The lawyer for a Tamil family facing deportation from Australia says she is deeply concerned about access to her clients now they have been relocated to Christmas Island.

The Tamil family facing deportation from Australia has been relocated to the Christmas Island detention centre, their lawyer says.

The mother from the Tamil family at the centre of an immigration row says her children are constantly crying and pleading to leave a Christmas Island facility, as hundreds of people rally around the country to urge the Government to let them stay in Australia.

Some regional areas of Queensland see unemployment rates skyrocket above 14 per cent with experts warning it will get worse if the Government doesn't step in.

Controversial changes enforcing quotas on Queensland fisheries have led to a critical breakdown in the relationship between industry and government.

Fire conditions are forecast to worsen again on Friday and Saturday when a dry wind is expected to blow across parts of southern Queensland, raising the fire danger rating from "high" to "very high".

Fire-weary residents at Sarabah in Queensland's Scenic Rim get a reprieve as authorities downgrade the bushfire warning level in the area, but conditions are expected to worsen in southern Queensland on Saturday.

A 39-year-old man from Emerald and a 59-year-old man from the Mackay area are found dead inside a twin-hulled power boat thought to have crashed at high speed off Central Queensland.

The Queensland Government is expected to pass a bill today to introduce new mandatory farm run-off regulations to protect the reef, despite opposition from agricultural groups.

Drum lines used to kill sharks in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park will be removed after the Queensland Government lost a challenge in the Federal Court to continue its culling program in the protectedarea.

The United Nations Human Rights Committee asks Australia to end the "existing situation of detention" for the Sri Lankan Tamil family from Biloela being held on Christmas Island.

Farmers and local politicians voice their objections to plans to reduce the size of a proposed central Queensland weir as state and federal governments argue over how to deal with a cost blowout.

A wave of dangerous severe fire weather is about to hit southern Queensland with the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting heatwave conditions as temperatures soar up to 40 degrees Celsius in parts of the state.

A drenching is on its way for Queensland, with parts of the state set to receive their best rainfall in months today and on Saturday, with the potential for severe thunderstorms and damaging hail in some areas.

Fewer cyclones are forecast but the Bureau of Meteorology warns a "pretty dangerous cocktail" is brewing for the remainder of Queensland's fire season.

A new species of rockcod, or grouper, is confirmed by the Queensland Museum after two years of testing its DNA, following the discovery of several specimens at a fish market in 2017.

The clean-up is underway after severe thunderstorms left a trail of damage but little precious rain in parts of South-East Queensland and the Darling Downs.

Despite a fortnight of hot, dry weather, Jack Walker's property in Theodore still has hailstones covered by a thin layer of dirt and debris.

A leading science institute finds Queensland must move more quickly towards renewable energy and away from coal-fired power by 2030 to meet its share of the nation's emissions reduction targets.

An abandoned southern Great Barrier Reef island off the coast of central Queensland, has seen guests visit for the first time in five years.

Adelaide United travels to Gosford to meet Central Coast Mariners as it looks to break a three-match losing streak in the A-League. Follow all the live scores, stats and commentary.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is investigating allegations of unconscionable conduct towards growers by one of the country's major vegetable processors.

Betty, the piglet born with just two hind hooves, is saved from slaughter just in time for the Lunar Year of the Pig.

MORNING BRIEFING: The serial sex offender who raped and killed Sydney woman Janine Balding will not be released for another two years, while the North Ryde RSL club cancels a conservative event on abortion over security fears.

A ride-share driver is charged with dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm after he allegedly ran down a group of teenagers while under the influence of alcohol on the central coast in the early hours of the morning.

A pilot killed in a plane crash that also claimed the life of his passenger in South Australia's outback is a south Queensland businessman and horse stud owner.

Caroline Harte is mostly confined to her bed after a fall at work. While her insurer completes modifications to her home she sleeps next to a portable toilet and shower.

The wool market has plummeted a massive 163 cents a kilogram this week, or more than 10 per cent, prompting an industry leader to call for a halt to trading.

Despite prices in the overall wool market declining, non-mulesed wool is fetching premium prices due to the demand in Europe by retail brands looking for ethically produced wool.

A major program to combat fruit fly is underway in two Australian states where the Queensland fruit fly is not native to those areas.

Hopes are raised in drought-stricken towns that the Federal Government is on the cusp of delivering a stimulus package, with local mayors urging a generous spend.

As the drought spreads, spending in country towns continues to drop and rural businesses are suffering. As shops close, the owners of those that remain open hope they'll get more support in coming weeks.

The Federal Government is unlikely to adopt the National Farmers' Federation call for exit packages for drought-ravaged farmers. But even if it did, history suggests they're unlikely to have much impact.

We could all use a break from reality these days, but so many of us find ourselves attached to the computer for virtual meetings. Why not bring a little escapism into your day with the help of Winsor McCay? The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum will be releasing a series of virtual backgrounds for […]