Dr Alison Haynes, a writer and conservation biologist, is introducing a new nature series for the Illawarra Flame. She moved to the Illawarra from Sydney in search of space and a garden. Rediscovering her interest in biology led her to a conservation biology degree, then a PhD studying how urban mosses survive city stresses. Her work has included field surveys of lizards, small mammals and bandicoots, and a four-week research trip to Antarctica in 2020. She plans to write about urban moss, city nature and community walks.
Carrie Bickmore and Tommy Little have announced that their drive radio show will end after 10 years. The pair shared the news live on air, with Bickmore fighting back tears. Little said it was not how he wanted the show to end, but said he was grateful for the job. The show will finish at the end of the year. A source says Bickmore is rumoured to be moving to rival network KIIS, though nothing has been confirmed.
Melbourne woman Nicole Wade says her cat Honeybelle's social media pages have earned her $70,000 in a year. The page began during the pandemic lockdown, when Wade was out of work, and quickly gained thousands of followers. Brand deals followed, and Wade left her retail job to make cat content full time. Honeybelle now has nearly 1 million followers across several platforms. Wade and her husband Peter are also working on a cookbook.
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Electrical project engineer job ads rose 94 per cent between June and August 2026 compared with the same period last year, according to employment platform Seek. The average advertised salary for these roles is $149,043. Mining engineers and project engineers also saw strong growth in hiring demand. Commercial manager roles were the best paid in the top 10, with an average salary of $208,298. Seek's chief economist Blair Chapman linked the demand to rising commodity prices and government infrastructure spending. Career coach Kate Richardson said employers are seeking experienced staff rather than graduates.
Actor Eben Rojter has taken up stand-up comedy after years of performing in theatre. He turned down a management job in 2025, deciding to write a solo show before turning 40. Four months later, his show completed a two-week run at the Grace Darling during the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Rojter describes the show as storytelling with fun, silliness and some audience interaction. The Scribbler plays at The Geelong Club on 24 October as part of the Geelong Comedy Festival.
ABC finance reporter David Chau has been named a presenter on the 7pm News, replacing Alan Kohler, who is retiring. Chau, who once worked as a litigation lawyer, says he switched to journalism in 2015 after years of unhappiness in law. He joined the ABC after a short stint at a small financial news publication and became a permanent staff member. Chau says he wants to make finance updates clear and relevant for general viewers, including people with an interest in cost-of-living pressures.
Shaun Sargeant, formerly a farmhand in the Indigo Valley, has started a new career as a surveyor. After seeking advice from a TAFE NSW careers counsellor, he completed a Certificate III in Surveying and Spatial Information Services through online classes. He now works as a surveyor's assistant at Axis Surveys in Ipswich and is studying for a Certificate IV. Jobs and Skills Australia reports about 9700 surveyors nationally, with a predicted shortfall of 2000 by 2029.
