The Leongatha Knights senior men’s team make club history by winning their first ever premiership in the Gippsland Soccer League. Dan Kavanagh reports. For the Leongatha Knights, the 2023 season was all about redemption. After a devastating loss in last year’s semi-final against Trafalgar FC, the Leongatha Knights senior men’s team returned to pre-season this year seeking to make good. And make good they did, making amends for the disappointing end to the 2023 season. The Kn

Injuries are seriously impacting young dancers, causing a whirlwind of psychological damage at a young age. Elise Harrington reports. Dancers are often told or have convinced themselves that they can perform through the pain of injury. Sometimes in fear of disappointing their teachers, or being forced to abandon their sport, they will ignore the pain until it becomes excruciating. Brianna Thomas has been involved in dance, gymnastics, and calisthenics since she was three, a

After the warmest September in history, Australia headed into its first El Niño summer since 2015-16. So what does this mean and what are the risks? Tim McGrath reports Spring is a beautiful time of the year. The flowers are blooming, the short, cold days of winter are disappearing into the rearview, and the sun is starting to show itself for the first time in months. For many, AFL grand final day exemplifies this change as we officially say farewell to winter. This year, h

Groups in Melbourne’s West are holding demonstrations to rid the suburb of a neo-Nazi holdout. Aaron Carriero reports. Far-right activists get all the headlines — but standing in opposition to them in Melbourne are activists like Sam Forbes, who is on the frontlines of fighting back against the rise of neo-Nazi activity. In short, where they show the facesm, so do Forbes and his fellow campaigners. “Every time they show their face, we want to show our face as well, and sho

The death of two men in their 20s ramped up the pressure to introduce pill testing at music festival’s. Amos Adams Jones reports. In the debate over pill testing there is one inevitable truth: young people are still going to music festivals, and they are still going to take drugs. “To be honest, if I am at a music festival, I am probably going to be taking drugs. And so are most people,” says Nathan*, 21, from Melbourne, a regular festival goer who is pleading for the gover

Many Australians are discovering they have ADHD with social media platforms like TikTok -- but some professionals fear that misinformation is rife, Tori Goldsbrough reports. Social media can be so much more than just a place for memes and music and messages with your friends. Just ask Melbourne musician and DJ Raphael Chavez, who has recently had a life-changing diagnosis of ADHD. “It changed my life – and it all started with TikTok,” Chavez says. “I kept on looking on [TikT

In a digital landscape of excessive promotion and relentless advertisements a craving for authenticity on social media platforms is redefining the dynamics between brands, influencers, and their audiences. Ashley Bell reports. Distinguishing authenticity from advertising in the digital world of social media and influencing has become increasingly challenging -- and as the line between content and ads continues to blur, demand has grown among Gen Z consumers for truly authenti

A community garden allows seniors to bond over a shared love of gardening and building new connections while also helping build resilience, writes Matthew Torre It had rained the night before a dewy gray morning had dawned. The soil was wet and earthy. Slowly the seniors came in one by one into the garden, eager to catch up with friends and begin tending to their shared labor. They get to work, pulling out weeds and dumpling a fresh round of fertiliser. The sun begins to peek

Level crossing removal -- one of the most popular of Dan Andrews' policies - is only half the answer when it comes to better infrastructure. Eilish Cook reports. On Friday nights, 20-year-old Joshua Runatay would feel the electric anticipation of heading to the footy with friends. But one evening, with footy finals approaching, it turned into a frantic race against the clock. While enjoying dinner with his family at the south-east restaurant Cucina Dolce in Chelsea, Runatay

Everything old is new again, or so it seems. In Retro Review, our resident film buffs take a dive into a movie classic -- and tell us why it worked then, and whether it still works now. This week, Genevieve Nardella lo oks back at a classic from 1993. THE MOVIE: The Nightmare Before Christmas , 1993. One Oscar nomination (Best Visual Effects), 2 Saturn Awards (Best Fantasy Film and Best Music) WHO’S IN IT? Danny Elfman, Chris Sarandon, Catherine O’Hara, Paul Reubens. DO I K

Melbourne cinemas are revelling in alternative cinema experiences that invite audiences to become a part of the action. Spencer Gilder-Smith reports on the unique experiences being embraced by cinemas and audiences alike. The space is filled with wizards, ghosts haunt the bathrooms, letters are flying everywhere, and butter beer is being poured. No, this is not Hogwarts (well, not technically). Rather, Lido Cinemas have transformed their eight-screen boutique cinema in Glenf

Many young voters will cast a ballot for the first time this Saturday -- and it will be on a question of historic constitutional change....