NASA and European Space Agency scientists are in remote Australia learning about the origins of life on Earth, and it's all to prepare for "the greatest treasure hunt ever" the next mission to Mars.

The CIA’s former counterintelligence chief warns Western spy agencies are being “overwhelmed” by their adversaries. And new surveillance technologies could spell the death of the traditional agent-in-the-field. The future of espionage looks problematic indeed.

Railton is full of topiary with hedges cleverly clipped into animals, words and objects but there are hopes it can reinvent itself and boost its economy like the north-east town of Derby on the back of newly-opened mountain bike tracks.

The Giants move up to second, denying the Kangaroos a third-straight win under caretaker coach Rhyce Shaw with a victory in Hobart.

Plans to carve up the Marrickville Golf Club in Sydney's inner west to create more green space spark "aggressive" debate, as the local council turns to residents to make a final decision.

Police and State Emergency Service volunteers are scouring the park where Shaun Thomas Russell, 36 was killed in Adelaide's southern suburbs.

An arrest warrant is issued for a man and a woman wanted in connection with the fatal bashing of Hackham West man Shaun Russell, whose body was found in a park south of Adelaide.

A man and a woman are arrested in Adelaide's north and will face charges over the alleged murder of Hackham West man Shaun Russell, who was allegedly beaten before he died.

A man and a woman charged with the murder of a man in a park in Adelaide's southern suburbs will remain behind bars until July, after a magistrate granted an adjournment to allow DNA evidence to be analysed.

Police investigating the stabbing of a 40-year-old man, who was found lying on the road at Hackham West overnight, uncover a drug lab believed to be used for growing magic mushrooms.

CCTV footage captures the moment a pedestrian is struck by a car, with the alleged driver facing charges of assault and four counts of endangering life.

The Dauntless Movement Crew are Alejandro Scarone, Ivana Djakovic, Tristan Hodder, Patrick Uy and Jimmy James.

Authorities continue to search for a 2-year-old boy missing in remote western Queensland, near Kowanyama.

A police officer was stabbed at a house in Sadleir, near Liverpool.

Officials are searching for a man in his 20s believed to have fallen from rocks into the ocean at Western Australia's Warrenup Beach.

A search is underway for missing 67-year-old Tony Hickey whose explosives truck caught fire and blew up near Sandstone in Western Australia's Mid West, with police unable to find him at the scene.

A big hemp haul in Victoria's north-west expects their first harvest of edible crop to be the largest in Australia.

Looking to replace the second oldest radar on its network at Mildura airport, the BOM marks a spot at Cullulleraine.

The NRL judiciary will have some work to do after four players are sin-binned in Newcastle's win over South Sydney, while the Raiders blank Wests Tigers in Parramatta.

The Sharks wrap up a spot in the finals with a 25-8 win over the Tigers as Robbie Farah's career comes to a close, while the Panthers end a disappointing season with a 54-10 thrashing of the Knights.

Researchers monitoring the impact of climate change say golden bowerbirds and other highland rainforest species are being pushed to higher altitudes by temperature rises and fear they'll eventually have nowhere left to go.

A review of WA's cattle stations finds at least a dozen are at risk of animal welfare issues in coming months because of a lack of food and water.

A network of oil wells that involve fracking in the Great Sandy Desert, connected by pipelines to new and existing ports, may become Australia's biggest oil-producing project, according to traditional owners negotiating with the private company.

A strong cold front is expected to bring damaging wind gusts, heavy rain, thunderstorms and possible flash flooding to south-west WA, with up to 40 millimetres of rainfall set to be dumped on Perth.

Catching a glimpse of snow at the top of Bluff Knoll is a highly sought after WA bucket-list item, but this history of snowfall in WA spans Geraldton to Southern Cross.

With WA moving closer to legalising voluntary assisted dying, the debate is shining a light on the desperate need for better palliative care, particularly in regional areas.

In West Cape Howe National Park on WA's rugged south coast, there is a narrow, twisting track with a fearsome reputation that has become a rite of passage for four-wheel drive enthusiasts.

Praised for its "sweat characters and nuttiness", a Perth-based distillery and second-generation farmer from Western Australia's far-north have teamed up to create Australia's first red corn whiskey.

Bereft of vineyards a couple of years ago, Forcett in south-east Tasmania, will soon have more than 200 hectares of wine grapes in the ground.

The Queenstown Crows have a home-ground advantage not many would envy. Rather than a field of lush, green grass, their oval is made of gravel.

Residents of a heritage town in northern Tasmania accuse the Government of not consulting them over plans for a new prison nearby, and demand to know the location of other potential sites.

South Australia's fishing industry is "banding together" to make sure the WA Government's plan to take control of a portion of the rock lobster catch does not also happen in its state.

Australian wool totals are forecast to be down by 12.7 per cent on last year a drop of 43 million kilograms, and the lowest yield since 1924, when the industry was much smaller.

Lado Alphonse says he was a "reject in society" before being recruited by the Cora Lynn Cobras. Now, he is among several players bringing new life to the regional Victorian football community.

Emergency services are continuing to search for a young man and woman who went missing in eastern Victoria almost a week ago.

Gippsland police say they are investigating what led to a young Melbourne couple being found dead in their car near Thompson Dam in west Gippsland.