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$15 Kmart hack that'll transform your kitchen

<p>Who doesn't love a cheap hack? </p> <p>For the past few months shoppers have been obsessed with a $15 bathroom item from Kmart, but not for its intended use. </p> <p>Shoppers have used the retailer’s 3 Tier Floor Caddy, which was originally designed to organise toiletries and save floor space, as a coffee station that's not only practical, but looks nice as well. </p> <p>One shopper took it to the next level, by using the $31 Flexi Storage Decorative Shelving from Bunnings and attaching it to two of the Kmart floor caddies to display plants alongside the DIY coffee station. </p> <p>She initially bought the shelves to install on her kitchen wall, but after finding out they weren't sturdy enough, it has been sitting in her home, until she saw the Kmart caddy hack. </p> <p>“I bought these floating shelves from Bunnings but after reading the reviews I found that people had said they are not great! And I was too lazy to take them back,” she wrote.</p> <p>“Then I saw this Kmart hack with the shower caddies and I’m very happy with the result.”</p> <p>Shoppers were impressed with the finished results, praising the "incredible" idea. </p> <p> “This looks excellent. Like you, we have a small kitchen with very limited shelving. You’ve inspired me to do the same,” one wrote. </p> <p>“Awesome, looks amazing,” another added, while a third commented, “That’s so clever, thanks for sharing”.</p> <p>However a few others didn't get the hype, with one saying: “I don’t get coffee stations. Not saying it’s bad. Just think it creates more clutter." </p> <p><em>Image: Facebook/ Kmart</em></p> <p> </p>

Home & Garden

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Mysterious leg pain that’s quietly killing older Australians

<p>Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) has long been overshadowed by its more widely recognised counterparts, such as heart attacks and strokes. Often referred to as the “poor cousin” or “Cinderella” of cardiovascular diseases, PAD affects one in five older Australians, yet it remains largely under-diagnosed and misunderstood. However, a wave of optimism is sweeping through the medical community with the launch of <a href="https://www.hri.org.au/our-research/centreforpad" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Centre for Peripheral Artery Disease</a>, an Australian-first facility dedicated to pioneering research and improving patient outcomes.</p> <p>Spearheaded by the Heart Research Institute, the Centre for Peripheral Artery Disease, marks a significant step forward in addressing the challenges posed by PAD. The centre aims to fill critical gaps in our understanding of the disease, which is responsible for a limb amputation in Australia every two hours. This initiative promises to enhance diagnosis, transform patient care, and raise awareness about PAD.</p> <p>Associate Professor Mary Kavurma, the Centre Lead, is at the forefront of this ground-breaking effort. “We’re supercharging research into PAD because there are still many unknowns about the disease’s biology that could unlock new methods for early detection and better management,” she explains. This research is particularly urgent given the prevalence of PAD among women and First Nations Australians, groups that remain disproportionately affected by this condition.</p> <p>The centre’s mission is to develop a simple blood test for early diagnosis and explore novel therapies that could reduce the need for limb amputations and significantly improve patients’ quality of life. Unlike current treatments that primarily focus on symptom management, this new approach seeks to prevent the disease from progressing.</p> <p>One of the most inspiring aspects of the centre is its commitment to involving patients and their families in the research process. At the inaugural consumer meeting, nearly 20 patients and their carers shared their personal experiences with PAD. </p> <p>Take the story of Simon Josephson, a renowned advertising guru – who famously designed the Solo logo. PAD almost cost him his life after taking more than five years to diagnose.</p> <p>He woke up one morning with a sore leg, thinking he’d overdone it exercising but the 73-year-old – who was otherwise healthy and active – unknowingly had Peripheral Artery Disease, caused by a build-up of plaque in his arteries causing them to narrow and stiffen.</p> <p>It wasn’t until a trip to the hospital emergency department years later that doctors would discover his aorta had expanded to more than twice the usual size and was at risk of rupturing. He immediately underwent open heart surgery and has faced a lengthy recovery.</p> <p>The launch of <a href="https://www.hri.org.au/our-research/centreforpad" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Centre for Peripheral Artery Disease</a> heralds a new era of hope and progress in the fight against PAD. Through world-leading research, community engagement, and a commitment to patient-centred care, the CPAD is poised to make a profound impact on the lives of many Australians. As Assoc Prof Kavurma aptly put it, “By understanding more about this debilitating condition, we are paving the way for better health outcomes and a brighter future for all those affected by PAD.”</p> <p><em>Images: CPAD</em></p>

Caring

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Woolworths under fire for dropping Australia Day merch

