Rob Blackmore
Australia
don’t shoot the messenger
Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Rob Blackmore
Tick victim warns to take bites seriously, expert warns it triggers meat allergies, as numbers spike
There are more presentations for tick bites at Sunshine Coast emergency departments than anywhere else in the state, and doctors are warning of the possible serious health impacts.
Mining company keen to reopen Gympie's Eldorado gold mine
With borders off the agenda, LNP is struggling to start a new conversation Palmer launches another legal assault on WA government Show some respect: Premier says health comes before economy in border battle Five things to do on your favourite days of the week Suncorp warns of big risks ahead that Australia can no longer ignore News An international mining company is pushing to reopen Gympie’s gold mine as it believes there is still a fortune lying in the ground.
A couple of million ounces of gold still in the ground at Eldorado
An international mining company is pushing to reopen a disused gold mine in the Queensland town of Gympie as it believes there is still a fortune lying in the ground.
Crikey! Australia Zoo hits all-time high with Forest, the world's tallest giraffe
A 'worn out' Shane Stephan bows out, frustrated over Acland's unfinished job Police task force probes border cheats' links to organised crime syndicates Parliament infection fears - excursion linked to Logan school outbreak How 'model citizens' helped stop Apollo cluster in its tracks Deadly silence: State battles to track virus as infected teen won't talk News The Sunshine Coast’s Australia Zoo hits high note as giraffe crowned tallest in the world by Guinness World Records.
Giraffe at Australia Zoo, Beerwah, sets Guinness World Record as world's tallest
© Provided by ABC NEWS Australia Zoo's Kat Hansen with Forest, the world's tallest living giraffe. (Supplied: Australia Zoo) Australia Zoo's Kat Hansen always knew Forest stood head and shoulders above the rest, but proving he was the tallest giraffe in the world was no easy task. Despite their warm, gentle-looking brown eyes, Ms Hansen said giraffes were "quite nervous animals". Setting him up next to a ruler to confirm his height took months of work.
COVID-19 safety form used to make prank call, sparking privacy concerns in Queensland
There are calls for the Queensland Government to provide clearer guidelines for business on how to protect people's privacy while sticking to their COVID-19 safety plans.
Four shark attacks in five weeks could be linked to east coast whale migration Original
A leading marine biologist believes there could be a link between the spate of shark attacks off the east coast of Australia and the large number of whales migrating north.
Warning over bitcoin scam using celebrities such as Dick Smith and Waleed Aly to 'endorse' product Original
When John saw an image of television personality David Koch promoting a bitcoin business in his Facebook feed, he didn't pay much attention.
COVID-19 forces Noosa Shire Council to scrap its kerbside clean-up for 2020
Noosa Shire Council will scrap its annual kerbside rubbish clean-up for 2020. Key points: Noosa Shire Council says it will not do kerbside rubbish collections this year, due to COVID-19 Each bulk rubbish collection costs the council $250,000 Mayor Clare Stewart says residents will decide whether the service resumes in 2021 The council has revealed the impact of COVID-19 has taken its toll on the popular bulky rubbish collection.
How to safely store firewood for woodfire heaters to minimise the threat of termites
With temperatures across the Sunshine Coast set to plummet to single digits, and people preparing their woodfire heaters, what should you do if you see termites in your firewood?
Dolphin brings abundance of items for volunteers as Tin Can Bay visitors stay away during isolation
Mystique the humpback dolphin from Tin Can Bay on Queensland's Cooloola Coast has developed an unusual habit during the coronavirus pandemic while tourists have been staying home.
Dolphin brings abundance of gifts for volunteers as Tin Can Bay visitors stay away during isolation
Mystique the humpback dolphin from Tin Can Bay on Queensland's Cooloola Coast has developed an unusual habit during the coronavirus pandemic while tourists have been staying home.
Couple describe exiting the ill-fated Ruby Princess cruise as quicker 'than getting out of Aldi'
Passenger Yvonne Fewings has described the chaos of her last day aboard the Ruby Princess as a Special Commission of Inquiry continues to explore what happened when the ship arrived in Australia.
Woodford Correctional Centre 'volatile' as drug supply dries up due to COVID-19 measures
A custodial correctional officer says prisoners are "climbing the walls" because coronavirus restrictions have seen their drug supply evaporate.
Mysterious virus causing lorikeets to 'drop out of the sky' across South-East Queensland
A mysterious virus that spreads quickly in close contact has been causing rainbow lorikeets to "drop out of the sky" across South-East Queensland.
