A hoax claiming the Church of Scientology was planning a nine-storey development at an iconic Albany site in WA's South Coast has infuriated local authorities.

An illness is rarely something that saves a life, but in the case of Tom Sharp, that is what is likely to have happened.

Uncle Dick and Aunty Ruth Carney share how they built their own 'piece of heaven'.

A compelling account of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident . Not only did the fallout contaminate half of Europe it changed the course of history. When the nuclear reactor exploded it set off another explosion that no-one had predicted -the collapse of the Soviet Union.  

Wildlife parks have a long road back to financial buoyancy after coronavirus restrictions stripped them of their sole source of income; visitors, and some operators are dipping into personal savings just to keep their animals fed.

Campers on the north coast of Western Australia have had the "really rare" chance to walk next to a feeding whale shark estimated to be seven to 10 metres long.

Australia slumps to a 3-0 series defeat in South Africa with a six-wicket loss in Potchefstroom, despite Marnus Labuschagne's maiden ODI century.

A popular beach in Byron Bay has been washed away by the worst erosion in at least 30 years.

How scientists "read" two-million-year-old teeth and uncovered the hidden breastfeeding patterns of our ancient ancestors.

A hat possibly belonging to Theo Hayez is found at Cape Byron Lighthouse, near where he was last seen, and sent for forensic testing.

After a US magazine visited the far-north NSW coast town, Byron Bay was abuzz. Dig a little deeper and the stories pour forth from angered locals.

Too Much Lip is a raucous family yarn that explores intergenerational trauma, class and the lives of Aboriginal women, and it has just won its author a prestigious $60,000 prize.

A father who lost his son in a shocking crash 13 years ago channels his grief into a mission for better road safety with a driver-training centre that could save countless lives.

The hunt for the missing Belgian backpacker, who disappeared after a night out on May 31, is formally referred to the NSW coroner in a move that ends the official police search.

Police say a pipe bomb found in Mullumbimby on the NSW far north coast has been rendered safe and has been taken away for forensic examination.

For nine long months, the main road into Byron Bay was adorned by one of Australia's most controversial pieces of public art. Until last night.

The tourist mecca's potholes are legendary, and locals are taking matters into their own hands as the mayor laments that the town's affluent profile means little to its financially-struggling council.

With many people struggling to adapt to social isolation and other issues associated with coronavirus, a growing number are turning to mental health services to help them cope with anxiety.

A hospital in north-west Queensland says emergency department admissions have fallen by 20 per cent during the coronavirus pandemic.

This holiday hotspot has the potential of having zero active coronavirus cases by early May, but with fine weather and loosening restrictions the situation could prove otherwise.

Removalist John Siaki specialises in helping women in abusive relationships flee to safety and says the demand for his service has increased by 60 per cent since coronavirus restrictions were introduced.

It was once a holiday destination favoured by US presidents and Hollywood starlets, but Port Douglas in Far North Queensland has turned into a ghost town due to coronavirus travel restrictions.

As the Special Commission of Inquiry into the Ruby Princess continues, a Sunshine Coast couple describe their final day aboard.

Firefighters have praised the "gutsy" efforts of police who helped them rescue an 18-month-old boy from a burning house in Rockhampton last night.

The five men suffered upper torso and airway burns in the explosion.

Lior brought a string quintet to the Bulli Heritage Hotel last night to perform a wonderful mix of songs old and new.

A Mid North Coast school is bucking the state trend planning to have all its students on campus by May 11 and says a previous COVID-19 case has adequately prepared it for any future outbreaks.

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

MORNING BRIEFING: NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro is considering a switch to federal politics, after the resignation of Labor backbencher Mike Kelly triggers a by-election in the seat of Eden-Monaro.

Labor leader Anthony Albanese has endorsed Bega Valley Shire Mayor Kristy McBain after she nominated for pre-selection to contest the Eden-Monaro by-election.

The New Zealand Warriors will fly into Tamworth tomorrow, in an exemption from current travel rules.

A Sydney school is shut after a student tests positive for COVID-19 but Gladys Berejiklian says all children could be back in classrooms full-time by the end of May.

While the lucrative mud crab trade was all but halted by the impact of coronavirus, eels enable one commercial fisher to claw back some lost trade.

A NSW Health official breaks down in tears while apologising for the government department's failures in dealing with the Ruby Princess coronavirus outbreak, an inquiry hears.

People with Tourette syndrome appeal for compassion as pandemic panic exacerbates their neurological condition, causing their anxieties and tics to worsen.

Scores of crew members on the Ruby Princess celebrated with a party on the day it docked in Sydney unaware of the public health disaster that was about to happen.

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.