Barcelona host Real Madrid in the first Clasico of the 2026-27 season on Sunday at Camp Nou. It marks Jose Mourinho's return to the fixture after more than 13 years away. Mourinho's Madrid played Barcelona 17 times during his first spell in charge, and a ranking of those matches has been published. The top-ranked clash was a 5-0 Barcelona win in November 2010, Mourinho's first Clasico, which he later called the biggest defeat of his career.
Opera Queensland staged its free Bravo! concert at Cooktown's William Daku Waterfront on Thursday 22 October. About 180 people attended, including locals, families, seniors and overseas visitors. Four singers and a pianist performed favourite operas, with the finale drawing a warm response from the crowd. On Friday 23 October, the cast visited Sunbird Cottage to perform for aged care residents. The event was supported through the Regional Arts Development Fund, a partnership between the Queensland Government and Cook Shire Council.
Many West Australians may be leaving accounts open to hackers by using easily guessed passwords such as 123456 and password. A State Government audit found weaknesses in how seven government entities managed their Microsoft 365 systems, raising the risk of cyber attacks and data breaches. A separate warning from the Department of Education said names, email addresses and employee numbers may have been affected by a May 2026 incident involving the Canvas learning system. Experts advise using strong, unique passwords or passphrases and enabling multi-factor authentication where possible.
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A six-bedroom house at 3 Obeah Court, Lysterfield, is heading to auction on October 24, with a price guide of $3.59 million. The owners say the garden, designed by Melbourne landscape architect Scott Wynd in 2012, would cost $1 million to replace. About 700 bushes, shrubs and trees were planted across its tiered grounds. The home also features stone walls built from stone quarried on the block and a self-contained wing. The property sits within the Carrington Estate.
The owners of a six-bedroom home at 3 Obeah Court, Lysterfield, say its garden would cost $1 million to recreate. The property is heading to auction with a $3.59 million reserve. Markus and Susanna Koch bought the home in 2010 for $1.05 million, after learning they were expecting a fourth child. The garden was designed by Scott Wynd, a gold medallist at the Chelsea Flower Show, and took nine months to complete. The Kochs plan to downsize closer to the beach and Brighton Beach Church.
The Cargo Blue Heelers have held their annual presentation evening to close out the 2026 season. The event took place at the Cargo Inn on Saturday afternoon. Awards were handed out across several men's and women's categories, as well as for support and commitment to the club. The club earlier won the Woodbridge Cup League Tag flag, and its men's First Grade squad made the finals.
Scientists have discovered that Lord Howe Island and a nearby underwater volcanic chain formed from the same deep Earth hotspot. The research, published in Gondwana Research, challenges previous ideas about mantle plumes, suggesting they can split into two branches. The study used 3D modelling and rock samples to reveal how the volcanic plume split around an obstacle deep beneath the Tasman Sea, creating the two parallel chains. The findings could help map Earth's interior and predict future undersea volcanoes.
Enzo Maresca has set a Premier League record by winning seven games in a row to begin his tenure as Manchester City manager. A 3-2 win over Ipswich Town on October 17 broke the previous mark of six straight wins, which had been shared by Carlo Ancelotti, Pep Guardiola and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Guardiola's own start came in the 2016/17 season, when City opened with six league wins before losing 2-0 to Tottenham on October 2. Maresca replaced Guardiola as manager this season.
A Sydney man, Paul Gunning, 62, has reunited with the emergency responders who saved him after he suffered a cardiac arrest on his way to watch a friendly match between Chelsea and Tottenham on August 1. He had felt healthy beforehand and had no warning signs. Senior Constable Ryan Page began CPR shortly after the call came in, and first-aider Captain Roneel Chandra used a defibrillator, delivering a second shock before Gunning began to respond. Paramedics from NSW Ambulance found him conscious and breathing, and he was taken to Concord Hospital, where he made a remarkable recovery.
More than 40 cherry trees have been stolen from Torrens Valley Orchards in South Australia's Riverland region. Owner Tony Hannaford says the thefts may impact his export market, as the trees are a unique variety. Police are investigating and urge anyone with information to come forward. The thefts occurred between September 29 and October 15, with the latest involving three men in a black SUV.
Six wineries will showcase local wines, food and country hospitality at the Frankland River Wine Festival on Saturday. About 300 guests are expected, along with a feature chef and curated experiences. Themed zones will explore how wine pairs with food and the senses. Frankland River Wine Association president Chelsea Lange said the event brings the community together. The festival runs at Frankland River Oval from 12pm to 7pm.
Chelsea Bony and Connor Menzies left city living for Quilpie, a remote Queensland town offering a $20,000 grant to anyone who builds a home there and lives in it for 12 months. The couple bought a former church for $150,000 and are renovating it into their home. Quilpie Shire Mayor Ben Hall says capital city property has become unaffordable for many people. The council plans to release 60 new residential lots, and the grant will be extended into 2027.
Shakhtar Donetsk will play at least four Champions League home matches at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge in London this season. The Ukrainian club will host AEK Athens, Sporting CP, Fenerbahce and Real Madrid there, plus any knockout-stage home games it earns. The two clubs agreed the deal in mid-August for the 2026/27 season, as Chelsea were not in European competition and had the ground free on midweek dates. Shakhtar have been unable to play at home since conflict in the Donbass region began, and chief executive Sergei Palkin said the move would also serve Ukrainian refugees living in London.
