Latest news with #7NEWS
7NEWS
6 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Mernda and Hurstbridge lines not resuming until next week following Clifton Hill train derailment
Thousands of passengers in Melbourne's northeast will face lengthy delays on their daily commutes until at least next week as engineers work to repair damage caused during a train derailment. Both the Mernda and Hurstbridge lines, which service 110,000 people on a daily basis, will remain suspended until next Monday after a train came off the tracks at Clifton Hill on Sunday night. Metro Trains chief executive officer Raymond O'Flaherty said it was too early to say exactly what caused the train to derail. 'We're confident that we'll resume passenger services on Monday morning, next Monday,' he said. ''This network is safe, I stand by Metro's strong safety record over the last 15 years.' The impacted carriage was only lifted from the tracks on Tuesday. Passengers have been forced to use replacement buses resulting in delays of up to 45 minutes. 'I usually wait like seven minutes for the train, but now it's like a long wait in the cold, its terrible,' one passenger told 7NEWS. The derailment happened on what has been described as one of the tightest corners of the train network at Clifton Hill. Around 55 passengers were on board at the time and no injuries were reported. 'That part of the rail network was originally built in the 1880s and the alignment of the tracks has not really changed significantly since then so the infrastructure could well be a factor,' Daniel Bowen, member of the Public Transport Users Association, said. Hurstbridge Line passengers will need to use buses between Eltham and Parliament stations, while those on the Mernda Line will use buses between Reservoir and Parliament. 'We ask passengers to check station platform displays, listen for announcements, and allow extra time for their journey,' the Department of Transport and Planning said. Works that were already planned as part of Victoria's Big Build mean that buses will replace trains on the Hurstbridge Line between Heidelberg and Eltham until July 24. Over 100 major road and rail projects are being developed through the Big Build, including the Metro Tunnel.
7NEWS
7 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Infamous outback killer dies without leading police to burial site of murdered British backpacker
One of Australia's most famous killers has died in an Alice Springs hospital, losing his battle to terminal throat cancer. Bradley James Murdoch died in palliative care on Tuesday night while serving a life sentence for the roadside murder of British backpacker Peter Falconio in 2001. Back in 2001, Falconio, 28, and his girlfriend Joanne Lees were driving about 300km from Alice Springs, when they were flagged down by Murdoch, who claimed the car the couple was driving had mechanical issues Falconio and Murdoch went to the back of the car, when Lees heard a gun shot. Murdoch has protested that he was innocent in the shooting murder of Falconio, however was found guilty in 2005 and sentenced to 28 years or life without parole. Murdoch was also found guilty of attempted kidnapping of Falconio's girlfriend, Joanne Lees, whose head was covered, and her hands tied, shortly after she heard the gunshot, but managed to escape into the bush and hours later flag down a passing truck. Falconio was never seen again, and his body has never been found. Last month Northern Territory police doubled their reward to $500,000 for information that would help locate Falconio's remains. True crime author Robin Bowles revealed a conversation she had with the convicted killer a few years ago, where she claims Murdoch has something 'explosive' to tell on his deathbed. 'It's a shame they weren't able to be released earlier,' she told 7NEWS. 'You can't sue a dead man, so if he's making the claims, and he's died — the proverbial might hit the fan.' Police have not yet confirmed if Murdoch made any confessions before his death. Colleen Gwynne — known for her work in the arrest and conviction of Murdoch — said she wanted to see a resolution for the Falconio family 'who really have been through years of distress'. Gwynne said authorities had made many attempts to secure key information from Murdoch, and even 'enticed him' with the opportunity to move to his native Western Australia to serve out his sentence. 'That's still didn't change his willingness to assist us,' Gwynne told 7NEWS. The former chief investigator said it would not be in Murdoch's character to suddenly have a change of heart. 'I think for Bradley Murdoch, he's maintained his innocence. He's never said to anyone that he's guilty of this,' Gwynne said. 'I think for him, it's a part of his control that he will never disclose — he will take it with him. It's unfortunate for the family that's what he's chosen to do.' Despite various police searches in the last 20 years, Falconio's body has never been found. The NT introduced a 'no body no parole' law in 2016, preventing people convicted of murder from being able to qualify for parole unless they give up the location of the victim's body. Murdoch would have been eligible for parole in 2032.
7NEWS
18 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Teen girl fighting for life after horror crash at Burswood car meet
A 17-year-old girl is fighting for life after being struck by a car at a car meet on Monday night. The teen was trying to cross Camfield Drive in in Burswood, WA, just before 10pm, which was lined by spectators, when she was hit by a black Honda Civic sedan. Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today She suffered multiple broken bones and was rushed to Royal Perth Hospital in a critical condition. Mobile phone footage captured two cars speeding past spectators gathered outside the Crown complex. Police said the incident occurred as a pre-arranged car meet was dispersing. 'We'll be alleging excessive speed was involved, and other organisers have canceled similar meets or events later this week,' Police Commissioner Col Blanch said. The meet was part of a regular event known as Mondaymeets, which draws large crowds of car enthusiasts each week. Blanch said police were present earlier in the evening and had impounded a vehicle just before the crash. 'I think what we will do as a result is crank down even more and make sure that the behaviour of these organised car meets ... what we don't support is reckless and dangerous behavior that results in these tragedies,' he said. The 25-year-old male driver of the Honda was not injured and is assisting police with their investigation.
