Toowoomba News

• Statistics show experienced male drivers most likely to die on flooded roads

  All of the nine people who have caused a fatality after driving into southern Queensland floodwater since 2021 have been men.

• Farmers, councils face massive repair bill after flooding rain

  Crops have been washed away and roads left severely damaged in parts of Queensland which are calling for disaster relief funds.

• Prepare to leave warning issued for parts of Townsville

  After days of storms and flash flooding in the south-east, the north is now copping a soaking.

• More Australians stranded in earthquake-stricken Vanuatu fly home with RAAF

  Hundreds more Australians stranded in Vanuatu after devastating earthquakes have been flown back home on RAAF flights this evening, with the first plane touching down at 6pm.

• Queensland braces for more rain, storms with flood warnings issued

  Two people have been rescued from rising floodwaters and thousands remain without power as Queensland faces the threat of further storms and flooding rains.

• Researchers turn bush remedy into 'life changing' wound treatment

  Scientists have developed a cost-effective wound treatment, which uses the Indigenous bush remedy lemon myrtle oil as a key ingredient. 

• Bruce Lehrmann alleged rape indictments presented to court

  An indictment alleging Bruce Lehrmann raped a woman in Queensland in October 2021 has been presented to the Toowoomba District Court.

• Wedding videographer who 'dropped off the face of the Earth' fined $7.5K

  A Gold Coast man who accepted thousands of dollars for wedding videos he never provided is fined, leaving couples wondering how the years-long saga could have been avoided.

• Coroner rules against inquest for central Queensland miner death

  Donald Rabbitt went to work at a central Queensland mine and never came home. His father is left searching for answers after a coroner rules no inquest is needed.

• Scientist turns down $500m to keep waste-to-compost invention in Australia

  Australia means so much to Iranian-born biotechnologist Sam Jahangard, he has made a huge sacrifice to keep his developments in the country instead of selling them internationally.

• Tiny town carved a future when its grand irrigation scheme failed

  A new generation learns to love Central Queensland's Dawson River and carries on the sense of community that is etched into the fabric of the tiny town of Theodore.

• Life sentence for man found guilty of murdering and dismembering Toowoomba man

  A Toowoomba man who killed and dismembered his neighbour before setting his house on fire has been found guilty of murder.

• Alleged exploitation of migrant workers under investigation after tip-offs in 'Australia's salad bowl'

  Federal government officials make surprise visits to fruit and vegetable farms in Queensland’s Lockyer Valley, after receiving information from the community about alleged worker exploitation.

• SES volunteer who drowned on her way to help family from floodwaters was unaware they had already been saved, sources say

  As part of an ABC investigation, more than half a dozen emergency sources have claimed the SES volunteers were not needed on the job that day and were unaware a different crew had already assisted the family.

• Parts of Queensland mark highest single-day November rainfall in more than 20 years

  Parts of Queensland have marked the highest single-day November rainfall in more than 20 years, the weather bureau says.

• A simple text message is allowing scammers to take control of social media accounts

  Louise Manning thought she knew how to handle the risks of online scammers — but it took one simple question from someone she thought was her friend to be duped.

• Perseverance, stamina and a moment of irritation create $40m investment

  John Russell had a vision to mechanise a dangerous and expensive job that costs mines up to $500,000 an hour, and now the federal government will invest in the company he founded thanks to the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation.

• 'Unfair' $42,000 payment to voted-out MPs should be doubled, says former speaker

  MPs who lose their seat are eligible for a payout worth 12 weeks of their salary but an association representing former members says it should be more.

• Alan Jones's domination of Sydney's airwaves for decades gave him influence in Australia

  The shock jock dominated Sydney's airwaves for more than 35 years — interviewing eight prime ministers, numerous premiers and MPs.

• Prescribed burns are used to reduce bushfire risk. A new study suggests it has the opposite effect

  Areas that had multiple fires prior to 2019–20 had greater biodiversity losses when Black Summer fires hit compared to areas that had burnt once or not at all beforehand.

• Severe storms likely in Queensland and New South Wales, bringing the threat of large hail and damaging winds

  A string of scorchers ended in a spectacular lightning display in south-east Queensland last night.

• Queensland teacher charged with child sex offences

  A man who worked as a teacher on Queensland's Western Downs has been charged with child sex offences.

• In the popular Victorian commuter town of Castlemaine, there are only 10 homes available to rent

  Castlemaine is one of 68 locations across Australia with a rental vacancy rate of less than 1 per cent. There are said to be 600 people who need a house in the region, yet only 10 homes are listed for lease online.

• A Lettuce Story: The growers who became price makers not takers

  A lettuce growing family found a market supplying to fast food restaurants where the contract price is set just once a year.

• Alex woke up to 'dark clouds everywhere'. Then, her entire town was evacuated as a 'potentially deadly' disaster loomed

  Authorities have warned those in bushfire-prone areas to "be ready" as an "increased risk" of fires is predicted this spring.