Today in Cairns: Three injured after two vehicles crash on Redlynch Intake Road
Three people were injured at a multi-vehicle crash that brought traffic to standstill on a major Cairns road. Plus we have all your latest headlines, weather, events and traffic.
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G’day Far Northerners, here’s everything you need to know about what’s happening across the region this week, December 13 – December 17.
TODAY’S HEADLINES
Fears for human rights as Far North’s anti-vax hot spot faces new Queensland rules
New Covid rules are here: What it means for the Far North
Savvy Far North tech gurus cash in on Covid app pain
‘I put things like you in the ground’: Inquest hears of man’s threats
Cyclist hit by truck: Is Smithfield bypass safe for cyclists?
TODAY’S NEWS
Multi-vehicle crash Redlynch
Four patients were taken to Cairns Hospital with multiple injuries after a two-vehicle crash on Redlynch Intake Road.
A Queensland Ambulance Service spokesman said they all went to hospital in a stable condition.
A female teenager with a shoulder injury, a male in his twenties with a back injury, a female teenager with abdominal and pelvic injuries were taken to hospital, with another man in his twenties transported as a precaution.
A police spokesman said the crash was between popular swimming hole The Rocks and Redlynch State School.
He said police received a call about 2.40pm saying two cars had collided.
There were major delays for some time after the road was closed. The road reopened about 4.30pm on Friday.
Cairns North – alleged assault
Three stable patients were transported to Cairns Hospital following an alleged assault on Grove and Sheridan Streets at 9.36pm on Thursday.
Police have arrested a 32-year-old Manoora woman following the alleged assault.
Police will allege the woman was sitting with a group of people on Grove St when she allegedly approached a 38-year-old Edmonton man sleeping and hit him several times with a wooden picket she had pulled from a garden.
Police further allege the man tried to walk away and the woman followed and hit him several more times.
A security guard witnessed the attack and called triple-0.
Two witnesses allegedly disarmed the woman and held her until police arrived and arrested her.
The 32-year-old Manoora woman was charged with grievous bodily harm and assault occasioning bodily harm.
She is due to appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court later today.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16
Truck hits cyclist
A truck has hit a cyclist on the Smithfield bypass with reports of significant injuries and potential amputation.
Paramedics were called to the new highway’s on-ramp at McGregor Rd in Smithfield at 5.52am on Thursday.
Paramedics were assessing a 52-year-old man at the scene for a serious arm injury.
Queensland Police were also assisting at the scene.
It is understood the truck driver was not injured in the crash.
The cyclist was taken to Cairns Hospital in a stable condition.
The $164m Smithfield bypass opened late last month, three years after work began on the 3.8km stretch of road.
Single-vehicle crash Killaloe
Emergency services attended a car accident after reports of a single vehicle rollover on the Captain Cook Highway in Killaloe.
A Police spokeswoman said there was only one person in the car, a female driver who was found conscious and breathing.
The accident was on the intersection of Bonnie Doon Road and Captain Cook Highway.
Palm Cove jetty fall
A man in his 30s sustained a foot injury after jumping approximately 5m off the Palm Cove jetty on Wednesday.
He was taken to Cairns hospital in a stable condition.
Serious assault and theft charges
Detectives have arrested a 14-year-old Westcourt boy and a 19-year-old Mooroobool woman following the execution of a search warrant at a Mooroobool home yesterday.
Police seized property including clothing, alcohol and a knife as a result of investigations into the alleged theft of alcohol and wounding of a man at a Mulgrave Rd bottle shop in Earlville on December 12.
It will be alleged two people stole a quantity of alcohol from the store at about 6.40pm.
A member of the public, who attempted to stop the pair in the carpark, was allegedly wounded before they fled the scene.
A 33-year-old Mount Sheridan man was taken to hospital for treatment of a wound to his left forearm and an abrasion to his head.
The boy and woman were both charged with entering a premise and committing an indictable offence, assault occasioning bodily harm while armed and wounding.
Police opposed bail for the 19-year-old who was scheduled to appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on Thursday.
The 14-year-old boy was granted bail with strict conditions and scheduled to appear in the Cairns Children’s Court at a later date.
Police investigations are continuing.
Tablelands man arrested
Police have arrested a 40-year-old Atherton man following an investigation into an alleged burglary and a motor vehicle theft at two separate locations on the Tablelands on December 3.
Police will allege a home on Mason St in Mareeba was entered with a mobile phone stolen about midnight.
Police will further allege a car was stolen from a Carrington Falls Rd home in Wongabel about 2.40pm on the same day/
The man was arrested at a Grove St address in Atherton on Wednesday.
He was charged with one count each of burglary and unlawful use of a motor vehicle and appeared in the Mareeba Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15
Island visit delayed for paramedics
Fitzroy Island visitors have been held up for almost an hour to allow paramedics to board the shuttle boat due to an onshore injury.
Westcourt man Humphrey Hollins was on board the Fitzroy Flyer for a scheduled 8am trip to the island resort on Wednesday morning.
