Bondi Beach Hanukkah attack, NSW floods, reef crisis

Let’s walk through Australia’s biggest stories and, crucially, what you should take from them. Police say 12 people, including one attacker, were killed and at least 29 injured when two gunmen opened fire during the Chanukah by the Sea event at Bondi Beach on 14 December. NSW authorities have declared a terrorist incident targeting Jewish Australians; one suspect died at the scene and a second is in critical condition. ABC News and Reuters report the death toll and the festival setting; AP also confirms the injuries figure.

Video verified by major outlets shows a 43‑year‑old bystander, identified in local media as Ahmed al Ahmed, tackling and disarming one attacker; separate drone footage appears to show a gunman firing from an elevated bridge near a car park. Police later removed suspected explosive devices from a vehicle linked to the suspects, and are assessing whether more offenders were involved. Reuters, ABC and news.com.au have carried these details.

Media literacy tip: casualty numbers often shift in the first hours. Early wires reported “at least 11” dead before authorities confirmed 12. When you read breaking news, prioritise official updates from NSW Police and established outlets such as ABC and Reuters over social posts.

Safety at the coast is in the spotlight after a fatal shark attack at Dee Why in September. Following the death of 57‑year‑old surfer Mercury Psillakis, authorities deployed drones and a helicopter and urged swimmers to use the SharkSmart app; downloads spiked after the incident, ABC and Sky News report. This is how risk is managed: tagged shark alerts, drone patrols, and temporary beach closures when needed.

Courts and accountability: Erin Patterson has been sentenced to life with a 33‑year non‑parole period for murdering three relatives and attempting to murder a fourth with a beef Wellington lunch laced with death cap mushrooms. The Supreme Court of Victoria sentence came on 8 September 2025; Patterson maintains her innocence and both sides have appeal avenues in play. The court also released footage of her police interview and trial exhibits used by jurors. ABC, the Guardian and AP have covered the verdict, sentence and released material. What this means: in Australia, “life” can include a minimum term (here, 33 years) after which parole may be considered.

Political conduct made headlines when veteran MP Bob Katter, 80, told a journalist he had punched people before for mentioning his Lebanese heritage, and raised his fist during a press conference. ABC News and Reuters documented the exchange; media organisations condemned threats towards reporters. What this means: elected officials are accountable for language that may chill press freedom.

Science and engineering in motion: 34 teams from 18 countries raced 3,000km from Darwin to Adelaide in the 2025 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge. Dutch student teams finished 1–2, with Brunel Solar Team first and Solar Team Twente second; Western Sydney University’s car placed sixth and top in Australia. The organiser and ABC reported the results-and, for the first time, the race ran in August rather than October, trading cooler air for less sunlight.

Nobody on the fairway expected it: video shows a Piper Cherokee making an emergency landing at Mona Vale Golf Club on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. An instructor and student walked away with minor injuries, ABC and Sky News say. Use this to teach incident language: “emergency landing” ≠ “crash” when pilots retain enough control to put the aircraft down away from people.

Night‑sky science moment: a bright fireball streaked over Victoria in August, captured on CCTV and dashcams and confirmed by astronomers as a meteor. The Guardian collated footage and expert context. Classroom prompt: meteor (in the atmosphere) vs meteorite (on the ground).

Biology wow‑factor: researchers in north Queensland described a new stick insect, Acrophylla alta, roughly 40cm long and weighing about 44g-close to a golf ball-making it a candidate for Australia’s heaviest insect. James Cook University and the Guardian explain how scientists used egg morphology to confirm it as a new species. What this means: even in 2025, biodiversity discovery is very much alive.

Space shot and setback: Gilmour Space Technologies attempted Australia’s first home‑grown orbital launch. The Eris rocket cleared the tower but crashed after 14 seconds; no injuries and data were collected for the next test. AP and Ars Technica note that maiden private launches rarely reach orbit-progress is measured in systems that worked and lessons learned.

Ocean reality check: Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia has endured record heat stress and widespread bleaching this year; later surveys found more than 60% coral mortality at several northern‑lagoon sites. ABC and the Guardian set out the trend and the term to teach-Degree Heating Weeks (DHW), a measure of accumulated thermal stress. Recovery is possible, but repeated events cut those odds.

Cold from the sky: parts of NSW saw the heaviest snow in two decades in August, with up to 40–50cm across the New England Tablelands, ABC and Reuters report. Note the paired hazards-while some towns turned white, other regions battled floods and black ice, stretching emergency services.

A long‑running mystery endures. Bradley John Murdoch, convicted of murdering British backpacker Peter Falconio in 2001, died in July without revealing where he left Falconio’s body. NT Police say the search is not over; ABC and ITV News have the updates. What this means: “no body, no parole” laws didn’t produce a confession, and cold‑case work continues.

Police in Victoria released CCTV of a botched arson attack on a Melbourne restaurant: the suspect doused the bar with fuel, ignited it-and set his own clothes alight before fleeing. Footage was published as investigators appealed for information amid a broader organised‑crime probe linked to illicit tobacco. The Guardian and Victoria Police releases cover the case.

Finally, floods: record rains in May left about 50,000 people isolated across NSW’s Mid North Coast, with Taree among the hardest hit. ABC records 412mm in 48 hours in Taree-about a third of a year’s rain-and Reuters tallied thousands of damaged properties. A state natural disaster declaration enabled financial relief, JBA Risk notes. What this means: use river gauges and official warnings, not social media posts, to decide when to move.