Travel Disruption Watch: A rare Super El Niño is forecast to bring messy winter-to-spring travel conditions, with heavy rain, stormy delays and changeable snow—experts urge flexibility, refundable bookings and extra connection time. Seamless Border Travel: Australia and New Zealand are pushing a trial for faster, paperless airport processing using digital credentials and biometrics ahead of the 2028 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Airport Upgrade: Hobart Airport’s $200m terminal expansion has doubled the facility, improved car-rental and check-in flow, and added extra baggage reclaim capacity. Cost of Flying & Paying: From Oct 1, RBA reforms will scrap some card surcharges (saving consumers about $1.6b a year), but credit-card perks may be cut as banks reprice. Energy Bills: An Energy Efficiency Council scorecard says ACT households are best placed for incentives to electrify and cut costs, while Queensland and the NT lag. Tourism & Events: Airbnb data shows a big travel spike to Kuala Lumpur and nearby areas for the Oct 2–4 F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix, with Australians among top searchers. Quirky Cruise Trend: “Cruising Ducks Australia” keeps growing as passengers hide rubber ducks onboard for others to find. Antarctica Jobs: The Antarctic Program has opened recruitment for 2027/28 roles, with workers describing auroras, wildlife and station upgrades as standout perks.