Today in Cairns: Kuranda Range traffic delays after landslide, fallen trees
A critical range road is in traffic turmoil after reports of a landslide, fallen trees and “rivers on the road” causing significant delays.
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G’day Far Northerners, here’s everything you need to know about what’s happening across the region this week, March 14 to March 20.
TODAY’S HEADLINES
Strange twist to what we’re reading post Covid
Concern raised over small dwelling boom and shop development
CBD businessman rammed man with car, punched another, after wife insulted
TODAY’S NEWS
Range landslide, fallen trees
The Kuranda Range is finally back to two lanes of traffic after a series of landslides, fallen trees and “rivers on the road” caused significant delays.
Motorists received a text message from the Department of Transport and Main Roads warning about lane closures shortly before 7am on Friday.
“There’s no traffic control yet but a backhoe is heading that way now,” one driver said.
“There is a landslide so only one lane in a small section.”
The Department of Transport and Main Roads sent another text message at 10.03am stating the road was still reduced to one lane due to multiple landslides.
A new message at about 1pm stated the landslides had finally been fixed and full traffic was moving back through the area.
Recent Kuranda Range shutdowns
Monday, March 14
A car rolls on the Kuranda Range, causing delays for hours.
Saturday, March 5
The range is shut for hours after a large tree falls across the road near Henry Ross Lookout. Motorists report sitting in their cars for more than two hours while authorities work to clear the tree.
Tuesday, March 1
A single-vehicle crash causes a closure with all directions affected.
Sunday, February 20
Paramedics assess a patient after a single vehicle rollover on the Kennedy Highway at Kuranda. The patient declines hospital treatment.
Monday, February 14
All lanes are shut after a single-vehicle crash at about 1am.
Thursday, February 10
Hazards on the road prompt an “adverse driving conditions” warning for both lanes.
Monday, February 7
Debris on the road blocks the eastbound lane but is cleared within about half an hour.
Thursday, February 3
Debris on the road causes lane closures.
Wednesday, February 2
A truck rollover causes a massive traffic headache on the Kuranda Range, with authorities taking about nine hours to clear the road.
Earlier that day, there was also a warning of debris on the road affecting eastbound lanes towards Smithfield.
Motorcycle crash
A woman was taken to Cairns Hospital in a stable condition after a motorcycle crash on the Captain Cook Highway in Wangetti at 7.48pm on Thursday.
Five-day crime spree
Innisfail police used a tyre deflation device to end an alleged five-day crime spree that began about 1000km away.
Police arrested two juveniles, aged 15 and 17, and two adults, 18 and 23, on Thursday over series of alleged offences carried out in the Rockhampton area before they drove north in a stolen vehicle on the Bruce Highway.
As officers approached the car following the tyre-deflation effort, the occupants allegedly threw cans of drink at them before driving off and turning into Healy Rd at Mirriwinni.
The vehicle was abandoned a short distance away.
Police Dog Jury tracked and located two of the alleged offenders hiding in a cane field about 5.45pm.
Both were arrested and taken to Innisfail Watchhouse.
A dog squad officer returning back to Cairns found and arrested the other two alleged offenders riding stolen bikes on the Bruce Highway at about 8pm.
The 15-year-old Kawana boy was charged with three counts of burglary and stealing, two counts of enter premise, four counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle and one count each of robbery and obstructing police.
The 17-year-old Kawana boy was charged with one count each unlawful possession of property suspected stolen, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, assault police and obstructing police.
The 18-year-old Mount Morgan woman was charged with three counts of stealing, four counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle and one count of robbery.
The 23-year-old Kawana woman was charged with three unlawful uses of a motor vehicle and one count each of entering premises and attempted enter premise.
Police opposed both boys’ bail and they will appear in the Innisfail Children's Court.
Bail was also opposed for the women who were scheduled to appear in the Innisfail Magistrates Court of Friday.
Going armed to cause fear
Police were called to a Kidston St unit block in Bungalow after reports of an argument between neighbours about 8pm on Thursday.
It will be alleged a woman living in one of the units went to a neighbour’s door to ask for cigarettes.
The occupants refused to give her any.
The woman allegedly started banging on the screen door and became abusive before pulling a knife from her clothing.
The occupants retreated inside their unit and called police.
A 39-year-old Bungalow woman was charged with one count each of going armed to cause fear and wilful damage.
She was bailed to appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on April 4.
THURSDAY’S NEWS
AN Upper Murray man has been charged for allegedly going armed and frightening his community after police arrested him following a disturbance at Bilyana earlier this week.
