► WAGGA WAGGA: While communities in the east of the region count the cost of Wednesday’s deluge, western towns are bracing for swollen water systems to reach their peak. More here.

► KATHERINE: YOUNG overseas backpackers recruited to work on mango farms near Darwin were allegedly underpaid almost $36,000 in just two months. Some were allegedly paid nothing at all for weeks of work picking, weeding and pruning. More here.

► BEAUDESERT: THE pain on the face of Marlene Dangus was clear. In driving rain, Ms Dangus stood outside Beenleigh Magistrates Court holding a bright purple sign high above her head. Scrawled across it in black marker were the simple words ‘Justice for Tiahleigh. All Lives Matter’. More here.

► MACARTHUR: A planned national gun amnesty has been welcomed by the Campbelltown Liverpool Districts Pistol Club president. The federal government is close to finalising an agreement with states and territories for a gun amnesty, similar to the buyback after the Port Arthur massacre 20 years ago. More here.

► SOUTH AUSTRALIA: Victor Harbor, McLaren Vale and Kangaroo Island have been named in the top 50 small towns and districts in Australia. More here.

► SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS: A RETURNED Vietnam veteran has helped the Colo Vale memorial be immortalised forever. One of Ron McIntosh’s hobbies is researching war memorials, and when the Colo Vale memorial was completed, it sparked a new project. More here.

► HAWKESBURY: Nine of the Hawkesbury’s finest young ladies will vie for the respected title of Hawkesbury Showgirl 2017 as the competition kicks off again this year. More here.

► ALBURY-WODONGA: THE young brother of a man who allegedly hit about 200km/h during a police pursuit pleaded with him to slow down, according to police. More here.

► BALLARAT: In a dark, isolated Melbourne street a Ballarat man was read out the names of his children and told “if you call the cops, they will be killed” by armed offenders, he claims.  More here.

► ILLAWARRA: “You’re going to get caught,” are the words from an Albion Park man who is still shaken – mentally and physically – from being rammed off Picton Road in Wilton by another driver. More here.

► A Cowra man in his 70s walked from floodwaters near Wattamondara at around 3.30pm today after ignoring police, ambulance and SES attempts to assist him for up to six hours. More here.

► She is probably the most powerful woman in the country that you've never heard of. And that is exactly the way she likes it. Not yet 40, Sally Cray sits at Malcolm Turnbull's right hand as principal private secretary to the Prime Minister, but don't let that meek-sounding word "secretary" mislead you. More here.

► WIMMERA Pride Project founders have slammed Member for Ripon Louise Staley after she publicly opposed transgender people having a right to change the sex on their birth certificate. More here.

► It’s December 2, 2010, and the concierge at a luxury Melbourne apartment tower is making her way to the garbage room. She is looking for a broom. But something blocks the door. She gives it a shove with her shoulder and catches sight of a young woman lying in a pool of blood among the fallen bins. More here.

► UNITED KINGDOM: Teaching graduates facing a 47,000-person queue for a permanent job in NSW are being welcomed with open arms halfway across the world – in the UK. More here.

► ICELAND: Taking out 10th place among 188 countries, Australia was just four points behind top-ranked Iceland when benchmarked against 33 health-related indicators linked to the UN's sustainable development goals. More here.

► CANADA: The Okanagan Valley, nearly 400 kilometres inland from Vancouver, has a triple reputation for its wines, excellent mountain biking and arid summer climate that makes it attractive to sun-seeking city retirees. More here.

On this day in 1999 Prince's "1999" single was released. 

Nick Plummer has known for a long time he wanted to make Tam Nestler his wife – life just got in the way.

Together for eight years and busy parents to Noah, 5, and Seth, 4, they had planned to quietly elope this weekend.

That idea went by the wayside when Tam, at just 29 years old, suffered a stroke.

For the past month the couple have been focused solely on Tam’s recovery – while family, friends, and the community rallied to support them financially. More here.