Extreme drought conditions have all but dried up the Barwon River in western NSW, and now the unprecedented dry has exposed an extraordinary piece of maritime history.

The headstones at Broken Hill's cemetery tell the story not only of the city's colourful history, but the progression of workers' rights.

The word, which describes an iconic blend ingredients, is finally set for official recognition along with a special reference to a certain town where the dish is virtually a staple.

Locals at the heart of a devastating fish kill say politicians lack the vision or intent to overcome water management deficiencies, as the ABC visits towns from Goolwa to Menindee to find out who, if anyone, is in control of the Murray-Darling Basin.

When 11-year-old Max Day broke his leg and dislocated his hip coming off a motorbike on a remote station in the far north-west corner of New South Wales, a well-practised network kicked into action.

The drought takes its toll on organic farmers who say the big dry has ruined their ability to meet the conditions of their licences, so they cannot sell their livestock as organic.

WA Police have charged a 45-year-old man with attempted murder after he allegedly shot at officers with a sawn off shotgun last week.

Members of the public are being urged to comment on proposed changes to laws governing contaminated sites across Western Australia.

The Department of Consumer Protection is distributing 'Do Not Knock' stickers to all corners of Western Australia, after a landmark Federal Court ruling.

Consumer Protection is urging people to look beyond the price tag when shopping online this Christmas.

Western Australia's bulk grain handler says it has already received about 12.5 million tonnes of grain during this year's harvest and there is still more to come from southern areas.

The PGA says food security should not be the focus in the planned national review of agriculture with the country exporting surpluses every year.

The Education Minister says the completion of a major upgrade should ensure Denmark High School can continue its strong performance while dealing with a growing school population.

Western Australian quarantine officers have intercepted a number of pests in products imported from other states and say, if released, they could have had damaging effects on local industries.

The Police Commissioner has paid tribute to a senior Walpole policeman as an "outstanding officer" after he won WA's Police Officer of the Year Award.

The public will soon have an opportunity to comment on new guidelines being developed for companies who want to use fracking to access gas deposits in Western Australia.

The plan to set out bait for large sharks near popular WA beaches has been criticised over concerns it could attract them into swimming areas, but others back the move.

The latest survey of the cost of living in regional WA has shown a significant drop in living costs in the state's north. The State Government assesses the cost of 500 goods and services in 27 regional centres as part of the Regional Price Index every second year.

Police in Albany suspect an attack on an automatic teller machine may be linked to a similar incident on the south coast a a few months earlier.

Police in Albany are investigating an aggravated burglary on Saturday afternoon.

A business commentator has warned the relief felt by the local nickel sector, after an Indonesian move to restrict exports, could be extremely short-lived.

Police are investigating a spate of bushfires in Albany over the weekend, which it is suspected may have been deliberately lit.

Investigations are continuing into the cause of a blaze in the Western Australian Wheatbelt town of Corrigin.

Great Southern traffic police say they will be targeting distracted drivers during a campaign over the Australia Day long weekend.

Wheatbelt nickel miner Western Areas says it is pleased with its quarterly results, despite seeing small drops in production and sales and higher costs.

The outgoing Mental Health Commissioner says the state's Indigenous population is over-represented in the suicide rate.

An economic forecaster says WA mining companies operating in Africa are struggling with a range of cost and productivity issues. The Deloitte WA Index indicates the combined market capitalisation of WA companies with African assets, particularly gold producers, fell almost 45 per cent. That is compared to WA producers, as a whole, who rose nearly five per cent. The fall is bigger than expected.

Nigerian police have arrested a man after the death of a West Australian woman who was caught up in an online romance scam.

The passionfruit vine is a typical grievance for those with a green thumb, a temperamental plant that just won't do what it's told.

New data has identified a substantial jump in housing sales in Albany but an increase in the time properties are taking to sell.

There has been a mixed reaction from Western Australia's two biggest farm lobby groups to the release of further details of the Federal Government's agricultural white paper.

The chairman of Australia's first parliamentary inquiry into 'fracking' says the investigation is entering a significant new chapter.

A reward of $50,000 is re-offered after firefighters battle more than 700 suspicious fires this season.

A 55-year-old man has been charged after police allegedly uncovered a hydroponic set-up being used to grow cannabis at an Albany house.

Former WA chief scientist Lyn Beazley says she is honoured to be named patron of an agriculture program in Manjimup.

A business analyst says conditions are improving in the nickel sector but it is too early to declare that the industry has 'bottomed out'.

Police have seized a Taser, disguised as a torch, and drugs during a raid of an Albany house.

This week on backyard farmer, find out how to keep your fruit and veges in the cupboard all year round, and snag a great recipe for chilli jam!

WA nickel miner Western Areas is attempting to raise about $100 million in a venture designed in part to reduce debt.

A Collingwood footballer admitted to police hours after his arrest that he punched a man out of 'anger' following an earlier altercation outside a nightclub. The trial of Magpies defender Marley Williams in the District Court in his home town of Albany, on WA's South Coast, was this morning played the accused's initial interview with police. Williams is charged with grievous bodily harm, after punching then 29-year-old Matthew Robertson outside the Studio 146 nightclub in December 2012.

An illness is rarely something that saves a life, but in the case of Tom Sharp, that is what is likely to have happened.

Tristan was a kind and gentle 23-year-old surfer from Byron Bay. One night he suffered a drug-induced psychotic episode. And ended up driven to hospital in a small steel cage. Police say it is probably the worst place he could be. Tristan later died in hospital. Mario Christodoulou investigates the series of tragic events that led to Tristan's death that raise questions about how emergency services treat young drug-affected people in New South Wales.

Two terrifying incidents involving convicted extremists took place in London last year. The first, the London Bridge attack, left two people dead. Nine weeks later, in Streatham, two passersby were stabbed on the street. Both cases occurred after the perpetrators had failed to be rehabilitated in prison. So how effective are the UK's schemes for de-radicalising offenders? The BBC's File on 4 investigates where it is time for a radical overhaul of the way England treats extremists. For copyright reasons there will be no podcast or streaming of this program.

The coronavirus pandemic is causing pain and suffering the world over, but then there are always those who never let a good crisis go to waste. Some are benefiting from COVID-19 for legitimate reasons: just think of companies that make video conferencing apps, ventilators, or canny investors. But there are also more nefarious players looking to bank a win off the back of coronavirus fear and confusion: scam artists, fraudsters, counterfeiters. This week, Geoff Thompson, Mario Christodoulou, Meghna Bali and Kat Gregory investigate who's winning in these turbulent times and how.

People experiencing homelessness are being moved from the street and shelters into four-star hotels. The radical plan is meant to protect them from the pandemic and it's temporary. But as Hagar Cohen discovers, there are questions about what happens once the virus crisis is over.

The names of towns, roads and localities of central and western NSW are a treasure trove of toponymy, or the study of name origins, but their meanings also provide powerful connection for people and the places they call home.

Wild donkeys are known as environmental pests in Australia, causing erosion and damaging vegetation, but there is growing interest in turning that pest into a profit.