A Queensland Police spokesman said officers will allege that, “around 3pm on Tuesday March 15, police were called to Bluff Rd, Bilyana, following reports of a man acting dangerously and possibly armed near a residential address.”
“Police attended the location but were initially unable to locate the man at a nearby address,” the spokesman said.
“Further patrols of the nearby area also were unsuccessful in locating the man.”
But later that evening, officers found a vehicle belonging to the man which had crashed into a culvert at Bluff Rd near the original call-out address.
Police located the man at a nearby address and took him into custody.
The 35-year-old Murray Upper man was charged with one count of going armed to cause fear, one count of driving a motor vehicle without a driver’s licence and driving under the influence of alcohol.
He faced Innisfail Magistrates Court yesterday morning, and his matter will be heard again at a later date.
Multiple offences
Police have arrested and charged a 13-year-old Mooroobool boy following investigations into alleged break and enters in the Bungalow, Earlville and Redlynch areas.
It will be alleged in the early hours of March 11 the boy entered a Bunting St, Bungalow address stealing personal identification, keys and a car parked in the driveway.
Police further alleged at around 11.30am the same date the boy has attended an Earlville shopping centre entering a store and stealing clothing before fleeing.
On March 13 police allege the boy, with others, attempted to gain entry to a Perseverance St, Redlynch house and tried to break into two cars parked in the driveway.
Officers from the Cairns Property Crime Unit commenced an investigation on March 11 and with the assistance of CCTV footage were able to identify the boy.
On March 16 the 13-year-old Mooroobool boy was located and charged with two counts of attempted enter premise and one count each of burglary, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, enter premise and commit indictable offence, attempted enter dwelling and possess graffiti instrument.
Police opposed the boys bail and he will appear in the Cairns Children's Court.
WEDNESDAY’S NEWS
Multiple crashes
Paramedics have had a busy morning with multiple crashes across the region – including one blocking traffic on a critical Cairns road.
Authorities have taken two patients to Cairns Hospital following a single-vehicle rollover just south of the Robert Rd intersection on the Bruce Highway at Bentley Park about 8am.
Queensland Traffic issued a warning for motorists to proceed with caution due to southbound lane reductions.
Paramedics also took a patient to Cairns hospital in a stable condition after a cyclist was hit by a car at the corner of Lake and Upward streets in Cairns North at 7.32am.
In a separate incident, a male cyclist in his 20s was rushed to hospital with back pain after being hit by a car at the corner of Severin and Anderson streets in Manunda at 10.04pm on Tuesday.
Arson charges
Officers from Cairns Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) have charged a 40-year-old man and a 41-year-old woman from Whitfield following an investigation into a burnt utility at Ross and Locke, Goldsborough.
It will be alleged the ute was hired on March 8 by the woman who later that day was involved in a traffic crash while towing a red camper trailer.
They left the scene without giving details.
On March 9 at around 11am, it will be alleged that due to the high insurance excess the man and woman drove the ute to a popular Goldsborough swimming spot and set the vehicle alight.
Later that same day the woman reported the vehicle as stolen.
With the assistance of members of the public and CCTV footage detectives were able to identify the vehicle being driven by the man with the woman following in her own car.
On March 15 police executed a search warrant on the couples Whitfield home seizing phones and locating the camper trailer hidden in the yard.
The 40-year-old Whitfield man was charged with one count each of arson, possess utensils and unlicensed driving. His bail was opposed, and he will appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court today.
The 41-year-old woman was charged with one count of arson. She was bailed to appear in the
Cairns Magistrates Court on March 29.
Going armed to cause fear, Bilyana
Police charged a 35-year-old Murray Upper man yesterday (March 15) following an alleged incident at a Bluff Road, Bilyana property.
It will be alleged that around 3.00pm the man has attended his neighbours property, opening the gate and walking onto the property holding a weapon believed to be a machete.
The neighbour, a 46-year-old man has heard the man yelling and threatening him. He stayed inside and called the police.
The 35-year-old man has then left the property leaving the front gate open, allowing cattle to escape.
Police attended but were unable to locate the suspect.
At around 6.00pm same date the victim allegedly received a threatening phone call from the 35-year-old man. The victim has looked outside and seen a car out the front and his gate open again allowing the cattle to escape.
Police again attended and located the man, arresting him and transporting him to Innisfail
watch-house.
He was charged with one count each of going armed to cause fear, unlicensed driving and driving under the influence of liquor.
His bail was denied and will appear in the Innisfail Magistrates Court today.
