The Latest Breaking News from Don Rowlands

Beer, dust and goldfish: Birdsville Races wrap for 2026

The horses weren't the only attraction at the Birdsville Races, with plenty of fun to be had in what's arguably the nation's longest pub crawl.

AAP · Sep 5

'It's been a good life': desert ranger hangs up hat

A ranger of a vast national park is hanging up his hat, proud to leave his country - and the town where he was once wasn't welcome - a better place.

AAP · Sep 5

One Australian’s dramatic rescue from a flood in one of the driest places on Earth

As floodwater flows passed towns and cattle and sheep stations – normally isolated by desert – many now sit as islands amid a muddy sea

The Guardian - AU · Apr 1, 2025

Greg Donovan got a $300k redundancy payout. Then he took the biggest punt of his life and started the Big Red Bash music festival

When middle-aged insurance executive Greg Donovan was made redundant, he was told to play it safe. Instead, he gambled his payout on a crazy idea to build a music festival in the desert — and won.

ABC News · Oct 2, 2022

Traditional owners forge ahead with Queensland councils to reconcile Australia's 'ugly history'

Young people like Toby Adams are bringing their people, once removed by policy, back to country and are working with local councils in outback Queensland for a better future through Reconciliation Action Plans.

ABC News · Jun 9, 2022

Pelicans flock in tens of thousands to Lake Wyara in outback Queensland to breed

It may be more than 1,000 kilometres from the nearest beach, but thousands of pelicans are returning to this waterhole in outback Queensland following a long drought.

ABC News · May 26, 2022