Sons, on 31 October. Opera Queensland will stage Bravo! on 5 November, and comedian Takashi Wakasugi will top a comedy evening on 7 November. Broadcaster Rebecca Levingston is scheduled to host live interviews on two Sundays in November. Rove McManus follows on 11 December. The venue is located at 270 Jacaranda Avenue, and ticket prices and age limits differ from show to show. Full details and bookings are available through Logan Arts.
Queenies, a restaurant in Kingston, will close for the final time on 1 November. Owner Pamela Howarth announced the closure on Facebook, saying the business could not recover after a difficult past year. The restaurant's building on the corner of Giles and Kennedy streets was damaged in a 2020 hailstorm, and repeated repair attempts left tenants unsure of their plans. Queenies will host a Halloween party on 31 October. Her sister venue, Eve, remains open at 34 Giles Street, serving a gluten-free menu with Filipino and European influences.
Good Neighbour, a cafe in Kingston, has become popular with locals in just over two years since opening. Owners Fish and Hazel opened it after the closure of Gus' Place. Breakfast is served all day, and the lunch menu runs from 11:30 am. Dishes include a salmon soba and a chicken souva, while the New York-style chunky cookies often sell out by noon. The cafe is at Unit 1, 55 Wentworth Ave, and is open weekdays from 7:30 am to 2:30 pm, and weekends from 8 am.
Kingston's Queenies restaurant will permanently close on 1 November after struggling with financial difficulties and building issues. Owner Pamela Howarth cited uncontrollable events, likely including unresolved roof repairs from a 2020 hailstorm, as factors in the decision. The venue will host a Halloween party before its final closure. Howarth has opened a new gluten-free fine-dining restaurant, Eve, nearby, where several Queenies staff will transition. Eve, co-owned by chef Adrianne Davos, offers a unique blend of Filipino and European cuisine with extensive vegan options.
Kingston Council has welcomed Rossdale Golf Club's decision to end its agreement with the developer that proposed redeveloping the site. The club's board made the decision after considering the rezoning process and its ongoing impact on the club. The club says it is still investigating future opportunities, and no decisions have been made about its longer-term direction. Mayor Georgina Oxley said the news would be welcomed by many people who value the club's place in the local community. Deputy Mayor Sarah O'Donnell encouraged residents to support the club by becoming members, booking rounds, dining or hosting functions there.
A coronial inquest into the deaths of six children at Hillcrest Primary School in northern Tasmania in 2021 is expected to hear evidence from a US dust devil expert. Counsel assisting the coroner, Maree Norton SC, told a Hobart case management hearing that she is looking to engage Dr Ralph Lorenz, a planetary scientist and aerospace engineer. Ms Norton said he would give his opinion on pressure drops and the interaction between the dust devil and the castle structure. The six children died when a wind gust lifted a jumping castle at an end-of-year celebration.
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A 37-year-old man from Ravenswood has been charged over the alleged theft of fuel worth more than $74,000 in the state's north. Police allege the fuel was bought using a stolen fuel card. They arrested the man on Friday evening and recovered 4600 litres of stolen fuel. He faces multiple charges, including 60 counts of using a computer with intent to defraud, breach of bail, driving offences, possession of stolen property and minor drug offences. He was detained and is expected to appear in the Launceston Magistrates Court on Saturday.
Farmers in Tasmania's Northern Midlands are benefiting from an irrigation scheme that took almost 10 years to come online. Farmer Richard Burbury said the scheme arrived at a very timely moment, as this year has been exceptionally dry. The network of underground pipelines spans 150 kilometres and will deliver 25 billion litres of water each year. Tasmanian Irrigation says the scheme is expected to support about $54 million a year in economic activity across the region.
A man in his 60s died on Tasmania's west coast while waiting for an ambulance that took nearly 80 minutes to reach him. He called Triple Zero from the Zeehan area on Saturday, reporting chest pains and breathing problems. The Zeehan ambulance was unstaffed because of an unfilled roster gap, and nearby crews were attending other calls, so an ambulance from Burnie was sent. It arrived about 78 minutes after the call, but the man had already died. The Department of Health offered its condolences and said a comprehensive investigation will be held.
Peter Maloney, who lives with dementia, says spending time in nature has helped him feel more grateful and content. He takes part in a gardening program at the Chigwell Community Garden in Hobart's northern suburbs with his wife, Madeleine. The program is run by the University of Tasmania's Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre and funded by Primary Health Tasmania. Researchers say outdoor activities can help people with dementia stay active, socialise and feel a sense of purpose. The Chigwell lab is funded until June 2027.
CHOICE and Super Consumers Australia have released an original investigative podcast series. It examines the collapse of the Shield and First Guardian Master Funds, which the organisations describe as Australia's biggest superannuation scandal. More than 11,000 people across Australia were affected.
Tasmanian Labor says it will introduce a bill to cap how much anyone can spend in a state election. Labor Leader Josh Willie and Shadow Attorney-General Ella Haddad made the announcement. The party says many Tasmanians feel the system is not working for them.
Twenty-eight parents of transgender and gender diverse children have written to Tasmanian MPs, urging them to support a Greens bill that would ban conversion practices. Conversion practices are any attempt to change, suppress or eradicate a person's sexual or gender identity. The bill is set to be debated in the House of Assembly tomorrow. It needs 18 votes to pass, and the Greens, Labor and independent Kristie Johnston hold 15. Several Liberal MPs have said they will vote against it, and the Liberals have been granted a conscience vote.
A new exhibition in Hobart explores the stories of ten of Australia's first women to travel south to Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic. The Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies announced the exhibition in a media release dated 26 October 2026.
Foodbank Tasmania's Hunger Report 2026 has found that more than one in three Tasmanian households are struggling to put food on the table. An estimated 200,000 Tasmanians are living in households experiencing food insecurity, reflecting strong financial pressure across the state.
