How to boost your home's value with smart updates

A New Zealand road trip sounds wonderfully simple: collect the keys, point the car towards a mountain or coastline, and decide where to stop along the way. The reality is usually less cinematic. Someone needs to find the accommodation, check the next fuel stop, share the route and work out whether the scenic detour is actually open. That does not mean the trip needs a rigid schedule. It means a little preparation can protect the freedom that makes a driving holiday appealing.

New figures show construction apprenticeships are bucking the national trend, with more Australians signing up for trade qualifications even as overall vocational education enrolments continue to fall. According to new data from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), overall qualification enrolments dropped by more than five per cent in 2025. However, construction-related courses were among the few bright spots, reflecting the industry's ongoing demand

Waiting until work settles down. Waiting until the children are older. Waiting until the mortgage is smaller. Waiting until the next holiday, the next promotion, the next chapter.

The fake tan routine is getting simpler, with more Australians opting for gradual tanning products that build colour over time instead of overnight.

For many Australians, a trip to the snow means one thing before the skis come out: a long road trip. With almost two million people heading to the snow in NSW, Victoria and Tasmania each year, alpine getaways are a major part of the Australian winter.

portswear giant Under Armour is hoping to change that with the Australian launch of its new Bouncy Tee, a crossover garment designed to deliver the comfort of a premium cotton T-shirt with the performance features of activewear.

Forget Sydney. Forget Melbourne. According to a year's worth of sales data, Australia's sexiest postcode is a fast-growing suburb west of Brisbane that most people would struggle to find on a map. Sexual wellness retailer Lovehoney has mapped its 2026 sales down to the postcode, and the results are a genuine upset. Not one capital city made the national top ten. Ripley, in Queensland's Ipswich region, took the crown, buying more products per capita than anywhere else in the

Burnout is becoming a workplace norm rather than an exception, with new research revealing more than half of Australian workers have taken sick leave because of mental exhaustion.

Australian jeweller Bevilles has tapped into the trend with the launch of a new Waterproof Collection featuring necklaces, earrings, bracelets and rings designed for everyday wear.

Female tradies have spent decades making do with workwear designed for men, but that's finally beginning to change.

There is always that moment before people come over where you look at the bench, the fridge and the clock, and wonder why you ever thought hosting was a relaxing idea. Between tidying the house, getting drinks sorted, making sure there is enough food and trying not to forget the ice, party prep can quickly turn into a lot. The good news is you do not have to make every single thing yourself for the food to feel generous and thoughtful. A few homemade bits, a couple of smart s