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Brooke Chandler
Wollongong, NSW
Brooke Chandler is a reporter for ABC Illawarra, based in Wollongong. Born and bred in the Central West hub of Dubbo, Brooke has a tenacious passion for regional communities and their stories. She joined the ABC in 2023 as a recent journalism graduate from Charles Sturt University in Bathurst.
Latest by Brooke Chandler
Trainee surf life saving teenagers on boogie boards save six people in flash rip on beach
George Griffin, 12, said he and his friends were "pretty scared" at first, but used their surf life saving training to save two teenage girls, and a mother and her three children, from the waves on Saturday — the second rescue by teens at Kiama within days.
School principal says remote learning Mondays will help senior students
Chevalier College's "contemporary learning delivery" allows year 10 to 12 students to study from home one day a week, with a letter to parents saying the Southern Highlands Catholic school engaged solicitors to ensure the effective implementation of the plan.
Young political voices heard as teenage mayors are elected to their local council
In a NSW first, a Young Mayors program saw 1,400 high-schoolers vote in the first-ever underage preferential vote in the state. The result: these youthful visionaries now have the ear of Wollongong City Council.
Australian teen's CPR knowledge saves fellow student's life during US exchange program
An Australian teenager on a scholarship in Winston-Salem keeps a student who collapsed on a basketball court alive, resuscitating him three times in row until medical help arrives.
Music festivals 'too busy' to address sexual violence, says survivor-advocate amid legislative bid
Sarah Williams successfully campaigned to make drink spiking and sexual violence prevention training mandatory for bar and security staff. Now, she is urging changes to the NSW Festivals Act.
Human remains discovered in Wollongong bushland near motorcycle club sent for testing
NSW Police say a search of dense bushland in an area of the Illawarra escarpment has now concluded and the remains are undergoing forensic testing.
Cyclist left with a fractured pelvis says driver showed 'lack of basic humanity'
South Coast cyclist Geoff Besnard says it is difficult to comprehend how the driver of a car that bumped him off his bike could speed off without stopping to check how badly he was hurt.
An offshore wind farm could change this 'pristine' coastline, but some residents say the jobs are worth it
Plans to establish an offshore wind zone along the NSW south coast divide residents, with some claiming it will destroy the outlook while others believe it will create clean jobs for future generations.
Push for more dump sites to help homeless people forced to collect 'wees and poos in buckets'
The lack of dump spots in Wollongong is forcing mobile home owners to either travel to waste facilities or empty in unauthroised places.
Weekend home renovation turns up a surprise as owner hits buried mortar shell in backyard
A new home owner got the fright of his life after he unearthed a 30-centimetre-long mortar from his backyard. Emergency services, including the Australian Defence Force, blocked off the street to investigate.
The men's shed that's 'perfect for women too young to play bingo'
As the Australian men's shed movement celebrates its 30th anniversary, a community in the New South Wales Southern Highlands is showing how the model can bring the benefits of social connection and carpentry to both sexes.
Environment watchdog to take mine giant to court for polluting national park
A mine on the edge of Royal National Park, Metropolitan Colliery, is facing up to $5 million in legal charges in relation to the spill of coal wastewater last year. The New South Wales Environmental Protection Agency alleges the company failed to meet industry standards.
Police officer injured as allegedly stolen vehicle crashes into four cars during pursuit
A police officer is taken to hospital after an allegedly stolen car crashes into several cars in Wollongong. Officers allege the driver was involved in other police pursuits over the past three days.
This driver safety program is designed to shock students — and teachers say that's necessary
Peter Bilea has gone from struggling to talk about being called to a fatal crash that involved one of his students to drawing on the experience when teaching teen drivers the stark reality of road safety.
Scientists fear for Royal National Park platypus after Peabody mine water contamination
A landslip at the edge of Sydney's Royal National Park has sent thick, black sediment into nearby waterways, which scientists hope will not hurt platypuses re-homed earlier this year.
'Wonnie' a repeat offender as rescuers collect familiar koala from southern Sydney home
Wildlife rescuers who arrived to collect a koala from a Woronora Heights home quickly realised it was a marsupial they had released twice before, leading to fears the animals have been struggling to find appropriate shelter amid increasing development.
Belinda watched her brother, father and grandfather leave to go rock fishing. They never returned
More than 50 years after a family tragedy, Belinda Ingram is speaking out about the need for more safety measures in rock fishing, as lives continue to be lost.
Neurodivergent people are 'often misunderstood'. This group created by a 22yo is changing lives
After struggling to make friends, Thomas Walters Whyte made the life-changing decision to create a social group for people with autism spectrum disorder.
Thermographer sets up the OPI camera for a mine site screening
Certified Thermographer, Théophile Humann-Guilleminot, explains the capabilities of the optical gas imaging camera as he sets it up for a screening of Appin Colliery.
Duration: 46 seconds
Environmentalists on the hunt for 'fugitive' methane emissions by Australian mining companies
A European environmental group hopes to reveal fossil fuel companies that are underestimating their emissions, by screening for methane leaks at line sites across the country.
Tears as dad accused of fatally running over neighbours granted bail
A 27-year-old Nowra man has been banned from driving as part of his bail conditions after he was accused of running over two men while under the influence of alcohol.
Hammered by COVID, volunteering is bouncing back in fascinating new ways
Australians are increasingly bypassing volunteering at established organisations such as charities or sporting groups and opting for more flexible arrangements, a survey finds.
'Demolition by neglect': Council set to sell 19th century property to make way for housing development
There are fears for a unique slice of Illawarra heritage, which inspired the name of Wollongong's newest suburb, Stream Hill, after council voted to sell the deteriorating property.
Doubt over bid to repatriate Australia's first soldier to die fighting overseas
A move to bring back the remains of Private Robert Weir, who died fighting in Sudan in 1885, is facing uncertainty and the soldier's great-nephew has given up hope of bringing his ancestor home.