No hardship can crush the hopes of two million people. “Freezing winters, communism, war… all these we endure,” Ljubljana’s Helena said. The red-haired university lecturer stood and watched passers-by stroll through the the main square of Slovenia in southern central Europe. Despite a struggling economy and a ballooning refugee crisis, Helena is optimistic about the […]

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, […]

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 […]

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, […]

Savage cuts to local government will flow from the federal budget, Blue Mountains Labor mayor Mark Greenhill warned this week. Cr Greenhill said the budget would cost the council $267,000 in the first year and more than a million dollars over four years. “If you vote against resisting this cut, you are in effect voting […]

Events will be held across Brisbane this August to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Australian South Sea Islanders’ arrival in Australia. In an address to Brisbane City Council this week, spokesperson Jeanette Kirk spoke of the troubled past of the South Sea Island people, known as Kanakas. When she asked for a show of […]

Passionate community groups and talented young performers gathered in Brisbane yesterday to promote awareness of domestic family violence. It was a part of domestic violence prevention month. The Queen Street event, called “Out of the Shadows”, drew attention to the suffering of children and young adults as a result of abuse within families. A variety […]

The flame of the Anzac spirit burns brightly with the youth of the Centenary Suburbs. Flowered wreaths were laid by children paying their respects to the fallen in a moving Anzac Day service this morning. Hundreds of locals gathered at the Centenary Suburbs War Memorial Gardens in Brisbane’s western suburbs, to pay tribute to those […]

Tens of thousands of people lined the streets of Brisbane today to pay their respects at the city’s annual Anzac Day parade. The march began on George Street at 10am in perfect Autumn sunshine with animated crowds cheering the marchers. Two Super Hornets from the RAAF Base at Amberley flew overhead at the beginning of […]

Thousands of people packed Brisbane’s Anzac Square hours before dawn this morning to honour Australia’s servicemen and women, past and present, the survivors and the fallen. At just seven minutes past four, Anzac Square was declared full and crowds were diverted to King George Square, where they watched a live broadcast of the ceremony. The […]

The Newman government’s decisions on aged care and education were condemned by Prime Minister Julia Gillard and deputy Wayne Swan at last night’s federal community cabinet in Redcliffe. Mr Swan said the state’s closure of Eventide Sandgate to sell some of the site was “simply cruel”. The Commonwealth pays for residents in state-run nursing homes […]

Two helicopters were brought into waterbomb a bushfire at Doolandella on Brisbane’s south on Tuesday afternoon. A Queensland Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson said four fire trucks worked closely with air operations to contain the blaze. She said although there was no threat, crews were working to protect a caravan and nearby homes. Backburning began […]

Animal shelters across Queensland are facing an increase of 5,000 animals passing through each year according to RSPCA Queensland spokesman Michael Beatty. Mr Beatty said the number of animals being surrendered or confiscated annually had increased from 41,000 to 46,000 over the past five years. He believes the problem lies in people not thinking adoptions […]