At least 11 homes had already been destroyed at Binna Burra.

A Brisbane multi-millionaire who donated $300,000 to a charity associated with a group later found in court to be an "exploitative cult" says he gave the money freely as a reward for treating his chronic pain.

Up to 20 homes and structures are destroyed in the village of Rappville, as watch and act warnings are issued for several bushfires burning within 100km of each other in northern NSW.

Authorities say at least 30 homes have been damaged or destroyed as fast-moving bushfires burned in and around Rappville in northern NSW on October 8, 2019.

An RFS crew drives through the northern NSW village of Rappville, one of the areas worst affected by a series of bushfires in northern NSW on October 8, 2019.

Police are investigating the "suspicious" origins of a devastating bushfire, which is believed to have started late Friday and yesterday destroyed 21 homes in northern NSW.

MORNING BRIEFING: A number of fish have died at a lake near Menindee as the Federal Government announces emergency funds to protect fish, while volunteers work to deliver supplies to farmers who are unwilling to leave their fire-ravaged properties.

Toowoomba Regional Council's motto is "Rich traditions, bold ambitions" — and it has boldly created a new tradition in choosing its deputy mayor.

From phoning war widows and having a chat to ease isolation, to walking a service dog down the driveway, younger veterans are finding creative ways to make this Anzac Day count.

For Country Women's Association secretary and cookery judge Pam Wright, whose uncle died a POW and whose father succumbed to his war injuries, Anzac biscuits mean more than just a delicious treat.

Unemployment in one Queensland region soars to more than double the state figure as an expert warns it's the 'calm before the storm'.

The shire's mayor says with more than 500,000 people from the Gold Coast having their beaches closed and all descending on the Tweed, it is a "pretty frightening prospect for our community".

A veteran discovers 72 unmarked war graves at a cemetery west of Brisbane, working tirelessly to identify the lost servicemen who died in a mental asylum with most having no next of kin, to get plaques placed on their final resting place.

Thousands of residents across the Sunshine Coast pay their respects on Anzac Day — standing in driveways, paddling on the water, and dressing up — despite COVID-19 restrictions.

On the Queensland–Northern Territory border, the Urandangi pub is one of the very few in the country that is a hive of activity during coronavirus shutdowns.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announces that some physical distancing measures will be wound back, but has urged Queenslanders to be responsible and sensible in their activities.

Queensland students won't return to school yet, despite calls for Year 11 and 12 classes to resume, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says as some coronavirus restrictions ease on Saturday.

As beaches reopen on the Gold Coast, mayor Tom Tate has called on the Federal Government to allow the "gradual" return of the city's crippled hospitality industry.

A Queensland man who was sentenced to life in prison for fatally stabbing a German backpacker in inner-Brisbane has his murder conviction set aside and a retrial ordered.

When a former Australian solider saw a video of a colleague who'd lost three limbs in a landmine blast it sparked a new purpose in his life.

Despite calls from governments to open their doors, many aged care providers are maintaining visitor lockdowns because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Six months out from Queenslanders heading to the polls to elect the next state government, coronavirus has cast a shadow over the entire process as families and businesses struggle to survive — will anyone care who the next premier is?

Lemonade stalls, street libraries and honesty boxes have popped up all over Brisbane's streets as residents look for ways to keep engaged in their community during isolation.

A hospital in north-west Queensland says emergency department admissions have fallen by 20 per cent during the coronavirus pandemic.

A man accused of murdering his 45-year-old ex-partner at a home north of Brisbane, picked up a sledgehammer and hit her over the back of the head, police allege.

Authorities in a 'dry' Queensland community say illegal alcohol poses one of the biggest health threats to its people during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For the second day in a row, Queensland records no new COVID-19 cases, keeping the state's total at 1,033 ahead of restrictions easing tomorrow.

Queensland's first digital driver's licences have been rolled out on the Fraser Coast and developers and cyber experts agree, the technology gives users more protection against identity theft.

While Australians debate privacy issues around the new COVIDSafe app, those in rural areas are being forced to go to great lengths just to activate the app before even being able to use it.

Suzanne Miller earnt a high wage but in a "gross abuse of high office" she also illegally spent a further $75,000 in taxpayer funds on personal purchases, a Brisbane court hears.

Australian Medical Association of Queensland warns its members against signing new contracts to perform elective surgeries under the public-private partnership model.

The only person to lose a home when bushfires swept through a Sunshine Coast beachside suburb last year is finally seeing it rebuilt.

Colombian student Angelo Romero, unable to fly home due to coronavirus, is receiving emergency treatment in a Brisbane hospital for a shock leukaemia diagnosis, concerned his private health policy won't cover it.

Are the 'racehorses of the sky' being sent off-track by urban development? Gravity? Hungry falcons? It's the question long ruffling the feathers of pigeon racers.

Queenslanders hit the waterways and public spaces on the first day of relaxed restrictions, with residents able to picnic or visit national parks for the first time in weeks.

While farmers are keeping the nation fed during the coronavirus lockdown, many struggle to put food on their own tables. The ABC joined a charity travelling around hard-hit rural areas helping farmers through the tough times.

What have flash floods, bushfires and a pandemic taught the Gold Coast about its relationship with its beaches?

The Mayor of Queensland's Central Highlands hopes work and lifestyle attract people to the region during the coronavirus pandemic.

A 14-week coronavirus drug trial involving volunteer military personnel has resumed despite previous concerns from doctors and veterans about its ethics.

Removalist John Siaki specialises in helping women in abusive relationships flee to safety and says the demand for his service has increased by 60 per cent since coronavirus restrictions were introduced.

First-time mayors and councillors who are the subject of minor misconduct complaints will get a three-month amnesty, Queensland's Office of the Independent Assessor says.

A central Queensland farmer's sunflower crop has become a social media sensation, with surprise crowds of thousands flocking to his property to admire the bright fields.

It's an open-and-shut case of home invasion as a wildlife carer captures Novak the beak-and-enter artist refusing to accept the "no entry" rule.

A scientific research vessel off the Queensland coast is surveying the "very unexplored" depths of Australia's largest marine park without a single scientist on board.