<p>Woolworths has come under fire for their decision to stop selling Australia Day merchandise, as the January 26th public holiday continues to be a controversial topic. </p> <p>The supermarket giant shared that the reason for pulling Aussie decorations off the shelves was due to the “gradual decline” in demand for the merchandise over the years and “broader discussion” about the January 26th date and “what it means” to different parts of the community.</p> <p>“While Australian flags are sold within BIG W all year round, we don’t have any additional themed merchandise available to purchase in-store in our Supermarkets or BIG W ahead of Australia Day,” a spokesperson said.</p> <p>“We know many people like to use this day as a time to get together and we offer a huge variety of products to help customers mark the day as they choose.”</p> <p>Woolworths confirmed on Wednesday that no additional Australia Day-themed merch would be sold in its supermarkets or Big W stores for this year’s public holiday, with patriots around the country quickly hitting back. </p> <p>Leading the backlash was shadow treasurer Angus Taylor, with the right-wing politician saying the decision was "disappointing", adding he didn’t “understand what it is with this constant desire to divide us”.</p> <div id="indie-campaign-DifJheZrCrms7j4pmefw-0" data-campaign-name="NCA FINANCE Cashed Up Newsletter OneClick SignUp" data-campaign-indie="newsletter-signup" data-jira="TSN-268" data-from="1645448400000" data-to="1711803600000"></div> <p>“Australians are proud of their country for the most part and proud of our identity, and they want to see us as a united nation,” he told Channel Nine. </p> <p>He said corporations like Woolworths “need to get on with it”.</p> <p>Mr Taylor was backed up by the shadow minister for education Senator Sarah Henderson, who said the decision was “not good enough”. </p> <p>“If gouging customers on fruit and vegetable prices is not enough, Woolworths is now withdrawing from sale Australia Day merchandise,” she posted on X. </p> <p>“Australia Day is a day for celebrating our freedoms, our values, and our unique Australian way of life.”</p> <p>Despite the outrage, other major shops decided to follow in Woolworths' lead, with Kmart also deciding not to sell any merchandise for January 26th for the second year in a row. </p> <p>Coles have shared they will still be stocking a "small range" of Australia-themed products for those who wish to celebrate the public holiday. </p> <p>The decision to scrap the merch comes after the "Change The Date" movement has gained more traction over the years, with many arguing that Australia Day should be celebrated on a different day. </p> <p>January 26th celebrated the arrival of Captain Cook and the First Fleet into Sydney in 1788: a date which holds a lot of anguish for Indigenous Australians. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Shutterstock</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Kmart and Target join forces to create mega discount stores

<p dir="ltr">Two of Australia’s favourite retail giants are about to get better in a huge merger creating a $10 billion discount giant.</p> <p dir="ltr">Wesfarmers is set to fold Target into Kmart with hopes that it will improve sales, provide better value for customers, and allow both stores to share backend technology.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ian Bailey the Managing Director of Kmart Group has said that there will be “no impact” to stores, and that the move was an "internal reorganisation".</p> <p dir="ltr">"With customers now demanding value more than ever, this new operating model will unlock a new level of scale and productivity across both brands, so we can deliver even greater value to our customers in the future," he said in a statement.</p> <p dir="ltr">"For store networks and 50,000 store team members – it's business as usual – as we continue to focus on providing the best value products to the thousands of customers in Australia and New Zealand who choose to shop at Kmart or Target every day."</p> <p dir="ltr">The move comes as the cost of living crisis is forcing more and more Aussies to be mindful of their spending habits.</p> <p dir="ltr">In a statement to the <em>The Australian Financial Review</em>, Bailey said that there would likely be “a handful of redundancies" but more jobs overall by next year.</p> <p dir="ltr">He added that one of the benefits of tighter integration and better technology is the ease in which the prices of products can be reduced.</p> <p dir="ltr">He said that the price drop on 1000 Kmart products this month was assisted by merchandise planning tools and a self-navigating inventory scanning robot.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Kmart and Target are both strong businesses. I don't see us doing this from a position of weakness. It's quite the opposite,” he told the publication.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I'd say we're strong, but I think there's an opportunity to really capitalise on this time and find ways to continue to deliver better value for customers."</p> <p dir="ltr">"What we found was that running two businesses it was very, very difficult to get the tech into Target, and to get those benefits. This is really why we decided to push the two businesses into one."</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Painting by four-legged Van Gogh sells for five figures

<p dir="ltr">A very good boy named Van Gogh has raised a hefty sum of money for a good cause. </p> <p dir="ltr">The one-eared four-legged artist has used his extraordinary talents to create his own rendition of his namesake’s masterpiece <em>Starry Night</em>. </p> <p dir="ltr">At an online benefit auction for the <a href="https://www.happilyfureverafter.org/">Happily Furever After Rescue</a> in Connecticut, USA, pet food company Pedigree paid $10,000 for the artwork. </p> <p dir="ltr">The rescue home was the one that found Van Gogh his new forever home, after sharing his artistic talents online. </p> <p dir="ltr">All the proceeds of Van Gogh the dog’s auction will benefit the rescue efforts of Happily Furever After, which specialises in rehoming dogs like pit bulls, who can sometimes have a hard time finding homes.</p> <p dir="ltr">The paintings in the current auction, titled “<em>Van Gogh Reimagined</em>,” are all based on compositions by the original Van Gogh.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, unlike a painting by the Dutch master, the dog’s art starts the bidding at just $25 a piece.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Having Van Gogh create some of history’s most famous paintings felt like big shoes to fill,” founder Jaclyn Gartner told <a href="https://news.artnet.com/market/van-gogh-rescue-dog-charity-auction-2264707">Artnet News</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr">“There was a lot more attention to detail this time around to make sure to incorporate all the colours and try to recreate the pieces as closely as possible.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Since finding his new home, Van Gogh has created more than 150 new works of art. </p> <p dir="ltr">To make each masterpiece, a person applies blobs of colours of paint to a canvas placed inside a plastic bag. </p> <p dir="ltr">The talented dog then completes the artwork by licking off a coating of peanut butter or other dog-friendly treats from the outside of the bag, making the artwork inside. </p> <p dir="ltr">“The most exciting part about Van Gogh painting is never really knowing what it’s going to come out to look like as it depends on how his tongue slides across the peanut butter coated bag,” Gartner said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Since we did the art gallery in October, Van Gogh has explored more tasty toppings,” she added. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We have begun incorporating other things like ground up liverwurst, pumpkin puree, and goat whip. Painting has become an even more delicious hobby for Van Gogh!“</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Happily Furever After Rescue</em></p>

