The Christmas retail season is finally here, with one day of last-minute shopping before the big day.

Depending on where you want to pick up your goods over the next few days though, you might be out of luck.

Here is who is and who isn't open on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's. 

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Westfield

Westfield shopping centres will be closed on Christmas Day.

For the rest of the holiday period, they will be mostly open with varying trading hours.

Christmas Eve (December 24)

Most Westfield centres will be open until 5pm or 6pm the night before Christmas.

Christmas Day (December 25)

All stores will be closed.

Boxing Day (December 26)

Across the Public Holidays, stores will reopen, with some open until 9pm.

New Year's Eve (December 31)

Opening hours vary by store, customers are being encouraged to check the Westfield website for trading hours.

New Year's Day (January 1)

Westfield centres will open with reduced public holiday hours in all states, except South Australia, where they will be closed.

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Coles

All Coles stores will be shut on Christmas Day and open on other days, with specific hours varying by store. Coles stores will be open on Christmas Eve.

Here is the state and territory breakdown for Coles:

Christmas Eve (December 24)

All Coles stores will be open on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Day (December 25)

All Coles stores will be closed in all states and territories on Christmas Day.

Boxing Day (December 26)

All Coles stores except some in South Australia will be open.

In South Australia, all metropolitan stores are closed, and all regional stores are open from 8pm to 8am.

New Year's Day (January 1)

All Coles stores will be open in all states and territories except for SA.

In South Australia, all metropolitan stores are closed, and all regional stores will be open.

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Woolworths

Christmas Eve (December 24)

All Woolworths stores will be open on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Day (December 25)

All Woolworths stores will be closed in all states and territories on Christmas Day.

Boxing Day (December 26)

All stores in New South Wales, Canberra, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, and Tasmania will be open.

Some stores in South Australia and the Northern Territory will not be open.

Customers are being told to check the Woolworths website for local trading hours.

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New Year's Eve (December 31)

All Woolworths stores will be open on New Year's Eve.

New Year's Day (January 1)

All stores in New South Wales, Canberra, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, except Northam, and Tasmania will be open.

Some stores in South Australia and the Northern Territory will not be open.

Customers are being encouraged to check the Woolworths website for local trading hours.

Target

You can search for your local Target's trading hours over the holidays here.

All stores are closed on Christmas Day.

Kmart

You can search for your local Kmart's trading hours over the holidays here.

All stores are closed on Christmas Day.

Bunnings Warehouse

Bunnings trading hours will vary across the country, with some extending and restricting trade in the days leading up to the Christmas period. 

Christmas Eve (December 24)

All Bunnings stores will be open on Christmas Eve, however, trading hours will vary. 

Christmas Day (December 25)

All Bunnings stores will be closed on Christmas Day.

Boxing Day (December 26)

Trading hours at Bunnings warehouses and small format stores will vary between Boxing Day and Friday, 2 January.

Bunnings Trade Centres and Frame and Truss facilities across the country will be closed from Thursday, 25 December, until Monday, 5 January.

Customers are being urged to check the Bunnings website for local trading hours.

Big W

Big W stores will only be closed on Christmas Day across all states and territories over the Christmas and New Year period.

Customers are encouraged to check the Big W website to check the opening hours of stores. 

BWS and Dan Murphy's

Bottle shops under these brands will be open as normal on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Day (December 25)

Almost every store will be closed, except for some stores in Victoria and Tasmania.

Boxing Day (December 26)

BWS and Dan Murphy's will reopen on Boxing Day.

New Year's Eve (December 31)

Dan Murphy's will be open until 9pm nationwide, and BWS will be open under normal hours.

New Year's Day (January 1)

All stores will be open under slightly reduced hours.

Aldi

Aldi will be closed on Christmas Day across all states and territories.

Store hours will vary on Christmas Eve, Boxing Day and New Year's Day, so customers are being told to check their website for local trading hours.

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Christmas couldn't come fast enough for the Australian bicycle industry, which has been buffeted by a post-pandemic slump.

Bike sales ballooned during the COVID-19 health emergency, with cycling one of the activities permitted during lockdowns.

Research by industry analysts IBISWorld shows bikes were then flying off the racks as Australians embraced the activity, spurring a jump in profits from 2020 to 2022.

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Stock levels across Australia were soon strained and as the virus led to lockdowns and factory shutdowns in the key manufacturing hubs of China and Taiwan, they became exhausted.

But then the brakes came on as the global economy kickstarted post-pandemic, with cost-of-living pressures making new bicycle purchases a low priority for households.

One bright spot has been continuing high demand for parts, accessories and repair services.

Bicycle Industries Australia chief executive Peter Bourke said retailers, manufacturers and importers were counting on the festive season this year.

"Christmas and the summer months have traditionally been our strongest periods … the wrapped bicycle under the Christmas tree is still a popular present," he said.

Traditional bike shops continue to hold advantages over online retailers, including expert fittings, personalised advice and a skilled repair service, but they face a shifting market. 

One example, highlighted by the IBISWorld research released in 2025, was Pedal Group's 99 Bikes chain of stores across Australia.

The company expanded rapidly, increasing its number of physical stores to boost its market share.

But since the close of the pandemic, slumping demand caused the company to deal with oversupply issues, hampering its expansion.

And Australian cycle companies are not alone in facing a post-COVID sales slump.

Remember Peloton? The sports company turned out millions of exercise bikes and treadmills fitted with smart technology, fuelled by demand from fitness enthusiasts who were confined to home.

Sales boomed during lockdowns, but Peloton's fortunes began to fade as vaccinations increased, gyms reopened and rivals offered competitive products.

Once the darling of the US stock market during COVID, by February 2022, its share price had collapsed and a painful company restructure followed, including shedding 2800 workers.

The rising popularity of e-bikes is also another challenge to sales of conventional, or analogue, bicycles.

The technology is expanding the market by appealing to a wider range of consumers than conventional, or analogue, bikes, requiring less pedalling and easier hill-climbing.

Many bike shops are now stocking e-bikes, but they've been competing with sales from private individuals and online suppliers, often spruiking powerful and illegally altered machines.

Australian import regulations controls on e-bikes were relaxed in 2021, leading to a flood of such e-bikes capable of travelling at more than 50km/h.

But in December 2025, after a spate of deaths and serious injuries of e-bike riders, federal and state authorities agreed to reinstate a key import standard to define legal e-bikes.

This would include the motor cutting out at a maximum assisted speed of 25km/h. 

Looking ahead, the hope is a safer and better-regulated market will create a level playing field for established bike dealers.

Bourke says the industry is adapting to the heady changes, but the traditional local bicycle store selling everything, from children's bikes with trainer wheels, to mountain bikes, commuter machines and racing cycles is probably on its way out.

"The general type of range will gradually fade away … what you will see is shops becoming more specified in what bikes they sell," he said.

A woman has survived being bitten multiple times by an eastern brown snake that became trapped in the heel loop of her shoe.

Snake catcher Cory Kerewaro from Reptile Relocation Sydney told 9news.com.au the woman was geocaching in a garden bed in Narellan, in Sydney's south-west, on Saturday afternoon when she felt something on her leg.

The woman jumped out of the garden and onto the road, shaking her leg vigorously before realising it was a snake.

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"The minute she realised it was a snake, she stayed still," Kerewaro said.

"It went to move off, it went around the back of her shoe, put itself in that loop, and then wrapped around her ankle a few times, trying to get itself unstuck."

The woman rang an ambulance and when paramedics arrived, they immediately called Kerewaro.

They sent him a photo and he identified the snake as a highly venomous, young adult eastern brown snake.

He said the situation was unlike anything he'd ever dealt with before.

"It hit me heavy," he said.

"I thought, if she dies, that's on me."

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When he arrived, he realised the snake was suffering heat stress, having been trapped on the hot bitumen on a 36-degree day for more than half an hour.

"Seeing it was heat-affected, I was relieved," he said.

"I was able to pin it very quickly, undo her shoe, she took her foot out of her shoe and moved away.

He said a paramedic then cut the heel loop to free the snake.

Despite being bitten multiple times, the woman survived.

She was taken to hospital and has since been released.

The snake died of heat exposure.

READ MORE: PM says royal commission into Bondi attack unnecessary

Kerewaro said not all bites from venomous snakes result in envenomation, but it is critical to seek treatment regardless.

He said the woman had done exactly the right thing in staying still and calling an ambulance.

"A lot of people think you get bitten and you're gone, but staying completely still has a big part.

"Always go to hospital, even if you don't think you've been bitten, the consequences can be fatal."

He also encouraged people to carry a snake bite bandage when outdoors, and keep one in the glovebox of their car.

"It's still unbelievable," Kerewaro said.

"If someone had told me that it went through the loop of the shoe and I didn't see the photos, I'd say bullshit."

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A man has been charged with murder after another man was found dead at a caravan park in Adelaide's south.

Police were called to the BIG4 Port Willunga Tourist Park on Tuit Road in Aldinga just after 2pm yesterday after a man was found dead inside a cabin.

He has since been identified as Gary Hallam, 72.

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At the same time, a 49-year-old Aldinga man presented himself at a police station, where he was arrested.

He was then taken via ambulance to hospital.

His hands were cuffed and also placed inside paper bags, potentially to preserve evidence.

That man has now been charged with murder, and he has been refused bail.

Police believe the incident was not random and the two men are known to each other.

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Investigators were on the scene for much of yesterday, with park residents noticing the police presence.

"[It's] busy," one woman said.

"Cars, detectives, police officers, much bigger than I expected it to be."

The 49-year-old man will appear at Christies Beach Magistrates Court at a later date.

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A moment of fury has transformed into a decade-long jail term for an arsonist whose actions killed a young teen enjoying a sleepover with friends.

Arthur Haines was asleep on the top floor of a friend's house ahead of a visit to Sydney's Royal Easter Show in April 1998.

But he soon became the victim of a bitter neighbourhood dispute in inner-city Waterloo when Gregory John Walker threw a Molotov cocktail into the home's kitchen.

READ MORE: 'There will never be justice': Mother confronts son's killer after decades of pain

"The results were catastrophic," Justice Hament Dhanji told the NSW Supreme Court today.

Arthur became trapped on the third floor as the fire spread rapidly.

He was forced to jump from a window, landing smouldering and with severe burns on up to 65 per cent of his body.

The 13-year-old died in hospital 11 weeks later.

More than 27 years on, Walker kept his eyes downcast as he was sentenced to a maximum of 10 years and 9 months behind bars for Arthur's manslaughter.

The 58-year-old demonstrated a "callous disregard for the enormity of what occurred" in the aftermath of the fire, the court heard.

When a neighbour confronted him about the fire and said "I know you've done it", the then 30-year-old replied: "If you think that was a big fire, wait until you see my next one."

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But Walker had since shown remorse, Justice Dhanji said.

In 2014, as police tried to mount a case against him, he told a witness he "wouldn't have gone through with it" if he knew children were inside the home.

Walker was arrested after NSW Police offered a $1 million reward for information in 2020.

He has an extensive criminal history with convictions dating back to the 1980s and was on parole at the time of the offence.

But evidence showed the former boxer had effectively turned his life around since his deadly actions in 1998, even establishing a not-for-profit for young people.

"There is an element of him attempting to make good on his past wrongs," Justice Dhanji said.

But the judge also noted Walker only admitted unlawfully killing Arthur in October, on the eve of a trial for the more serious charge of murder.

That was despite Arthur's family's obvious desire and lengthy wait for answers.

"While the ledger cannot be squared by the good done by the offender in recent times, that contribution must be taken into account and given weight," Justice Dhanji said.

With time served, Walker will be eligible for parole in February 2029.

Arthur's mother Julie Szabo, who ensured the public never forgot her son during repeated media appearances seeking answers, was surrounded by loved ones as the sentence was delivered.

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She previously detailed the heavy guilt she has carried since allowing Arthur to have his first sleepover with friends.

"It was going to be the first night he had not slept under the same roof as me," Szabo wrote in a statement earlier read out in court.

"I said 'yes' … I think about that decision a lot.

"I gave him the biggest hug, we both said we loved each other, I didn't know at the time it would be one of our last hugs."

Justice Dhanji thanked Szabo and acknowledged the pain felt by Arthur's family and the community.

"No sentence I impose can right the wrong that has been done," he said.

Justice Dhanji also took into account a charge of maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm that Walker committed when he punched a neighbour and bit off part of his ear in April 1998.

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NSW parliament is expected to pass hate speech and gun laws in the coming hours in the wake of the terrorist attack at Bondi Beach, as Premier Chris Minns doubles down against a constitutional challenge in court.

Minns said the bill, designed to drastically change hate speech and gun laws in NSW, has passed the lower house and is expected to pass parliament later today or early tomorrow morning.

"The passage of this legislation is the single best thing we can do in the short run to keep the people of NSW safe," he told reporters this afternoon.

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"I understand it's very difficult to cobble together a political party to pass meaningful reform, but the Labor Party and the Liberal Party together have managed to do that in the last 24 hours."

The reforms include a controversial ban on protests during a terrorism declaration, which would allow NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon to extend an initial 14-day declaration to up to three months.

It has already received a constitutional challenge in the High Court over the potential impact it will have on civil liberties.

But Minns said he is confident the law will withstand the challenge.

"All I will say is that we've run our legislation thoroughly through the Crown solicitor," he said. 

Minns linked the actions of some who have attended pro-Palestine protests to the Bondi shooting and said organisers are "unleashing force that they can't control".

"In virtually all aspects of government policy, there's an acknowledgement that words lead to actions. We hear it all the time. We accept that it is true," he said.

"But if that's the case, as an idea or a concept, then that must be the situation as it applies to protests in NSW.

"How can it be that a protest can take place in the state and there's a swastika tattooed on the Star of David on a poster in the middle of the city?

"Or photos of the Ayatollah, the leader of Iran? Or posters or flags of Hezbollah or Hamas? The terrorist leader, Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah's leader, a big framed picture of that leader there? Shirts saying, 'Death to the IDF'. A sign that says 'All Zionists are neo-Nazis.'"

READ MORE: Non-terror groups that 'hate Australia' target of new reform

Minns reiterated he wanted a "summer of calm" following the horror scenes at Bondi Beach on December 14. 

"I think that a big mass protest through the heart of Sydney at the moment would be ruinous for our unity, and I don't resolve from that," he said. 

The Palestine Action Group, Jews Against the Occupation and the First Nations-led Blak Caucus together have launched the constitutional challenge, saying the proposed reforms are undemocratic.

"This is the latest set of Chris Minns knee-jerk, undemocratic anti-protest laws, which are being passed again on the basis of a series of lies and misinformation and outrageous conflating of this horrible antisemitic attack at Bondi, with the protest movement more broadly, and with the Palestine protest movement in particular," Palestine Action Group organiser Josh Lees said at a press conference today.

"These laws, if passed, don't just affect the Palestine movement.

"These laws will take away the rights of everyone in NSW to gather together as a community, to express their views, to express their opposition to whatever government policies they oppose, to demand change."

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One of the police officers seriously injured in last week's terror attack at Bondi Beach has woken from a medically induced coma, while the other has left hospital and returned home in time for Christmas.

Constable Scott Dyson was one of two police officers left in a critical condition after he was shot while confronting the two gunmen who opened fire on a Jewish Hanukkah celebration on Sunday, December 14.

Scott had been in a medically induced coma since the event and has undergone surgery almost daily.

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His family said in a statement today Dyson has been "getting stronger each day".

"Today, he was woken up for the first time," the family said.

"There is still a long way to go in his recovery but this is a positive sign.

"We would like to thank the public for the support, messages and well wishes shown to Scott and our family during this difficult time.

"We are also grateful for the tireless work of his medical team.

"Our focus remains on Scott's continued recovery and we kindly ask for our family's privacy to be respected."

Dyson's colleague, Probationary Constable Jack Hibbert, lost sight in one eye after he was shot last week.

The 22-year-old will recover from home after being discharged from hospital today and will need "space, support and continued positive thoughts", his family said in a statement.

READ MORE: Venomous snake becomes trapped in heel loop of woman's shoe

"As a family, we couldn't ask for anything more, having our Jack home, especially for Christmas, truly feels like a miracle," the family said.

"We are deeply grateful for the overwhelming support, kind messages, and well wishes from the community, Jack's colleagues, friends and the emergency services.

"The care and dedication shown by the medical staff has been nothing short of exceptional.

"We kindly ask that our family's privacy be respected as we focus on Jack's recovery and spend this special time together.

"Thank you again for the compassion, love, and support shown to our family.

"Jacko you've shown strength of a different degree, we are so glad you're home buddy."

NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said last week the NSW Police Force would rally around Hibbert and "find appropriate duties for him" after his recovery.

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Daughter says December 9 blaze left them ‘absolutely devastated’.

Hamilton Island is set to change hands as its owners offload the tropical paradise to a private equity company in the US.

Blackstone has acquired the famous Queensland resort owned by the billionaire Oatley family for more than two decades.

The deal, which could see the US company become a major force in Australia's hospitality sector, is now subject to regulatory approval.

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Blackstone has more than $1.2 trillion in assets globally and took over Crown Resorts for $8.9 billion several years ago.

The Oatley family acquired the popular tourist destination in 2003 after it won a bid for 100 per cent of the shares in Hamilton Island when it was a publicly-listed company.

The late Bob Oatley, a renowned Australian winemaker and patriarch of the family, wanted to establish Hamilton Island as a destination anyone on any income could enjoy.

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The Oatley family has spent more than $350 million on improvements to the island, which has won more than 50 awards in recent years.

Blackstone chairman of Asia Pacific and head of Asia real estate Chris Heady told the Australian Financial Review the company wanted to build on the Oatley's investment in the island.

"Hospitality and leisure is a key investment theme at Blackstone globally including in the Asia Pacific region, where we've brought scale and operational expertise to invest in and build leading brands," Heady said.

"We are committed to investing in the long-term success of Hamilton Island, its people, and its local businesses and community."

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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has recommended changes to parliamentary rules so MPs' politicians can only fly economy class to Canberra on the taxpayers' dime.

Politicians have come under scrutiny for their use of family travel expense entitlements, which left their constituents footing a $1.1 million bill in the 2024-25 financial year. 

Albanese, who previously dismissed calls to amend the rules, has now written to the Remuneration Tribunal with proposed changes after receiving advice from the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority (IPEA).

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"I do not have the power at the stroke of a pen to change entitlements; the Remuneration Tribunal has the power," he said at a press conference this afternoon.

The changes would make the families of parliamentarians fly economy class, rather than business class, and restrict travel to and from anywhere in Australia to just Canberra and within an MP's electorate or a senator's state.

A partner or spouse of a senior parliamentarian would also only be able attend events and have their travel fees paid for if they have received an official invitation and are related to the portfolio.

"That is, if you're an environment minister, (the event) is connected to the environment or parliamentary responsibilities as well," Albanese said.

Albanese also suggested that careful consideration should be given to new parents and children, so that they are not disadvantaged.

"We want a parliament that reflects Australia in all its diversity, and that includes the fact that this parliament looks very different from what it did when I came here in 1996 and that that's a good thing," he said.

The Remuneration Tribunal will consider the letter and its suggested changes in January.

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Parliamentary rules allow politicians who are away from their home on official business to fly out their partner, children and other family members to them at taxpayer expense.

Communications Minister Anika Wells faced scrutiny over travel allowances after it was revealed she spent $100,000 on a trip to New York to promote Australia's social media ban.

She was also found to have billed the taxpayer thousands of dollars to fly her family to the Thredbo ski resort and her husband to major sporting events like the AFL grand final and the Boxing Day cricket Test match under her role as sports minister.

Wells denied any wrongdoing, saying she had followed the rules, but both she and Attorney-General Michelle Rowland referred themselves to the IPEA for an expense audit.

Rowland confirmed she has paid back about $10,000 for a $21,000 taxpayer-funded trip to Perth following that review.

IPEA data showed federal politicians spent more than $1.1 million in 2024-25 on their family's travel expenses, with Tourism and Trade Minister Don Farrell racking up the highest bill, followed by WA senator Fatima Payman and former opposition leader Peter Dutton.

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