7NEWS
a day ago
- General
- 7NEWS
Couple winched from Queensland mountain after rescuers spend nine hours trying to reach them on the ground
A couple has been winched to safety after spending a freezing night lost on Mount Cougal in Queensland 's Springbrook National Park. Experienced hikers Steve Lye and his partner, Shez, had set out for a scenic trek in the Currumbin Valley, in the state's southeast, but lost their way on the descent. Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today The couple, aged in their 50s, found themselves in dense bushland with light fading fast and temperatures dropping to near zero. 'We could see the stars, it was a clear night,' Steve told 7NEWS. 'But it was freezing. Lucky I had someone to cuddle.' They managed to get a phone signal to call for help about 6pm but rescuers could not reach them. Ground crews 'hiked for around nine hours looking for us, and they did find us but because the terrain was so difficult to get through, they had to backtrack,' Steve explained. Then 'a cliff would get in their way, so they had to backtrack again'. Police and State Emergency Service officers were in communication with the pair overnight before their location was pinpointed about 8am on Monday. The Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter was then called in. 'The first challenge was finding them, the next was finding a gap in that canopy to winch them out,' Brenden Scoffell from Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ) said. 'Compared to our usual bread and butter which is out in the surf, it's very challenging. 'It was a very good outcome.' SLSQ said: 'Despite their phone battery going flat and being found in largely inhospitable terrain with minimal visibility below the tree canopies, the pair were winched to safety and dropped off near their vehicle.' The couple was assessed by Queensland Police and found to be in 'reasonable health and spirits'. Steve and Shez suffered a few minor cuts and abrasions but were otherwise in good health and were flown straight back to their own car without seeking further medical treatment. 'They put their lives at risk, so a massive thank you,' Steve said to 7NEWS of the rescue teams.
7NEWS
a day ago
- Entertainment
- 7NEWS
The Wiggles launch Backseat Brainiacs to combat children screen time on road trips
Road trips with children can be tough at the best of times, with parents usually resorting to screen time to occupy restless kids on the road. However, Australian parents have revealed their children now spend a staggering amount of their time on tablets and smartphones, prompting children's music group The Wiggles to push for change. 'We live in a digital world,' mum and red Wiggle, Caterina Mete, told 7NEWS. 'So children need to be familiar with that, but it shouldn't be everything.' Mete said she didn't know what to anticipate when it came to navigating screen time as a new mum after giving birth to her twin girls, Dolly and Gigi, in 2024. 'I didn't know what to expect,' she said. 'I know it can help a lot for parents to have a screen. 'Especially if they need to have a shower. I know that helps me. 'But I think also just making sure that you monitor it, and it's a healthy amount, and it is not overdone because children love to play.' Most Australian children spend more time on screens than is recommended, according to the Australian Institute of Family Studies. Estimates from primary research suggest only 17–23 per cent of preschoolers and 15 per cent of five-to-12-year-olds meet screen-time guidelines. In an attempt to curb the screen time trend, The Wiggles has partnered with car rental company Thrifty to launch Backseat Brainiacs, a screen-free car game aimed at reducing the amount of screen time for kids on road trips. 'There's a staggering amount of screen time used in cars, and it's nice if we can just get away from that a little bit and just look at the beauty of nature,' Mete said. '(Backseat Brainiacs) makes car rides more engaging for the children in an interactive and fun family way. 'Children have got the best imaginations. They come up with such wonderful things, and being able to do that in a car ride is pretty special, I think.' The Wiggles activity pack includes memory card matching games, a road trip scavenger hunt, and the listen-along Backseat Brainiacs audio quiz read out by The Wiggles. 'There's a scavenger hunt where children can tick off things they've seen on the car ride,' Mete said. 'It might be, you know, a kangaroo, and they can tick that off, and it keeps them looking out the window and looking at the Australian landscape and beautiful of always relying on screens.' Mete said her favourite road trip game as a kid was 'I spy'. 'It's still a great game for children. You know, it's a game that will last forever.' Damien Shaw, Vice President at Thrifty Asia Pacific, said they wanted to create something that turns the car ride into a shared experience for the whole family. 'As a parent, I know how tough it can be to keep children engaged on long drives,' he said. 'With Backseat Brainiacs, we wanted to offer something that goes beyond the usual screens and snacks.' Backseat Brainiacs and the accompanying The Wiggles travel packs will be available from July 14 at participating Thrifty Car Rental locations across Australia and New Zealand Non-Thrifty customers can head to or to download and print off the road trip scavenger hunt or access a link to the Backseat Brainiacs audio quiz.
