Lachlan Ford

In the most remote parts of the state, communities are hoping they too can have a crack at a piece of Queensland's Olympic pie.

From building a dog park to overhauling Queensland's disaster preparedness, young people are engaging politically with the issues that matter to their communities. While some try out traditional politics, many are turning to newer forms of advocacy.

As community leaders from around Australia meet at the National Small Town Reinvention Conference, one Queensland town showcases how a spotlight on unique qualities can attract more residents and visitors. 

Six artists have decorated large bilbies for the first of three releases in a new public art trail. They were unveiled in Charleville on National Bilby Day.

Warm temperatures through Queensland's winter are expected to continue into the first months of spring, while firefighters prepare for heightened fire risk.

The last decade has seen drones with high definition cameras move from futuristic devices to a tool in many a photographer's arsenal.

But after reports of amateur drone pilots taking safety risks at events authorities are reminding all drone users to brush up on the rules to avoid causing a serious accident.

Looking through her shots from an outback camel race, a photographer notices she snapped a drone where it should not have been.

Mining companies had believed Pilungah Reserve on Queensland's border with the Northern Territory held critical minerals. Now, three generations of traditional owners have gathered on country to celebrate its protection.

At Oma Waterhole near Isisford, anglers from all over Australia have arrived for an annual fishing competition. 

It might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a museum: an 800-metre row of antique machinery lining the main street of an outback town.

Black Sky Aerospace will construct a new airstrip and explosives storage to support defence and aerospace testing within the state.

The outback town of Winton is known for dinosaur fossils and as the location of the first performance of Waltzing Matilda, but has also become an important part of a growing international luxury trade.

Ilfracombe's roadside museum is almost as long as the town itself and enshrines machines from Australia's past. Locals are preparing to display the latest donation of four historic tractors.

Businesses in regional Australia have been hit hard by the war in the Middle East and want the federal government to extend fuel and freight discounts.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he will decide about the fuel excise at the end of next week. 

Small-town coffee shops and long-established businesses are at risk of closing despite a ceasefire in the Middle East easing the global oil price. Regional businesses say fuel relief measures need to be extended because the damage done from the fuel shock is far from over.

In one Queensland town, a wildlife carer is so concerned about the Indian myna's threat to native species, she has self-funded a bounty program that offers $5 for every bird humanely caught.

An outback town's hospital, service station and school were affected when students discovered vials of mercury at the tip. Experts have explained why specialists have spent days doing testing in Cunnamulla.

Pilungah Reserve, south-west of Mount Isa, has become Queensland's third special wildlife reserve, barring any future mining activity.

A potentially 'catastrophic' drop in traffic has outback residents concerned for the rest of the tourist season. Community members in remote Queensland have come together for the grand opening of a new outdoor theatre and a ribbon-cutting ceremony, declaring their town open for business.

The dinosaur's face lift has become the butt of online jokes among palaeontology fans, but researchers say it is the most accurate depiction of the creature yet.

Ever thought of owning a town? Now's your chance.

Ever thought of owning a town? Now's your chance.

The pub, motel, post office, and shop are all for sale in Cooladdi in south-west Queensland.

Lachlan Ford visited Australia's smallest town.

Cooladdi, nine hours west of Brisbane, dwindled in population when its railway station closed, but it continues to attract road-trippers and graziers. Its owners run local services including a shop, motel and mail service.

A new Vodafone campaign has regional Australians seething after the telecommunications giant claimed to focus its network infrastructure on where "98 whatever per cent of you actually live". 

Police allege illegal material was found on the youth support officer's work and personal devices. He has received several awards for his work with young people in the town of Cunnamulla after he founded a neighbourhood centre.