Four young runners known as Motion Four Justice passed through Junee on Tuesday, more than 4,000 kilometres into a run from Cape York to Wilsons Promontory. The group aims to raise $1 million for the charity Destiny Rescue, which helps children escape trafficking and sexual exploitation. The campaign was inspired by Griffin Hughes, who said a stranger in Colombia offered to sell him a four-year-old girl. By Tuesday, donations had passed $206,000. The runners hope to finish on October 25 and set a world record for the endurance feat.
Mornington Peninsula Shire mayor Stephen Batty and local psychologist Danielle Jacobs have started a petition calling for urgent safety upgrades at three busy Mt Eliza intersections. The intersections are Volitans Avenue, Mount Eliza Way and Baden Powell Drive. The petition, addressed to the Victorian Parliament, seeks independent safety audits, a review of speed limits, signage, line marking, lighting, vegetation and sightlines, and a clear timetable for any recommendations. Batty said the intersections needed fixing and could not wait. Jacobs said the petition was about neighbours and asked residents to sign and share it.
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A production insider has rejected claims that work completed after filming rigged The Block's Mount Eliza finale. The insider said no contestant gained an unfair advantage and that finishing homes for auction is separate from the competition. Media reports allege producers approved work worth up to $200,000 on Rick and Tayla's home, a figure that has not been independently verified. Buyer's advocate Madeleine Roberts said completing unfinished work before auction was not unfair. The properties go under the hammer on October 31, ahead of the finale on November 1.
Paid parking will start at Rosebud Hospital and The Mornington Centre from 27 October. Bayside Health says the fees will cover rising operational and maintenance costs. Staff will pay $4.50 per eight-hour shift, matching other Peninsula Care Group sites. Nepean MP Anthony Marsh opposes the changes, calling them tone-deaf during a cost-of-living crisis. Parking will remain free for visits under 30 minutes.
A birthkeeper who allegedly groomed pregnant women to fear hospital could be referred to prosecutors over potential criminal charges, a Victorian coroner has heard. Emily Lal was paid $6,000 to support Stacey Warnecke through her pregnancy. Warnecke died in September 2025 at Frankston hospital after a home birth and a postpartum haemorrhage. Counsel assisting the coroner said phone evidence contradicted Lal's earlier testimony, and that it would be open to find she was untruthful, which could lead to a perjury referral. The coroner will deliver her findings at a later date.
Greeks in Dandenong marked OXI Day despite rain, holding the annual event organised by the Greek Orthodox Community of Dandenong and Surrounding Areas. Bad weather moved the wreath-laying ceremony inside the Church of Saint Panteleimon, but the emotional tone remained strong as people honoured those who resisted fascism. Students from the community's Greek School took part, with poems and traditional dances. Community president Stefanos Karamoschos and school principal Niki Farfara Paschou spoke about freedom, dignity and the value of preserving the Greek language.
Victoria's emergency services minister, Paul Edbrooke, says he believes he is being followed after finding a bullet on his car bonnet following a community event in his Frankston electorate. The bullet was engraved with the word "RAT" and his former firefighter identification number, which he says few people would know. Edbrooke said the discovery was frightening, particularly because his children, who are young adults, also use the vehicle. He said the only people sending him aggressive threats and abuse online were members of the United Firefighters Union, which is in a dispute with Fire Rescue Victoria.
Police are investigating after Victorian emergency services minister Paul Edbrooke found a bullet on his car on Saturday. The bullet was inscribed with the word RAT and his old firefighter number. Mr Edbrooke called it a death threat and said he had reported it to police. The United Firefighters Union condemned the threat and asked police to find the person responsible. Union secretary Peter Marshall later questioned whether the bullet had been placed on the car at all. Victoria Police said its Security Investigation Unit is investigating.
A four-bedroom home on a 4.71ha bushland property at Macclesfield, in the Dandenong Ranges foothills, has been listed for private sale. Price expectations sit between $2.9m and $3.1m. The property at 88 Kirkpatricks Road has been renovated and extended over two decades by its owner, Paige Fleming, working with architect Mark Burns. Features include landscaped gardens and a black infinity edge pool. Barry Plant Emerald agent Justin Barrot is handling the sale.
An artificial intelligence system fitted to an RACV roadside assistance van has detected more than 300 road defects across 1,000 kilometres of Victorian roads. The system, called RoughSense, was developed by RMIT University and tested with RACV. It identifies cracking, rutting and emerging potholes as the van completes its normal duties. The highest concentration of defects was found along the Frankston-Flinders Road corridor. Researchers are still assessing the system's accuracy, and the trial runs until January 2027.
The Block host Scott Cam says contestants are heading into the finale with old grudges and fresh revelations. Cam, who will host the auction, said the five Mount Eliza homes each carry a $3.45 million reserve. He said the production team apologised on air after wrongly stating that one couple had overspent their budget, but believes the fallout went further than needed. Cam said he has no idea which team will do well on auction day, as past winners have surprised him. The next season will be filmed at a heritage-listed former asylum in Sunbury.
