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Fires and extreme heat expose ancestral remains in Victoria

Ancestral remains that could be thousands of years old have been uncovered by erosion, dust storms and bushfires in Victoria.

A dirt track runs along a landscape of trees and brush.

Published: 15m agoSat 7 Feb 2026 at 10:01pmSource: ABC Mildura-Swan HillTopic: Indigenous Australiansby Nethma Dandeniya

The quiet crisis in Victoria's firefighting frontline

Volunteer firefighters battling blazes that razed homes and destroyed livestock in Victoria last month say they contended with failing radios and broken down trucks, as questions mount over the viability of the Country Fire Authority.

An orange sky with smoke appears above a property, with gates.

Published: ThuThu 5 Feb 2026 at 6:05pmSource: StatelineTopic: Bushfiresby Elise Kinsella

Can a review of the $13b Murray-Darling Basin Plan find the balance needed?

The Murray-Darling Basin Authority says the basin plan has delivered real benefits, but climate change, disconnected floodplains and poor water quality mean things still need to change.

A houseboat floats down the River Murray. It can be seen in between dry, orange rocks.

Published: YesterdayFri 6 Feb 2026 at 3:13amSource: ABC RiverlandTopic: Murray-Darling Basinby Jackson Byrne

Firefighters face 'much better' conditions as Otways fire remains out of control

Firefighters have been working through the night to contain a major fire in Victoria's Otway Ranges that was "running hard and fast" after a wind change on Tuesday.

A house is seen with fire and smoke behind it at night.

Published: 28 Jan 2026Wed 28 Jan 2026 at 12:04amSource: ABC NewsTopic: Bushfires

Glenorchy council knocks back merger idea from Hobart

Tasmania is a small place with many councils, 29 in fact. A proposal to merge Hobart with neighbouring Glenorchy has been knocked back with the latter saying it would be too costly and there's no community support for it.

Exterior of a council building with three flags flying.

Published: 27 Jan 2026Tue 27 Jan 2026 at 8:51amSource: ABC NewsTopic: Local Governmentby Sophie Jaggers and Loretta Lohberger

Historic heatwave sets all-time records as temperatures exceed 49C

The heatwave gripping south-east Australia reached day four on Tuesday and is now unprecedented in many regions.

People swim and cool off in the hot weather at Elwood Beach

Published: 27 Jan 2026Tue 27 Jan 2026 at 9:16amSource: ABC NewsTopic: Extreme Weather Eventsby Tom Saunders

No time to warn or to prepare: Natimuk met the fire of our future

The anatomy of the Natimuk fire offers a glimpse into a new and faster kind of bushfire — and the growing vulnerability of communities as climate change fuels dangerous conditions.

The shape of the grass fire scar from the Natimuk blaze

Published: 16 Jan 2026Fri 16 Jan 2026 at 11:14pmSource: ABC NewsTopic: Firesby Jess Davis, Alex Lim, Jo Lauder, Fran Rimrod Fran Rimrod and Tim Leslie

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ABC Wimmera Local News

Local news, updated weekdays at 6:35am.

Duration: 4 minutes 58 seconds

Source: Listen

David Jochinke and the future of the National Farmers Federation

The peak farmer representative body in Australia, the National Farmers Federation is at a crossroads.

A tanned man wearing a dark blue work shirt crossing his arms. In the background there are tractors and farm equipment.

Duration: 9 minutes 6 seconds

Source: ListenTopic: Agribusinessby Warwick Long

Indonesian dairy company imports 1,100 head from Victoria

Indonesia's largest dairy company has imported 1,100 head of cattle from Victoria, as it looks to expand its herd and boost the nation's milk production.

Montage of pictures from arrival of dairy cattle

Duration: 13 minutes 48 seconds

Source: ListenTopic: Dairy Farmingby Matt Brann

Anne Webster has retained the seat of Mallee. So, what is her plan for the next three years?

Nationals MP Dr Anne Webster has retained the seat of Mallee at the 2025 federal election.

a woman wearing glasses smiles at the camera, she's wearing a bright printed top and is in front of a lake

Duration: 10 minutes 22 seconds

Source: ABC Wimmerawith Andrew Kelso

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Watch

Scenes of destruction in Natimuk after Grass Flat fire

Up to 20 buildings are thought to be lost after the fire tore through the town on Friday afternoon.

