MORNING BRIEFING: A number of fish have died at a lake near Menindee as the Federal Government announces emergency funds to protect fish, while volunteers work to deliver supplies to farmers who are unwilling to leave their fire-ravaged properties.

Sam Neill says he's in the "cheering-up" business. Acting is his profession, winemaking is his passion and now in times of COVID-19, the 72-year-old is delighting the masses on social media.

Melbourne Storm winger Josh Addo-Carr and the South Sydney Rabbitoh's fullback Latrell Mitchell post an apology on their social media accounts after footage emerged of the NRL players on a camping holiday with around 10 other men. The trip prompted a NSW Police investigation.

NSW Chief Medical Officer Dr Kerry Chant has declared Lithgow to be a COVID-19 hotspot after an untraceable case emerged over the weekend.

Police find NRL player Nathan Cleary committed no offence after videos emerged of a group of women at his home, but the five women have been slugged with $1,000 fines.

The number of positive coronavirus diagnoses have fallen dramatically since the end of March.

Sick of isolation? It might be time to explore the slow TV genre. From the comfort of your lounge room you can cruise down the Manning River as video producers live stream their tranquil journey.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Dr Kerry Chant provided an updated on coronavirus for May 6. NSW has confirmed nine new cases of COVID-19 overnight.

A court hears the NSW Rural Fire Service may ask the state's Attorney-General to relax restrictions so it can distribute the $51.3 million raised by comedian Celeste Barber to help victims of the Black Summer bushfires.

Over $340,000 raised by celebrity bushfire relief concert Fire Aid 2020 is being pre-loaded onto EFTPOS cards linked to local businesses, tackling two disasters with one innovative idea.

There was a palpable thrill of anticipation in the audience last night at the debut of Black Swan Theatre Company's Streetcar Named Desire. Whether you left the night sated would depend on how you like your Tennessee Williams like bourbon, dark and stormy or like Southern Comfort, a little lighter and sweeter.

The girl is good. Very good.

An 11-bed regional aged care facility is about to celebrate its 10th anniversary as a community-owned organisation, which has kept jobs and residents in town while proving the viability of an innovative new model for aged care.

The remains of a 77-year-old man and a 68-year-old woman are found on a property destroyed in the bushfires which ripped through northern NSW earlier this week.

Renters in Tasmania could be safe from eviction until at least September under emergency laws to shield them during the coronavirus crisis — with New South Wales tenancy advocates welcoming the development and calling on "all governments" to follow suit.

Authorities say two children are confirmed amongst the latest coronavirus cases in Tasmania, as the Government confirms it will refund public school levies, freeze water prices and cap electricity prices as part of the COVID-19 pandemic response.

The Australian Government will launch hundreds of flights to deliver fresh produce to key international markets as part of a big-spending boost for exports.

Four new cases of coronavirus are confirmed in Tasmania, taking the state's total to 86, after Burnie's hospital shuts two wards to new admissions following staff becoming infected.

Authorities reveal eight of the nine new cases of coronavirus confirmed in Tasmania are linked to the North West Regional Hospital, as the state records its third death.

Tasmania records another four cases of coronavirus, all in the state's north-west hotspot, after Premier Peter Gutwein warned of a statewide Easter police "blitz" and an "effective lockdown" in the north-west.

A Tasmanian woman in her 70s has died of coronavirus, taking the state's death toll to five, as 11 more cases are diagnosed in the north-west.

Six new cases of coronavirus in the last 24 hours are found in Tasmania, all of the them in the disease hotspot of the state's north-west, bringing the tally to 150.

Brendan Murphy was rebuked by Tasmania's Premier after saying most of the people involved in a cluster of COVID-19 cases around the town of Burnie broke social-distancing laws.

Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy warns New Zealand to pay attention to Tasmania's experience

An ornithologist who decided to take five while conducting a bird survey in Tasmania could hardly believe his eyes when he spotted a three-footed seagull. But even he had no idea how unusual the find was.

A stand-off in a suburban street between an armed man and police is captured on video, with officers pointing their weapons and ordering him to surrender before he is knocked down by a police car.

As the country stays bunkered down during the pandemic, some ambulance services have seen a reduction in call-outs, especially to road accidents. Others say they're dealing with calls about flu-like symptoms that need to go elsewhere.

A 72-year-old man becomes the seventh Tasmanian to succumb to coronavirus, as four more cases are confirmed in the north-west. It comes as the emergency department of a hospital at the centre of a coronavirus outbreak reopens.

The number of coronavirus cases associated with an outbreak in Tasmania's north-west is "trailing off", the state's director of public health says, with additional retail restrictions in place in the region due to be lifted on Sunday night.

Australia's Chief Medical Officer says a coronavirus cluster in Tasmania's north-west was likely sparked by a passenger from the Ruby Princess cruise ship, as the state marks 24 hours without a new case being found.

The Chief Medical Officer spent nearly two hours answering questions from senators about Australia's handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Here are all the key points you need to know.

Another elderly person dies from coronavirus in Tasmania's north-west, the state's third death announced in three days, as four new cases are confirmed on Sunday night.

Ambulance paramedics left a woman with a history of mental illness alone in her home without electricity, hot water or lighting before she was found dead months later, in a move a coroner said was "difficult to understand."

Australia's emu farmers are trying to ramp up production as the demand for oil increases.

The news the Dog on the Tuckerbox had been damaged made national headlines and prompted an outpouring of love for the much-loved pooch. But what is the history of the famous statue?

England coach Eddie Jones walks on the field after England is defeated by South Africa in the Rugby World Cup final at International Yokohama Stadium in Yokohama, Japan, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019.

Jemma Burns survived being run over by a truck thanks to the blood donations of others. Now, as the Red Cross Blood Service marks its 90th anniversary, it is planning to expand into other interesting and unusual areas.

Controversial cartoonist Michael Leunig is accused of unfairly judging mothers in a cartoon that suggests some love their phones and Instagram more than their children.

The sister of murdered exchange student Aiia Maasarwe says she does not feel safe in Melbourne, as she returns to the city of her sister's death to help launch a fellowship in her honour.

A man responsible for an "atrocious attack" on an off-duty paramedic during a crime spree on the Mornington Peninsula last year is sentenced to five years and nine months in jail.

Much-loved actor Anne Phelan, who featured in Australian TV programs including Bellbird and Prisoner, dies at the age of 71. The acclaimed actor was described as "simply one of the best humans".

A team of volunteer dog owners are faithfully visiting aged-care homes with their canine companions, bringing much joy and contentment to many of the residents.

Many Nimbin residents have welcomed Federal Government plans to legalise medicinal cannabis and say their town would be an ideal hub for the new potential cash crop.

A 21-year-old who intentionally drove through a mob of emus at 80 kph, has had his prison sentence cut in half but told to volunteer with an animal charity.

A self-generating power pod trial on a cattle property in north-west Queensland aims to provide rural properties with a more reliable, cheaper, and renewable power source.

A 21-year-old is flown to hospital after an axe hit his helmet while he was taking part in a mock medieval battle at Hawkesbury Showground in New South Wales.