Today in Cairns: Multi-vehicle crash in Westcourt, police and QFES attending the scene
Police and QFES have responded to a multi-vehicle crash in a central Cairns suburb. FIND OUT MORE.
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G’day Far Northerners, here’s everything you need to know about what’s happening across the region this week, July 18 to July 22.
TODAY’S HEADLINES
‘Of course it’s sad’: Derelict land trust hostel fails homeless mob
‘This is inevitable’: Cairns loses another bulk billing GP service
‘Out of control’: Extreme measures to curb car thefts
Fuel companies failing to pass on savings to customers in FNQ
Woman cop injured in alleged rock attack by drunken mob
Popular Far North bakery revamps small space
‘Brings people together’: New RnB themed bar and lounge to open
TODAY’S NEWS
Multi-vehicle crash, Westcourt
Two vehicles collided on the corner of Tills and Gatton St in Westcourt about 2.40pm.
A report was made to police who arrived on scene shortly after with Queensland Fire and Emergency Service.
Police reported no injuries as a result of the crash and that all persons were out of their vehicles.
Police reported no disruption to traffic.
Three men charged on separate drugs charges, Cairns
Three men have been charged on separate drugs related offences involving methamphetamine.
A 27-year-old Woree man was arrested for stealing in a shop in the Cairns CBD on Wednesday and was ultimately found with a quantity of what appeared to be methamphetamine.
The stolen property was also recovered.
He was charged with two counts of possess dangerous drugs, wilful damage and possession of implements that had been used in relation to particular offences
He is scheduled to appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on August 3.
Another man, a 30-year-old from Manunda, was also charged after being found sleeping in a stairwell with numerous small bags of what is believed to contain methylamphetamine and a glass pipe and syringe.
He was charged with one count each of possess dangerous drugs, possess utensils and fail to take reasonable care and precautions in respect to syringe or needle.
He will appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on August 10.
A third man was charged with drug offences after police stopped a car on Wharf Street at around 11.15am.
A man inside the car was searched, and officers allegedly located cannabis, methylamphetamine and drug utensils. It will be further alleged on June 11, the man was involved in a fuel drive off at a Brisbane service station.
The 27-year-old Windsor man was charged with two counts of possess dangerous drugs and one count each of possess utensils driving under the influence of liquor and stealing.
He was bailed and will appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on August.
THURSDAY’S NEWS
Crash halts traffic on major highway
UPDATE6.10pm:
The Bruce Highway near Far North town of Mirriwinni has reopened to traffic in both directions after a multi-vehicle crash closed the highway.
A 23 year old female was extricated from a Kia vehicle by QFES and transported via helicopter to Townsville Hospital.
A 68 year old male driver and 66 year old female passenger, both from a separate vehicle, were transported by road to Innisfail Hospital.
The crash unit arrived on scene at 3.35pm.
One police unit remains on scene.
EARLIER: Traffic is moving along as QPS have placed diversions on Eubenangee Rd, Dinner Creek Rd, Cartwright Rd and Bramston Beach Rd.
Motorists travelling in the region will have to reroute.
A QPS spokeperson advised that the traffic is “not too bad” despite both lanes remaining closed.
Queensland Ambulance have successfully transported two patients in stable condition by road to Innisfail Hospital.
The third patient, entrapped in the vehicle, has been picked up by a rescue helicopter and transported to the same hospital in stable condition.
EARLIER: Another major Far North highway has been closed after a two vehicle crash on Bruce Highway in Mirriwinni has left a patient entrapped, halting traffic.
Emergency services were alerted at 1.11pm with three patients currently being attended to by Queensland Ambulance.
The patient entrapped is in stable condition with a serious leg injury with a rescue copper on the way to airlift the person.
Two other patients include one man in his 60s with chest pains and there is no information on another yet.
Smithfield crash patients transported
UPDATE: Roads have been cleared as Queensland Ambulance Service have transported five patients in stable condition to Cairns Hospital.
Of the five patients there was a man in his 30s with neck pain, a woman in her 30s with neck pain, a woman in her 60s with neck, back and leg pain, a man in his 70s with chest pain and a woman in her 20s with abdominal pain.
Queensland Police left the scene shortly after the road was cleared at 1.20pm.
EARLIER: Emergency crews have been called to a three-vehicle head-on crash on a major Cairns road.
Paramedics received a triple-0 call at 12.11pm to assist four people involved in the accident at the Smithfield Bypass.
A police spokeswoman said there appears to be no entrapments and no major injuries have been reported.
