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

A disability carer has been charged with 16 offences including counts of producing child abuse materials, after an investigation into a care home in Sydney's west.

Three girls accused of attacking another teen near Wollongong face a maximum 25 years behind bars if found guilty of the shopping centre assault.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is grilled over the behaviour of ministers Andrew Constance and John Barilaro at an awkward press conference on May 7, 2020. Mr Constance and Mr Barilaro had been engaged in a public spat amid pre-selection for the federal seat of Eden-Monaro, in which there will be a by-election.

Police find four children under the age of 14 who took a Nissan Patrol from Gracemere in central Queensland and embarked on a joyride to Grafton in northern New South Wales.

The Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses has collated data from official stewards' documents and found 122 horses died in the past year.

Two dangerous fires near Tenterfield and Armidale are downgraded as firefighters keep properties out of danger, but the dwindling water supply and expected strong winds will make today challenging.

A man is sentenced to two months' jail after assaulting a student from Hong Kong who says he was targeted because he was wearing a face mask to protect against coronavirus.

Sex work, food vans at farmers' markets and race meetings are some of the latest activities banned by Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein, as part of the ongoing effort to slow the spread of coronavirus in the state.

Backpackers sacked after bars and restaurants closed down due to coronavirus are flocking back to previous farm jobs, but employers want details on Government help with quarantine measures.

Take a trip along a seriously nostalgic street, the route of the long forgotten Penguin Hillclimb.

Residents are finding ways to cope as a full lockdown looms over the region, with one woman banging pots and pans in support of essential workers, while another considers whether to shut up shop.

All over Australia, non-essential travel is being discouraged. But the rules vary state to state, so let's take a look at exactly how far you're allowed to travel and who you're allowed to visit.

With the global death toll now at more than 100,000, there is an urgent need for a coronavirus vaccine. But will pharmaceutical companies be tempted to put profits before patients?

A clampdown on foreign investment into Australia could cut-off vital funding for cash-strapped farmers and businesses during the COVID-19 crisis, industry figures say.

An animal cruelty case against Tasmanian shipping identity Les Dick, who has cancer, is adjourned after he agrees not to be involved in livestock transport for five years.

People working from home during COVID-19 restrictions have ditched the slacks for the humble track pants.

With the olive harvest starting in some parts of South Australia, some farmers are now seeing fruit that has not developed or has shrivelled due to a lack of water.

Gundagai's beloved Dog on the Tuckerbox statue made headlines last month after being wrested from its perch, but that wasn't the first time the icon was taken and the identities of those behind the original heist have never been revealed.

Cameron Clyne ends his stint as Rugby Australia chairman effective immediately, replaced by former Wallaby Paul McLean who will take charge on an interim basis.

Richard Tracey QC is remembered as wise, selfless and admired as the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety is told of the "complete shock" of his sudden death.

Ciaron Maher and David Eustace are looking to turn their unorthodox training partnership into big success at Melbourne's Spring Carnival.

The NRL is accused of treating players like "products" rather than people over its decision to ban New Zealand prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona for three Tests despite acknowledging he was provoked.

A man appears in a Melbourne court charged with raping a 32-year-old woman who was walking a dog in Thornbury on Saturday night.

Liberal backbencher Dave Sharma and Labor MP Josh Burns join forces with alleged victims to seek Malka Leifer's extradition to Australia to face child sexual abuse charges.

In the wake of the racehorse slaughter scandal, calls are growing for greater financial support for rehoming thoroughbreds and an enforceable standard of care.

Japanese Caulfield Cup winner Mer De Glace is the new favourite for Tuesday's Melbourne Cup after the barrier draw is completed at Flemington.

Are you feeling torn about celebrating the Melbourne Cup today? We asked our ABC Messenger audience how they felt about the race that stops the nation and what they loved (and hated) about it.

In the closest of finishes, jockey Craig Williams rides the winner but an upheld protest sees a change to the final placings in the race that stops a nation. Look back on how it unfolded at Flemington Racecourse.

From its humble beginnings in the late 19th century, the Cairns Show has grown into a three day event that is one of the highlights on the social calendar for Cairns. The ABC Far North team ventured into the thick of the show this year to hear from the people who make it such an occasion.

Natalie Holt has built a 'she shed' in the backyard of her Bangalow home.

The Eden Aboriginal community don't just talk about closing the gap they make it happen. The Monaroo Bubberer Gudu Keeping Place is an impressive symbol of the Aboriginal community's determination to find their own solutions for preserving and teaching their culture, and creating education and employment opportunities.

From the outside, the Mackay Senior Citizen's Hall may not look like an overly exciting place. Step inside on a Wednesday night and the flashing lights, twirling bodies and loud music might just prove that wrong. For the past two decades, people of all ages have gathered to learn a thing or two about rock and roll dancing.

Once a lavish home to a mining magnate in the 19th century then a covert map-making location during WWII, Bendigo's Fortuna Villa is filled with tales. Six people who have a long association with its history talk of the mysteries and celebrations surrounding the place.

Duneira is a late Nineteenth Century country house in Mt Macedon - but it has a curious history.

Toowoomba's Space Pilots club prides itself as the oldest model rocketry club in the world. Past and present members have returned to the paddock where the club has launched many rockets to celebrate 50 years.

When the race track light's changed from yellow to green students witnessed months of hard work flash before their eyes, and the only evidence left behind was a cloud of smoke at the starting line.

Comic book characters were brought to life when cosplayer's converged on Mackay's annual pop-culture convention. Witnessing the event was like entering a portal into a different dimension - a world where super heroes and villains get along.

High school students from across Australia took part in a program called Fresh Faced Friday to promote positive body image amongst teenagers.

Gymnastics clubs from around the country converge in Bendigo for the National Club Championships.

Pyramid Hill is home to a growing Filipino community, with many working at the nearby piggeries.

Musical therapist and violinist Greta Kelly uses the power of music to take people away from their daily worries. This is why she felt compelled to get in touch with Choir of Unheard Voices.

Amidst the reflections of cars and signs in the Toowoomba CBD, 12 faces of residents have appeared in empty shop fronts to celebrate the diversity of people who call the garden city home.

Certain sounds called spherics and whistlers, which are electromagnetic waves, recorded in Antarctica by scientists, have been used in a new music piece called 'Aurora Musicalis'.

A former deputy mayor could face trials in two states for shooting his mother and brother on either side of the NSW-Victoria border, after police in NSW issued a warrant for his arrest.