Australia this week: Bondi attack, floods, reef crisis

Here’s your clear guide to what’s happening in Australia right now. We’ve pulled together the major stories across safety, environment, science and civic life, with plain‑language context you can use in class or to brief your group on the facts.

On Sunday 14 December, New South Wales Police declared a terrorist incident at Bondi Beach after gunmen opened fire during a Hanukkah celebration. Officials confirmed at least 12 people were killed and 29 injured, including two police officers. One gunman was shot dead and another is in custody. A bystander who tackled an attacker has been praised as a hero, and police later examined suspected explosive devices linked to the suspects. This is Australia’s deadliest mass shooting since Port Arthur in 1996, and authorities say antisemitism is a suspected motive. (If you’re teaching this, discuss how policing language such as “terrorist incident” is used only when investigators see intent to intimidate a community.)

When a story develops this quickly, numbers can shift. NSW Police and ABC News provided rolling updates as casualty figures stabilised and the public was told to avoid the area or take shelter. A good media‑literacy habit is to check timestamps, rely on official briefings, and avoid sharing graphic or unverified clips.

Earlier this year, New South Wales faced record flooding that cut off around 50,000 people across the Mid North Coast and Hunter. Towns around Taree saw river heights beyond the 1929 mark, with hundreds of rescues and a formal natural‑disaster declaration activating assistance. The through‑line for students to note is how emergency warnings escalate: watch for “prepare to evacuate” changing to “leave now”.

Just weeks later, parts of the Northern Tablelands were blanketed in the heaviest snow in two decades. The State Emergency Service reported hundreds of stranded vehicles around Armidale and Guyra as rare winter weather shut roads and snapped power. Extremes can sit side by side: the same season delivered floods and deep snow in one state.

Shark safety returned to the spotlight after a fatal bite at Long Reef on Sydney’s northern beaches in September. The NSW government paused a local trial to remove nets, while downloads of the SharkSmart app spiked as people looked for real‑time alerts from tagged sharks on “SMART” drumlines. For learners: nets are not full barriers; the current approach mixes tagging, drones and education.

Western Australia’s Ningaloo Reef has suffered severe bleaching across 2025 after a long marine heatwave. Government scientists report high bleaching along the full length of the reef and, in some northern lagoon sites, scientists now estimate roughly two‑thirds of corals have died. The BBC’s reporting asked a timely question - can you “un‑bleach” coral? - while researchers say real recovery depends on cooler seas and time.

Not all science news is grim. A fireball streaked across Victoria in August, caught on CCTV and dashcams, with experts saying fragments may have reached the ground. This is a neat citizen‑science moment: Australia’s Desert Fireball Network uses public videos to triangulate meteor paths and, sometimes, recover meteorites for research.

Thirty‑four teams lined up in August for the 2025 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, a student‑led race that tests engineering, efficiency and teamwork across thousands of kilometres. If you’re teaching physics or design, the event is a ready‑made case study in solar energy, aerodynamics and battery management.

Australia also took a big - and messy - step in space this year. Gilmour Space launched Eris, the first Australian‑made orbital rocket, but it flew for only 14 seconds before crashing. Engineers and local officials still called it a milestone because first launches rarely reach orbit; the data gathered feeds the next test. Use this to discuss why early prototypes often “fail forward”.

Biodiversity made headlines too. Scientists in North Queensland identified a new, “supersized” stick insect, Acrophylla alta, about 40cm long and weighing roughly the same as a golf ball - likely Australia’s heaviest insect. Museum specimens will help confirm where it lives and how to protect it.

In Victoria’s courts, Erin Patterson was found guilty in July of murdering three relatives and attempting to murder a fourth after a 2023 lunch involving death cap mushrooms. In September she received life sentences with a non‑parole period of 33 years, and the court later released parts of her police interview, a reminder of how transparency helps the public understand complex trials.

Civic behaviour also made the news. Veteran MP Bob Katter, 80, drew condemnation after telling a reporter he had “punched blokes in the mouth” when his Lebanese heritage was raised during a heated immigration press conference. For students of politics and media, it’s a case study in tone, accountability and how language can inflame or inform.

One farewell went viral for a different reason. In May, Western Australia Labor MP Kyle McGinn finished his valedictory by doing a “shoey” - drinking a beer from his trainer - drawing gasps, laughter and a stern word from the chair. A light moment, yes, but also a prompt to discuss how ritual and identity show up in public institutions.

Two widely shared clips are worth fact‑checking in class. In Sydney’s north, a light plane came down on Mona Vale Golf Course; the pilot and passenger escaped with minor injuries after an emergency landing that bystanders filmed. Always trace dramatic video back to a named outlet or authority before sharing.

And at Circular Quay, a 29‑year‑old was arrested after trying to climb the mooring lines of the cruise ship Carnival Adventure. Police charged him with entering restricted land‑ and water‑side zones; a court later fined him. It’s a memorable way to discuss port security, consequences and the line between a stunt and a crime.

If you’re learning or teaching with this guide, try closing with three questions: what changed your view, what needs more evidence, and what action would help? Australia’s stories this week reward careful reading - and the habit of checking who is speaking, what they know, and how they know it.