It is not common place for students to be greeted at their school gate by their principal wearing fancy dress, but this is exactly what one school leader is doing each day to put his school community at ease and have a laugh.

When police launched a youth outreach program in Dubbo six months ago, they would have been happy to see charge rates drop by 10 per cent. But Project Walwaay has wildly exceeded expectations.

We're all trying to keep our distance but as more people itch to get out of the house, could more drive-in theatres be the answer?

Over $340,000 raised by celebrity bushfire relief concert Fire Aid 2020 is being pre-loaded onto EFTPOS cards linked to local businesses, tackling two disasters with one innovative idea.

A film of extremes - the softest, gooiest heart, the broadest almost offensive humour, the roughest romance, the most touching romance, Mental is a little bit, well, mental.

The famed director's Roman holiday is Woody Allen-lite, but still manages to be sweet.

As part of Ausmusic Month, ABC Ballarat takes you through 30 CDs from local artists in 30 days

Managing Carmen is a light-hearted parody of football's excesses, says 720 cultural correspondent Victoria Laurie.

One of the world's biggest bands delivers one of history's most ambitious stadium concerts.

With a summer this year that has either been super-hot or super-wet, the region's art galleries have offered the perfect air-conditioned cultural afternoon escape.

From Nashville to Paris, two concerts bring the summer cultural drought to an end.

Neither the people in favour of Polanski being granted unconditional liberty nor the moral guardians and self righteous accusers are likely to have their opinion much altered as a result of this superficial, yet devastatingly powerful record of an extraordinary life.

In musical circles, there's a mythical quality to that name, attached as it is to the father of American protest song, Woody Guthrie.

A great and tragic documentary and for all its ability to bear witness to terrible truths, is likely to be swept under the priceless furnishings of the Vatican.

A quirky little indy with plenty of heart and a skewed view.

Explosive drama and long held grievances come home for Christmas in this stylish drama.

James Blake brought is soulful electric music to the Astor

Ensemble Theatre's nationally touring production of 'Frankenstein' has opened in Wollongong to remind us of a timeless gothic masterpiece.

There's nothing up here in Louis Leterrier's magician heist flick. Like a magic trick it looks good, but is all smoke and mirrors.

If you walk by The Blue Room in Northbridge and see The Little Mermaid on the billing don't walk in expecting any cutesy Disney version of the story.

The popular YA book series may be a hit with readers, but this film adaptation offers few thrills or fresh ideas to the teenage fantasy genre.

New York cabaret artist, Taylor Mac has a few theories. One is that what he does isn't art, it's performance art. Therefore - he can't lose. If you like his show, he wins. If you don't like it, he wins. After all, the point of performance art is to provoke and move you.

Abner Bradley, Alirio Zavarce, Ben Wishart, Damien Turbin, Duncan Luke, Kym Mackenzie, Ryan Rowland, Richard Samai

Black Swan Theatre's latest offering Midsummer (a play with songs) directed by Damon Lockwood is a breath of fresh air.

The second installment in the futuristic series follows a similar path to the first film, but interesting characters, impressive design and a terrific turn from Jennifer Lawrence

David O Russell charts the rise and fall of con artists and shady characters in this 70s era comedic drama, and the results are fantastic

Six local artists, including four old friends in life and in art practice, have come together with an exhibition well timed for International Women's Day at Lone Goat Gallery in Byron Bay. The theme, Essence of Woman was put to the artists to freely interpret, and the six women have done just that.

George Clooney's latest directorial effort is star-laden and highly polished fun, but fails to dig deep enough into history or character to be truly memorable.

There was a palpable thrill of anticipation in the audience last night at the debut of Black Swan Theatre Company's Streetcar Named Desire. Whether you left the night sated would depend on how you like your Tennessee Williams like bourbon, dark and stormy or like Southern Comfort, a little lighter and sweeter.

The girl is good. Very good.

The return of the superhero is both an enjoyable, self-contained action flick, and a further addition to the wider Marvel Universe.

TaikOz

An 11-bed regional aged care facility is about to celebrate its 10th anniversary as a community-owned organisation, which has kept jobs and residents in town while proving the viability of an innovative new model for aged care.

Australian consumers are slowly opening up to the idea of eating a different kind of poultry the black-skinned chicken.

A self-described experienced horse breaker has been fined and sentenced to a community correction order for a "silly decision" to use a lasso to strangle a brumby.

Paris Whibley has made the 1,200-kilometre round trip from her family's farm near Moree in NSW to Sydney three times during her school holidays to compete at the Royal Easter Show.

A Chinese mining giant is being accused of underestimating the impact a proposed open cut mine will have on groundwater on the New South Wales Liverpool Plains.

As a river runs dry in the northern basin, the blame game continues, and farmer Andrew Watson says irrigators are being unjustly targeted over water use.

The Game of Thrones drama ends today for millions of fans, but in one Aussie household it will live on for this pampered pooch which has its own GoT-inspired iron throne.

A report into hazing at the University of New England finds female students were pressured into sexual acts, "slapped on the arse" by a line of men before entering a party and told to lock their doors at night.

Australia's colonial banks are given new lives as bank branches close across regional Australia.

With towns across New South Wales at risk of running out of water within months, there are renewed calls for an urgent upgrade of water storage infrastructure.

About a year ago, my partner and I learned of a revolution in Australia's paddocks. We want to farm in a more natural way, but the stakes are high making the shift could send us broke.