Residents in North Queensland are struggling to put a roof over their heads in the aftermath of the Townsville floods, with rental vacancies across the city now almost non-existent.

The Real Estate Institute’s Zone Chairman Wayne Nicholson has noted the distinct increase in rental enquiries, with some properties having up to 37 people turn up for a viewing, instead of the usual two or three.   

Three female staff on the Smiths Chips Ferris Wheel at Sydney's Circular Quay have been left fearing for their lives after the door to the carriage broke off mid-air.

The three women were reportedly in a carriage near the top of the ferris wheel when the door got caught, ripped off and fell to the ground, causing the carriage and the women to lurch forward.

The incident occurred on the first day of the Smith's "Spin to Win" promotion near the Overseas Passenger Terminal at Sydney's Circular Quay.

More than 200 Chinese militia vessels have swarmed near a Philippine-occupied island in the most hotly disputed region in the South China Sea.

The Philippino Department of Foreign Affairs lodged an official protest after 275 Chinese fishing-militia and military-controlled Coast Guard vessels appeared near Thitu Island.

China has been found to have warned other ambassadors about attending a UN Human Rights Council Meeting on Xinjiang human rights violations.

The NGO Human Rights Watch has obtained a letter sent by Chinese ambassadors that asked others to not co-sponsor, participate in, or be at the panel event last month.

Chinese diplomats also allegedly approached some delegates directly before the event where they repeatedly denied committing the alleged human rights abuses.

Thanks to a waterway survey and DNA technology, a platypus has been found in Logan’s Albert River for the first time in 18 years.

The Logan City Council have collaborated with Wildlife Queensland to confirm platypuses were living in the river after a member of the public reported a sighting in 2017.

Chairperson of the Logan City Parks, Animals, Environment, and Waste Committee says this is an important discovery as it will help the future of the river’s platypus population - and is a great indicator of the improving health of our environment.

A young boy from Dakabin, North Brisbane was rushed to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital last night after his iPhone 6S Battery erupted into flames.

The 15-year-old admits to bending the battery out of curiosity when it then sparked and quickly exploded onto his chest, searing several layers of his skin.

Authorities and manufacturers warn against playing with any kind of phone battery due to the unpredictability of the materials inside.

Victoria's coal-fired power plants released more than a tonne of mercury into the atmosphere during 2017-18, and were the greatest source of fine-particle pollution nationwide.

Victoria's three coal-fired-power plants collectively pumped 1,007.5 kilograms of mercury into the atmosphere, with Yallourn power station single-handedly emitting 435kg of mercury — the highest in the country.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare believes that up to 3,000 deaths in Australia each year are a direct result of air pollution, such as that caused by fine particle emissions.

A man has been found dead after a shipping container explosion in Mackay in the early hours of Tuesday morning.  

Four fire crews, police and paramedics responded to multiple emergency calls at 2am and found a shipping container on fire. One fatality has been confirmed, but no identification has been made.

Fire service investigators are expected to return and thoroughly examine the scene later today.

The UK House of Commons voted on four more Brexit proposals last night, with all four failing to reach a majority.

The motion calling for a confirmatory referendum and the motion proposing a customs union both came within a dozen votes of a majority, giving some members hope for finding a resolution to Brexit.

Theresa May has to pass a deal or seek an extension from the EU before 12 April to avoid dropping out of the group without any deal at all.