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Environment

Whales were happier during the COVID pandemic when humans weren't around, scientists find

Scientists find eastern Australian humpback whales benefited from a reduction in human activity on the ocean during the first year of the pandemic, recording lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol. 
A whale splashes around

What issues are on your mind ahead of the Queensland election? We want to know

From the cost of living and transport to housing and the environment, we want to know what's impacting you or your community.
A grey background with a photo of a hand putting a piece of paper in a ballot box, question marks surround.

'Up-and-coming Barossa Valley' pushes back against large solar farm

Residents in the regional Victorian community are concerned a proposed 665-hectare solar farm would change the microclimate of the renowned grape-growing region and drive away tourism.
Four people standing in front of a vineyard, green paddocks, and a blue sky.

A surge in hybrid sales has surprised automakers and sounded alarm for emissions

Car buyers looking for low-emission options are choosing hybrid vehicles over fully battery-powered EVs, according to latest sales figures.
Hand of man inserting a power cord into an electric car

Government flags massive expansion of Antarctic marine park for 'untouched' Heard and McDonald Islands

The marine park that includes the subantarctic Heard and McDonald Islands is set for a massive expansion, with the federal government planning to protect an extra 300,000 square kilometres of ocean.
Four king penguins on a wide pebbly expanse in front of icy mountains. Two are standing, one is lying down and one is grooming

Green hydrogen to power mobile tower in Gippsland next time a storm cuts electricity

Energys Australia will source green hydrogen from Victoria for the fuel cells, which allow communities to stay connected for 72 hours even when the power is out.

Why enough sewage to fill 180 Olympic-sized swimming pools poured into a Queensland river for three months

The worst sewage spill in Queensland history was caused by corrosion and a local government’s over-reliance on the public and another council to detect leaks, an independent investigation has found.
Updated
Groups of people stand in a muddy field.

Government opens up chequebook to offer water buybacks for Murray-Darling Basin farmers

The federal government will go to tender next month seeking the rights to up to 70 gigalitres of water from farmers in the southern Murray-Darling Basin, through the first major water entitlements buyback program since new laws were introduced last year. 
Updated
A wide brown river and farms

Famous orca Split Fin excites South Coast residents by returning with new family member

With distinctive characteristics, Split Fin and Bent Tip are part of an orca family that has thrilled South Coast residents since being spotted more than 20 years ago.
two orcas pop out of the water with cliffs in the background

Australia's highest air pressure on record observed as monster high engulfs the nation

The abnormal pressure is having a significant impact on the nation's weather, including extreme low overnight temperatures over south-east states and a lengthy stretch of showery days along the eastern seaboard.
Updated
A lake which has iced over. The sun shines brightly overhead.

China seizes Taiwan fishing boat with crew near Chinese coast

Taiwan's coast guard says the squid fishing boat was near the Taiwan-administered Kinmen islands but in Chinese waters when it was boarded and seized. 
A Chinese coast guard ship is seen in the distance in the South China Sea.

They're top-tier marine predators, so why are our endangered sea lions in a fight for survival?

A national research effort aimed at saving Australia's iconic sea lions will look at cat faeces, heavy metals, microplastics, and climate change as possible culprits for the species' continued decline.  
Gorgeous photo of sea lion pup resting on its mum, both asleep on a rock above the ocean

A coal mine fire has been burning for five days in central Queensland. There is only one way to put it out

A Queensland underground coal mine is on fire up to half a kilometre below ground. Remote control technology is helping in an around-the-clock race to seal the mine and avoid further explosions.
Updated
Remote control dozers are helping seal the burning Grosvenor Coal Mine.

This shop saves tonnes of goods from going to landfill each year, and nothing has a fixed price

Tip shops, sometimes referred to as resale sheds or treasure chest shops, can be found at dozens of locations around the country. And as Australians continue to grapple with the rising cost of living, some operators say they're seeing new customers.
A fibreglass hull pictured in the sale yard of Eaglehawk Recycle Shop

Got an old, cold house like Laine's? Here are seven ways to make it warmer and cheaper

Australian homes are notoriously cold in winter — draughty, with poor insulation, thin glass and inadequate heating. But there's a growing movement of people retrofitting their homes to make them cheaper to run and more comfortable year-round, while also reducing emissions. 
A young woman wearing grey dress over black skivvy stands in front of a house, smiling with a mug in her hands

Hurricane Beryl rips toward Jamaica after leaving seven people dead in the Caribbean

Beryl is expected to reach Jamaica at midday local time, causing an expected storm surge of 1.8 to 2.7 metres above typical levels.
Updated
Car on top of another vehicle in flood water.

Protestors vow to keep disrupting train lines leading to world's largest coal port

Environmental activist group Blockade Australia plans to continue protests, which have already stopped passenger trains and coal movements into one of the world's biggest coal ports for more than a week. 
Updated
A man hanging from a rope above a train line.

How would you feel about having a nuclear reactor in your backyard?

Traralgon residents fear the Coalition's proposal to build a nuclear plant nearby will drive down property prices, but some also see it as a chance for an economic boost when the coal power station closes.
A man with a moustache on left, couple at their store's cash register in centre and woman wearing pink and black jacket

Paddle boarders risk $30k fine to free humpback whale trapped in shark net

The group says it reported the distressed whale in waters off the Sunshine Coast to authorities but when no-one had arrived almost an hour later, they took action fearing it was "drowning".
A video still of a humpback whale trapped in a shark net.

Coalition nuclear policy leaves traditional owners of Kakadu uranium mine worried

Northern Territory traditional owners whose land contains one of the world's most valuable untapped deposits of uranium are calling on the NT and federal governments not to grant a mining company a lease extension, as the Coalition's nuclear policy peaks interest in the resource.
Updated
Traditional owner looks over a uranium mine

analysis:When it comes to power, solar could leave nuclear and everything else in the shade — here's why

Energy experts — and even Greenpeace — underestimated solar power's rapid global growth. Now many believe solar is set to become the world's biggest power source within the next decade. But it is falling prices — rather than environmental benefits — that might be driving that change.
Arrays of solar panels on a rural property.

Atticus was left to die on a pile of rubbish. Dog shelters say they are tired of seeing cases like his

Atticus the five-year-old staghound was found dumped on a pile of rubbish before being taken to the Lost Dogs' Home in Melbourne. He is just one of many surrendered pets that comes through their door.
Atticus the lost dog with cast on paw

Brisbane's Lone Pine wildlife sanctuary ends koala-holding experience

Plenty of high-profile figures, including Queensland Premier Steven Miles, have been snapped cuddling the sanctuary's residents, but as of this week those days are over.
A smiling man in a business shirt cuddles a koala.

Car import loophole allows manufacturers to rush polluting vehicles into Australia

A loophole in the government's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard could be exploited by car makers seeking to import higher-polluting vehicles, and would undermine the first three years of the new climate laws.
Updated
Rows of cars in a car park, with stacked shipping containers behind them.

'Public anger': Hundreds of thousands sign online petition demanding impeachment of President Yoon

An online petition for the impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol is closing in on 1 million signatures, leading to delays and disruptions of the website. 
A man in suit waving South Korean national flag.