Australia

Stories 1 - 20 |  Next >>

Researchers Reverse Theory on Aussie Megafauna Extinction

They believe early Australians may have been 'the first paleontologists'

(Newser) - An ancient giant kangaroo bone from Australia's Mammoth Cave has long been cited as evidence that Indigenous Australians hunted megafauna to extinction. But a new study, powered by advanced technology, has turned that assumption on its head. Researchers used microCT scanning and radiometric dating to reexamine the bone, originally...

Surfer in Distress, His Would-Be Rescuer Both Perish

Inexperienced Aussie surfer, friend who tried to rescue him both lost in stormy waters off Melbourne

(Newser) - A surfer in distress and a friend who tried to rescue him both died in stormy weather off the coast of Melbourne, Australian police said on Thursday. The incident occurred late Wednesday off Frankston Pier as the city was being lashed by wind gusts of up to 81mph, authorities said,...

Lawmaker Outs Suspect in 1970 Case of Missing British Toddler

Brother says police believe man dubbed 'Mercury' assaulted and killed 3-year-old Cheryl Grimmer

(Newser) - More than 50 years after 3-year-old Cheryl Grimmer vanished from an Australian beach, a key person of interest in the case has been named in parliament, reigniting calls for justice in the decades-old mystery, per the BBC . The British toddler disappeared in 1970 from Fairy Meadow beach in Wollongong, where...

Presumed Rocket Part Falls From Space

Charred object found by miners in western Australia on Saturday

(Newser) - A hunk of space debris has turned up in the Australian desert, where it was reportedly found charred and smoking on Saturday. The Australian Space Agency confirmed Monday that the mysterious object, likely a spent rocket part, was discovered smoldering on a remote access road in the Pilbara region of...

Nutrition Influencer Dies After Home Birth

Husband says Stacey Hatfield had 'unforeseen and extremely rare complication'

(Newser) - A well-known Australian food influencer and nutritionist has died at age 30 after giving birth at home, her family says. Stacey Hatfield, whose business Natural Spoonfuls promoted an all-natural, toxin-free lifestyle, died on Sept. 29 from what her husband described as "an unforeseen and extremely rare complication" following the...

As Boy Was Dying From Snake Bite, Dad Thought He Was Drunk

Coroner says medical care could have saved Australian child

(Newser) - The 2021 death of an 11-year-old boy from a brown snake bite may have been prevented if he had received medical attention sooner, an inquest in Queensland, Australia, has concluded. The inquest revealed that Tristian James Frahm's father and two other adults mistakenly believed the boy's symptoms were...

Trump: US Will Be Awash With Rare Earths Under Aussie Deal

'We'll have so much critical mineral and rare earth that you won't know what to do with them'

(Newser) - President Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signed a critical-minerals deal at the White House on Monday as the US eyes the continent's rich rare-earth resources when China is imposing tougher rules on exporting its own critical minerals abroad. The two leaders described the agreement as an $8....

Australia Prepares for Social Media Ban on Under-16s

Government offers tips to wean kids off social media before ban kicks in

(Newser) - The Australian government has begun a public education campaign with tips on how to wean children off social media ahead of a world-first national 16-year age limit taking effect in December. Australian eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said Friday that information on her agency's website, esafety.gov.au , explained...

Candace Owens Loses Appeal of Australia Ban

High court finds no issue with decision to refuse conservative commentator a visa on character grounds

(Newser) - Australia's highest court on Wednesday rejected US conservative commentator Candace Owens ' bid to overturn an Australian government decision barring her from visiting the country. Three High Court judges unanimously rejected Owens' challenge to Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke's decision last year to refuse her a visa on...

The Butterfly Was a Rare One. Then Someone Noticed Paint

A decades-old butterfly heist at the hands of Colin Wyatt still puzzles scientists and curators

(Newser) - The tale of Australia's most audacious butterfly theft begins in 1922 in the peaks of Barrington Tops, where naturalist Johnny Hopson found a dead, yet unnamed butterfly—a find that would later become a prized specimen, as detailed in Walter Marsh's report in the Guardian . Hopson, aka...