MONDAY’S NEWS
Cairns Police charge man with knife
A terrifying scene has unfolded after a man allegedly pulled out a knife in the same shopping centre where a man was fatally stabbed last year.
A 25-year-old Mooroobool man has been charged with public nuisance and possessing a knife in public, following an incident on McLeod St on Sunday.
Police were called to Cairns Central Shopping Centre after reports of a man allegedly threatening security officers as he was being escorted from the centre about 9.20am.
He allegedly ran when police arrived.
An officer pursued him on foot across McLeod St, before tackling him and taking him into
custody.
It is further alleged the 25-year-old man was in possession of a knife, which the officer was able to take from him during the arrest.
The 25-year-old was released under strict bail conditions and is expected to appear before Cairns Magistrates Court on March 30.
No one was physically injured.
Cairns Central was the same shopping centre where a man was stabbed to death in broad daylight in September last year.
Multiple property offences, Cairns, Mossman
A 15-year-old Mossman boy was arrested and charged on Friday following investigation into multiple alleged offences committed by the boy.
Police will allege the boy broke into an Upward St unit through a rear door about 10.30pm on March 7.
The boy allegedly stole car keys and a handbag from the kitchen bench before stealing the car parked outside.
He allegedly struck again two days later – this time breaking into a locked car parked in the driveway of a Johnston Rd home.
The boy allegedly used the garage door opener to enter the home and stole car keys and money before driving away in the car.
Sometime between the two alleged offences, police believe the boy stole number plates from a car in Minnie St in Cairns and placed them on one of the stolen cars.
Cairns Property Crime Unit officers spotted an alleged stolen car being driven by the boy on March 9.
They officers were forced to take evasive action to avoid a collision when the boy allegedly drove directly at their vehicle before speeding off.
He was arrested at a Mulgrave Road shopping centre on March 11.
The has been charged with two counts each of burglary and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, three counts each of stealing and unlawful use of a motor vehicle and one count each of receiving stolen property and unlicensed driving.
His bail was opposed and he will reappear in the Cairns Children's Court.
Drug charges, Cairns
On March 11 police executed a search warrant on a Winkworth Street unit in Bungalow resulting in the arrest of a 41-year-old man and a 58-year-old woman.
It will be alleged that during the search officers allegedly located drugs and evidence that the pair had allegedly been supplying drugs from the unit.
The 41-year-old Bungalow man was charged with one count each of possess dangerous drugs,
possess utensils, possession of property suspected of being proceeds of an offence under the drug misuse act and possession of property suspected of being used in connection with the commission of a drug offence.
The 58-year-old Bungalow woman was charged with one count each of supplying dangerous drugs, possessing dangerous drugs, possess utensils that had been used, possession of property
suspected of being proceeds of an offence under the drug misuse act and possession of property suspected of being used in connection with the commission of a drug offence.
Police opposed bail on them both and they will reappear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on March 14.
WEATHER
Showers are expected across the Far Northern metropolis on Friday.
From a minimum overnight of 24 degrees, Cairns can expect a top of 28 with a possible rainfall between 3 and 10mm.
Light winds will become south-easterly at 15 to 25km/h in the morning, before easing in the evening.
Across the region
Cairns: Showers, 24-28C
Atherton: Shower or two, 19-26C
Cardwell: Showers easing, 24-31C
Cooktown: Showers, 25-29C
Innisfail: Showers, 23-27C
Mareeba: Shower or two clearing, 22-28C
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
JCU Graduation 2022
What: James Cook University graduation ceremony for 2022
Where: Cairns Convention Centre
When: Tuesday, March 15, doors open at 4.30pm for 5.30pm start
Tickets: Click here
Chef Antonio’s Recipes for Revolution
What: A delicious, feel good story with heart, soul and a big serve of laughter. Chef Antonio de Benedetto is on a quest, to change the world with his delicious Italian food.
Where: Tanks Arts Centre – Tank 5
When: Wednesday, March 16, doors open at 6.30pm, show starts at 7.30pm
Tickets: Click here
San Cisco Between You and Me tour
What: San Cisco are a three-piece indie pop group from Fremantle, Western Australia. Set to an upbeat indie-pop groove on the cusp of innocence and heartbreak, this is where San Cisco lives. Between You and Me is the fourth album by the indie trio from Fremantle released in late 2020.
Where: Tanks Arts Centre – Tank 5
When: Thursday, March 17, doors open at 6.30pm, show starts at 7.30pm.
Tickets: Click here
Originally published as Today in Cairns: Kuranda Range traffic delays after landslide, fallen trees
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