Art

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“Very questionable”: Kmart mocked after customer's "ridiculous" delivery

<p>A woman has taken to Facebook to mock Kmart over her recent delivery.</p> <p>The shopper shared on Facebook she had ordered a 20mm combination padlock from Kmart and was caught by surprise when it was delivered to her home on February 13. </p> <p>The woman had received a large cardboard box, and when she opened it, it was filled to the brim with plastic wrap to protect the item. However, once she dug out the plastic, she saw a small padlock at the bottom of the unnecessarily large box.</p> <p>“My delivery arrived today,” the woman said on Facebook.</p> <p>Other Kmart fans were shocked by the large box for such a small item, with many users deeming it “ridiculous.”</p> <p>“Omg! Seriously,” a user commented.</p> <p>"Ridiculous honestly yet a pair of jeans get scrunched up into a bag for delivery," another added.</p> <p>"It's absolutely rubbish that they waste like that," a third chimed in.</p> <p>Another comment read, ”How ironic ... how easy is it to break this lock that it needs to be so protected when shipped? Would you need it if it is so fragile? Very questionable Kmart ... What a waste,”</p> <p>Many other users joined in on the teasing, claiming they also received small items delivered in unnecessarily large boxes. </p> <p>"This happened to us recently with a car air freshener," one shopper said.</p> <p>"Yeah they keep sending me one item in a stupidly big box. I’d be much more appreciative of multiple items jammed into a big box to stop wastage or happy to wait for all items to be ready together," another claimed.</p> <p>"I thought my three bowls packed like this was bad!" another commented.</p> <p>Back in May 2021, another Kmart shopper complained that she received a small book in a “huge box.”</p> <p>Although some said it was “terrible”, other users claimed the size of the box shouldn’t matter because it’s recyclable. </p> <p>A Kmart spokesperson told Yahoo Lifestyle that the complaints have been forwarded to Kmart’s online team, and they will reassess how they manage and replenish packaging materials. </p> <p>"Regrettably, in this instance, it appears the team member who has packed this order did not have available or use the most appropriately sized packaging components," the spokesperson said.</p> <p>"While our team are trained and aim to minimise packaging use and waste, it is likely that they did not have access to appropriately sized packaging options so used what was available in an effort to pack and dispatch this order as quickly as possible."</p> <p>Image credit: Facebook</p>

Food & Wine

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New Zealand police farewell four-legged hero

<p dir="ltr">A beloved member of the New Zealand Police Force has been farewelled, after Dunedin police dog Gill died from cancer.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 10-year-old was the oldest police dog working in Dunedin’s police dog section when he passed away.</p> <p dir="ltr">Senior Constable Tim Roy, who fostered Gill as a pup, worked with the German Shepherd for most of his operational years, according to a <a href="https://www.police.govt.nz/news/ten-one-magazine/farewell-dunedins-oldest-police-dog" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He’s been an amazing dog right up until the end," Roy said. </p> <p dir="ltr">"Gill was everything I could have asked for and more as a handler. He was big, strong, fearless, super driven, loved to work and known for his deafening excited howl when being deployed.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Gill was more than an outstanding police dog. His goofy personality, playfulness and loyalty were what made him extra special.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Sergeant Mike Calvert, head of the Dunedin Dog Section, described the canine as a strong all-round police dog with numerous successful tracks and catches.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He also thrived as an AOS-qualified dog, and as recently as last month was taking part in AOS callouts and training days,” Calvert said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Old age hadn’t slowed him up and he kept his place on AOS leaving Tim’s younger dog Leo, aged 3, to pick up the active running around for general patrol dog work.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Senior Constable Reuben Whalley, who worked with Gill in Christchurch, described him as “a lovely dog” who could switch off from work and enjoy family life at home.</p> <p dir="ltr">Gill, who’s policing career began back in 2013, has done more than catch criminals and find people, having fathered a litter of puppies in 2016 and featured on the 2017 and 2023 Police Dog Trust Calendars.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Gill just loved to please his handler, whether responding to jobs or taking part in the softer side of community policing, including community events and Christmas parades,"  Calvert said. </p> <p dir="ltr">"It’s a shame he didn’t get to enjoy retirement."</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-a6f9b7b8-7fff-a2e8-4e1c-63e8051fb298"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: New Zealand Police</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Clever Bunnings and Kmart scams to be wary of

<p dir="ltr">Aussies have once again become targets to scammers offering them a job at Bunnings or Kmart that pays extremely well. </p> <p dir="ltr">Scammers are taking to Facebook targetting desperate job seekers asking for their personal details via WhatsApp. </p> <p dir="ltr">The ad is offering $48 and $75 for part-time or full-time work and attempts to appeal to those who have no experience, same day pay, and the opportunity to complete training on the phone.</p> <p dir="ltr">Bunnings confirmed that they are aware of the scam and are working on taking it down, advising job seekers to be wary.</p> <p dir="ltr">“One of the latest scams is a Facebook post asking for your personal details via WhatsApp to apply for a job with us,’ the retailer said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Another one is an email with an offer to win a Bunnings gift card if you click a link. We place a lot of time and effort into recruiting our amazing team, and we’re in no way associated with this activity.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We also don’t ask for personal information or banking details in unsolicited communications.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Kmart also confirmed they are aware of the scam and are warning customers to not fall for it, instead to apply on the website.</p> <p dir="ltr">The ACCC’s Scamwatch explained that the ads are some of the easiest ways for scammers to steal money. </p> <p dir="ltr">“If you provide your bank account details, the scammer may use them to steal your money or commit other fraudulent activities,” their website reads.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Be suspicious of unsolicited ‘work from home’ opportunities or job offers, particularly those that offer a ‘guaranteed income’ or require you to pay an upfront fee.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Facebook</em></p>