Too prickly for Noosa? Council rips colourful plant out garden bed without warning
Posted April 22, 2020 15:20:49 After a Noosa cafe owner had to lay off dozens of workers, his remaining staff decided to cheer themselves up with a splash colour outside their coffee shop. But their choice of plant — a bougainvillea — didn't sit well with the local council, which promptly turned up unannounced and tore the shrub out by the roots. The shop's owners, Steve and Louise Thoms, said it would have been nice to have been consulted first.
Kathy Sundstrom
After the Christchurch quake, students missed a whole term. Their results are a good lesson for Australia Posted April 17, 2020 07:22:16 Worried about how your child is going to cope learning from home? Look at what happened in countries where natural disasters stopped schooling for weeks.
Does missing a term due to COVID-19 really matter? What happened to student results after the Christchurch quake
Chris Atkinson spent two years persuading his teenage son he needed to be at school to learn, and just when he agreed, COVID-19 happened.
Lucky couple stuck in lockdown with dingoes on Fraser Island
Visitors were banned from Queensland’s K’gari, or Fraser Island, during the busy Easter break, but one couple was already there and found themselves stuck on the world’s largest sand island during lockdown. Kevin and Adele Hockey were the only residents in a group of holiday homes on the island’s eastern side at Poyungan Rocks and have found themselves living a kind of Robinson Crusoe existence as they navigate the normally packed beaches on their own.
Zoos closed by coronavirus but keeping it 'business as usual' for the animals comes at a high cost
By Luisa Rubbo, Claire Wheaton, Kathy Sundstrom and Rob Blackmore Posted March 29, 2020 16:01:49 Zoos in regional areas are closing their doors to the public because of coronavirus social distancing rules but, behind the fences, the costs of looking after the animals are still being incurred. Mark Stone, the owner of Billabong Zoo on the NSW Mid North Coast, said it was a big blow for his family-run business.
Rubbish bin audit by Noosa council leaving sad-face emojis for recycling wrongdoers
Updated November 25, 2019 17:07:41 Some residents in Noosa Shire are being greeted by unhappy faces after being found to be recycling incorrectly during an audit of waste bins.
Fireworks cancellations has industry seeking compensation
Sparks are flying in the fireworks industry as operators grapple with fire bans and widespread calls for festive event cancellations. In emails obtained by the ABC, one operator has written to the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy (DNRME) asking who will pay for “compensation claims for the direct interference of trade”. The operator argued the fire ban declaration in Queensland “has FORCED (sic) our entire industry to cease trade that is legally recognised too (sic) trade by law”.
Bachelorette contestant councillor Jess Glasgow under formal investigation for misconduct over 'crude' and 'highly offensive' behaviour
By Kathy Sundstrom, Rob Blackmore and staff Updated October 11, 2019 17:11:56 A formal investigation has begun over the actions of Noosa Shire Councillor Jess Glasgow as a contestant on reality TV dating program The Bachelorette, with comments he made on the dating show described as "crude" and "highly offensive".
Bachelorette contestant councillor Jess Glasgow urged to resign over 'crude' and 'highly offensive' behaviour
By Kathy Sundstrom and Rob Blackmore Posted October 11, 2019 11:26:00 Councillor turned Bachelorette contestant Jess Glasgow is being called on to resign by the Noosa Mayor over comments he made on the dating show that are being described as "misogynistic" and "crude". Cr Glasgow was sent home before the rose ceremony in the second episode of the show, after being accused of making several inappropriate comments.
Bachelorette Jess Glasgow in strife as council mulls code-of-conduct probe
The quest of a councillor from Noosa on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast to find love on The Bachelorette might backfire, as his mayor refers him to the Independent Assessor for a code of conduct probe. Councillor Jess Glasgow, 37, made his entrance on the television reality show on Wednesday night, which saw him arrive wearing a robe and carrying a throne.
Bachelorette politician Jess Glasgow in strife as Noosa council considers code-of-conduct probe
Updated October 10, 2019 14:41:47 The quest of a councillor from Noosa on Queensland's Sunshine Coast to find love on The Bachelorette might backfire, as his mayor refers him to the Independent Assessor for a code of conduct probe.
Firefighters formed shield around nursing home while residents trapped inside during bushfires
By Kathy Sundstrom and Rob Blackmore Posted September 13, 2019 17:50:50 The residents of an aged care facility situated dangerously close to this week's Peregian bushfire on the Sunshine Coast had a nail-biting night stuck inside because they could not be safely evacuated, authorities have revealed.
