Lion dancing is more than just putting on the papier mache head and colourful costume. Guardian Australia's Isabella Lee stepped into a training session with Sydney's Qing Fong lion dance team to learn just how hard the dancers work to be performance ready. Watch our vid:

Proud of how this one turned out: Graham Readfearn put his body to the test, stepping into a climate chamber at the University of Sydney that simulates the increased temperatures and humidity predicted in a rapidly warming climate. Watch our vid:

Read this chronological breakdown that takes you moment by moment through what happened at Monday night’s protest, by @jordynbeazley.bsky.social and Stephen Byrne

Scenes from the anti-Herzog protest in Sydney last night: www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8sJ...

ICYMI: After 105,177 votes cast, @australia.theguardian.com readers chose Alison Lester's Magic Beach as the best Australian children's picture book of all time. Deputy Culture Editor Sian Cain revealed the news to Alison first:

Here’s how an artist - with the help of dozens of volunteers - is turning three tonnes of flowers into an artwork memorialising the Bondi victims:

Back on deck today.

Victoria’s state apology to First Nations people happened earlier this week. First Nations elders and community leaders in attendance spoke with Guardian Australia about the significance of the apology, and what makes this different from other apologies made before:

Now 15 and living as a quadriplegic, Ezra says social media made him feel less isolated, allowing him to connect with friends and people around the world who share his interests and experiences. Watch our video:

Does Australia’s social media ban mean kids aged under 16 (or their parents) will get in legal trouble for circumventing it? Whether you’re a parent of a child, or a child watching this on a VPN, Matilda Boseley is here to clear some misinformation up:

For the first time, Victoria police are using a new law to the maximum extent allowed. For six months, police will be able to conduct pat-downs and search vehicles for weapons without a warrant within 10 sq km of inner Melbourne. Victorian state correspondent @benitakolovos.bsky.social explains:

Can only assume NYC media editors demanding Mamdani’s take on Meadow Lane

There's a reported boom in people becoming certified venomous snake handlers, so @sanjanajose.bsky.social went to film reporter Joe Hinchcliffe finding out firsthand what sort of training you get to handle some of the most dangerous snakes in the world: www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeWw...

It's that time of the (every second) year: the Bird of the Year poll is open for voting! Here is a brilliant video launching the vote — if you watch REALLY CLOSELY you might work out who @matildaboseley.bsky.social is voting for this year: www.youtube.com/watch?v=i30D...

Recent media coverage claims 'Australians, especially men, are reading less' and 'young men have stopped reading books'. But is that true? Guardian Australia's data editor @nickevershed.bsky.social looked into the data and came back with this factcheck: youtu.be/iThBQ91mnlk

Is Aukus a $368bn solution for Australia, or will it only serve to create more headaches? A deep-dive of an explainer (pun intended) into the Aukus agreement, with Ben Doherty: youtu.be/KsC0rqWkaw4

Suddenly thinking perhaps putting all my super into Qantas points wasn’t such a good idea

Please, show some respect

In a change of pace, a lovely video today featuring the hundreds of volunteers who got together to help Melbourne’s oldest bookshop, Hill of Content, move thousands of books to its new location down the road. @caitkelly.bsky.social was there: www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2yc...

With new laws affecting the right to protest in NSW, some experts are saying the state now has the most severe anti-protest regime in the country. So what are NSW's anti-protest laws, and how have they changed? @jordynbeazley.bsky.social explains: www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXX-...

How are tiny magnets shaping tariffs, the future of Australia's mining industry and the ongoing trade battle between China and the US? Matilda Boseley takes a look at those earths which are rare (rare earths): www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ68...

The govt is making announcements around fighting antisemitism today but the politicians and lots of departments are still posting on X, and have paid X millions in taxpayer $$$ for ads. Hard to see after yesterday's Grok incident what the justification now is. www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

Spent yesterday in Yuendumu, a place I’d wrote about and thought about for the past five years but never visited www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

I love the internet

This was a fun day at work. More here: www.theguardian.com/australia-ne... via @australia.theguardian.com

ICYMI on the weekend — Vic correspondent @benitakolovos.bsky.social got a first look inside Melbourne's newest metro stations: www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjaa...