Legal

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"Dear leg, I'll miss you so much": Boy's tragic farewell

<p>A young boy has left a heartbreaking message on his leg after learning that it had to be amputated due to a rare cancer.</p> <p>Chandler Tran, 8, from Australia, and his family first discovered the illness when they found a “pea-sized” bump on his leg and noticed he was walking with a limp when he returned from holiday care around Easter time.</p> <p>Seeking an X-ray at the local hospital, he was then taken to a children’s hospital in Sydney and was given the devastating diagnosis of osteosarcoma, which is a rare bone cancer.</p> <p>The following months comprised of chemotherapy treatment. Doctors then wanted to amputate his leg to alleviate the pain, but the amputation will not cure him.</p> <p>Chandler’s dad Cong Tan, 42, recalled the moment. He said: “Can you take a photo of my leg on my tablet?”</p> <p>“He drew a little love heart over his leg and wrote a little message.”</p> <p>“He wrote: ‘Dear leg, I’ll miss you so much when you’re gone, love Chandler.’</p> <p>“He was sad about the prospect of losing his leg, but he was like, ‘If that’s what I need to do to not have pain, then that’s okay.’</p> <p>“For us seeing him coping so well, that really helped us.”</p> <p>Days after recovering from that operation, his family were told the tumours in Chandler’s lungs had grown and the doctors couldn’t do anything more to save his life.</p> <p>“They said any treatment would just be palliative, to try and slow the cancer down,” his mother Trang said.</p> <p>The family has set up a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/jwxjw-support-the-trans" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page to help cover eventual funeral costs but also to fund any LEGO that Chandler wants.</p> <p>“The sickness is coming on and we are at the point where we can’t treat it and so it is about keeping him happy,” Mr Tran said.</p> <p>“We appreciate everyone who has donated and is helping us give Chandler whatever his heart desires to make the last bit as enjoyable as possible.”</p> <p><em>Image: GoFundMe</em></p>

Body

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Aussie mum's thrifty Kmart renovation hack

<p>Home décor on a budget has become the latest phenomenon this past year, with creative women showing off their inspiring rooms that look a lot more expensive than they actually are.</p> <p>The most recent is a mother who has stunned thousands after completely transforming her home for less than $20,000.</p> <p>Stay-at-home mum Rebecca Townsend proudly shares photos of her creations through her Instagram account and says that except for the fireplace and air conditioning system, everything else is the result of her and her husband’s hard work.</p> <p>She managed to find affordable duplicates of designer pieces in order to create a “slice of heaven” on a budget.</p> <p>“With help from family and a lot of hard work, we’ve managed to not have one trade come through the house, we’re pretty proud of that,” she told the <em><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-6251367/Mother-transforms-home-using-Kmart-versions-designer-decor.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail</a>.</em></p> <p>“We repurposed and recycled things to save on costs so we can splash out on big ticket items such as the mirror splash back and heater.”</p> <p>The kitchen was torn down, including the surrounding four walls, only a few days after they moved into their new home.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BblAO_EjBSR/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BblAO_EjBSR/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Rebecca Townsend (@champagne_dreaming_on_budget)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Certain clock designs can put shoppers back hundreds of dollars, but thanks to Ms Townsend's savvy skills, she managed to find a replica for $19, which features a wooden backing to give a more rustic appearance.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bl9Bh_7nLbQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bl9Bh_7nLbQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Early morning cuddles in bed with Mr.2 ..and every.single.teddy he owns 🤦‍♀️ I’ve got a corner of the mattress, but I wouldn’t have it any other way 🤷‍♀️✨🌟 Enjoy your day instafam 😚 . . . Tap for sources🌟✨ . . . #earlymorninghangs #styling #loungeroominspo #howihome #myfabhome #mydomaine #apartmenttherapy #homeinspo #interior123 #plantmom #planteriordesign #plantsofinstagram #itsajungleinhere #crazyplantlady #rustic #interiormilk #styleitdark #industrialdesign #mybohotribe #chickswithplants #myhomevibe #boholocs #bohemian #thehecticeclectic #kmartstyling #styleonadime #showmeyourstyled #hyggehome #actualinstagramhomes #cornerofmyhome</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" href="https://www.instagram.com/champagne_dreaming_on_budget/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Rebecca Townsend</a> (@champagne_dreaming_on_budget) on Aug 1, 2018 at 3:44pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>To further cut down on costs, Ms Townsend purchased many items second-hand, which resulted in huge savings.</p> <p>In the past, the mother-of-one shared her and her husband’s work after they decorated their bathroom using items from Kmart, ALDI and eBay, totalling to $800.</p> <p>“You don’t need to spend a lot these days to get the designer look, you just need to be savvy, wait for the specials and shop around,” she said.</p> <p>“The bathroom is the only room we didn’t rip apart the moment we moved in, we just cleverly designed it on a budget with items mostly from Kmart to make it more designer.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn2gJjiHpMS/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn2gJjiHpMS/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">YES, I’m back! Well, I’m back ..yes, I’m BACK IN BLACK!!! . . . Black is the new black guysss and I’m all over it like a bee on a flower 🐝 (there’s a spring reference for you there 😉) . . . The bathroom is the only room in the house we didn’t completely gut the moment we walked in the door from getting the keys, we’ve just cleverly decorated it to make it ✨POP✨on a very tight budget of $800! This completely decked the room out from top to bottom including swapping all the hardware out for the more modern black look, you just need to be savvy and look for the bargains (don’t be afraid to be stingy 😜) and get your hands dirty with some #diy the money you save on the little things allows you to splash out on the bigger ticket items! . . . ✨I’ll go into more detail in my stories 🙏 ✨ . . . #diystories #blackonblack #backinblack #bathroomdecor #bathroom #bathroominspo #bathroomremodel #luxuryinteriorsonabudget #cornerofmyhome #newinteriorsontheblock #actualinstagramhomes #apartmenttherapy #interior123 #interior_design #designsponge #interiormilk #howihome #homeinspo #industrialdesign #kmartstyling #kmartaus #styleitdark #styleonadime #deliciousdarkdecor #interiorboom #myhomevibe #myhometrend #dailydecordetail #livefabulousandfearless</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" href="https://www.instagram.com/champagne_dreaming_on_budget/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Rebecca Townsend</a> (@champagne_dreaming_on_budget) on Sep 17, 2018 at 8:00pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Ms Townsend hopes that her décor-on-a-budget will help inspire other people to step out of their comfort zone.</p> <p>Her and her husband worked together on this home project during the time their baby was on home oxygen and was in and out of hospital.</p> <p>“After our son was born at 23 weeks gestation and spent 125 days in hospital, we bought this house when he was only seven months old and on home oxygen, but it didn’t deter us from creating a wonderful home for him to grow up and into,” she said.</p> <p>“Whatever challenges you may face, don’t put renovating off if it will provide you with happiness, if we can do it on a budget through all our ups and downs, you can too.”</p>