The Countries With the Most American Expats

Mexico tops the list of nations hosting the most Americans

(Newser) - Millions of Americans live outside of the United States, according to the Association of Americans Resident Overseas, which recently updated its stats to see which countries host the most former residents of the USA. AARO's analysis used census data culled by the UN and from the US Census Bureau,...

Ex-UFC Fighter Survived First Murder Attempt, but Not Second

Suman Mokhtarian is gunned down in Australia

(Newser) - A former UFC fighter was shot dead in Australia on Wednesday—20 months after surviving a previous attempt on his life. Police say 33-year-old Suman Mokhtarian was killed in what they called a "targeted attack" in Riverstone, a suburb of Sydney, reports CBS News . Mokhtarian had been out...

Prosecutors Think Mushroom Killer's Sentence Is Weak

That Erin Patterson is eligible for parole after 33 years is 'manifestly inadequate,' they say

(Newser) - Australian prosecutors are pushing for a tougher punishment for Erin Patterson, the woman convicted of killing three relatives and attempting to murder a fourth with a poisonous mushroom lunch. Patterson, 51, received a life sentence last month , with the possibility of parole only after 33 years—a term already...

Australia Paid Deloitte $290K for a Report. There's an AI Issue

Financial firm will partially refund government after apparent AI-generated errors are found throughout

(Newser) - Deloitte Australia will partially refund the $290,000 or so paid by the Australian government for a report that was littered with apparent AI-generated errors, including a fabricated quote from a federal court judgment and references to nonexistent academic research papers. The financial services firm's report to the Department...

2 Minutes After the Jump, Skydiving Plane Goes Down
2 Minutes After Skydivers
Jumped, the Plane Goes Down
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Oct 5, 2025 9:30 AM CDT

2 Minutes After Skydivers Jumped, the Plane Goes Down

Veteran pilot, skydiver Paul Smith dies in crash in southern Australia

(Newser) - Eight skydivers jumped to safety just two minutes before their plane crashed Saturday on Australia's south coast, killing the pilot, who was the only person left on board. The skydivers had jumped from about 14,000 feet near Moruya airport in New South Wales just after 2pm Saturday,...

Man Says He Saw Girl Carried Away in 1970
Review Sparks Outrage in
1970 Missing Child Case
UPDATED
Sep 30, 2025 11:05 AM CDT

Review Sparks Outrage in 1970 Missing Child Case

Cheryl Grimmer's brother claims potential witnesses weren't interviewed

(Newser) - The brother of Cheryl Grimmer, a young girl who vanished from an Australian beach in 1970, says he's furious with police for failing to interview witnesses who've gone public in recent years. A four-year review of the 55-year-old cold case has revealed no new information that could lead...

3 Major Allies Break With US to Recognize Palestinian State

UK, Canada, Australia make announcements ahead of UN General Assembly in New York

(Newser) - In a a break with the US and a dramatic departure from long-held policy, the UK, Canada, and Australia officially recognized a state of Palestine on Sunday. Reflecting international opposition to Israel's attacks in Gaza, the announcement by the nations' prime ministers was made the day before United...

In Big First, Koalas Are Getting an STD Vaccine

Australia has OK'd a vaccine for chlamydia for the marsupial creatures to fight infertility, death

(Newser) - A regulator has approved a world-first vaccine to protect koalas from chlamydia, which is causing infertility and death in the iconic native species listed as endangered in parts of Australia. The single-dose vaccine was developed by Queensland's University of the Sunshine Coast after more than a decade of research...

Australia to Put $1B Into Underwater Attack Drones

Ghost Sharks will make nation an undersea leader, defense minister says

(Newser) - Australia will spend more than $1 billion on building dozens of underwater attack drones, Defense Minister Richard Marles said on Wednesday. The first of the stealthy, long-range Ghost Sharks will be delivered to the Australian navy in January under a five-year contract with Sydney-based Anduril Australia, Marles said. "Australia...

Croc Stunts by 'Real Tarzann' Don't Play Well in Australia

Queensland officials are investigating US influencer Mike Holston for wrestling reptiles

(Newser) - A US social media star is facing heat Down Under after posting videos of himself wrangling wild crocodiles in Queensland. Mike Holston—known as "The Real Tarzann" to his millions of followers —posted two viral clips: one featuring a tussle with a freshwater croc in shallow water,...

Stories 1 - 20 |  Next >>
Most Read on Newser