Unusually warm winter temperatures in southeast Australia have left slopes looking bare in ski resorts at the beginning of August.

Selwyn Snow Resort in New South Wales had insufficient snow to open any ski lifts yesterday, while just a thin strip of snow in Mt Baw Baw in Victoria allowed for two ski lifts to open there.

Australia as a whole has just experienced its 9th warmest July dating back to 1910, with the alpine regions of Tasmania, NSW, and Victoria among the country's warmest spots, according to Weatherzone.

READ MORE: Powerball jackpot hits $100 million tonight

"Hotham and Perisher were around two-to-three degrees warmer than usual by day and night," Weatherzone's Bob Neil said.

"While that might not sound like much, it makes all the difference to snowfalls, or lack thereof, as well as to retention of the existing snowpack."

The average minimum temperature at Perisher ski resort in New South Wales in July was -2 degrees, while the long-term average minimum is 5 degrees.

Three days into August, the weather is also looking like it will be warmer than average.

Temperatures reached 8 degrees on Tuesday and 8.2 degrees at Perisher yesterday.

The average maximum temperature at the ski resort is 3.3 degrees.

READ MORE: Cyclist fighting for life after collision with motorbike

Fortunately, ski resorts with higher elevation, such as Guthega, are receiving enough snowfall for snow sports.

"While the cover is thin for this time of year, conditions are still reasonable enough," Neil said.

Neil has said rain forecast for Friday could further impact the amount of snow at ski fields.

Sign up hereto receive our daily newsletters and breaking news alerts, sent straight to your inbox.

Exclusive: When a post from a farmer selling free-range eggs popped up in her local Facebook group, it seemed like perfect timing for Brisbane mum Hanna Mouhetta.

Having given birth to her daughter just days earlier, and juggling the demands of a newborn, the promise of delicious fresh farm eggs delivered straight to her door at an eye-catching price seemed like a godsend.

"I thought, 'Okay, great. I don't need to get out … that saves me some time,'" Mouhetta said.

READ MORE: Farmers fight giant green energy masts carving up their land

The Facebook post from an account going by the name Esther Williams said her farm had "too many" chicken, duck and goose eggs, and so it was "sale time" for anyone who wanted to get in quickly.

Williams claimed she was selling a dozen chicken eggs for $4.50, perhaps a couple of dollars cheaper than supermarkets.

A handful of wholesome photos made the post pop: a flock of chickens walking around in green grass, and beautiful brown eggs stacked in bowls and cartons.

A couple of feel-good emojis were added for good measure.

"If interested just pm (private message) me to make your order," Williams wrote.

It's not uncommon for local farmers around the outskirts of Brisbane to post in the group selling their produce, Mouhetta said, "and I normally I try to support the local businesses".

So she pinged off a direct message, hoping to snap up two dozen eggs.

She got a speedy response from the supposed farmer, who upsold Mouhetta into purchasing the last three dozen of her stock.

PayPal details were exchanged and Williams instructed Mouhetta to make the payment using the "sending to a friend" option – in hindsight, a red flag.

But battling "a little bit of a baby brain", which clouded her judgement, Mouhetta didn't give it much thought, so she obliged and transferred $13.50.

And with that, Williams vanished, along with her money.

"The next day I messaged the person and I didn't hear back," Mouhetta said.

Further attempts drew a blank.

She logged back into her Facebook group, a kind of virtual town square for residents in suburbs west of Brisbane, but Williams' egg post had disappeared.

Are you affected? Do you know more? Email Sign up here to receive our daily newsletters and breaking news alerts, sent straight to your inbox.

The jackpot has not been struck since the third-largest win in New Zealand history.

As a UK passport holder, Keen-Minshull doesn’t need a visa in advance of travel to NZ.

The woman’s wrist was cut to the bone during the attack.

‘I always think that Mum and Dad would be proud.’

An Uber driver has been taken to hospital after being viciously assaulted with hammers in the early hours of this morning in Brisbane.

Jason King, 51, has spent the day at the Brisbane Royal Women's and Children's Hospital undergoing surgery after he sustained head injuries.

King arrived at Robertson Park in Taringa just after 3.20am to pick up a passenger who had requested a booking. 

READ MORE: Mazda recalls almost 200,000 cars, Aussies urged to check their models

Police said the passenger jumped into his car and began assaulting him before two other men armed with hammers jumped in and joined the alleged attack, leaving him with head injuries.

Officers said the three fled in his white 2020 Toyota Camry.

Police found the car in Logan and took a 17-year-old boy into custody.

Officers are still searching for two other people.

An Uber spokesperson said in a statement the company strongly condemns any criminal or violent activity against driver partners.

"We have reached out to the driver partner to offer our support and have been in direct contact with the Queensland Police to assist with their investigation," the spokesperson said.