Home Hints & Tips

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Happy ending for four-legged wedding crasher

<p dir="ltr">When a couple’s special day was interrupted by a stray dog, not only did he steal the show, but he stole their hearts too.</p> <p dir="ltr">Tamíris Muzini and Douglas Robert were preparing for their wedding ceremony at a church in the city of Vila Velha, on Brazil’s southeastern coast, when a stray dog joined the 150 invited guests in attending, as reported by the <em><a href="https://nypost.com/2022/08/08/a-stray-dog-who-was-adopted-after-crashing-a-wedding/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NY Post</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Before the ceremony started [the dog] entered the church and went straight upstairs, where he met the groom and guests,” Muzini told the outlet.</p> <p dir="ltr">After that he returned downstairs, where he lay outside the door until Muzini arrived.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-7d746523-7fff-6404-d090-05ab5f9440cf"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“He stayed there, just waiting for me to enter,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/08/wedding-dog2.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>A stray dog that gatecrashed Tamíris Muzini and Douglas Robert’s wedding has since become a member of their family. Image: @caramelodejesus (Instagram)</em></p> <p dir="ltr">As the crowd turned to watch her come down the aisle, they were greeted by the sight of the stray doing the same.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Everyone was delighted with him because he is very cute and was super comfortable there,” Muzini added.</p> <p dir="ltr">The sweet pooch watched as Muzini and Robert exchanged vows, then ran up to them as they left the church, jumping up to pose for photos with them.</p> <p dir="ltr">“When he greeted us at the end, he asked, “Take me home. Take me,’” she told <em>TheDodo.com</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Having stolen the couple’s hearts, they made him a part of their family - and quickly came up with a name for him.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Everyone started calling him Caramelo, and that was it,” Muzini told the <em>Post</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">With a first name fitting his golden coat, Muzini and Robert decided his full name would be Caramelo de Jesus “because, without a doubt, he was sent to us by God”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was surreal and inexplicable,: Muzini said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-17adbbe6-7fff-b856-570e-204081cc5611"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“He marked an important day in our history. He was part of our big moment and he enchanted us with his charisma.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/08/wedding-dog1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Caramelo even posed for photos with the newly-wed couple. Image: @caramelodejesus (Instagram)</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Ever since, Caramelo has become an inseparable part of the newlywed’s family - even earning himself his own social media profile where the family’s adventures are shared.</p> <p dir="ltr">“In the one month we’ve shared, we have had several adventures with him,” Muzini said. “Each day is a different surprise.</p> <p dir="ltr">“One day he pees in the kitchen, another day he climbs on top of cars, then he steals grandma’s bread and runs away with it.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But every day, he is sad when we go out to work. He welcomes us home with jumps, hugs and kisses when we return.”</p> <p dir="ltr">With all his antics, Muzini said Caramelo is preparing her for motherhood.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Undoubtedly, Caramelo is a beautiful training for a not-too-distant future with a human son,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He’s like a naughty child, but he is also very docile and super loving. He fills us with so much love all the time.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-8a9377bf-7fff-0ff6-a040-3f35b2f02e01"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @caramelodejesus (Instagram)</em></p>

Family & Pets

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"They used to be better": Nostalgic Kmart pic sparks huge debate

