Today in Cairns: Firefighters called to Cairns caravan blaze
A man has been lucky to escape with minor injuries after a caravan went up in flames at a Cairns holiday park. Plus all the latest weather, traffic and entertainment news from across FNQ.
Cairns
Don't miss out on the headlines from Cairns. Followed categories will be added to My News.
G’day Far Northerners, here’s everything you need to know about what’s happening across the region this week, February 28 to March 5.
TODAY’S HEADLINES
‘So much cash’: Huge waiting list for new Cairns subdivision
Masks off as Cairns faces up to post-pandemic comeback
‘Scrub it off with a toothbrush’: Ex magistrate condemns vandal attack
Bullying allegations rock Far North education body
TODAY’S NEWS
Caravan park fire
A man has been lucky to escape with minor injuries after a caravan went up in flames at Manunda caravan park this afternoon.
At 4.30pm emergency services were called to the Cairns Holiday Park on Little St, Manunda after a fire was reported.
“Paramedics at the scene treated an adult male with minor burns to his hand,” a Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokeswoman said.
QFES said details about how the fire started were unclear.
THURSDAY’S NEWS
Wounding Mareeba
Mareeba Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) arrested and charged a 24-year-old Mossman
woman on March 2, following an incident that occurred on February 21
It will be alleged about 11.30pm, February 21 the woman was at a Byrnes Street, Mareeba address when an argument broke out between her and a 31-year-old-Mareeba man.
The argument has turned physical and the woman has grabbed a sharp implement and stabbed
the man in the cheek. Other people at the home called QAS and the woman fled before police
arrived.
The man was transported to the Mareeba hospital.
On Wednesday, police located the 24-year-old Mossman woman involved and charged her with one count of wounding. She was bailed and will appear in the Mareeba Magistrates Court on March 2.
Public nuisance, Cairns City
A 27-year-old Portsmith woman and 28-year-old Manunda man were arrested on Wednesday
after allegedly fighting on the Esplanade.
Police were called to the Esplanade Parklands in relation to a large group gathering around
several people fighting.
As officers arrived, they witnessed the man and woman throwing punches at each other.
Officers have moved in arresting both people and moving the crowd on.
Both were charged with one count each of public nuisance.
The 28-year-old Manunda man was bailed to appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on March 18.
The 27-year-old Portsmith woman was held in custody and will appear in the Cairns Magistrates
Court on Thursday.
WEDNESDAY’S NEWS
Motorcycle Crash, Port Douglas
QUEENSLAND POLICE and Queensland Fire and Emergency Services have rushed to the scene of a confirmed motorcycle crash in Port Douglas.
Police confirmed the Forensic Crash unit are attending the site on Barrier St along with emergency services after a call was placed at 5.50pm.
On Thursday, QPS confirmed a 27-year-old woman had died in hospital following the crash. Latest news on the incident.
Alleged gunman arrested
A 29-year-old Bungalow man was arrested on Tuesday, March 1 following reports to police of a man walking near a hospital armed with a handgun.
It will be alleged the man was walking along Lake Street near Grove Street when he was seen by a member of the public to be carrying what appeared to be a gun. The witness immediately called triple-0.
City Safe camera operators were notified and located the man confirming he was carrying what appeared to be a gun.
Armed police attended and arrested the man locating a replica handgun in the bushes 15m away.
It will be further alleged on January 12 the man has attended a Bentley Park service station, fuelled up the car he was in and then drove away without paying.
The 29-year-old Bungalow man was charged with one count of dangerous conduct with
weapon and stealing.
He was bailed to appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on March 17.
TUESDAY’S NEWS
Burglary, Manunda,
Police arrested and charged two boys aged 14 and 15-years yesterday (February 28) following an alleged burglary at a Martyn Street, Manunda home.
It will be alleged at around 4.00am one of the boys entered the home while the owners were
asleep, locating and stealing keys to two cars, and stealing one of the cars.
At around 8.20am it will be further alleged the boys entered an unlocked garage at a Hanah Close, Mount Sheridan address.
They entered an unlocked car and stole the garage remote before trying to enter the home, but the screen door was locked.
The owner heard the boys and they have fled.
Police were contacted and provided with CCTV footage of the boys driving away in the stolen car from earlier.