“It looks like we have one southbound lane blocked and it looks like northbound lane might be blocked too,” he said.
Smithfield Bypass, Smithfield. Multi-vehicle Crash - All lanes blocked, Both directions. https://t.co/q2lbXq7OKx
— QLDTrafficFNNQ (@QLDTrafficFNNQ) July 21, 2022
Police stated the crash happened on the new Smithfield Bypass 200m south of the on ramp.
It’s understood four patients have been hospitalised.
An update from Queensland Traffic stated both lanes of the Smithfield Bypass remain closed.
Police have advised motorists to use the old highway and avoid the bypass road.
The crash follows a serious accident on the same road involving minibus that crashed head-on with a utility last month which injured 11 people.
THURSDAY’S NEWS
Wild South East weather won’t hit Far North: BOM
While the southern Queensland coast is about be hit with strong winds and heavy rain, the Far North is expected to be mostly sunny and warm.
Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Helen Reid said there should not be much rainfall in Cairns over the next few days.
“It (Cairns) is far enough north to be away from the action and not notice it,” she said.
“We are expecting it to be windy over the water, you will feel a bit of breeze over land.
“But you are looking at a mixture of sun and cloud with temperatures expected to be a bit warmer.”
Ms Reid said the warm weather is expected to last over the coming days, with Cairns expecting a partly cloudy top of 27C on Thursday.
WEDNESDAY’S NEWS
Police Property damaged
A 24-year-old man was arrested and charged after he allegedly hit the side of a police car several times with a baseball bat.
About 3.30pm on Tuesday the man allegedly went up to a police car conducting speed enforcement duties and hit it causing damage to two windows.
The man allegedly drove away in his car into traffic, narrowly missing a passing car.
Police arrested him at the man’s Redlynch home.
He was charged with one count each of wilful damage, going armed to cause fear, driving without due care and attention, public nuisance and obstruct police.
He was bailed and will appear in Cairns Magistrates Court on August 4.
Prolific property offender arrested
An 18-year-old man from Parramatta Park was charged with 26 offences on Tuesday.
The man allegedly targeted an Earlville unit complex trying to break into them by damaging doors and security screens before getting in to two of them and stealing items.
He allegedly also attempted to gain entry into other units at an Earlville complex on June 22 also damaging doors to two places before getting into one and stealing a taxi. He fled with the taxi.
The man was found at Westcourt unit and arrested. He was charged with nine counts of attempted enter dwelling, five counts of burglary and unlawful use of a motor vehicle, three counts of enter dwelling, two counts of unlicensed driving and one count each of attempted unlawful use of a motor vehicle and stealing.
He is expected to appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on August 8.
Appeal for Witnesses in Yorkeys Knob
Police are asking for witnesses to step forward after a car was damaged on the Captain Cook Highway at Yorkeys Knob between 4pm on July 13 and 10am on July 16.
Initial investigations show rocks were thrown at a parked blue Ford Falcon, smashing the windscreen and a window.
Anyone who witnesses the incident or captured dashcam footage are urged to contacted Policelink and quote reference number QP2201213007.
MONDAY’S NEWS
DRUG CHARGES
Officers from Cairns Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) charged a 40-year-old Kewarra Beach man with six drug related offences on Friday, July 15.
Detectives executed a search warrant on the James Cook Drive home on Friday, allegedly locating a room with a concealed doorway containing marijuana plants, heat lamps and watering system.
Police will further allege a small quantity of methylamphetamine was also located during the search, along with drug utensils and needles.
The man was charged with two counts of possess dangerous drugs and one count each of possess utensils, possess things used in the commission of an offence, produce dangerous drugs and fail to dispose of hypodermic needle.
The 40-year-old Kewarra Beach man will appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on August 22.
ATTEMPTED ROBBERY
A 21-year-old Edmonton man was charged yesterday (July 17) with two counts of attempted robbery and one count of wilful damage.
It will be alleged at around 9.45pm on May 13, the man approached two men standing in a driveway of a Accatino Street home and demanded a cigarette.
The men refused and the 21-year-old threw several punches without contacting before walking off.
It will be further alleged at around 10.25pm that same night, the man went to a Walker Road fast food outlet and threatened staff, demanding money.
Two male staff members refused to hand over money and the man fled.
Immediately afterwards, the man walked over to a closed fast food outlet on Hambledon Drive, allegedly tried to gain entry then kicked at the glass door cracking the glass before leaving.
Yesterday police located and arrested the man.
He was charged with two counts each of attempted robbery and one count of wilful damage.
His bail was opposed, and he will appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court today.