<p dir="ltr">A teenage history buff has sent Aussie shoppers on a trip down memory lane after sharing a throwback photo of a Kmart store in 1995.</p> <p dir="ltr">Jimmy Borg, a prolific contributor to the Facebook group Old Shops of Australia, downloaded the image from an annual report in the Coles Myer national archives as part of personal research he was undertaking.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m passionate about history and seeing how things were in the past,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">The image shows the entrance of a Kmart store, with a caption underneath revealing that three new stores had opened across Australia at the time.</p> <p dir="ltr">“New stores opened in Indooroopilly (Queensland), Parramatta (New South Wales) and Chadstone (Victoria), together with an additional 15 refurbished stores,” the caption reads.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-4f7cbbc9-7fff-c875-28fb-46fc22ad2a2c"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">The 19-year-old shared the photo to the group earlier this week, describing it as “the Kmart we all remember, the Kmart we’ll never see again”.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/07/kmart127.png" alt="" width="671" height="682" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Jimmy Borg sparked a debate about the controversial layout of Kmart stores when he shared a throwback photo of a Kmart in days gone by. Image: Facebook</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Speaking to <em><a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/kmart-customers-rage-over-modern-checkouts-after-spotting-detail-in-27-year-old-photo-001746584.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yahoo News</a></em>, Borg said he wasn’t a fan of the “new format” at Kmart stores, including the location of registers in the middle of the store, and preferred the Kmart layout pictured in the historical image.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This was the Kmart I grew up with and the one I remember where you could buy garden plants and parts for my bikes and scooters,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I remember the cool Kmart where you could buy consoles, DVDs, CDs, TVs before they changed.”</p> <p dir="ltr">He isn’t alone in his frustrations either, adding that many people who saw his post had “strong” nostalgia for Kmart as it was.</p> <p dir="ltr">Many shoppers shared their particular dislike of the new placement of checkouts, with some noting it made for some uncomfortable interactions with staff.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I still can not get over the ridiculous centre store payment hub... baffles me every time I shop there! What genius thought of that?” one person wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“People pay, get their things and themselves organised to leave and are then stopped by security for proof of purchase,” another said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I've never been back since they started this and their discrimination!"</p> <p dir="ltr">The image also prompted some to reminisce on the things they loved about previous iterations of Kmart, with one man recalling how its gardening section was filled with people on a Saturday morning and others pointing out surprising products that used to be sold there, including guns and cigarettes.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Back in the 1970s they had everything including a restaurant," one person shared.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I loved the cafeteria in our local Kmart, kids loved it in school holidays as we went often for lunch, good times that will never be seen again, so sad,"another added.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-a94dd9e0-7fff-18bd-2320-c339d750bd4b"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Bunnings and Kmart investigated for use of potentially "unethical" tech

<p dir="ltr">Some of Australia’s biggest retailers are being investigated for potentially invading customer privacy with facial recognition technology. </p> <p dir="ltr">Kmart, Bunnings and The Good Guys have been found to be using facial recognition technology on unsuspecting customers.</p> <p dir="ltr">CHOICE has referred the retailers to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) to investigate potential breaches of the Privacy Act.</p> <p dir="ltr">Facial recognition analyses images from video cameras to capture each person’s unique facial features, known as a faceprint. </p> <p dir="ltr">“The use of facial recognition by Kmart, Bunnings and The Good Guys is a completely inappropriate and unnecessary use of the technology,” CHOICE consumer data advocate Kate Bower said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“To make matters worse, we found 76% of Australians aren’t aware that retailers are capturing their unique facial features in this way.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Bower slammed the use of the technology which she said is unethical and affects consumer’s trust. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Using facial recognition technology in this way is similar to Kmart, Bunnings or The Good Guys collecting your fingerprints or DNA every time you shop,” she went on. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Businesses using invasive technologies to capture their customers’ sensitive biometric information is unethical and is a sure way to erode consumer trust.”</p> <p dir="ltr">After conducting a survey, CHOICE found that four in five respondents agreed that retailers must inform consumers about the use of facial recognition.</p> <p dir="ltr">Four in five people had concerns about how the biometric data was stored, and three in four respondents were concerned that retailers would use the data to create customer profiles for marketing or profit purposes. </p> <p dir="ltr">“CHOICE observed that Kmart and Bunnings display small signs at the entrance of stores where the technology is in use. However, discreet signage and online privacy policies are not nearly enough to adequately inform shoppers that this controversial technology is in use,” Ms Bower said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“The technology is capturing highly personal data from customers, including infants and children.</p> <p dir="ltr">“CHOICE is concerned that Australian businesses are using facial recognition technology on consumers before Australians have had their say on its use in our community. </p> <p dir="ltr">“With the government currently undergoing a review of the Privacy Act, now is the perfect time to strengthen measures around the capture and use of consumer data, including biometric data.” </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Shutterstock/Twitter</em></p>

Technology

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Scam alert: Kmart customers targeted in bargain hunting Facebook groups

<p>Kmart customers have been warned about a new scam circulating in bargain hunting Facebook groups.</p> <p>They have been warned to watch for advertisements offering Nintendo Switches for $2.95.</p> <p>The fake Facebook post has been circulating in parents' groups online and has already fooled a number of Aussies into handing their card details over.</p> <p>The post includes a photograph showing a doctored Kmart price tag displaying that the gaming device has been reduced from $379.86 to $2.95.</p> <p>It also claims that the lower price point is due to a contract dispute between Kmart and Nintendo.</p> <p>Not only is this is factually incorrect, but it is one of the first signs something is obviously fake, as it is too-good-to-be-true.</p> <p>“Kmart broke its contract with Nintendo and is giving away a Nintendo Switch game console to every Australian for $2.95,” the caption on the scam post reads.</p> <p>One shopper claimed her friend had lost $700 after falling for the scam, as the fraudsters took her bank details and withdrew money.</p> <p>“BEWARE. Another scam page going around, also there is a Dyson one,” she said.</p> <p>“Do not fall for it. Friend did and has lost around $700. They just keep taking from your bank. Can't stop it unless you email them and threaten with lawyers.”</p> <p>“Unfortunately I was one of those people who thought it was real,” another woman said.</p> <p>Some believe the advertisement is so fake it's the consumers fault that they fell for it in the first place.</p> <p>“Phishing messages are designed to look genuine, and often copy the format used by the organisation the scammer is pretending to represent, including their branding and logo,” ACCC's Scamwatch website said.</p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Nurse who lost both legs to Russian landmine gets married in hospital