He said the boat got about 200m from the jetty in Cairns when it was called back.
“First we were told there was an emergency, then we were told that someone (on Fitzroy Island) had broken an arm,” he said.
“Then we were told it was maybe not a broken arm.”
Whatever the emergency, tourists were forced to wait in port at Cairns until 8.47am when two paramedics arrived – one carrying a green bag labelled “minor trauma kit”.
Visitors were reportedly disgruntled over the long wait and questioned why no helicopter or charter fast boat was available to the ambulance officers.
“People weren’t happy,” Mr Hollins said.
“We’re coming back at 12.30pm so the boat will barely get there when we have to come back.
“It just seems odd.”
Mr Hollins believed the situation was proof the city needed a second helicopter as backup when the Rescue 510 chopper was unavailable.
He also argued smaller, cheaper Bell helicopters would give the region much better bang for buck.
“We know we need a second helicopter,” he said.
“I said to one of the crew, who knows, it could be out there chasing cars.
“I talked to a helicopter pilot back when I was driving Ubers and he said the difference between a little chopper to the massive one they use is about $600 compared to $5000 an hour.
“We keep hearing about pork-barrelling down south, well I think we don’t get enough pork up here.
“Go down to Townsville and it’s a totally different story.”
A Queensland Ambulance spokeswoman said an 11-year-old girl had dislocated a shoulder after falling off a balcony.
“They were transported back to the mainland via the ferry with paramedics on board, and then taken by road to Cairns Hospital in a stable condition for further treatment,” she said.
“There is no landing site on Fitzroy Island for a rescue helicopter.
“QAS has many options with boat access, for example water police and marine rescue services if needed.
“Due to the nature of this case, QAS’ response was the most appropriate.”
Fitzroy Island Resort was asked for comment.
Burglary arrest
A 15-year-old Bentley Park boy has been arrested over an alleged crime spree at homes from Edmonton to Smithfield.
Police allege the boy has been committing burglaries throughout the Cairns area, stealing cars and victims’ belongings since December 5.
He was arrested on Saturday and taken to the Cairns Watchhouse to be charged with 13 offences – three counts each of burglary, six counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle and one count each of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, unlicensed driving and stealing.
Bail was opposed and the boy will reappear in the Cairns Children’s Court at a later date.
Police also arrested 14-year-old Mount Sheridan boy on Tuesday who was allegedly a co-offender to several of the offences.
His bail was opposed, and he was charged with 12 offences including four counts each of burglary and unlawful use of a motor vehicle and one count each of unlicensed driving, entering premises and committing an indictable offence, wilful damage and possessing a dangerous drug.
He is scheduled to appear in the Cairns Children’s Court at a later date.
Two-vehicle crash
Paramedics assessed two stable patients following a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of the Captain Cook Highway and Kamerunga Rd in Barron at 6.57pm on Tuesday.
A woman in her 30s was taken to Cairns Hospital in a stable condition with neck pain while woman in her late teens declined hospital treatment.
Bicycle crash
A man in his 30s was taken to Atherton Hospital in a stable condition with a chest injury after a bicycle crash on Vernon St in Atherton at 6.24pm on Tuesday.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13
Stabbing investigations
Critical care were called to a unit on Grove St in Parramatta Park after an alleged stabbing at 5.33pm on Monday.
A 35-year-old Portsmith woman sustained back and leg injuries was transported to Cairns Hospital in a stable condition.
Police have charged a 29-year-old Gordonvale man over the incident.
The man was allegedly at the unit with several other people when he got in an argument with the Portsmith woman.
It is alleged he stabbed her several times with a pair of scissors before leaving the apartment.
Police arrested the man an hour later in a neighbouring street.
He was arrested and charged with one count of wounding and possession of dangerous drugs.
In a separate incident, paramedics were called to a home in Bungalow after another alleged wounding at 8.59pm.
A man in his 50s was taken to Cairns Hospital in a stable condition with an arm injury.
Police are investigating.
Wanted teen arrested
A 13-year-old Edmonton boy was charged on Monday following an ongoing investigation into several property offences throughout the Cairns region since December 1.
Officers from the Edmonton police station located the boy in a Wolf St park.
He was arrested with bail opposed.
It will be alleged the boy was involved in several property and wilful damage offences between Edmonton, Westcourt, Manunda and Freshwater.
He was charged with 17 offences including seven attempted enter dwelling, four wilful damage and six serious assaults.
He is scheduled to appear in the Cairns Children’s Court at a later date.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 13
Dangerous driving, Mareeba
A man allegedly got into a fight, drove at pedestrians, hit a garage and smashed into a power pole while drunk – all in the space of 36 minutes.
Authorities have charged a 51-year-old Walkamin man following a crash in Reynolds St in Mareeba on Sunday.
Police allege the driver was involved in a physical altercation with another man at a Frew St address about 2.23pm before getting in his car and driving at people in the driveway.
They jumped out of the way and the car allegedly slammed into the garage before reversing and driving off.
