Toowoomba News

• Victoria prepares for 200mm of rainfall as clean-up begins in NSW, Qld following severe weather

  After inundating towns across New South Wales' south east with floodwaters on Wednesday, a severe weather system is now moving into Victoria where heavy rainfall is expected in coming days.

• Rainfall in Toowoomba's Margaret Street

  Rainfall in Toowoomba's Margaret Street.

• Dangerous thunderstorms sweep across south-east Queensland but no sign of hail

  South-east Queensland escapes property damage despite earlier warnings of giant hail and intense rainfall as a trough in the west reached the coast late on Wednesday. Storms brought heavy rain but no hail. 

• School program a 'game changer' for encouraging kids to eat more fruit and vegetables

  Shelly struggled to get her six-year-old to eat more vegies, but a Queensland school program teaching children about growing fruit and vegetables is helping to turn that around.

• Fourteen members of Toowoomba religious group front court over death of eight-year-old Elizabeth Struhs

  Eight-year-old Elizabeth Struhs was found dead in her Rangeville home after she allegedly had her insulin medication withheld from her for days. Her mother is among those charged with her manslaughter.

• New crime data shows 'worrying' divide between Queensland's regions and metro areas

  Alyce Nelligan, from Cambooya south of Toowoomba, is one of thousands of victims of crime in Queensland this year. An ABC analysis has found crime rates are higher per capita in regional and rural areas than metropolitan cities.

• They call it the $25k sink — the kitchen fitting that sank this family's chance of a HomeBuilder grant

  The Halls family wanted to put their kitchen sink in the pantry so they could shut the door on the dishes. But moving it just a few feet cost them thousands of dollars.

• Ankle bracelets failing to prevent youth crime, police documents show

  Electronic ankle bracelets have so far failed to prevent youth reoffending, Queensland police documents reveal.

• Police charge 90 young offenders with 'posting and boasting' about their crimes

  New laws introduced in March created an "aggravating factor" for car thieves who post footage of their offending. It carries a jail term of up to six years. 

• 'Not a plaything': Anger grows over mining giant's plan to inject waste into Great Artesian Basin

  Environmentalists and farmers are hardening their resolve against a proposal to inject liquefied carbon dioxide into Australia's biggest underground fresh water reservoir.

• Why a new $30k grant for some first-time home buyers might make it even harder for Catherine to save a deposit

  The Queensland government has doubled its First Home Owner Grant to $30,000 but the incentive won't suit everyone. Here's what you you need to know.

• Farmers, firefighters rejoice as rain falls across fire-scorched Queensland

  Water is falling on fire-scorched parts of Queensland, but today it's from Mother Nature, not firefighting aircraft.

• Grief-stricken family turns 'rotten, diabolical situation' into fitting legacy for beloved farmer

  Lachlan Hughes was 36 and expecting his third child when he suddenly died in 2018. His loved ones were devastated, but they found a way to ensure his passion for regenerative farming would never be forgotten.

• Lawn bowlers fear 2032 Olympics will force out century-old clubs

  Works for the Olympics have already claimed a historic school in Brisbane. Now some residents in regional Queensland are anxious their beloved 123-year-old sports club is under threat.

• Major storm event on the horizon across Australia as El Niño takes a raincheck

  After a near rainless September and October, and the prospect of the driest spring on record, November serves up a pleasant surprise: rain.

• Mum who was stranded on one of Australia's 'worst roads' says she wants it, and others, fixed

  Whenever it rains, the black soil dirt track that leads to Mikaela Smith's home turns into a mud pit, bogging even the best four-wheel drives.

• 'Cold-blooded' killer to remain behind bars after losing parole appeal bid

  Anthony Rowlingson, who shot dead his brother in 2007, has failed in a last-ditch bid for freedom after his application was dismissed by Queensland's highest court.

• Farmers pick up the pieces after a wild hail storm causes an estimated $50 million in losses

  Farmers are calling for assistance to rebuild infrastructure and replant crops, with the impact on the supply of fruit and vegetables unclear at the moment.

• When Carla Jones learnt she had late stage cancer the Dayboro community helped throw her wedding

  When Ellena Stone learned her neighbour might not have long to live, she decided to help plan her wedding. In just ten minutes they had everything from a photographer to a cake.

• Hail piled up on cars and in front yards across Lockyer Valley.

  Hail piled up on cars and in front yards across Lockyer Valley, including this Laidley home.

• Glossy mags are making a comeback thanks to 'lipstick effect'

  Among the long rows of glossy publications that cater to the reading needs of home renovators, gold hunters, hobby farmers, celebrity watchers, and puzzle lovers, this newsagent is witnessing a resurgence in demand for print magazines. 

• Homes in almost every part of Queensland now worth more than ever before

  While "some heat" could leave the market after the Reserve Bank lifted interest rates this week, for now, house prices have surpassed even the post-COVID records of early 2022.

• Abattoir inspectors and vets strike for 'decent pay' as meat industry slams 'unions gone wild'

  Meat inspectors and vets are walking off the job today, with the industry saying the strike action will create backlogs that affect domestic and export sectors.

• Teens charged with attempted murder after alleged violent home invasion, attempted carjacking

  Two teenagers have faced court charged with attempted murder after an alleged home invasion in Toowoomba last month where they allegedly attacked a man with a tomahawk, and an alleged attempted car jacking three weeks later.

• Randal and Juanita had no farming experience. Now they're feeding 80 families a week

  The first-generation farmers made an ambitious 100-year plan to repair land stripped of vegetation with tree plantings and chemical-free regenerative practices.