Today in Cairns: Gillies Range Rd reopens after vehicle-truck crash
A major highway south of Cairns has reopened following a serious crash between a vehicle and truck, leaving a patient in a critical condition.
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G’day Far Northerners, here’s everything you need to know about what’s happening across the region this week, May 9 to May 13.
TODAY’S HEADLINES
‘Ripple effects’: New university campus guaranteed for Cairns CBD
Cairns rallies behind elderly crime victim desperate for surgery
Poor FNQ mobile coverage leaves patients missing appointments
Fishing knives, machetes used in violent robbery
TODAY’S NEWS
Gillies Range reopens, traffic expected
GILLIES Range Road has reopened both lanes after a critical crash closed the busy highway for more than five hours on Friday.
A man in critical condition was driven from the scene to Atherton Hospital where a helicopter would then transport him to Cairns Hospital.
Gillies Range Road crash
A MAN in a critical condition will be flown to hospital following a serious crash involving a vehicle and a truck on the Gillies Range Rd, at Gadgarra.
Emergency services were called to the incident about 11.20am Friday, and at 1pm a Queensland Police spokeswoman said the road was closed to all traffic while authorities established traffic control.
A Queensland Ambulance spokeswoman said the man in a critical condition with head injuries was driven from the scene to Atherton Hospital, from where he’d be flown back to Cairns Hospital.
She said another patient was assessed but had no injuries and did not require transport.
White Rock man on drug charges
A CAIRNS man will face drugs charges after being arrested at a Trinity Beach apartment on Thursday.
Smithfield CIB offices, executing a search warrant, entered an Oyster Court unit at 10.30am where the 41-year-old White Rock man was arrested.
Police will allege the man has thrown a glass pipe from the balcony and attempted to throw a bag containing a crystal substance, alleged to be methylamphetamine.
The man was taken to the Cairns Watchhouse where he was charged with one count each of possessing dangerous drug and possess utensils or pipes.
He has been granted bail and he will appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on May 31
Cairns man to face stealing, drug charges
A 33-year-old man wanted on a string of alleged stealing offences was arrested at a Cairns shopping centre and will front court facing 11 different charges.
Police will allege the Cairns man stole a number of items, including three pairs sunglasses
from a Mulgrave Road shop and a 45-litre camping fridge at a Smithfield business in two separate incidents last month.
After his arrest yesterday, police allegedly found two small clipseal bags containing a crystal substance and several uncapped used syringes.
He was charged with five counts of stealing, three counts of possess utensils, and one count each of possess dangerous drug, trespass and fail to properly dispose of needle and syringe.
He was granted bail and will appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on May 31.
THURSDAY’S NEWS
Guy Sebastian releases new concert dates, Cairns
After a positive Covid test forced Australian popstar Guy Sebastian to reschedule his Cairns and Townsville shows, new dates have been released for the Far North towns.
THe T.R.U.T.H show previously scheduled for Tuesday 10 May in Cairns will now occur on Tuesday 28 June, with Townsville’s show set for Sunday 26 June.
WEDNESDAY’S NEWS
Car crash on Gillies Range Rd
Emergency crews are on route to the Lamb Range south of Cairns after reports of a car crash around 7am today.
According to Queensland Ambulance, they were advised of the incident on Gillies Range Rd shortly after 7am.
A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services representative said they had at least two crews on route to the incident.
“We understand there is a car in the ditch on Gillies Range Rd,” he said.
Drivers in the area are advised to take care and allow for extra travel time.
More to come.
TUESDAY’S NEWS
Fuel Spill on the Gillies Range
Emergency services are rushing to the Gillies Range after a fuel spill that is affecting drivers has been reported.
Police have issued a warning to drivers to be cautious and to avoid the area until the spill is cleaned up.
The road is still open.
Search and rescue at Bartle Frere
Police and State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers launched a search and rescue for a lost bushwalker on Sunday, May 8.
The 23-year-old Parramatta Park woman had been trekking up Mount Bartle Frere on Saturday, May 7.
She became lost and disorientated after reaching the summit about 3pm.
The woman raised the alarm using her mobile phone when she became lost in dense bushland during her descent, however due to weather conditions the rescue helicopter was unable to assist.
Police stayed in contact with the woman throughout the night before police and SES set out at first light to begin the search and rescue.
They located her about 3pm approximately 500m off the track in thick bushland.
The woman was walked down and transported to the Cairns Hospital for treatment.
“Police want to remind anyone bush walking or planning a trip to make sure you carry plenty of water, tell someone where you are going and what time you are expected back, ensure your mobile phone is fully charged and carry a Personal Locator Beacon,” QPS said in a statement.
“Police wish to thank all the people involved in the search for the effort that was put in to ensure a successful rescue, particularly the SES volunteers.”
Gas leak at Bungalow
UPDATE 8.30AM: QUEENSLAND Police has lifted its emergency declaration just after 8am in relation to a gas leak at Lyons St, Bungalow.
Previously blocked intersections shared with Lyons St including Ray Jones Dr, Hartley St, Toohey St and Hollingsworth St have reopened with QFES declaring the situation as safe.
Buildings previously evacuated have reopened.
EARLIER: MOTORISTS on their morning commute should expect delays as emergency services respond to a gas leak, blocking multiple inner-city intersections.