Several people received minor injuries with one woman taken to hospital but released shortly after.
Police further will allege the man drove along Reynolds St and struck a power pole at about 2.59pm.
He allegedly lashed out at police and kicked an officer after being arrested and escorted to the police car.
A breath analysis was conducted at the Mareeba police station.
He allegedly returned a positive reading of 0.120
The man was charged with one count each of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, drink driving, driving without due care and attention and assaulting police.
He was scheduled to appear in the Mareeba Magistrates Court on Monday.
Dangerous drugs, Lower Daintree
Police have charged a 59-year-old Lower Daintree man after allegedly finding a hydroponics system in a bedroom of his home on Saturday.
Authorities were called to a Lower Daintree home at about 9am after a fire broke out.
Firefighters extinguished the blaze and, upon examination, allegedly found several hydroponics systems in separate bedrooms.
Police allege the fire was caused by the power boards and electrical cords used to set up the system.
The man was charged with one count each of producing dangerous drugs, possessing dangerous drugs and possessing property having been used in the connection with the commission of a drug offence.
He was scheduled to appear in the Mossman Magistrates Court on January 6.
Robbery, Cairns North
A 37-year-old Cairns North man has been charged following an alleged robbery of a Cairns North business on Thursday.
Police allege the man attended the Sheridan St business to buy cigarettes at about 1am.
He allegedly tried to grab the cigarettes from the 20-year-old female attendant, but she pulled back.
The man then allegedly verbally threatened the woman and her family before leaving.
Another person in the shop at the time picked up the man’s driver’s licence after he left and handed it to the woman.
The man allegedly returned to the business at 4pm on Saturday and threatened the woman to drop any charges.
The woman called police who attended and arrested the man.
He was charged with one count each robbery, common assault and obstructing police.
He is scheduled to appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on Monday.
WEATHER
The Bureau of Meteorology is expecting a mostly sunny Friday. Winds easterly 15 to 25 km/h becoming in the middle of the day then becoming light in the evening. Overnight temperatures falling to between 17 and 25 with daytime temperatures reaching 31 to 34.
Across the region
Cairns: Mostly sunny 24-34C
Atherton: Sunny 17-31C
Cardwell: Mostly sunny 23-33C
Cooktown: Mostly sunny 25-33C
Innisfail: Mostly sunny 21-32C
Mareeba: Sunny20-34C
TRAFFIC
Archer River/Mission River
Sealing of 10.1km of the Peninsula Developmental Road including drainage provisions at Archer River and Mission River is expected to continue to December 24, 2021 with works ongoing Monday to Sunday 6am to 6pm and delays are expected.
Bungalow
A speed reduction is in force on Mulgrave Road at Bungalow due to culvert damage near Brown Street.
Access across culvert in both directions along Mulgrave Road and Brown Street intersection is restricted to vehicles that comply with the general mass and concessional mass limits.
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.
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.
Freshwater
Roadworks on a shoulder of Kamerunga Road / Stratford Connection Road at Freshwater are expected to cause delay for motorists with lanes reduced. Proceed with caution.
Gordonvale
Temporary closure of Maher Road intersection with the Bruce Highway in both directions. From 7pm Monday to Sunday 7pm until December 31. Forms part of the works for the Bruce Highway, Cairns Southern Access Corridor.
Gordonvale
Culvert replacement works on the Gillies Range Road will be taking place until at least September 30. Lanes will be reduced as a result and motorists are advised to proceed with caution.
Japoonvale
A 25 tonne load limit has been imposed on the Little Liverpool Creek Bridge between Torrisi Rd and Walter Lever Estate Rd. No delays are expected.
Kuranda
Barron River Bridge on the Kennedy Highway reduced to one lane. Restricted to vehicles that comply with general mass limits. Partial lane closures. Both directions affected and delays expected. Allow extra travel time.
Lake Eacham
Wrights Creek Road is closed to all traffic. Motorists are advised to use an alternative route.
The next road inspection will take place on November 11, 2021.
Macalister Range
Henry Ross Lookout is closed for restoration works from December 2 to December 10.
Motorists inbound to Smithfield on the Kennedy Highway are advised to proceed with caution.
Mareeba / Walkamin
Road widening works on the Kennedy Highway near Walkamin will take place between May 20 2021 and December 24 2021.
All lanes in both directions are affected and motorists are advised delays expected during active hours. Allow extra travel time.’
Stewart Creek Valley
Road hazard being soft shoulders on Douglas Creek Road at
Stewart Creek Valley has forced a 5 tonne GVM limit.
Heavy vehicles have been advised to use an alternative route.
Boogan / Mourilyan
Pavement widening and rehabilitation is underway on the Boogan Road at Mourilyan.
Works are expected to operate from Monday to Sunday, 6am to 6pm.
Delays are expected, motorists are advised to proceed with caution.
Woree
Roadworks on Mulgrave Road at Woree have led to reduced lanes inbound towards Sandown Close. Motorists are advised to proceed with caution.
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 IN CAIRNS THIS WEEK
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