Transgender woman had to tick Australian Tax Office's mental illness box to get early access to super
Updated August 24, 2019 07:55:35 Two years ago, Siobhan Frith had a wife and was named David but knew she was living a lie. The jeweller from Eumundi on Queensland's Sunshine Coast said she "always felt weird" as David and had spent her life trying to fill a void as she often saw herself as female. "I didn't know what was wrong, I was trying to fill a void with activities like music and stuff like that.
Aura the cow from Gympie becomes the 'first Australian cow to win Miss World'
Miss Philippines may have won the title of Miss Universe 2018, but the latest winner of Miss World is the Australian entrant — an Australian cow that is. The four-year-old cow Aura and she was crowned Miss World of both the Droughtmaster and Beefmaster Breeds at an international competition in Fort Worth, Texas, this week.
'Every face deserves a place on the screen,' says aspiring child actor with Goldenhar Syndrome
'Every face deserves a place on the screen,' says aspiring child actor with Goldenhar Syndrome Updated December 13, 2018 06:42:20 Meet Eddy Meskanen, an eight-year-old from Queensland's Sunshine Coast determined to make a career in acting and modelling because he believes "every face deserves a place on the screen". Eddy was born with Goldenhar Syndrome, a rare congenital facial abnormality characterised by incomplete development of the ear, nose, soft palate, lip and jaw.
Bunnings sausage: Man tells of injury after greasy onion mishap in hardware store
A Queensland farmer who slipped over on a stray onion at Bunnings has welcomed the hardware giant's controversial suggestion that the vegetable should be placed beneath the sausage at its charity barbecues.
National fuel strike: Petrol price pain prompts fed-up motorist to call for fuel boycott
A motorist fed up with high petrol prices is calling on drivers across Australia to boycott service stations for one day in a bid to address the cost of fuel, which has reached record highs. More than 160,000 people have indicated they would either join or are interested in taking part in a national fuel strike later this week. There is also an online petition lobbying the Federal Government to ditch some of its taxes on fuel.
Would you camp in a cardboard tent in the middle of an Aussie summer?
Australia's largest outdoor festival will be offering visitors an "environmentally conscious" chance to camp in the great outdoors this summer … in a cardboard tent. For the first time, the Woodford Folk Festival has included KarTents — a tent made entirely of cardboard — as one of the accommodation options for the annual event on Queensland's Sunshine Coast that attracts more than 130,000 visitors, artists and musicians between Boxing Day and New Year's Day.
Woman wins Supreme Court fight against bowls club after a disagreement over membership
A Sunshine Coast woman has won a costly Supreme Court battle against the Nambour Bowls Club which cancelled her membership and then banned her from the premises after a disagreement over recycled coleslaw escalated. Robyn Perren, 67, had been involved with the club for three years and her husband Neville was the club's former president and active member for 20 years. For Mrs Perren, the club was more than just a place to play the game she was so passionate about.
Sunshine Coast woman wins Supreme Court fight against bowls club
A Sunshine Coast woman has won a costly Supreme Court battle against the Nambour Bowls Club, which cancelled her membership and then banned her from the premises after a disagreement over recycled coleslaw escalated.Robyn Perren, 67, had been involved with the club for three years and her husband Neville was the club’s former president and active member for 20 years.For Mrs Perren, the club was more than just a place to play the game she was so passionate about.
Young veteran turns deadly diagnosis into charitable dreams
Rhys Greedy has turned adversity into opportunity on his journey from a young soldier suffering cancer into a trekking philanthropist. In 2009, the Caloundra local was on an extended Christmas break from his Townville battalion when he decided to investigate his chronic chest infection, wheezy cough and why he was losing weight so quickly. The diagnosis hit the 21-year-old like a tonne of bricks. "I had Hodgkin Lymphoma," he said.
Hiccups: Harmless mystery for many, serious symptom for a few
Hiccups are harmless for the vast majority of people but they can be a sign of further problems if you are already unwell, a medical expert has told ABC Sunshine Coast. "Hiccups can be a red flag for people who are unwell and in hospital," University of Queensland's Dr Jennifer Schafer said. "It could be a range of things - the person with the longest recorded [episode of hiccups] in history actually had a teeny tiny stroke in his brain," she added.
Brain disease sufferers to benefit from world class Sunshine Coast facility
A new facility is set to provide world class treatment for two of the Sunshine Coast biggest killers - depression in young people and dementia in the elderly The Mind and Neuroscience Institute will become a leading hub for mental health research, teaching and clinical services in the next few years.