At 7.10am Queensland Police were assisting with traffic control at Ray Jones Drive and Hartley St, Toohey St and Hollingsworth St for a suspected gas leak on Lyons St, Bungalow.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services crews are also at the scene identifying the leak as emergency services establish an exclusion zone and evacuate multiple buildings.
Queensland Police made an emergency declaration at 7.24am today under the Public Safety Preservation Act (PSPA) in relation to a gas leak. In a statement, QPS said Ray Jones Dr was open to traffic but motorists were advised that road closures associated with the incident would remain in place until further notice.
Power to the area is expected to be shut off too.
Thousands without power
Thousands of residents north and south of Cairns are without power on Tuesday following unplanned outages requiring emergency repairs.
Since 5.55am, 1876 Ergon customers at Caravonica, Kowrowa, Kuranda, Mantaka, Myola, Oak Forest, Russett Park, Saddle Mountain and Smithfield have had no electricity, with no estimated fix time provided.
And to the south, 577 customers at Goldsborough, Gordonvale and Little Mulgrave have been without power since 6.18am Tuesday.
At 8am, fault finding was still in progress for both outages.
MONDAY’S NEWS
Multi vehicle crash on Captain Cook Hwy
Emergency services are at the scene of a three-vehicle smash at the roundabout where the Captain Cook Highway intersects with Trinity Beach Rd at Trinity Beach shortly after 4pm on May 9.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services confirmed they had a crew at the scene of the crash within a few minutes.
“We were called to the incident at around 4.11pm,” a QFES representative said.
“The crew from Smithfield Fire & Rescue arrived very quickly.”
A Queensland Ambulance representative said that a road crew had been called “around 4.11pm.”
“We have paramedics at the scene,” she said.
A Queensland Police representative said they were assisting with traffic control.
“There appear to be no serious injuries,” she said.
Property offences
Officers from the Cairns Property Crime Squad charged a 15-year-old boy with 13 offences
following multiple reports of break ins in the Gordonvale area.
It will be alleged the boy broke into homes in the Gordonvale area over the past month.
On Monday, April 18 police will allege the boy entered a home on Cleland Street, Gordonvale
through an open rear window, taking a wallet and car keys before stealing the car parked in the garage.
The car was later located in White Rock with a blown rear tyre.
It will be further alleged later that same day the boy, along with two others attempted to gain entry to several rooms at a Gordonvale retirement home by cutting fly screen doors and unlocking security doors but were unable to access the unit door.
On Friday May 6 police located and charged the boy with eight counts of burglary, two counts of enter premise and commit indictable offence and three counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
He will appear in the Cairns Childrens Court at a later date.
Stealing
A 25-year-old Edmonton woman was arrested on Friday May 6 after police executed a search warrant on a Shaft Street Edmonton home.
It will be alleged the woman attended a Mount Peter Road home on Monday April 11 and spoke with the occupant out the front, who was known to her, before going inside alone.
After the woman left, the 62-year-old Edmonton man realised his bag with his wallet and a pension card were missing.
Police were contacted and on Friday May 6 executed a search warrant locating the woman.
A search of the woman was conducted, and officers located a clip seal bag containing a crystal substance police will allege to be methylamphetamine.
The woman was charged with one count each of stealing, possessing dangerous drugs and fail to properly dispose of needle and syringe.
She will appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on Wednesday May 11
WEATHER
On Thursday, the Bureau of Meteorology is predicting a shower or two with a chance of thunderstorms and possibly severe and damaging winds in the afternoon and evening for Cairns.
Across the region on Thursday
Cairns: Shower or two, possible storm 22-29C
Atherton: Shower or two, 17-26C
Cardwell: Showers, possible storm 21-29C
Cooktown: Shower or two, 22-29C
Innisfail: Shower or two, 21-28C
Mareeba: Shower or two, 19-29C
TRAFFIC
Cairns North
Roadworks, line marking on Sheridan St, Cairns North, southbound towards Cairns City to April 4, 2022. Allow extra travel time.
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.
Craiglie / Mowbray
Road safety upgrades on the Captain Cook Hwy are expected to cause delays to March 30, 2022.
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.
Edmonton / Gordonvale / Wrights Creek
Road works on Yarrabah Rd and the Bruce Highway due to the Cairns Southern Access Corridor — Stage 3: Edmonton to Gordonvale are expected to cause motorist delays.
All lanes in both directions are affected and changed traffic conditions are in place.
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.
Malanda
Bridge Replacement Works are being undertaken at Williams Creek on Merragallan Road commencing 29 November 2021 through to April 2022. A full road closure will be in place. There will be no access across the Williams Creek or any sidetrack in operation.
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
The following Cairns Regional Council services are available:
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
TOP EVENTS THIS WEEK
Paper Crane Street Food Festival
The festival is full of food and beverage stalls, cultural performances, live music and DJs and entertainment for the whole family.
Where: Paper Crane by Crystalbrook
When: 5pm May 13 to 7.30pm May 14
Price: Free
WOW Cairns
WOW will celebrate the achievements of women and girls living in the city and surrounding areas, while searching for solutions to ongoing gender injustice in a jam packed day.
Where: Bulmba-ja Arts Centre
When: 9am May 13 to 9pm May 14
Price: $40 Saturday pass
Red Hot Summer Tour ‘22 – Cairns
An Aussie rock line-up comes to Cairns with Hunters & Collectors, James Reyne
and The Living End a part of the act.
Where: Cairns Showgrounds
When: 1pm to 9.30pm Saturday May 14 2022
Price: Standard ticket $128.90
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