Duration: 32 seconds

Source: ABC News

Country Hour: The move from wool to crops

Australia was famously ‘riding on the sheep’s back’ in the 1950’s. Today it’s a different story with sheep numbers declining and a widespread move away from sheep into cropping.

Duration: 4 minutes 51 seconds

Source: ABC News

Female shearer sets world record by shearing 500 merino lambs in one day

Nikki Lyons sets new world record, shearing 502 merino lambs in nine hours.

Nikki Lyons sets new world record for shearing

Duration: 17 seconds

Source: ABC Rural

Inferno breaks out after truck collision in western Victoria

Large plumes of black smoke billow from a fire after two trucks collide on Western Highway, north of Horsham.

Duration: 11 seconds

Source: ABC News

Features

$15m allocated to help Victorians begin massive bushfire clean-up

A $15 million recovery package to help Victorians begin the massive clean-up process is the latest round of bushfire funding announced by the state government.

A helicopter flies of a forested area on fire with lots of smoke.

Source: ABC NewsTopic: Disaster Reliefby Larissa Ham

When Helen's late mum became lost or forgetful, her community helped

The small Victorian town of Ouyen, 440 kilometres north-west of Melbourne, is known for its grain and sheep farms, but also for being "dementia friendly".

An older lady in red standing next to a rose bush with her daughter with brown hair behind her

Source: ABC Mildura-Swan HillTopic: Alzheimer's and Dementiaby Sarah Buchecker

Meet the migrants who make this small country town flourish

When Nausheen Hashmi moved to a south-west Victorian farming town, she wondered how the locals would greet her and her children. She need not have worried.

A Muslim woman with brown skin stands dressed in a headscarf infront of a shelf holding her hands

Source: ABC WimmeraTopic: Immigrationby Grace Marshall

Domestic violence support services brace for football finals spike

As football teams across Victoria gear up for finals season, a different kind of preparation is underway in the state's domestic violence support services.

The silhouette of a person holding a football.

Source: ABC South West VicTopic: Domestic Violenceby Jean Bell and Olivia Sanders

What's happening

Know your ABCs in an emergency

This summer know your ABCs; action plan, be safe, connect with us. The ABC has a host of useful resources and tips on how to best prepare yourself for emergency weather so you can keep you and your household safe.

Letters A, B and C in pink, yellow and blue with small infographics of people completing emergency safety tasks

Published: 17 Dec 2025Wed 17 Dec 2025 at 5:08amSource: ABC EmergencyTopic: Bushfires

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Published: 27 Aug 2024Tue 27 Aug 2024 at 4:23amSource: ABC BRISBANE

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Published: 17 Jun 2024Mon 17 Jun 2024 at 1:53amSource: ABC BRISBANE

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Published: 11 Jul 2023Tue 11 Jul 2023 at 12:02amSource: Radio

Vic Sport

The 70-year-old snub that put Australia on the path to Winter Olympics glory

Australia is hoping Milano Cortina 2026 will be its most successful Winter Olympics in history. The reason for Australia's winter sports surge has its roots in a 70-year-old snubbing.

Source: ABC NewsTopic: Winter Olympic Games

Milan: Is this Australia's best ever Winter Olympics team?

Australia's best medal haul at a Winter Olympics is four, back in Beijing in 2022. The 53-strong team sent to Milano-Cortina could be the group to better that result. Can Scotty James complete his Olympic medal set and finally win gold?

Duration: 14 minutes 6 seconds

Source: ListenTopic: Sport

Rams and 49ers locked in to play the first NFL game in Australia

The first regular-season NFL match played on Australian shores has been confirmed as a clash between division rivals.

A quarterback throwing the football with the defender closing in on him during an NFL match

Source: ABC NewsTopic: American Football

Neighbour raised alarm about racehorse neglect before animal's death

A six-year-old gelding had career winnings of $90,000 before it was found dead on a central Victorian property.

A chestnut coloured horse with protruding bones.

Source: ABC Central VictoriaTopic: Animal Cruelty

Victoria News

Fires and extreme heat expose ancestral remains in Victoria

Ancestral remains that could be thousands of years old have been uncovered by erosion, dust storms and bushfires in Victoria.

Source: ABC Mildura-Swan HillTopic: Indigenous Australiansby Nethma Dandeniya

Workers raced to warn homeless living in bushland of fires and heat

In the days leading up to an extreme heatwave hitting Victoria, outreach workers raced against time to alert as many rough sleepers in bushland as possible.

