Just For Fun

EXCLUSIVESpelling Bee

UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL PUB DATE FRIDAY 19 SEPTEMBER
Photo: Elsie Chittleborough (12), Prime Minister's Spelling Bee champion. SA's Elsie Chittleborough of Torrensville Primary School is the state's first ever national champion title in the PM's Spelling Bee after claiming the Orange level (Years 5-6) of Kids News' national spelling challenge, following a record-breaking 82,000 student registrations. Kids News and the Bee are key pillars in the News in the Community program led by Penny Fowler. Picture: Tim Joy. 16th September 2025

Bee spelling success pretty sweet

Back-to-back victories and a breakthrough win for South Australia have marked the fifth anniversary of Australia’s premier student spelling competition. FULL HONOUR ROLL

VIDEONews

Jennifer Hunt, 15, and her golden retriever Bella before they both embark on a record-breaking flight around Australia from Darwin, Friday, September 9, 2025. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Teen pilot and puppy take off

While most 15-year-olds are in school, Australia’s youngest female pilot and her puppy are set to make history attempting to become the youngest team to fly around our country’s vast coastline

THE BABY-SITTERS CLUB (L to R) SHAY RUDOLPH as STACEY MCGILL and MOMONA TAMADA as CLAUDIA KISHI in episode 207 of THE BABY-SITTERS CLUB Cr. KAILEY SCHWERMAN/NETFLIX © 2021

Meet Gen Alpha money-makers

Gen Alpha is the new breed of Australian entrepreneur, already nipping at the heels of Gen Z and Millennials – so how are kids and teens smashing the avocado crowd and making real money?

KIDS NEWS 2025: Reuters Connect video and screengrab asset restricted use - licensing agreement covers Kids News only, please do not use.
A polite Sri Lankan elephant appeared to wave thanks to a safari group that gave way to the herd when their vehicle came across the elephants crossing the road. Picture: screengrab/Newsflare via Reuters Connect

Elephant appears to wave thanks

Safari-goers in Sri Lanka have captured the heartwarming moment an elephant seems to wave ‘thank you’ as its herd crosses their path – do you think that’s what happened? Take our poll

VIDEOFirst Nations News

KIDS NEWS 2025: Indigenous Literacy Fund (ILF) celebrates Indigenous Literacy Day on Wednesday 3 September. Students from Katherine High School in the Northern Territory have written a bilingual book with Gregg Dreise called Grinch det K’Taun Krok! (Grinch the K-Town Croc!), published by the ILF. Picture: ILF/supplied

ILD: Celebrating strength in stories

Young Indigenous authors have travelled from their remote community to Sydney Opera House this Indigenous Literacy Day, to share their unique bilingual tale about a quacking crocodile

Vegemite icy poles

Vegemite icypoles — a cool idea or not?

Would you try a Vegemite icypole? The company’s idea to branch out as a dessert has been greeted with mixed reaction.

o o o o o o

Corners or curves? It’s an optical illusion

A mind-blowing optical illusion dubbed Curvature Blindness is sweeping the internet and promises to make you question what you see.

In this Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017, photograph, daredevil/limousine driver Mad Mike Hughes is shown with with his steam=powered rocket constructed out of salvage parts on a five-acre property that he leases in Apple Valley, Cal. Hughes plans to launch his homemade contraption on Saturday near the ghost town of Amboy, Cal., at a speed of roughly 500 miles-per-hour. (Waldo Stakes/HO courtesy of Mad Mike Hughes via AP)

Scientist wants to prove Earth is flat

Self-taught rocket scientist “Mad” Mike Hughes is preparing to launch himself into space in a bid to prove the Earth is flat

7 year old entrepreneur Angus Walters is taking Darwin by storm with his 'Croc Candy' lollies which will be available at the Croc Cove gift area.
Picture: Justin Kennedy

Angus’ sweet eye for business

Grade two entrepreneur Angus Walters is seeing his kooky Croc Candy being snapped up around the Northern Territory

HOLD FOR HERALD SUN PIC DESK-
The Guiness World Record attempt at longest scuba diver chain along the pier at Rye. On the pier from L to R Ð Jessica Fitzgerald, Luke Ryan, Madi Anderson
In the water from L to R Ð Tessa Van Eekelen, Megan Beasley, Mark, Schenk. Picture: Alex Coppel.