Officers located the vehicle 20 minutes later, driving around Earlville. A tyre-deflation-device was deployed to stop the car when the driver swerved and crashed into a railing.
The boys attempted to flee on foot but were chased down and arrested.
A 14-year-old Yarrabah boy was charged with one count each of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, enter premise and commit indictable offence and attempted enter dwelling. He was bailed with strict conditions and will appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court at a later date.
A 15-year-old Gordonvale boy was charged one count each of burglary, receiving tainted property, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, unlicensed driving, dangerous operation of a vehicle, enter premise and commit indictable offence and enter dwelling.
His bail was opposed and will appear in the Cairns Court.
Missing boy found
Police have called off a public appeal for help after tracking down a missing 13-year-old boy in Julatten.
Authorities held fears for the boy’s safety after he went missing at 6am on Monday morning.
An alert issued at 8.27pm on Monday said the teen had been located safe and well.
MONDAY’S NEWS
Julatten missing teenage boy
Police are appealing to the public to help search for a missing Julatten boy as concerns of the teen’s safety rise.
The 13-year-old was last seen at 6am on Monday morning, leaving a Mount Lewis Road address on foot and has not been heard from since.
Police said the behaviour is “out of character” for the young boy and are urging anyone with information to contact them.
Manunda truck tip
A truck has tipped and landed in a precarious position on the corner of Pease St and Hoare St at Manunda.
The truck, which has ETS Infrastructure Management signage and is believed to be undertaking contract work for Ergon Energy is currently blocking one driveway and the pedestrian pathway nearest the intersection.
ETS staff on site declined to make a comment at this time.
Ergon Energy, Queensland Police and Queensland Ambulance Services have been contacted for comment.
Two vehicle crash Redlynch
A Queensland Ambulance spokeswoman said paramedics arrived at the scene about 8.41am. There were no injuries reported and no transport to hospital was needed.
A Queensland Police spokeswoman said the road was closed for sometime but it had reopened.
Clifton Beach snake bite
Paramedics took a boy to Cairns Hospital stable as a precaution after he sustained a suspected snake bite to the foot at a private home in Clifton Beach about 8.15pm on Sunday.
Mareeba motorcycle crash
A male teenager was transported to Mareeba Hospital stable with minor injuries following a motorcycle crash on Thora Cleland Dr about 7.30pm on Sunday.
WEATHER
It will be a partly cloudy Thursday in Cairns, with a medium chance of showers, most likely in the afternoon and evening.
There will be light winds and possible rainfall will range between 0mm and 0.4mm with a minimum temperature of 26C and top of 36C.
Across the region
Cairns: Possible shower 26-36C
Atherton: Shower or two 21-32C
Cardwell: Partly cloudy 26-37C
Cooktown: Mostly sunny 25-35C
Innisfail: Mostly sunny 25-35C
Mareeba: Shower or two 23-34C
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:
Guides tour of Gardens
What: Led by volunteers from the Friends of Botanic Gardens, the free tour shows some of the stunning key areas of the Cairns Botanic Gardens.
When: Tuesday March 1
Where: Cairns Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre, Collins Ave, Edge Hill
Tickets: Simply meet up with the guide outside the Friends House (no bookings required).
Paint the Town: 2021 Queensland Regional Art Awards
What: An award-winning selection of regional Queensland talent. An initiative of Flying Arts Alliance, Paint the Town, is the touring exhibition of 2021 Queensland Regional Art Awards, showcasing the works of 28 talented emerging and established artists from across regional Queensland. Evoking the spirit of celebration by responding to the competition theme “paint the town,” artists examine the activities, environments, and moments in which they rejoice in celebration.
When: Thursday March 3, 10am to 4pm
Where: 38 Abbott St, Cairns City
Tickets: Free
Originally published as Today in Cairns: Firefighters called to Cairns caravan blaze
Four dead in four years: Inside notorious Qld jail
Following the latest death in custody at a Queensland jail, we look back at others who have died there in just a few years and the 20-year history of the grey cellblocks known for housing some of the state’s most high-profile prisoners.
‘Not clear’ why deadly disease on the rise in Far North
Health officials are searching for answers as to why there’s been a sharp increase of a deadly disease in the Far North, urging residents with symptoms to seek immediate care.