An alternative state high school in Mount Isa, Queensland, celebrates its first batch of graduates.

As the Winton Hotel in outback Queensland changes hands, an accommodation broker says the cost of housing in coastal areas is driving outback pub and hotel sales, as a place to live and do business. 

US-based Air T will become the new owner of Regional Express Holdings (Rex) after creditors voted in favour of a deal to keep the airline's regional operations in the air. 

Outback retailer Urban Rampage withdraws its appeal on a Centrepay credit ban issued by Australia's financial regulator.

Nick Dametto, a former Queensland MP, has won 61 per cent of the votes counted, succeeding in his campaign to become Townsville's next mayor. 

Flying ICU: A new LifeFlight helicopter has landed in the North West. The AW139 can fly further and faster than Mount Isa's previous aircraft, meaning crews can reach everywhere from Birdsville to Mornington Island. LifeFlight's chief of external affairs and advocacy Terry Kempnich says the aircraft is a "flying ICU", providing a service to the North West that has existed in Southeast Queensland for a while. In response, Richmond Mayor John Wharton is advocating for helipads to be built across more hospitals in the region. Mr Wharton helped spearhead the campaign for the the new AW 139 helicopter for the region which began operations last week.
 

Image supplied: LifeFlight
 

Reduction in heart disease awarded: North West Hospital and Health Service's collaborative work to reduce the prevalence of rheumatic heart disease in the town of Doomadgee by providing laundry services has won an award at this year's National Rural and Remote Health Awards. The initiative won Rural/Remote Multidisciplinary Health Collaboration of the Year for reducing rates of new onset heart disease in remote communities by 57 per cent. First Nations Health executive director Christine Mann says she hopes their work can be replicated across the country to eradicate preventable RHD.
 

Emergency cadets training: PCYC Cloncurry is working to launch an Emergency Services Cadet program in 2026 for young people aged 12 to 17. Sergeant Ben Dare says the program will see cadets parade once a week during the school term, and team up with services including Police, Fire, SES, RFDS, Mines Rescue and LifeFlight for real-life training each month. Mr Dare says the program would give young people insight into emergency services and develop future pathways.
 

More families seeking charity: An outback priest is reporting a higher number of people in the North West seeking charitable assistance throughout 2025. Father Mick Lowcock says the rate of Mount Isa residents and families reaching out for support from local Catholic services has significantly risen in the second half of the year. He is expecting a busy Christmas season for local charities. 
 

Museum to secure digital history: An outback historical group is aiming to use a national grant to help digitise its museum and archive collection. The Cloncurry and District Historical and Museum Society is one of four organisations in Queensland to received a more than $12,000 boost from the National Library, under its Community Heritage Grant Scheme. President Colin Randall says it will help preserve the history of the North West for generations to come and make the items available to a wider audience.