Scuba divers’ world record attempt

Hundreds of scuba divers will form a massive human chain in an attempt to claim a Guinness World Record this weekend

21/01/2004 LIBRARY: 21/01/2004 LIBRARY: A Four 'N' Twenty Lite meat pie with map of Australia in tomato sauce. Pic. Supplied N2062034 Pic. Supplied N2062034

NBA scores with Aussie pies

Australia basketball phenomenon Ben Simmons is part of a push to convince Americans to swap hotdogs for Aussie meat pies

Big Banana tourist attraction at Coffs Harbour, NSW, undated.

Big way to attract tourism

Cobram’s plan to build a giant peach to attract tourists adds another interesting icon to Australia’s list of Big Things

Nathan the swimming cat, beloved pet and Instagram star.
Nathan, who is female despite her name, was rescued from the RSPCA in Bundaberg by owners Rian Crandon and Melissa Pietrobuono after the now-five-month-old kitten had been left beside the highway in a box with her mum and siblings

Soggy moggy a seaside sensation

Felines usually fear getting wet but beloved pet cat Nathan has proven whiskers and water can work.

Zucchini, not a bomb. Picture: AP

Zucchini isn’t the bomb

A German pensioner thought he had discovered an unexploded World War II bomb in his backyard… turns out it was just a big vegetable

Google has promised to look at the design of its cheeseburger emoji after people complained about it on Twitter. Picture: Twitter

What’s wrong with this emoji?

Who would have thought where to place cheese on a burger emoji could cause so much trouble?

HOLD SPEAK TO COURIER MAIL PIC DESK Laura (11) and Angus Pearl (9) who are excited for some tick or treating this Halloween. Pic Peter Wallis

Halloween’s hidden history

Ghost, ghouls, witches and wizards haunt Aussie streets for Halloween festivities. VIDEO

Dancing Clint Smith.

Real estate agent dances for a sale

A Queensland real estate agent has danced his way into headlines with an unusual selling tactic. VIDEO

British cyclist Mark Beaumont (C) poses for pictures with Guinness World Records certificates after arriving at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris on September 18, 2017 to complete his tour around the world in 78 days. British adventurer Mark Beaumont bettered the fictional exploits of Phileas Fogg -- by going around the world in under 80 days on a bicycle. The 34-year-old Scotsman set a new world record for circumnavigating the globe on a bike when he arrived at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris on the night of September 18, 78 days after setting out from the landmark in the centre of the French capital. / AFP PHOTO / CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT

Cycling around the world in 79 days

A Scottish cyclist rode around the world in just 79 days to set a new world record on Monday. He even beat the time of Phileas Fogg from the book Around the World in Eighty Days

LG Dire Wolves

A CRACK team of gamers from Sydney will become the first Australians to compete for a multimillion-dollar jackpot on the world stage next week after winning a place in the League of Legends World Championships. The LG Dire Wolves are travelling to China for the tournament and will play before a crowd bigger than the NRL or AFL grand final.
L-R are

MITCHELL SHAW (DESTINX)
SHERN TAI (SHERNFIRE)
RICHARD SU (PHANTIKS)
CALVIN TRUONG (KING)
RYAN SHORT (CHIPPYS)

Aussie e-sports hit the big time

An Australian e-sports team will be the first in Oceania to compete in the League of Legends World Championship in front of almost 50 million people

Paige Kirk, doughnut bouquet, Sydney wedding

Bride says ‘I do’ to doughnuts

One Sydney bride has an extra sweet wedding after surprising her bridesmaids with doughnut bouquets instead of flowers. VIDEO

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