Man in orange shirt standing next to a van displaying the word 'Uniting'.

Source: ABC BallaratTopic: Homelessnessby Charlotte Wilkes

Daytime power prices have never been lower. So why are bills rising?

The benefits of extremely low energy prices during the day are "washed away" by extremely high ones after dark. But there is light at the end of the tunnel.

A graphic of a roof with solar PV and a transmission tower with a postive negative chart overlayed

Source: ABC NewsTopic: Energy Marketsby Daniel Mercer

Stakes enormous as Australia considers DNA screening for newborns

From rare cancers caught early to dementia foretold decades in advance, newborn genomic testing raises an unsettling question: Just because we can know, should we?

Illustration of a baby holding a strand of DNA with a man on a hospital bed behind and both have orange hair

Source: Long ReadTopic: Genetic disorders

National News

Fires and extreme heat expose ancestral remains in Victoria

Ancestral remains that could be thousands of years old have been uncovered by erosion, dust storms and bushfires in Victoria.

Published: 15m agoSat 7 Feb 2026 at 10:01pmSource: ABC Mildura-Swan HillTopic: Indigenous Australiansby Nethma Dandeniya

Breaking: Coalition reunion expected to be announced after last-minute deal

A breakthrough deal to reunite the Coalition is expected to be announced today after 11th-hour talks between the leaders of the Liberal and National parties.

Published: 20m agoSat 7 Feb 2026 at 9:55pmSource: ABC NewsTopic: Federal Governmentby David Speers

After 30 years, has the time finally come for a national gun register?

First proposed after the Port Arthur massacre in 1996, Australia still doesn't have a national gun register.

A middle aged man leans across the front counter of a shop, there's a gun rack and one lays on the counter in front

Published: 50m agoSat 7 Feb 2026 at 9:25pmSource: ABC RuralTopic: Gun Controlby Megan Hughes and Aimee Mitchell

Then and now: Walking the Overland Track with my father

Ron Preuss first walked the 65-kilometre-long Overland Track in 1987. Now, he returns decades later with his daughter Maren to see what has changed.

Two hikers smiling, standing on a boardwalk.

Duration: 12 seconds

Published: 54m agoSat 7 Feb 2026 at 9:21pmSource: ABC NewsTopic: Hikingby Maren Preuss, Loretta Lohberger and Daniel Miller

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ABC Wimmera

ABC Wimmera Breaking News Ticker

Promotion

2026 Victorian Bushfire Appeal

Fires and extreme heat expose ancestral remains in Victoria

The quiet crisis in Victoria's firefighting frontline

Can a review of the $13b Murray-Darling Basin Plan find the balance needed?

Firefighters face 'much better' conditions as Otways fire remains out of control

Glenorchy council knocks back merger idea from Hobart

Historic heatwave sets all-time records as temperatures exceed 49C

No time to warn or to prepare: Natimuk met the fire of our future

ABC Wimmera Local News

David Jochinke and the future of the National Farmers Federation

Indonesian dairy company imports 1,100 head from Victoria

Anne Webster has retained the seat of Mallee. So, what is her plan for the next three years?

ABC Radio WIMMERA

Live. Australia All Over

Connect with ABC Wimmera

Scenes of destruction in Natimuk after Grass Flat fire

Country Hour: The move from wool to crops

Female shearer sets world record by shearing 500 merino lambs in one day

Inferno breaks out after truck collision in western Victoria

$15m allocated to help Victorians begin massive bushfire clean-up

When Helen's late mum became lost or forgetful, her community helped

Meet the migrants who make this small country town flourish

Domestic violence support services brace for football finals spike

Know your ABCs in an emergency

Download our free ABC listen app

Sign up for an ABC newsletter

Tell us what you think about our programs

The 70-year-old snub that put Australia on the path to Winter Olympics glory

Milan: Is this Australia's best ever Winter Olympics team?

Rams and 49ers locked in to play the first NFL game in Australia

Neighbour raised alarm about racehorse neglect before animal's death

Fires and extreme heat expose ancestral remains in Victoria

Workers raced to warn homeless living in bushland of fires and heat

Daytime power prices have never been lower. So why are bills rising?

Stakes enormous as Australia considers DNA screening for newborns

Fires and extreme heat expose ancestral remains in Victoria

Breaking: Coalition reunion expected to be announced after last-minute deal

After 30 years, has the time finally come for a national gun register?

Then and now: Walking the Overland Track with my father

Other ways to listen

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