<p>The first dance is a big moment for any bride and groom, but it was even more special for Oksana and Victor.</p> <p>Oksana lost both her legs on a Russian landmine in March, in their home town of Lysychansk, located in the Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine region of Luhansk.</p> <p>The explosion didn't injure Victor, although they were together at the time, but the bride lost both of her legs as well as four fingers on her left hand.</p> <p>Oksana underwent four surgeries and was later evacuated to Dnipro to recover and prepare for prosthetics, and eventually to Lviv, in the west near the Polish border.</p> <p>As she waited for the next part of the healing process, the couple, who have two children together, took the opportunity to wed in a Lviv hospital last week.</p> <p>“Life should not be postponed until later, decided Oksana and Victor, who in six years together never found time for marriage," Lviv Medical Association said, sharing video of the couple's special moment.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">❤️🇺🇦 Very special lovestory.<br />A nurse from Lysychansk, who has lost both legs on a russian mine, got married in Lviv. On March 27, Victor and Oksana were coming back home, when a russian mine exploded. The man was not injured, but Oksana's both legs were torn off by the explosion. <a href="https://t.co/X1AQNwKwyu">pic.twitter.com/X1AQNwKwyu</a></p> <p>— Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine - Ukrainian Parliament (@ua_parliament) <a href="https://twitter.com/ua_parliament/status/1521194382682202113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p>The footage was also shared by Ukraine's Parliament, which wished the couple well in their new life together. The sweet dance shows the groom carrying his new wife in his arms as she buries her head in her husband's neck.</p> <p>The couple are said to have wed at a local registry office before the hospital reception took place. Oksana is set to travel to Germany for further treatment.</p> <p><em>Image: Twitter </em></p>

Relationships

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Urgent health warning after child loses leg

<p>An athlete who caught chickenpox as a little boy resulted in him nearly dying. He entered cardiac arrest, lost 70% of his hearing and had to have his right leg amputated. As a warning to others, Brendan Hall has now issued an urgent warning about the virus and its devastating effects.</p> <p>Australian health authorities recently revealed chickenpox is still running rampant through the community despite Covid restrictions drastically reducing other common viruses such as the flu.</p> <p>Paralympic swimmer Brenden Hall, aged 28, caught chickenpox from his brother in 1999. His sibling got through chickenpox unscathed, but Hall suffered immensely from the common ailment, with his parents fearing the worst as he went into cardiac arrest for 27 minutes.</p> <p>Hall described the moment he woke up in hospital to find out he'd lost his leg from a condition that gives many young people only mild symptoms.</p> <p>'I wasn't aware my leg was going to be amputated until I came back around a few weeks after it happened.</p> <p>'I was in severe pain and constant screaming, I can't remember a lot from at the time but my parents made the best decision they could,' Hall told Daily Mail Australia.</p> <p>Chickenpox is one of a number of infectious diseases such as measles, mumps and shingles that doctors remain concerned about.</p> <p>It was recently revealed that last year there were more than 10,000 cases of the varicella-zoster virus, which causes chickenpox, in Queensland alone.</p> <p>Hall now has a 10-week-old child of his own and wants other parents to know that it is vital to keep up routine immunisations and safety precautions for common childhood diseases whether they be measles, mumps or chicken pox.</p> <p>'I'd like to be in the group that puts themselves out there to spread the word, to remind people of a serious danger that, for a lot of people, slips under the radar,' he said.</p>

Caring

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Random act of Kmart kindness found by teenager

<p>A Queensland teenager has shared a heartwarming story of how she found a hidden gift while shopping for Kmart candles.</p> <p>The girl's mum Katherine shared a picture to a Kmart decor Facebook page that showed a $20 note with a note attached that reads, "If you found this, it's yours."</p> <p>"Keep it as a reminder of your abundance! Money is energy and there's an infinite supply available."</p> <p>Katherine added in the post, "Whomever you are who shared your wealth to people, may God bless you and your family."</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/KMART-MONEY-NOTE.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p> <p>Kmart customers and social media users quickly noticed that the thoughtful gesture came from influencer Isabelle Grace, who shared a photo of her hiding the notes and cash on her Instagram story. </p> <p>The young mum told <a href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/the-unbelievable-story-behind-one-kmart-shoppers-20-cash-find-in-local-queensland-store-c-5701605" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a> that she had placed the four $20 bills around the store with the intention of making someone's day a little brighter. </p> <p>"I did four, I wanted to do five and take out $100. But I needed $20 notes, so ended up getting out $80 so I could do four different notes," she said.</p> <p>"And I went around and hid them in different spots around Kmart and I kind of felt a little bit like a weirdo for some reason, but it was actually lots of fun."</p> <p>Katherine said her teenage daughter will keep the cash and "pay it forward" to pass on the kind gesture.</p> <p>The post on Facebook has racked up thousands of likes, with many commenting about the selfless act from the influencer. </p> <p>"I love random acts of kindness, the domino effect of it is truly so amazing and humbling," one person wrote.</p> <p>"That's a lovely gesture. Hope you found your abundance, I feel it doesn't have to always be money," another added.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook - Kmart Home Decor &amp; Hacks / Instagram @Isabellegrace</em></p>

Family & Pets

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1 millipede, 1,306 legs: we just discovered the world’s leggiest animal hiding in Western Australia

