Society & Culture

Society and Culture

GFA 2026. Danish royals King Frederik and Queen Mary visit The Royal Childrens Hospital meeting with patients, parents, volunteers and staff. The impromptu drop in was after a visit to the Murdoch Children's Research Institute. Good Friday Appeal. Picture: Jason Edwards

Queen Mary visits sick Aussie kids

Queen Mary has praised the ‘amazing’ work of the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne after making an unexpected visit that delighted dozens of sick children and their families

1937 mystery of female pilot who vanished

What happened to Amelia Earhart

Aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart disappeared over the Pacific in 1937 while attempting the first female piloted flight around the world. What happened to her? Here are three popular theories

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This handout photo, taken and released on March 16, 2026, by Brisbane Roar FC, shows Iranian footballer Fatemeh Pasandideh striking the ball during a training session with the Australian club. Two Iranian women footballers have trained with Australian club Brisbane Roar after seeking asylum in the country, with one of them uploading a picture alongside a senior FIFA official saying:

Iranian players feel Roar embrace

The two Iranian female footballers who remained in Australia were warmly welcomed at a Brisbane Roar FC training session as their shared love of the game transcended the conflict abroad

SHANGHAI, CHINA - MARCH 15: Race winner Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy and Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team kisses his trophy on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of China at Shanghai International Circuit on March 15, 2026 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)

Teenager wins Chinese Grand Prix

An Italian teen became Formula One’s second youngest winner after the Chinese Grand Prix as Aussie driver Oscar Piastri’s 2026 world championship hopes went up in smoke with second DNS

CLOSED: The Great Western Highway is closed in both directions until further notice after cracks began appearing near Mount Victoria forcing commuters to take alternative routes from the Central West to Sydney.

What caused big highway closure?

Imagine your main road link closing overnight, which is what has just happened to one major highway connecting an Australian capital to an entire region – how did it happen and what’s next?

Society and Culture

Dr Alison Thompson OAM has been awarded the NSW Australian of the Year for her work providing humanitarian aid to communities impacted by natural and man-made disasters.

Teacher learns secret of happiness

It was one of the greatest disasters of the 21st century that led this former teacher from Australia to discover that helping others is all that matters in life – and that happiness will always follow

Society and Culture

Mark Knight cartoon for Herald Sun, March 12, 2026

Nationals’ leadership rodeo ride

The National Party has chosen Matt Canavan but cartoonist Mark Knight imagines the new leader as next to saddle up against One Nation’s bucking bronco and its threat to Coalition support

Matt Brumby Milano-Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games Biathlon/XC Team Launch / Obertilliach AUT Paralympics Australia Thurs 26 February 2026 © Sport the library/Jeff Crow for PA

Paralympic pets set gold standard

Aussies are usually pretty popular around the athletes’ village, but these members of the squad are more sought after than most at Milano Cortina – meet the pooches supporting our Paralympians

First Nations News

KIDS NEWS 2026: SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 10 Indigenous Literacy Foundation - Great Book Swap Launch on March 10 , 2026. Picture: supplied/ILF/Joseph Mayers

Great Book Swap takes fresh flight

With the help of a preening pair of red-tailed black cockatoos, Australia’s Children’s Laureate has launched the 2026 Great Book Swap at Taronga Zoo – here’s how your school can get swapping

Society and Culture

Shocking find under city’s busy freeway

Hidden homes under the highway

About 100 homeless families are living beneath a major highway in the Philippines. But while rats are rife and the air stinks of sewer water, the inhabitants aren’t complaining. Here’s why

KIDS NEWS 2026: RMIT's

Sea urchins inspire oil spill minibot

Pods of robotic dolphins could be the environmental clean-up crew of the future as Aussie engineers test a minibot prototype that can hoover oil spills from water. Here’s how it works

Silver medalist Ben Tudhope, of Australia, from left, gold medalist Emanuel Perathoner, of Italy, and bronze medalist Lee Jehyuk, of South Korea, pose with their medals after the men's snowboard cross SB-LL2 at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka

Australia wins Paralympics silver

Australia has its first medal of the 2026 Winter Paralympics after flag-bearer and veteran snowboarder Ben Tudhope beat a dislocated shoulder to win silver on Day 2 at Milano Cortina

KIDS NEWS 2026: Stowie the northern quoll at Taronga Wildlife Hospital Dubbo. Picture: supplied

Stowaway quoll takes 2400km trip

A juvenile northern quoll survived an interstate Christmas road trip after accidentally hitching a ride hidden with the luggage. Find out how he survived and how he was returned to the wild

Australian Formula 1 McLaren driver Oscar Piastri crashes out of the Australian Grand prix on the warm-up lap Picture F1 TV

Piastri’s tragedy on the track

Australian F1 fans were as gutted as local favourite Oscar Piastri after he crashed out of his home Grand Prix in Melbourne before the race even began, the McLaren driver unharmed and humble

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos - 04 MARCH, 2026: Petrol Stations have increased prices of fuel by an average of 38-54cents per litre in the last 48hours as the war in Iran pushes fuel prices up. Picture: NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

Why petrol prices are soaring

Why has a war more than 10,000kms away got Aussie parents peaking at the pump? It all has to do with a pass of water called The Strait of Hormuz. But will other things go up in price too?

Mark Knight cartoon, Monday, March 2, 2026

Trump tees off to topple Tehran

The US and Israel-led war in the Middle East gets a golf course treatment as cartoonist Mark Knight transforms Trump’s military strikes on Iran into a memorable Mar-a-Lago resort metaphor

Australia's golden Paris paralympic duo, the swimmer Alexa Leary and the triathlete and cyclist Lauren Parker together in the French capital on September 5, 2024. Photo: Jacquelin Magnay

Celebrating our female champions

As we approach International Women’s Day on March 8, some extraordinary athletes are gearing up to represent Australia on the winter world stage. Meet our female Paralympic heroes