Fresh milk exports to stop farmer decline
Exporting fresh milk to China could save south-east Queenland's dwindling dairy industry, the Queensland Dairy Farmers president says. Brian Tessmann has called for the Federal Government to negotiate freer trade with China and fund infrastructure that will take advantage of milk prices of up to $20 a litre in Asia.
Jack Barrie won over by SCG major league series
It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Most of us only had the pleasure of seeing the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks take to the Sydney Cricket Ground on television, but Australia's newest and youngest recruit recently contracted to play with the Minnesota Twins says being there in person was "phenomenal" and only intensified his dream to "crack" the major league. "It's always been a dream of mine; and seeing them play in Sydney was amazing.
Rare creatures stranded by stormy seas
The Sunshine Coast played host to a handful of odd and rare animals after last weekend's deluge. Marine biologist Julian Pepperell was called on to investigate. Sunshine Coast locals have noticed a plethora of strange creatures washed up on beaches and lost from home. "It's 25cms long roughly. It's oval-shaped, frilly and it's got a peculiar pattern down its back. [It was] cold, squishy and had that really gluggy type feeling like a jellyfish. It had vibrant dark red around it in a frill," she said.
Laser beams may banish bats
A New Zealand farmer says laser beams are the best solution for dispersing flying foxes on the Sunshine Coast. Developer Steinar Henskes says the beams aren't dangerous to humans. "It would not give permanent damage to the human eye [if shined into it]," he said. "The sun is actually more dangerous to look into." (flickr:andrea pacelli) The high-tech suggestion comes as the Sunshine Coast Council begins a second round of non-lethal dispersal action at the Cassia Wildlife Corridor near Coolum.
Well of course, it's Alpaca Week
Did the inventors of Alpaca Week know it collided with eight days of additional worldwide celebrations? The 29th of March marks the start of a week that raises the profile of the curious ruminants and their breeder's burgeoning industry. But did they know they'd be competing with days of riotous celebrations around the globe? It's hard to know. But as this article shows, Alpaca Week can work hand in hand with those festive times. 29th March. Weed Appreciation Day.
Sunshine Coast actor primed for his first US pilot season
Actor Luke Cosgrove has come a long way since sneaking off to theatre practice after football training as a teenager in Noosa. "He used to say, 'Don't tell anyone Dad, don't tell anyone'," Cosgrove's father James said.
Researchers fail to understand treatment says homeopath
A seasoned homeopath of 24 years says a new review of the age-old therapy has failed to test it correctly. The National Health and Medical Research Council study shows there is no evidence to suggest homeopathy is effective in treating health conditions. But Buderim homeopath Karuna Tohow says the researchers failed to test the 200-year-old therapy correctly.
Poo detective doggedly follows koala scent
The world's only koala-poo-detecting dog started working for the Sunshine Coast Council this week in an attempt to map the local population. Trainer Gary Jackson says Maya the four-year-old border collie is trained to differentiate between koala "scat" and other animal's droppings. "She's really got to know her poop, okay," Mr Jackson said. "We train her to find the koala scat then we determine whether it's one day, two days, three days old.
Advertising: A fast track to obesity
A new study is examining whether marketing food in the environment, such as supermarket, television and roadside advertising, are contributing to the obesity epidemic. "Obesity is described by the World Health Organisation as a global epidemic and in Australia, 54 per cent of adults and 25 per cent of children are overweight or obese." PhD student Karina Rune.
Leadership laid bare by former army boss John Cantwell
The Sunshine Coast's John Cantwell knows a thing or two about leadership, but that did not stop him confronting his own abilities when commanding Australian troops in the Middle East and at the Royal Military College in Duntroon. "Peter Leahy, the former chief of army and one of my mentors, used to say me 'find the biggest problem you have, go and stand next to it, and make it yours'," he said. "If you see a wasteful situation, if you see bias, then walk up to that problem and deal with it.
Delivering bundles of hope in Nairobi
Approximately one woman will die every hour in Kenya from childbirth related causes. Within that same hour, more than 10 babies will die. At the Fremo Maternity Centre in the Kawangware slum of Nairobi, one local Sunshine Coast resident is turning the statistics around. Midwife Vicki Chan splits her life between Australia and Africa where she helps train local residents how to deliver babies safely.
USC students tackle radio
Each day on ABC radio, the content you hear is generated by professional journalists, content makers and presenters. But for the first time, the ABC has teamed up with selected journalism students from the University of the Sunshine Coast who want to learn the ropes of radio. Over 12 weeks the students will be required to generate story ideas, do interviews, edit packages and host The USC Report ... live.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Rob
Contact Rob, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack