Dozens of students met legendary conservationist Jane Goodall at Sydney's Taronga Zoo today as part of her youth action group.

Goodall met with students from the Jane Goodall Institute's Roots and Shoots program, which runs in 70 countries as a way to get young people thinking about conservation solutions to modern-day environmental challenges.

Goodall was inspired to start the program in Tanzania in 1991, which was her home at the time, after a group of 12 local kids expressed their concern for the planet's future.

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"It was when there was a United Nations in New York and so I brought my Roots and Shoots groups from around the world and from there it just grew," Goodall said.

"Hope is really, really important, without hope we're doomed, we're literally doomed." 

Zavier, 12, said it was "a pleasure" to meet the conservationist.

"I got a mini-grant for her organisation roots and shoots and now I have my own YouTube channel and I'm lucky enough to meet her in person," he said.

Minister for Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Heritage Penny Sharpe said the zoo was "privileged' to have a "living legend" visit.

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Goodall developed a breakthrough approach to the conservation of the chimpanzee and made what's considered one of the greatest achievements of the 20th century when she discovered that chimps make and use tools like humans do.

She has dedicated her life to chimpanzee conservation, starting in the forest of Gombe in 1960. 

"I already felt that I belonged to this new forest world, that this was where I was meant to be," she said.

The mother of a woman who recently moved to Melbourne is in a critical condition in hospital after contracting a flesh-eating illness.

Carmel Rodrigo, 74, was visiting Australia for the first time from Sri Lanka when she became ill just six months into her trip.

She was visiting her daughter Gayathri Perera, who had relocated to Essendon with her husband and three young children last year.

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Rodrigo was rushed to hospital after she started deteriorating rapidly.

"She was really happy to be here, but suddenly she told me she felt like she had a fever," Perera told 9News.

"I gave her some Panadol and she was sleeping all day. About 10pm, she began howling with so much pain.

"I was helping her but nothing worked.

"I checked her hand in the morning and I took her to my GP.

"They said this was an emergency case and we took her to the hospital.

"She couldn't even walk."

Within hours at Sunshine Hospital, Perera was told doctors were doing everything they could to save her mother's life.

"They said it was an infection, and they had to take her to do an operation," she said.

"She was unconscious by then and she was fighting for her life. Doctors said to pray.

"I was praying and the doctors couldn't confirm what type of infection it was."

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Three days later, doctors discovered Rodrigo had contracted a flesh-eating disease called Buruli ulcer.

A record number of flesh-eating ulcer cases were recorded in Victoria last year.

About 363 Buruli ulcer cases were diagnosed across the state, the highest recorded since 2004.

The Buruli ulcer is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium ulcerans and destroys skin cells, small blood vessels and fat under the skin, leading to infection, ulcers and skin loss. 

"It's a nightmare and it's an unforeseen situation, I pray no one will ever get this sickness," Perera said.

Her mother remains in hospital and had her left hand amputated last week.

"She has terrible pain still," Perera said.

"For her comfort, we had to sedate her."

A fundraiser has been set up for the family to help with medical costs, estimated to be more than $200,000.

"We are going through a hard financial crisis at the moment, it's unbearable," she said.

"We have three kids and it's hard to balance everything."

The Sunshine Coast's iconic landmark, the Big Pineapple, will finally reopen to the public after a long restoration project forced its temporary closure.

The 16-metre tall replica has stood on the Bruce Highway near Nambour since 1971 and has attracted millions of visitors over the years, even including Princess Diana.

The heritage-listed attraction has been repaired and repainted and final preparations are under way ahead of its grand reopening on Tuesday.

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The final product will be revealed in stages.

Tuesday's stage one reopening will have the viewing deck, new cafe and train station open to the public.

The owners aren't yet sure whether the train will be running on time.

Works are still ongoing inside the pineapple so visitors won't be able to climb back to the top just yet. 

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The parfaits and ice cream sundaes are expected to return in stage three, which is set to be announced at a later date.

But tourists are already excited for the big reopening. 

"It looks really good," one said.

"Definitely come back and visit it," said another.

A search for an alleged hit-run driver is under way after a mother pushing a pram was struck by a car in Sydney's south-west.

Police were called to Claremont Street in Merrylands about 1.40pm today.

CCTV footage shows the moment the blue Mitizubishi turns into the street, striking the woman as she crosses the road.

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The car can then be seen driving away. 

The woman in her 40s was found injured on the side of the road before being taken to hospital in an ambulance with a broken leg.

The baby was found unharmed in the pram. 

Witnesses told police that the driver of the blue Mitsubishi failed to stop.

Local Mohammed Narrouzi was the first to assist the woman after she was hit.

"She was bleeding and (I) asked her what happened and she was barely speaking," Narrouzi said.

The woman, who is from Afghanistan, tried to describe the person behind the wheel to police, with Narrouzi acting as an interpreter. 

A woman has been charged with driving offences after a man died in Sydney's south this morning.

At about 3am today, emergency services were called to a unit complex on the Old Princes Highway, Engadine.

A 36-year-old man was found unresponsive.

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He died at the scene.

Neighbours told 9News they heard a woman screaming at about 3am.

A 33-year-old woman was arrested and taken to hospital for mandatory testing.

After she was released from hospital, the woman was taken to Sutherland Police Station where she was charged with multiple charges including dangerous driving occasioning death, driving under the influence, negligent driving occasioning death and being a learner not accompanied by a driver.

She was refused bail and will appear in Parramatta Local Court tomorrow. 

Anybody with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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A police officer has been seriously injured after a ute with a grandmother and her two grandchildren hit a police car from behind on the M1 motorway in Gold Coast's north.

The marked police car was stopped on the side of the motorway performing traffic duties when it was hit by a Mitsubishi Triton ute at Helensvale about 1.20pm today.

Police believe the ute hit the police car at 110km/h, which crushed the boot and trapped a 55-year-old senior sergeant inside.

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Emergency services had to cut him out of the car after he was unable to get out.

"The officer was stopped and unfortunately, for reasons we don't know yet, that utility has collided into the rear of the vehicle," Queensland Police Officer Mitch Gray said.

"He suffered some back, thoracic, and neck pain-type injuries.

"He's in good spirits considering the significance of the injury and we expect him to make a full recovery in time."

The grandmother, 54, and two young girls in the ute suffered minor injuries.

A one-year-old suffered a cut to her mouth and a nine-year-old had a cut on her thigh.

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"From what witnesses are telling us the vehicle slowly veered out from lane one and hit the vehicle, the police vehicle," Gray said.

"From what they're telling us initially, there was no dangerous operation of the vehicle occurring prior to the incident."

An off-duty police officer was driving past the scene in a Jeep and pulled into the slip lane to help shortly after the incident.

Due to the impact, the police car kept moving and hit the off-duty officer's Jeep in the slip lane in front.

"We suspect there's either a mechanical failure in the police car or the driver of the police car is actually unconscious at the time," Gray said.

Four patients – the police officer, grandmother and two girls – were transported to Gold Coast University Hospital in serious but stable conditions after the crash.

Motorists are advised to expect major delays as the four southbound lanes remain banked up as the forensic crash investigation team investigates.

The crash occurred near the theme parks along the motorway.

Two policemen were injured when boy racers threw bottles, bricks and rocks.

A man from Adelaide's north has been charged with the rape of a teenage girl.

Police were called to Ferryden Park after reports of a street fight about 6.30am.

It's understood the teenage girl was allegedly assaulted during the brawl.

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She was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

While there, police were alerted to the alleged rape of the same girl.

9News cameras were there as the 27-year-old was arrested several hours later.

He has been refused bail and will face court next week.

Police say they believe all of those involved are known to each other.

Banking hub hailed a success following trial.

Herbert Armitage was a JP and a keen bowler – he was laundering money on the side.