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

Alex Ross-King died of an MDMA overdose during a music festival in January. Now her mother is calling for changes to ensure no-one else dies.

Life for Busara O'Reilly in her Lismore cafe is a far cry from the day she fled gunfire on a beautiful Thai beach as a toddler, but it is that start to life that has made her take nothing for granted.

Acting detective Eric Walsh sought advice from police colleagues on ways to silence online criticism of Universal Medicine, a group found by a jury to be a "dangerous cult", the ABC can reveal.

The magistrate who sentenced a man over the assault of a champion surfer says she took into account the public scolding he's received when deciding his punishment.

A Brisbane multi-millionaire who donated $300,000 to a charity associated with a group later found in court to be an "exploitative cult" says he gave the money freely as a reward for treating his chronic pain.

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.

Up to 20 homes and structures are destroyed in the village of Rappville, as watch and act warnings are issued for several bushfires burning within 100km of each other in northern NSW.

Authorities say at least 30 homes have been damaged or destroyed as fast-moving bushfires burned in and around Rappville in northern NSW on October 8, 2019.

An RFS crew drives through the northern NSW village of Rappville, one of the areas worst affected by a series of bushfires in northern NSW on October 8, 2019.

Police are investigating the "suspicious" origins of a devastating bushfire, which is believed to have started late Friday and yesterday destroyed 21 homes in northern NSW.

After watching their home burn on the news, Tina Hag, Robert Collier and their four children return to Rappville, wondering about the future of their northern New South Wales town, which lost 15 homes and 20,000 hectares of grazing land to a bushfire.

The community of Rappville in northern NSW is banding together to make sure everyone gets back on their feet, but Allan Robertson is dreading having to tell his partner that their home is now just ashes.

As ferocious blazes tore through Rappville last week, many of the community's young people displayed extraordinary bravery, rescuing their neighbours and animals while fighting tooth and nail to save homes.

A student critical of the University of Queensland's ties to Chinese Government organisations says he is facing expulsion over his activism, but authorities say it's a matter of policy.

Semi-retired Keith and Glenda Drake, both in their 80s, will donate the proceeds of their seaside penthouse to help researchers develop a treatment for coronavirus.

As southern parts of Australia look set for a wet winter, the northern part of the NT is grappling with its second poor wet season in as many years.

The lead-up to Anzac Day is usually a busy time for florists and volunteers, but this year is very different.

Queensland's Chief Health Officer refuses to budge on a decision criticised as "bureaucratic overreach" after an Anzac Day flyover is banned due to coronavirus restrictions, with the state recording another two cases.

Unemployment in one Queensland region soars to more than double the state figure as an expert warns it's the 'calm before the storm'.

Researchers make some interesting discoveries about Fitzroy River humpback dolphins.

Thousands of residents across the Sunshine Coast pay their respects on Anzac Day — standing in driveways, paddling on the water, and dressing up — despite COVID-19 restrictions.

Queensland Cotton regional manager Rick Jones opens gin doors to explain how cotton is processed and what it means to the Emerald community.

Like all zoos and wildlife parks around the country Townsville's Billabong Sanctuary is closed because of the coronavirus lockdown, but the important business of caring for the residents never stops.

Queensland students won't return to school yet, despite calls for Year 11 and 12 classes to resume, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says as some coronavirus restrictions ease on Saturday.

A hospital chartered a plane to get Sam Voss, four, to Brisbane for treatment. But he needs the infusion fortnightly to keep his motor skills.