Severe thunderstorms are moving across eastern Australia, bringing warnings of damaging winds and heavy rain. The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, with flash flooding possible. Wind gusts of up to 113km/h were recorded at Cabramurra in the Snowy Mountains. Queensland is forecast to be hardest hit, after 100mm to 200mm of rain fell in parts of the Wide Bay-Burnett region. Flood warnings are current in several parts of Queensland, including a major warning for the Mary River at Tiaro.
Western Sydney International Airport is set to take its first passenger flight on Sunday, marking the end of a long debate over Sydney's second airport. Governments considered many sites since 1946 before selecting Badgerys Creek in 1986. Protests over noise and environmental concerns continued for decades. Construction began in 2018, and the $5.6 billion airport can handle 10 million passengers and 1.8 million tonnes of cargo a year. Residents say they still have concerns about noise and local services.
A contract has been awarded to remove the Anderson Street and Hudsons Road level crossings in Melbourne's west. Construction is expected to begin in 2027 and finish in 2029. The project aims to improve safety and reduce delays in Yarraville and Spotswood. Two new accessible underpasses will maintain connections for pedestrians and cyclists. Plans also include new public space and additional car parking near Yarraville Village.
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Women working in New South Wales local government have been honoured at a ceremony at Parliament House. Ministers Ron Hoenig and Jodie Harrison hosted the Ministers' Awards for Women in Local Government. The awards drew a record 188 nominations, two-thirds from rural and regional councils. Winners include frontline staff, senior executives, councillors and mayors from councils across the state. The ministers said they hope the awards will encourage more people to pursue careers in local government.
A Fyansford family business has won four gold medals and a best-in-class award at this year's Melbourne Royal Australian Food Awards. Pennyroyal Farm and Otways Preserves, run by Chris and Debra Horniblow, have kept to traditional recipes, Australian-grown fruit and small batches. The couple make their jams in batches of 40 to 70 jars, without preservatives or fillers. They supply independent supermarkets, fruit and vegetable shops and gourmet stores rather than major supermarkets, as they do not want to grow too quickly. The business has earned seven gold, 13 silver and 19 bronze medals at the awards in total.
Cherry-picking season opens at CherryHill Orchards in Victoria's Yarra Valley on November 13. Visitors can pick ripe cherries straight from the tree and fill their own buckets. The orchard grows more than 30 varieties across several Victorian regions, and different types ripen at different times through summer. The season runs until January 8 at Coldstream and Wandin East. The Riseborough family, now in its third generation, has grown cherries in Victoria for 86 years. Tickets are on sale now.
A Goulburn business owner has been refused bail by the ACT Magistrates Court over alleged assaults on his partner during a visit to Canberra. The man has pleaded not guilty to four counts of assault. The prosecutor said the woman was hospitalised with injuries across her body. The man is alleged to have told police he went into a rage. Special Magistrate Michael Cowen remanded him in custody and adjourned the matter to 13 November.
A witness has told a Sydney Supreme Court jury about a drive with Beau Lamarre-Condon, who is on trial over the alleged murders of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies in February 2024. The witness, known as Elizabeth Kennedy, said he asked her to pay for an angle grinder and to cover number plates, and that he told her, I don't want to involve you. The accused has pleaded not guilty and his lawyers will argue self-defence. The Crown alleges he tried to sink the bodies in a dam at Bungonia, where they were later found.
A petition calling on the NSW Government to halt the closure of a maximum security wing at Goulburn jail was tabled in parliament after gathering 20,000 signatures. Goulburn MP Wendy Tuckerman said residents feel let down and accused the government of deceiving the town. Corrections Minister Anoulack Chanthivong said the wings were no longer fit for purpose, citing limited ventilation, natural light and hygiene facilities. He said about 200 staff remain at the centre and that there would be no forced redundancies or transfers.
Jurors have been shown CCTV footage of accused police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon. The footage allegedly shows him enlisting the help of several friends after he murdered his ex-partner.
A New South Wales parliamentary inquiry has recommended that the state government reject plans to burn Sydney's waste in regional communities, including proposed incinerators at Tarago and Parkes. The select committee made 22 recommendations after seven hearings across 2025 and 2026. Committee chair Nichole Overall, a Nationals MLC, cited a lack of community acceptance, including from local councils and Aboriginal land councils. Greater Sydney's landfill capacity is expected to run out by 2030. Veolia and the Parkes Energy Recovery project have both put forward proposals, which are before the NSW Planning Department.
Two Canberra charities say an estimated one in seven residents is now living in poverty, the highest proportion since 2001. ACTCOSS and St Vincent de Paul Society Canberra/Goulburn are calling on governments to introduce an official poverty measure, raise welfare payments and invest more in public housing. The charities report that some working families are seeking emergency help and that some parents are skipping meals so their children can eat. Their report was released during Anti-Poverty Week.
Police are appealing for public help to find Heather Gardner, 39, who was last seen in Goulburn on Sunday October 18. She was seen on Williams Street at about 7pm and has not been located or contacted since. Police and her family hold serious concerns for her welfare. Police believe she may be travelling in a green 2004 Toyota Prado with NSW registration ASN06K. Anyone with information is urged to contact police or Crime Stoppers.
Police have located Heather Gardner, 39, who had been missing from Goulburn. She was last seen on Williams Street at about 7pm on Sunday, October 18. When she could not be located or contacted, Hume police began inquiries into where she was. Police and family had serious concerns for her welfare. Police have advised that Ms Gardner has been found.
Police are searching the Murray River near Tocumwal for Patrick Evans, 39, who has been missing since Friday afternoon. A witness heard cries for help and found a small boat circling on the water with no one aboard. Evans was last seen at Pebbly Beach campground on the Victorian side of the river before he went fishing. Volunteer and emergency crews, air support, drone teams and police divers are assisting. Police have appealed for anyone with information to come forward.
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The Man Walk, a charity offering free weekly walks for men, will hold its NSW Man Walker Camp in Crookwell on Saturday 14 November. Founder Mark Burns says the group has grown from one walk in Kiama to 106 locations across Australia and overseas. The camp begins with a 5 km walk at 8:30 am and includes activities, music and a spit roast dinner. Attendance costs $50, which Mr Burns says goes towards meals, activities and ongoing walks in regional areas. Partners, children and friends are welcome.
Prisoner numbers at Junee Correctional Centre are rising towards 1,000 after the completion of transfers from Goulburn Correctional Centre. About 100 inmates moved to Junee, lifting its population to 820 by the end of September. Its operational capacity is 944, although the prison can hold about 1,280 inmates in total. Corrective Services NSW says increasing numbers and hiring more staff have always been part of its plans. A coronial finding on October 14 warned that mental health services at the prison already fall short of demand.
A drug-affected driver who killed a mother of four in northern Victoria has been sentenced to eight years and two months in prison. Lance O'Brien, 31, pleaded guilty to culpable driving causing death and contravening bail conditions. His car veered into the lane of Vilia Sutherland on the Barmah-Shepparton Road at Kaarimba in October 2025, killing her at the scene. O'Brien will be eligible for parole in December 2031. He was also fined $1,200 and disqualified from driving for five years.
Stadium design firm Populous has been appointed to carry out concept design and feasibility work for a proposed all-events, covered stadium in Canberra. Canberra Airport Group leads the consortium behind the proposal and will fund the planning and feasibility studies for government consideration. The consortium is in talks with the Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn about acquiring the Archbishop's House site next to Commonwealth Park. Funding would need to come from both the Federal and ACT Governments. Canberra Airport managing director Stephen Byron said the assessment would be independent and evidence-led.
