The Independent - Australasia RSS Feed

Murdoch junior outbids Sydney A-listers on £12.7m house

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:00:01 GMT

Russell Crowe and Nicole Kidman were among the 10 registered bidders at Australia's most exclusive auction this week, when Sydney's poshest residence went under the hammer. But Hollywood lost out to Fleet Street when Lachlan Murdoch, eldest son of Rupert Murdoch, snapped up the 4000-sq m neo-Georgian property for A$23m (£12.7m).

Leaking oil rig ablaze in Timor sea

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:38:25 GMT

Australia promised an investigation today after a massive fire erupted on an oil rig that had been leaking into the Timor Sea - the latest drama in a 10-week saga to plug the hole.

Lead-mining: the ugly truth about Mount Isa

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:01 GMT

Daphne Hare moved to Mount Isa, a remote Queensland mining town, in 2002, hoping for a share of the good times. The town, situated next to Australia’s biggest lead mine and smelter, was booming, thanks to global demand for the metal, used mainly in car batteries. Ms Hare found a well-paid job at a busy pub, made friends and planned to stay.

Takeaway killing suspect hands himself in

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:23:56 GMT

The prime suspect in the killing of an Irish man in Australia handed himself over to police hours after an emotional plea from the dead man's mother, it emerged today.

Like father, like son: Prince Edward's Australian gaffe

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:01 GMT

It's another royal blunder Down Under. Seven years after his father marked a visit to Australia by asking an aborigine if he was still "throwing spears", Prince Edward has sparked fresh controversy by saying that the death of a teenager during a Duke of Edinburgh Award expedition could encourage other children to take part in the scheme.

'Beautiful plague' of budgies descends on Outback

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:01 GMT

Many people believe the budgerigar's natural habitat is a pet shop. In fact, the bird is a native of the Australian outback, and locals there are saying they have rarely seen flocks of the size that are descending on Queensland this year. Some are calling it a "beautiful plague".

Coastal homes in Australia at risk from rising sea levels

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:01 GMT

Australia's love affair with the beach is in danger of being rudely terminated. A parliamentary report released yesterday suggests that the government may have to force people to abandon prime oceanfront homes along thousands of miles of coastline vulnerable to rising sea levels.

Big breakfast, Sydney style

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:01 GMT

There was only one place to be seen for breakfast in Sydney yesterday: 100 metres above the sparkling blue water on the Harbour Bridge. Gone were the eight lanes of traffic; in their place, a carpet of newly laid lush grass was dotted with tartan picnic rugs, food hampers and the odd cow.

Big breakfast, Sydney style

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 19:13:06 GMT

6000 enjoy Sydney Harbour Bridge picnic

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 19:13:06 GMT

Oil spill off Australian coast poses major threat to marine life

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 23:00:01 GMT

Sea birds are dying and thousands of marine creatures are at risk from a massive oil spill in the Timor Sea, off north-west Australia, warn the first scientists to survey the isolated site.

Strong earthquake rocks eastern Indonesia

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:20:01 GMT

A strong earthquake shook eastern Indonesia's remote Papua province Friday, causing panic among residents and reportedly toppling a building.

Cleric 'sent hate mail' to bereaved families

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 06:45:20 GMT

A Muslim activist who calls himself an ayatollah faces up to 14 years in prison after allegedly sending offensive letters to the families of Australian soldiers killed in Afghanistan, police said today.

Staff flee regime of Australian Governor

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 23:00:01 GMT

Quentin Bryce was hailed as a breath of fresh air when she was sworn in as Australian Governor-General last year. She was female (a first for Australia), she was liberal-minded, and she promised to be an outspoken advocate for Aborigines and other disadvantaged people.

Case cracked – by a leech

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 23:00:01 GMT

When Tasmanian police arrived at the home of an elderly victim of armed robbery in 2001, they found only one piece of forensic evidence: a leech, freshly engorged with blood. They bagged it and extracted the blood for DNA profiling, with little hope it would lead them to the culprit.

Cow derails outback tourist train

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:56:21 GMT

One of Australia's most popular tourist trains, The Ghan, derailed after hitting a cow in the Outback, bosses said today.

Girl sailor sets off on solo record bid

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 23:00:01 GMT

If Jessica Watson felt any trepidation about the challenge ahead of her, the 16-year-old schoolgirl showed no sign of it as she sailed out of Sydney Harbour yesterday in her bright pink yacht, aiming to become the youngest person to circumnavigate the world solo and unassisted.

Gambling addict sues casino for losses

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 23:00:01 GMT

Many a high-roller has lost his shirt at Melbourne's Crown casino, the largest gambling establishment in the southern hemisphere, but none, perhaps, in quite so spectacular a fashion as Harry Kakavas, who dropped 2.3m Australian dollars (£1.3m) in one 28-minute baccarat session.

Amazing escape for baby that fell under train

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:06:14 GMT

A baby had a miraculous escape when his pushchair rolled off a station platform and under a train.

Five convicted of Australia terror plot

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 06:01:22 GMT

Five men who stockpiled bomb-making instructions and bought explosive chemicals were convicted today of Australia's largest terrorist conspiracy.

Aborigines: 'I was terrified. I didn't know anything about white fellas'

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 23:00:01 GMT

It was 1964: the US had gone to war against North Vietnam, the first Ford Mustang was rolling off the assembly line and Beatlemania was reaching fever pitch. Meanwhile, in the Western Australian desert, a group of Aborigines were still living as their ancestors had done for thousands of years, with no inkling of a world beyond the expanse of sand and spinifex grass they called home.

Body found in hunt for missing toddler

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:13:32 GMT

Police in New Zealand today found a body in a drain near where a toddler went missing a week earlier.

TV host apologises for black-face skit

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 23:00:01 GMT

An Australian variety show host has apologised for a skit in which singers parodying the Jackson Five performed with blacked-up faces.

Pacific quakes cause new panic but no damage

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 10:39:42 GMT

Thousands of panicking South Pacific islanders ran from coastlines after a series of strong earthquakes rocked the region creating a small tsunami today, just over a week after a massive wave killed 178 people in the Samoas and Tonga.

Tsunami warning after earthquake hits remote islands in south Pacific

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 23:00:01 GMT

Two earthquakes rocked the South Pacific near the Vanuatu archipelago last night triggering tsunami alerts as far away as Australia and New Zealand.