Industry is the Gladstone Region’s life blood and has been considered for decades as the centre of Queensland’s sporadic industrial prosperity. But the intermittent cycle of industrial projects in Gladstone creates instability within the region’s economy and often leaves local businesses struggling to survive. The Gladstone Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) recently released their […]

Opera Queensland, Lyric Theatre, QPAC Directed by Michael Grandage, the performance of Puccini’s sorrowful and tragic tale of a broken heart, breached trust and loss was a successful and splendid achievement. The lyricism of the opera is moving and touching and highlights why it is still so popular. The set was simple yet effective with […]

I learnt the literal meaning of the term ‘take the road less travelled’ about half-way through our 12km walk to our host family’s house in Sapa, Vietnam. The quaint town is 350km northwest of Hanoi and borders China. After a windy five-hour taxi ride, our queasy group was eager to jump out to get some […]

Hidden deep in the bowels of the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) in Hobart is the Cloaca, known as the Poop Machine to fans and critics alike. It was designed and built by Belgium man Wim Delvoye who wanted to recreate the human digestive system as close as scientifically possible. The monstrous machine […]

One would think that after seven hours in the company of 50 sniffling noses, sore throats and tired heads there would not be much excitement in the air. However, even viewed through a bus window, Paris is magical. We had been travelling around Europe for 20 days together, hitting cities for two days at a […]

Pet owners on the Gold Coast are struggling to find accommodation, with many forced to relinquish their animals. Local James Healy said he found it difficult to find a pet-friendly rental for his small dog and cat. Despite being financially qualified, with full-time work and good pay, Mr Healy was refused repeatedly before an application […]

An investigative journalism group has become the first major news organisation to launch on the Dark Web. Pro Publica, a non-profit investigative journalism news service dedicated to public interest stories, has launched a version of its site on the Dark Web. But an Australian cyber security expert predicts mainstream media are unlikely to follow. Associate […]

From civil war in Somalia to the lazy Central Coast suburb of Wyoming, Somali-born Khalid Ugaas’s life has been dramatically split between two continents, cultures and lifestyles. The softly-spoken 30-year-old business student has come through harsh circumstances to find peace in Australia. Finally, the skies look bright. Khalid, one of 11 children to Ogaden-born parents, […]

A Brisbane magistrate has criticised tap-and-go technology after a man went on a shopping spree when he found a debit card outside a supermarket. The court was told Colin Leslie Saunders used the no-PIN pay-pass facility to obtain goods illegally after finding the card at a Newmarket shopping centre. Wendy Cull, SM, said the pay-wave […]

Winning an Archibald prize is a dream of young artist who made her mark at 2015’s Adelaide Fringe Festival of the Arts. The very articulate and softly-spoken Tsering Hannaford, 27, whose ultimate goal is to develop a reputation and career in portraiture, has been working as a full-time professional artist since 2013. “I guess I […]

Gosford City Council town crier Stephen Clarke has been readying his voice, his moves and his outfit in preparation for the annual Australian Town Crier Championship. It is a special year in the event’s history, as it is being held in Parkes in conjunction with the 200th birthday celebrations of Sir Henry Parkes later this […]

Australia’s best known cities seem to have their own signature. Sydney – the music venture. Brisbane – a business kind of vibe, where even the Apple store looks like a colonial treasury. But Melbourne – an indulgence of art. Whether it’s the graffiti walls on Hosier and Rutledge Lane across from Federation Square or the […]

A stirring re-enactment of the Anzacs’ initial landing set the scene for the dawn service at picturesque Terrigal Beach on the NSW Central Coast. Flares were lit and music played as the boats came to shore, complete with audio of troops shouting and incessant gunfire as they marched into war. Gosford resident Elisha Wenner said: […]

The famous wreck of New Zealand’s SS Maheno, aground on Fraser Island’s eastern beach for the past 80 years, today provided a backdrop to the celebration of a special connection between Australia and New Zealand at Gallipoli. The ship’s bell was escorted to the island by school children from the town of Maheno in New […]

The Australian and New Zealand embassies are hosting a dawn service in Abu Dhabi on Anzac Day. They will commemorate Australian and New Zealanders who have died in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping missions. Defence Attaché Colonel Darryl Groves will lead the service from 5am on the Falcon Lawn at the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr Hotel, […]