An emergency warning has been issued for a blaze burning at Sandy Creek, east of Armidale, which has closed roads and is threatening several properties where residents have been told it is "too late to leave".

Residents in the regional city of Armidale are using their own water to save trees in their heritage-listed park, as the drought continues to deplete the district's water supply.

Australia won't run out of things to eat and drink, and shoppers have no reason to panic about any shortages as a result of coronavirus, food growers and manufacturers say.

Rowena has been in and out of jail a handful of times — she says she is doing her best to stay out, but adds "when something bad happens on the outside, you just want to run back to jail and be safe".

There are now 22 people in Tasmania who have tested positive for coronavirus, with five people being diagnosed today, the director of public health says.

Tasmanian public schools will remain open "for the time being", while pubs, clubs, sporting venues and churches close from midday.

Gambling giant Federal Group is demanding Tasmanian pub owners continue paying rent on leased poker machines, even while hoteliers have been forced to close due to coronavirus — a move blasted by Senator Jacqui Lambie as "trying to make a quid" during a "wartime scenario".

At least 1 million Australians are facing unemployment as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, and those with a mortgage are particularly worried. Here's some information on what the big four banks are doing.

Tasmanian producer's market collapses from 6,000 carcasses a week at the start of this month to nothing.

Allison Davies says when she uploaded a cheerful ditty about wellness on her Instagram page she had no idea it would strike a chord with families worldwide.

Tasmania records its first coronavirus death after a woman in her 80s dies in hospital in the state's north-west, with the state's case tally rising by three to 69.

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.

State borders are closed, but has the time come to cordon off the shires from visitors too? Some rural and country leaders think so.

For the first time in about a fortnight Tasmania has had no new positive coronavirus tests, but the Premier says that's no reason to relax while warning parents to supervise children not at school.

A new coronavirus case diagnosed overnight takes Tasmania's tally to 72, as authorities release a list of destinations visited by two interstate travellers who later tested positive for COVID-19.

When David Morrell's wife in wheelchair had a fall last week, he couldn't help her up because he's blind. He's made the tough decision to cancel support services to avoid his wife contracting COVID-19, but worries how they'll cope alone.

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.

Because Niall Harden and Sarah Wyllie are not permanent residents, they are not entitled to the Government's new JobKeeper payment, which also excludes casuals who have not been with an employer for more than 12 months.

If there is anything good to come out of the coronavirus pandemic, it could be that rural Australians end up better connected to essential and recreational services than ever before.

The likes of Zoom, Skype and Hangouts have brought an added layer of awkward delays and pixelated faces to our meetings, staff briefings and catch-ups. But there are ways to make the experience less painful and more productive.

A former patient at Launceston's first purpose-built infectious diseases hospital wants Tasmanians to heed the warnings to stay home and stay safe.

The Tasmanian hospital where two staff members have tested positive to coronavirus will remain open, authorities say, assuring the public they can be "confident about the care they receive".

Artist Megan Walch was just two weeks into a months-long arts residency in the heart of Paris when coronavirus took hold of France. Armed with her camera, she documented her experiences. Now back home in Tasmania, she's just one of the artists adapting her work for an unusual age.

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.

Automated crosswalks, the rebirth of suburbia, electric scooters — there are many quirky and nuanced ways that the coronavirus outbreak could impact on urban life.

Police around the country issued fines for breaching coronavirus rules over Easter, but overall people followed the rules and stayed home.

The Tasmanian Government to seek Federal Government and ADF assistance over coronavirus outbreak in the state's north-west.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has answered questions from kids around Australia on the coronavirus pandemic on ABC Me's Behind The News program.

With little else to do and undeniably glorious weather in some parts of the country, Australians are heading outdoors in notably large numbers. But will our healthy new habits stick once COVID-19 is gone?

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.

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.

Warm oceans are encouraging wet conditions for Australia, with the hint of a negative IOD and even a potential La Nina on the horizon.

Tasmania records its first coronavirus infection in a nursing home, a 79-year-old woman in the state's cluster zone in the north-west, where cases linked to two hospitals prompted a mass quarantine last week.

Emergency workers across Australia who use government-subsidised nannies are scrambling to find child care options after their In Home Care was cancelled as a side effect of the Federal Government's new policy to make child care free.

In 2000, Virgin Australia first entered the Australian aviation market with one route, two aircraft and 200 employees. Last month, it was flying to 56 destinations around the world.

A day after the Prime Minister announced a moratorium on evictions, this doctor was given an ultimatum by her landlord — either she stop working at a hospital or move out.

The Ruby Princess leaves Australian waters today over a month after docking in Sydney. About one in 10 cases of coronavirus in Australia is linked to the cruise ship.

Anzac Day 2020 falls on a Saturday, which means for most Australians, there's no public holiday this year. Why? And when is your next public holiday?

With many children home from school during lockdowns parents are learning to balance work and life balances.

Tasmania had one of the strongest responses to COVID-19 in the country. But on the day the two-person gathering rule was adopted, the state's nightmare quietly began.

Lavender farms are seeing a spike in online traffic as consumers stock up on essential oils and pillow sprays, even their own plants.

Jessica and James Brewer are volunteering in a Mozambican slum for the fourth year running, only this time they are expecting a child, parenting a toddler and dealing with the challenges of coronavirus.

The Premier says Tasmania is talking about the first direct flights to New Zealand since the late 1990s if a "trans-Tasman bubble" excluding coronavirus can be maintained, as the state's four-day case-free run crashes with two new cases.

A man suffers head injuries when he is hit by a car that mounted a tram stop outside the Royal Adelaide Hospital, narrowly avoiding other bystanders.

Tributes are flowing in following the death of David Ruston, an internationally renowned rose expert, who is being remembered for bringing roses into the gardens of "everyday" Australians.