Robbery, Earlville
A 15-year-old Woree boy was arrested and charged on Saturday (July 16) following an investigation into an incident that allegedly occurred on July 9.
Police will allege at around 2.45am the boy approached a 19-year-old Edmonton man, punched him several times and demanded his wallet.
The man handed over his wallet and tried to get away but was allegedly punched and kicked several more times by the boy before the boy fled with the man’s wallet and bicycle.
An investigation was commenced and on Saturday police executed a search warrant on a Woree unit, locating and arresting the boy.
It will be further alleged on June 4 the boy attended an Earlville shopping centre with his mother and while his mother was purchasing items the boy stole a piece of jewellery on display.
The boy was charged with one count each of robbery and stealing.
Police opposed bail, and he will appear in the Cairns Children’s Court
STUDENTS TO FALL HEAD OVER
DANCENORTH is travelling north today for a two-week tour to conduct
school workshops and perform its acclaimed show NOISE in Cairns and the
Atherton Tablelands.
School students and community groups across Cairns and the Tablelands
will be participating in dance and rhythm workshops with the Dancenorth
ensemble.
At the end of each week of local workshops, Dancenorth is inviting
all participants, their families, friends and neighbours to come along and
share in a free community performance.
“This version we are taking on tour features 600 school students all
banging away on buckets and pots and pans and drums that they have
made as part of the school program and the dancers performing the full
version of NOISE,” artistic director Kyle Page said.
NOISE will be performed in Cairns from 11am at Fogarty Park, the
Esplanade Parklands this Saturday and in Yungaburra from 11am at the
Bruce Jones Market Ground on Saturday, July 30.
Each year, Dancenorth does a regional workshop tour.
WEATHER
The Bureau of Meteorology is predicting a sunny day for Cairns on Friday.
Across the region on Friday:
Cairns: Sunny, 18C – 26C
Atherton: Sunny, 12C – 24C
Cardwell: Sunny, 15C – 25C
Cooktown: Mostly sunny, 18C – 26C
Innisfail: Sunny, 15C – 24C
Mareeba: Sunny, 15C – 27C
TRAFFIC
Cape Tribulation / Kimberley
Roadworks have been reported on Cape Tribulation Bloomfield Road at Cape Tribulation / Kimberley
Long delays are expected in both directions towards Wujal Wujal.
Coen / Laura
The Peninsula Developmental Road is subject to a 5 Tonne GVM limit from Laura to Coen due to water over the road.
Edmonton/Gordonvale
Roadworks are being carried out on the Bruce Highway — Cairns Southern Access Corridor — Stage 3: Edmonton to Gordonvale. Delays expected (during active hours of work), with all lanes in both directions affected. The work is expected to run until June 30, 2023.
Feluga
Major intersection upgrade at East Feluga Road and Bruce Hwy. Delays are expected to August 12, 2022.
Lake Eacham
Wrights Creek Road is closed to all traffic. Motorists are advised to use an alternative route.
Ravenshoe
Roadworks have been reported at Grigg St, Ravenshoe and are expected to December 12, 2022.
Wrights Creek
Hill Road Closed permanently from the Bruce Highway to Harris Road to December 2024.
WHAT’S ON
Cairns Esplanade Lagoon
Picnic benches outside of Muddies
Public barbecues
Fitness equipment
Playgrounds including Muddy’s Playground and the Fun Ship Playground
Basketball and tennis courts
Bump tracks and BMX tracks (within parks)
The Esplanade Activity Precinct (skate plaza, bouldering park, beach volleyball courts, multipurpose court)
The Lagoon and Council-run swimming pools
Flecker Gardens
Arts and cultural venues including Cairns Performing Arts Centre, Tanks Arts Centre, the Courthouse gallery
Buy Back Shop
Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre
Barlow Park
Tobruk, Smithfield and Gordonvale pools
Marlin Coast Recreation Centre
Green Space Our Place
THIS WEEK IN CAIRNS
Kate Miller-Heidke
The famous Australian singer will make her way to Cairns this week
When: Tuesday, July 19 at 7.30pm
Where: Cairns Performing Art Centre
Cost: Tickets can be purchased here.
Daniel Connell: Gutless Wonder
Comedian Daniel Connell will perform him show for Laughing Heart Comedy. Mr Connell is known for his dry, observational humour.
When: Thursday, July 28 at 7pm
Where: Three Wolves
Cost: Tickets can be purchased here
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Originally published as Today in Cairns: Multi-vehicle crash in Westcourt, police and QFES attending the scene
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