"We have also immediately removed the rider's access to the Uber app.

"We are deeply committed to the safety of driver-partners on the Uber app, and have a number of guidelines and features in place with the goal of keeping drivers safe."

Sign up here to receive our daily newsletters and breaking news alerts, sent straight to your inbox.

With just a day to go until tomorrow's $100 million Powerball Lotto is drawn, heartwarming recordings of previous winners' reactions have emerged.

In one particular recording, a woman can be heard screaming as the incredible news that she'd won a million dollars was broken to her.

"One million, girls – we've won," the woman yells to her friends, who had seemingly all chipped in on the ticket.

READ MORE: The simple acts that can save you $756

READ MORE: Remorseless mother smirks after given life sentences for killing children

"That's $100,000 each."

In another recording, a man speaks through tears as he's told he's won $53.3 million.

"I can't believe it, I just can't believe it," he said in an audibly croaky voice.

"Shit, oh my god, I never thought I'd get this phone call."

Clips of stunned Aussies being told they've won big bucks can be listened to in the media player above.

Tomorrow's prize is the equal-biggest jackpot offered by an Aussie lottery game so far this year – with roughly half of all adults in the country expected to try their luck.

READ MORE: New video of 'human bear' waving emerges

Anna Hobdell, The Lott spokesperson, said that when the life-changing call is made, winners are often overcome with emotion and at a loss for words.

"A major lottery win often brings heartfelt tears of joy, gasps of disbelief or even stunned silence," she said.

"We're often a witness to some of the most unforgettable moments in people's lives."

Sign up here to receive our daily newsletters and breaking news alerts, sent straight to your inbox.

There are many different ways to get help and information about gambling.

Call the National Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858; use online counselling; find information about help services in your state or territory; get information and support for family and friends; get information about how to talk with someone about their gambling; or contact Gamblers Anonymous.

All services are free, confidential and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns has sacked Skills Minister Tim Crakanthorp over a "serious breach of conduct" involving his family land holdings.

Minns held a snap press conference this afternoon to announce Crakanthorp would be stood down from cabinet after the minister failed to supply information about "substantial" private family land in the Hunter region.

Minns said Crakanthorp didn't reveal these holdings until recently in a breach of the ministerial code of conduct.

READ MORE: New video of 'human bear' waving emerges as expert weighs in with verdict

Crakanthorp, the Member for Newcastle, was the minister for the Hunter and held the cabinet position of minister for skills, TAFE and tertiary education.

He was elected in 2014.

"I formed the view that Minister Crakanthorp failed to comply with his obligations as a minister, he failed to do it properly (by) providing potential conflicts of interest to the NSW Cabinet Office and through them, to me as the premier of NSW," Minns said.

"Minister Crakanthorp will not be a minister in my government."

Minns said Crakanthorp's property holdings were disclosed to the government but properties owned by his wife and in-laws were not.

He added the "size and scale" of the property holdings should have been disclosed to the government and there were obviously "more than a couple" of properties.

https://omny.fm/shows/the-drive-program/nsw-minister-resigns-after-serious-ministerial-mis/embed?style=cover

The government was made aware of the property holdings earlier this week and it became clear a breach of the ministerial code had occurred when Crakanthorp detailed all the commercial real estate held by his family.

Minns said it doesn't "really matter" what Crakanthorp's rationale for not declaring the property holdings was, he should have revealed it to the cabinet.

The premier said he has referred the information to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), the anti-corruption watchdog.

"I have referred concerns that I have that he may have acted in matters that have rendered a material benefit to him or his family as a result of the decision he made over the past three months," Minns added.

READ MORE: Remorseless mother smirks after given five life sentences for killing children

Crakanthorp later released a statement confirming he had "self-reported a breach of the Ministerial Code of Conduct to Premier Chris Minns and resigned as a Minister in the NSW Government".

"I will continue as the Member for Newcastle," he said.

"I will not be making further comment at this time."

In the interim, Deputy Premier Prue Car will take on the skills portfolio while Police Minister Yasmin Catley will take on the Hunter portfolio.

Liberal leader Mark Speakman told 2GB's Chris O'Keefe the public should be told about what the commercial holdings are that have caused the conflict of interest and what potential decisions were impacted.

https://omny.fm/shows/the-drive-program/nsw-opposition-leader-calls-for-more-labor-ministe/embed?style=cover

"I welcome the decisive action to sack the minister and refer to Independent Commission Against Corruption," he said on the Nine radio station.

"It is in the public interest to tell us what the decisions are that were potentially impacted and whether they're being revisited."

Sign up here to receive our daily newsletters and breaking news alerts, sent straight to your inbox.

Luxon won’t be worrying about his polling but he might worry about Winston Peters.