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Will and Michael have found a full life in country Australia. Can other millennials follow in their footsteps?

After swapping life in the city for sheep and a vegetable garden, the couple is running a thriving gin distillery. Demographers believe more people in their age bracket could make the move to country areas as lower property prices offer more opportunities.
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Two men stand behind a bar

Queensland's 43 'dehumanising, upsetting, and discriminatory' place names must be changed now, elder says

The state's map is littered with dozens of racist terms steeped in a traumatic history. While authorities have made it easier to change these names, advocates say the wheels of government must turn faster.
A woman wearing a bright blue polo shirt looks at the camera with a neutral expression

Temperatures drop below freezing in parts of Queensland as cold snap arrives

Queensland's south-east has shivered through its coldest temperatures this year, including some areas that dropped below zero overnight.
Frost covers a rural landscape.

When 'a good night on the beers' wasn't making him happy, Luke knew he needed to take action

Queensland's Luke Hambleton uses men's circles to improve his mental health and become a better husband and dad.
A blonde man sitting at a table with a sombre expression, he is wearing a black t shirt

South-east Queensland set for a wet weekend, Charleville residents likely to be isolated for days

The weekend storms will bring a flood risk for the south, where rivers, creeks and catchments could "respond rapidly" to even moderate rainfall. 
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A large expnase of water covers a road on a still morning. mist and trees reflect off the water.

Grandfather who died in floodwaters identified, as more than 100mm of rain falls in an hour in south-east Queensland

A man has died after his vehicle became submerged in floodwaters at Greenbank, south of Brisbane.
Updated
A white ute in a dense forrest next to a creek. The grass around it has been flattened by water.

Safety advocates warn against 'I've done it a million times' approach after four deaths on Queensland farms in 2024

Safety remains a huge issue on the state's farms where a number of people have died this year, including a young man killed in a cattle truck incident last month.
A man is mustering a large flock of sheep down a dusty country road.

Cases of a 'nasty' bacterial disease have spiked in Queensland, driving fresh calls for a better vaccine

Queensland health experts have been mystified by an "unusual" spike in cases of Q fever, a nasty bacterial disease that has long plagued rural communities.
A doctor with his arms folded superimposed in front of an image of bacteria

Over 130mm of rain recorded in three hours south-west of Brisbane, bringing worst flash flooding some locals have seen

Severe thunderstorms cause flash flooding at Springfield Lakes as the Bureau of Meteorology warns much of the state faced unsettled weather. 
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Flooding around Robelle Domain at Springfield Lakes.

In Queensland, new mums in non-birthing hospital towns are falling through the gaps

Blackall has had almost 20 babies born this year, but parents have to travel more than 200 kilometres to a birthing hospital and some women are away from home for up to six weeks. 
Updated
A newborn baby is shown lying down, with one of its feet in the foreground of the image.

'Not a great outlook' for Queenslanders as temperatures soar, bureau says

Searing heat consumes Queensland amid already parched conditions, but a cool change should bring respite to fire-ravaged communities before the mercury soars again.
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Sun setting over Indian Ocean 

Game Day: Tourists drawn to saleyards

The business of selling livestock is bringing more than just animals to saleyards across regional Australia - with tourists keen to experience sale days as well. Hundreds of visitors tour the Roma saleyards in south-west Queensland every week, where retired graziers from across the Maranoa region now volunteer as tour guides.
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ABC News Current
Duration: 11 minutes 47 seconds

Cattle saleyards across the country becoming a hotspot for 'mesmerised' tourists

Saleyards in rural Australia attract a unique kind of visitor, intrigued by the spectacle of livestock sales. And there is no better place to go behind the scenes than at Roma, in outback Queensland.
Updated
Little boy is carried by mother in her arms. Both have cowboy hats on. Boy looks backwards at camera.

Going on a hike? Here’s why you shouldn't pick up sticks to use as walking aids

Rangers say picking up a walking stick during a bush walk may seem harmless but it's causing significant damage to the environment.
Two rangers holding large bundles of sticks in front of a large vertical pile of sticks

'Totally gut-wrenching': Homeless after a bushfire, Karen wishes she had been better prepared

Karen Towner was happy living off-grid on a rural property until a ferocious fire ripped through her home, leaving her with nothing but a bag of dirty clothes. 
A woman sits on a cart

Outback Art: The festival celebrating outback sculpture

A sculpture festival in outback Queensland is unearthing hidden talents from surprising sources.
Updated
ABC News Current
Duration: 11 minutes 40 seconds

This impressive 500kg sculpture of a rodeo rider is made from discarded horseshoes

An art trail in outback Queensland is showcasing the work of local talent and includes the sculpture of a full-scale metal saddle bronc rider made from recycled horseshoes.
Image of a metal sculpture of a man riding a horse.

'Suspicious' fire destroys abandoned church in western Queensland town

A second building in a month has gone up in flames in Roma and investigators are treating it as suspected arson.
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burnt church with police tape

Lucy feared she'd have to leave her rural town for study. Universities coming to her has changed the game

Many rural and regional towns have haemorrhaged university students for decades, but an expansion of Country Universities Centres, already "going gangbusters" in St George, is about to bolster dozens more towns across Australia.
A young woman sitting and smiling at the camera

Double murderer's parole bid fails after no help finding stepdaughter's body

Murderer Rodney Michael Cherry has served 20 years in jail, but still won't reveal the location of his stepdaughter's body. He killed the teen after killing his wife in central Queensland.
Updated
Razor wire at the top of a fence.

1,000km round trips for kids' soccer? 'It's just a part of life' for these parents in the bush

The long road travelled: how these parents get their kids to sport despite the tyranny of distance. 
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children standing on a hollywood style sign in bourke

Queensland's oldest winery Romavilla destroyed in fire

Emergency crews battled flames 25 metres high at the site of the abandoned, heritage-listed Romavilla Winery in Roma last night, with firefighters only able to save the back part of its main building.
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A large fire in the night

'Less water in the future': Authority unveils roadmap to Murray Darling Basin Plan review

The chair of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority warns there will be less water available for irrigators and the environment, as he announces the first review of the plan since its inception a decade ago.
An aerial view of the Murray-Darling junction.

More flying obstetricians promised to help rural Queensland women give birth near home

The state's maternity system has been under pressure due to staff shortages and recruitment difficulties but the health minister says a $42 million funding injection will reduce the need for pregnant women to travel.
Updated
An unidentified pregnant woman.

'True gentleman' of NT cattle industry remembered for his 'quiet strength' after death at 83

Colin Brett's family led a class action against the federal government's 2011 live export ban. Industry figures say Mr Brett leaves a "tremendous legacy".
An older man sits with his hands clasped at a table on a veranda, smiling.