Hamilton Island - 4803

Defence Minister Richard Marles says the search for four missing personnel following a helicopter crash in the Whitsundays last Friday is now a ‘recovery’ effort.

Defence Personnel Minister Matt Keogh says the incident highlights the risk faced by members of the armed forces.

Activity in Queensland's Whitsundays has changed from search and rescue, to a recovery mission, Defence Minister Richard Marles says. 

In the latest chapter in its troubled history, four people are feared dead after an Australian Army helicopter crashed into the ocean. It's not the first time concerns have been raised about Taipan choppers.

Robbie Awad had been married to Marina Hanna for 10 days before the incident on Hamilton Island.

Six people walked away from the incident unscathed and an investigation has been launched.

After initially being treated as "a tragic accident", charges have now been laid against 30-year-old Robbie Morgan.

Two people have been assessed for smoke inhalation after a luxury yacht caught fire on Monday morning.

A record number of flights were cancelled or ran late last month as Australian airlines continue being pummelled by the COVID-19 pandemic and poor weather conditions.

Friends and family of Marina Hanna Morgan plan to create a foundation in her name to help people in need and spread the "love, joy and kindness" they say was a hallmark of her life.

Scores of travellers were left in the lurch earlier this week after Jetstar ushered them off their flight home, put them on a ferry and left them to fend for themselves in a packed-out Queensland tourist town.

In the days after marrying the love of his life, Sydney man Robbie Morgan is preparing a funeral for his wife, Marina Hanna.

The Sydney couple had been married for just a few days when their golf buggy rolled Monday afternoon, killing a 29-year-old woman.

It was meant to be the summer where pubs, restaurants, resorts and shops could finally get back to business. Instead, many are now facing more chaos and closures because of crippling staff shortages caused by soaring COVID-19 infections.

Two years after the invasive pest was found at Shute Harbour, they have spread to the pristine Hamilton Island, putting native wildlife at risk. 

Tourism operators say business is booming thanks to flight discounts, travel vouchers and holidaymakers cutting out booking agencies. And there are jobs to be had, too.

The Queensland government is launching a second round of its holiday vouchers to reboot the tourism industry in wake of coronavirus shutdowns, with $100 and $200 vouchers on offer for the state's most idyllic destinations.

Tired of rising insurance costs, Margaret Shaw sold her coastal apartment below market value and left. Now, an ACCC report into the industry offers hope, but some say the recommendations do not go far enough.

Christmas is coming up and, with the further easing of restrictions, NSW residents will finally be able to spread joy after a tumultuous year. Here's what's changing from today.

Queensland's stunning reefs, sandy beaches and luxury resorts attract hordes of tourists every year, but until now the traditional owners of the landscape have had little to do with the industry.

Ten years after being Hamilton Island's winter caretaker in a popular campaign, its winner Ben Southall is calling on people to disconnect from their devices and reconnect with each other.

Regional airports are deemed essential gateways between the city and country, but questions have been raised about how secure they are.

The main street of Airlie Beach might be looking largely the same as it was before the storm, but the emotional burden on those who lived through Cyclone Debbie remains.

Cyclone Debbie, record temperatures, African droughts, fires and deadly typhoons. 2017 has been a year of wild weather.

Reef scientists, including the man dubbed the "Godfather of Coral", begin a major research mission that aims to save the Great Barrier Reef from further damage.