Congrats to @cartersherman.bsky.social whose new book is out now, and you should read this extract: www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...

Bougainville fought a war to shut down Panguna mine. Now, with the goal of achieving independence from PNG, many want the mine to be reopened. Reporting by Ben Doherty: www.youtube.com/watch?v=bryT...

The jury in the trial of Erin Patterson is beginning deliberations as the mushroom lunch trial enters its 10th week. Here's our video from last week, recapping the closing arguments from both sides, hosted by courts and justice reporter @ninobucci.bsky.social : www.youtube.com/watch?v=YarS...

As the Erin Patterson trial nears its end, @ninobucci.bsky.social walks us through what's been happening in court in the last few weeks: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhUL...

A decision on whether to extend a Woodside gas facility until 2070 is expected any day now. As @adammorton.bsky.social explains, the decision won't factor in climate concerns, only what local pollution means for the globally significant collection of rock art: www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVsA...

I'm what you might call a 'savvy consumer'. Only losers pay the RRP

From earlier this week, @australia.theguardian.com economics editor Patrick Commins walked us through the RBA's rate cut, and what it means: www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUSN...

Erin Patterson’s trial continues today — @australia.theguardian.com justice and courts reporter @ninobucci.bsky.social has been following the mushroom trial since it began, and explains what’s happened so far: www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu9h...

What is a hung parliament? And what happens if Australia’s major parties end up in a dead heat? Please enjoy our final episode in our Voting 101 series for the 2025 election:

The final week of the campaign was filled with the cost of eggs, welcome to country heckling, and the ‘hate media’ — James Colley sifts through the wreckage of the final few days in this week’s episode:

We’re nearing the finish line: Anthony Albanese was asked intense geopolitical questions on The Sunday Footy Show and Peter Dutton somehow managed to tie everything back to cheaper petrol, including Easter chocolate. Watch our latest 'Surviving the Election with James Colley':

Our latest @australia.theguardian.com Voting 101 episode is all about preferential voting. It's one of the biggest differences between the Australian and US systems, so what is it? And how does it work? @matildaboseley.bsky.social explains:

Despite the myth, donkey voting is not a thing! In the latest episode of @australia.theguardian.com's Voting 101 series, @matildaboseley.bsky.social dispels the idea that's seemingly been around for decades Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2kL...

@australia.theguardian.com political reporter @krishani-dhanji.bsky.social catches you up on the past week in the election campaign — there's just 11 days to go and one more debate after tonight's, but with early voting open as of today, voters will have already begun to switch off:

Bursting through the lab leak like it's a finish line ribbon

Two weeks down, three to go. @krishani-dhanji.bsky.social catches you up on what's been happening the last few days in the Aus election campaign for @australia.theguardian.com:

This week in the election campaign featured the first debate, and Dutton visiting more petrol stations than any prime ministerial candidate arguably should. Watch the latest instalment of 'Surviving the Election' with @colley.bsky.social:

In December 2024, when unseasonable flooding threatened the breeding season of a critically endangered turtle, Marilyn Connell and other members of a Queensland community conservation group sprang into action. Watch the newest episode of our Last Chance series at @australia.theguardian.com:

Massive swarms of bogong moths once resembled rain clouds – then their numbers crashed to earth www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

A high-flying visitor – the wondrous far eastern curlew – faces fresh threat in NT wetlands haven www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

From blackening skies to barely casting a shadow – the Carnaby’s cockatoo faces a bleak future www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Australia is in an extinction crisis – why isn’t it an issue at this election? www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

What are you actually voting for when you hand your ballots into the box? The latest instalment of our @australia.theguardian.com series Voting 101 ft @matildaboseley.bsky.social is here:

The latest episode in our @australia.theguardian.com series on the extinction crisis is out today, about Bogong moths and the traditional owners scaling mountains to track them: