Rochelle Kirkham
Ballarat, VIC
Rochelle Kirkham is a reporter for ABC Ballarat, covering radio, digital and television. She previously worked as a senior journalist for The Courier newspaper in Ballarat.
Latest by Rochelle Kirkham
Community mounts 'mega search' for missing Victorian woman Samantha Murphy
Police say they have added highly experienced detectives from multiple policing divisions to the weeks-long search for missing Ballarat mum Samantha Murphy.
The reason why Samantha Murphy's family and others like them endure 'psychological torture'
The Missed Foundation says it is important the search for Ballarat mum Samantha Murphy does not become a source of gossip or entertainment because speculation does untold damage to families.
More koalas die on freeway near harvested blue gum plantation in Victoria
Four koalas have been found dead near a blue gum plantation in Gordon, near Ballarat, since it was harvested in December. The Conservation Regulator had refused to relocate them.
School children left 'nervous' by disappearance of Ballarat mother Samantha Murphy
Missing Ballarat woman Samantha Murphy has three children with strong connections in the community and her disappearance has left some children feeling anxious.
Inside the bushland where Ballarat mother Samantha Murphy often went running
Dozens of police, SES and townspeople have scoured this park near Ballarat over the past week. Here is what's known about where the missing 51-year-old is thought to have gone running.
'Mum please come home soon': Daughter of missing Ballarat woman Samantha Murphy makes tearful plea
Jess Murphy says she knows her mum is out there as she addresses media in a desperate bid to help the search for missing Ballarat woman Samantha Murphy.
Items recovered during search for missing Ballarat woman Samantha Murphy not related to case
Police say items recovered during a search of bushland near the home of missing Ballarat East woman Samantha Murphy are not related to her whereabouts.
Search area expands for missing Ballarat woman Samantha Murphy
The search for the 51-year-old mother focused on Woowookarung Regional Park and the bushland area near the Buninyong Golf Course yesterday, but has now expanded to Black Hill.
VicForests ends community forestry operations in western Victoria
VicForests says the risk of more court proceedings is the main reason for bringing forward the end to community forestry in Victoria's west.
Koalas found dead near harvested plantation after Conservation Regulator opposed moving them
Wildlife rescuers say the koalas should have been moved to a new area before the trees near Ballarat were harvested, but the regulator is standing by its decision.
Victorian council installs protective boulders outside hotel where crash killed five diners
The Hepburn Shire Council says the boulders are an interim safety measure after some community members criticised the lack of protection at the Daylesford pub where a car drove into diners.
Why some small, regional schools are thriving when others are closing for good
An alternative education approach, along with a focus on inclusiveness and wellbeing, helps to attract new students to a small country school in Victoria, while 50 kilometres away, it's the end of an era for a 165-year-old school.
Survivors work to establish nation's first memorial to acknowledge victims of sexual abuse
An epicentre for institutional child sexual abuse for many decades of the 20th century, Ballarat is working to create the first Australian memorial to acknowledge all survivors of sexual abuse as part of a journey of healing.
Discovery of endangered lizard halts timber harvesting operation in Victorian forest
A court orders VicForests to cease timber harvesting in Wombat State Forest as a community group alleges further breaches against threatened species in other parts of the state.
Administrators say creditors voted to sell this famed Victorian gold mine, but the union disagrees
Creditors met to decide the future of Ballarat Gold Mine yesterday after 10 months under administration, but not everyone is in agreeance of what actually transpired.
How 'market failure' led a council to play the role of developer and create a 100-lot housing estate
There had been no interest from developers in large-scale housing projects in this rural town, so the council stepped in to create an estate of 100 homes.
'Like a pack of hyenas': Melbourne family shocked after chain hurled at daughter in wheelchair during Ballarat visit
Organising a trip to Ballarat was no easy task for this Melbourne family because of 12-year-old Anuli's complex needs. When the outing finally happened, it ended in a way that left them "traumatised".
'Destroyed in an instant': Community in shock after 'beautiful night' ends with five dead
Onlookers and locals describe the horrific scene that unfolded at a pub in Daylesford last night, where five people, including two children, died when a vehicle crashed through the beer garden.
After almost 10 years living with no rights, permanent residency allows Para family to finally look to the future
Neil Para and his family lived in Australia for more than nine years with no visa and no rights. What's life like now they've been granted permanent residency?
Mountain biking is booming and these towns want to be part of it
Mountain biking is now more popular than fishing, and rugby league and union combined. More regional towns are seeing how they could benefit.
Prison escapee arrested after six weeks on the run
Police have thanked members of the public and media for their help in finding 50-year-old escapee Daniel Briffa in Ballarat East on Thursday.
Compassion, solace and a barbecue — on the front line with the guardian angels of the rough sleepers
Outreach workers Ada Watson and Ayden McMahon are at the coalface of the homelessness crisis, watching over rough sleepers and working to help the desperate and the vulnerable.
Drunk P-plater hit keep left sign, vomited at friend's house before causing fatal crash
A court has heard there were plenty of warning signs Kane Mueller should not have driven. But he did, and caused a fatal crash that has left the victim's family emotionally devastated.
'Lost all credibility': Call for VicForests to get the axe as logging ban looms
Sixty Victorian not-for-profit organisations have written to Premier Jacinta Allan and Treasurer Tim Pallas to urge them to abolish state-owned logging business VicForests.
Century-old photographs rescued by dog walker from forest rubbish dump
When walking through a state forest Ballarat resident Leanne found a collection of photo albums. She's trying build a picture of why family heirlooms were left in the bush.