ABC Local is the place to easily connect with your locality through relevant content.

These 54 location based sites provide local coverage of your region and a gateway to ABC Online. As well as a comprehensive guide to what's happening on your ABC Local Radio station.

Each region's site delivers local news, sport and weather as well as special feature stories that explore the events, places and people that make each region unique. Each website is also a place to share and a place to participate, creating a community space within the ABC online environment.

The websites also support a range of features that create a rich online experience. These include webcams, photo galleries, video stories, maps and a range of podcasts and on-demand audio items.

ABC Local coverage is drawn from the reports and programs of more than 500 staff working around Australia. Producers and reporters gather and publish a constant stream of material to keep you informed and entertained.

These efforts have also built a large archive of stories well worth searching for information and great stories about recent and not-so-recent events and people. A popular part of this archive is our collection of more than 20,000 recipes from all around Australia.

Underpinning the coverage is a commitment to accessibility and innovation. Users should enjoy a rich, multimedia experience in sites that are engaging and easy-to-use. They should also be among the first to benefit from new technologies that improve online services and experiences.

ABC Local websites are published subject to ABC policies. Links to these policies are provided below:

• Conditions of Use
• Copyright
• ABC Act, Charter and Policy Documents
• Editorial Policies
• Privacy
• Cookies

Stefano de Pieri from ABC TV's Gondola on the Murray launched The Backyard: ABC Local Online in Melbourne in 1999. The Backyard was a gateway for regional and rural coverage and quickly established itself as Australia's most extensive network of localised websites.

Since the launch, ABC Local websites have grown and evolved, adding new features and reaching out to online audiences in new ways. Live audio streaming was introduced in 2000 and, by 2002, audio-on-demand had become a standard feature. Podcasting was introduced in 2005.

Throughout this time, ABC Local Radio audiences had also embraced Local Online websites and other technologies as a new way of engaging with on-air programs and talkback. Today, presenters receive regular comments and feedback via SMS and email.

The year 2008 brought an entirely new look and a name change: 'The Backyard' was dropped as a gateway name in favour of 'ABC Local'.

In 2010 the sites were updated to reflect the ABC's user interface guidelines and prepare for greater audience participation and interaction.