<p>Millipedes were the first land animals, and today we know of more than 13,000 species. There are likely thousands more species of the many-legged invertebrates awaiting discovery and formal scientific description.</p> <p>The name “millipede” comes from the Latin for “thousand feet”, but until now no known species had more than 750 legs. However, my colleagues and I recently found <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-02447-0">a new champion</a>.</p> <p>The eyeless, subterranean <em>Eumillipes persephone</em>, discovered 60 metres underground near the south coast of Western Australia, has up to 1,306 legs, making it the first “true millipede” and the leggiest animal on Earth.</p> <h2>Finding life underground</h2> <p>In Australia, most species in some groups of invertebrates are still undescribed. Many could even become extinct before we know about them.</p> <p>Part of the reason is that life is everywhere, even where we least expect it. You could be excused for thinking remote areas of Western Australia such as the Pilbara and the Goldfields, where the land is arid and harsh, are not home to too many species.</p> <p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437949/original/file-20211216-15-11fkzif.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /> <span class="caption">The arid landscapes of Western Australia harbour a surprising diversity of life.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></p> <p>But the reality is very different. An enormously diverse array of poorly known animals live underground, inhabiting cavities and fractures in the rock several metres below the surface.</p> <p>One way to find out about these creatures is to place “troglofauna traps” far below the surface. <em>E. persephone</em> was found in one of these traps, which had spent two months 60m underground in a mining exploration bore in the Goldfields.</p> <h2>A lucky discovery</h2> <p>At the time I was working for a company called Bennelongia Environmental Consultants, which had been hired by the mining company to survey the animals in the area. I was lucky enough to be in the laboratory on the day the leggiest animal on Earth was first seen.</p> <p>Our senior taxonomist, Jane McRae, showed me these incredibly elongated millipedes, less than a millimetre wide and almost 10 centimetres long. She pointed out how their triangular faces placed them in the family Siphonotidae, comprised of sucking millipedes from the order Polyzoniida.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437938/original/file-20211216-21-3yvudt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437938/original/file-20211216-21-3yvudt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">A female <em>Eumillipes persephone</em> with 330 segments and 1,306 legs.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Paul E. Marek, Bruno A. Buzatto, William A. Shear, Jackson C. Means, Dennis G. Black, Mark S. Harvey, Juanita Rodriguez, Scientific Reports</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></p> <p>Their long, thin and pale bodies, with hundreds of legs, reminded me of a paper I had read years earlier, which redescribed the leggiest millipede in the world, the Californian <em>Illacme plenipes</em>, bearing 750 legs. Back in 2007, while teaching zoology at Campinas State University in Brazil, I used that paper to explain to students how no millipede species in the world really had 1,000 legs.</p> <p>Often, popular names are scientifically inaccurate, but in front of me I had an animal that stood a chance of finally making the name millipede biologically correct.</p> <h2>A true millipede at last</h2> <p>I suggested to Jane that our new specimens might be more consistent with <em>I. plenipes</em>, which belongs to another order of millipedes, the Siphonophorida. We consulted Mark Harvey from the WA Museum, and together were surprised to realise Siphonophorida are very rare in Australia: there are only three known species, all found on the east coast.</p> <p>Next, I contacted Paul Marek at Virginia Tech in the United States, a millipede expert and lead author of that paper about the 750-legged <em>I. plenipes</em>. He was excited to receive the specimens a few weeks later.</p> <p>This new species turned out to have up to 1,306 legs, making it the first true millipede. Paul named it <em>Eumillipes persephone</em>, in reference to its “true 1,000 legs” nature, and to Persephone, the goddess of the underworld in Greek mythology who was taken from the surface by Hades.</p> <h2>Why so many legs?</h2> <p><em>E. persephone</em> was most likely driven to its underground life as the landscape above became hotter and drier over millions of years. We eventually discovered Jane was right about the nature of <em>E. persephone</em>: it is in fact a member of the Siphonotidae family, only distantly related to <em>I. plenipes</em>, and is therefore the only species in the whole order Polyzoniida with no eyes.</p> <p>We classify any millipede with more than 180 body segments as “super-elongated”. <em>E. persephone</em> has 330.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437943/original/file-20211216-15-zklige.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437943/original/file-20211216-15-zklige.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">Just a few of the legs of a male <em>Eumillipes persephone</em>.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Paul E. Marek, Bruno A. Buzatto, William A. Shear, Jackson C. Means, Dennis G. Black, Mark S. Harvey, Juanita Rodriguez, Scientific Reports</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></p> <p>With a genetic analysis, we found that super-elongation has evolved repeatedly in millipedes, and it might be an adaptation to living underground.</p> <p>The large number of legs likely provides enhanced traction and power to push their bodies through small gaps and fractures in the soil. But this is just a hypothesis at this stage, and we have no direct evidence that having more legs is an adaptation to subterranean life.</p> <h2>Finding the unknown</h2> <p>Finding this incredible species, which represents a unique branch of the millipede tree of life, is a small first step towards the conservation of subterranean biodiversity in arid landscapes.</p> <p>This starts with documenting new species, assessing their vulnerability, and ultimately devising conservation priorities and management plans.</p> <p>A large proportion of the species of arid Australia are undescribed. For subterranean fauna, this may be more than 90%. Not knowing these animals exist makes it impossible to assess their conservation status.</p> <p>Biodiversity surveys, and especially the taxonomy that supports them, are incredibly important. Taxonomists such as Jane, Paul and Mark are the unsung heroes of conservation.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/173753/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/bruno-alves-buzatto-185830">Bruno Alves Buzatto</a>, Principal Biologist at Bennelongia Environmental Consultants, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</a></em></span></p> <p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/1-millipede-1-306-legs-we-just-discovered-the-worlds-leggiest-animal-hiding-in-western-australia-173753">original article</a>.</p>

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