Townsville Bulletin newspaper headlines for the month of July, 2024
Non sport-related news headlines in the Townsville Bulletin in the month of July began tragically with the horrific Greyhound bus accident on the Bruce Highway.
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Non sport-related news headlines in the Townsville Bulletin in the month of July in 2024 began tragically with the horrific Greyhound bus accident on the Bruce Highway.
The news about the accident that claimed three lives sent shock waves through Queensland and once again refocused attention on the heavily criticised state of the vitally strategic highway linking the north of the state with the south-east corner.
The hectic month ended, however, on a high with the start of the highly successful Paris Olympics.
July 1
Tragic toll
Three people have been killed, four have life-threatening injuries, and dozens have been injured in a horror passenger bus crash on the Bruce Highway south of the Burdekin.
Police are investigating the circumstances of a crash involving more than 30 people after a Greyhound bus heading north collided with an SUV towing a caravan at Gumlu.
July 3
How many more people will be killed?
Colin Dale often hears the squeal of tyres from near-misses and witnesses the aftermath of crashes from his front door as vehicles struggle to negotiate the tricky turn-off from the Bruce Highway into his township.
Mr Dale, co-owner of the Gumlu Tavern, said Sunday’s tragic crash had reignited grief in the community after one of his staff members, Christine Hinds, 70, died in a head-on crash on the Bruce Highway between Gumlu and Home Hill two months earlier.
Three people died in the recent Gumlu tragedy, which is still under investigation by Queensland Police.
Townsville Health and Hospital Service said that one person remained in a critical condition and three others were stable.
July 4
Embattled mayor’s return far from stately
North Queensland’s leaders called on (former) Premier Steven Miles and his government to “use their powers” and force Townsville Mayor Troy Thompson out so the city can forge ahead.
It comes after the mayor returned to work to chair the general council meeting, despite issuing a statement last month saying he would be taking “a leave of absence until the conclusion of the (Crime and Corruption Commission) investigations”.
Four days after his initial statement, Mr Thompson edited his post to say he had just “taken a leave of absence due to health reasons”, later claiming councillors and the CEO hired security guards to block his return to work.
July 7
Fatal shooting probe
Townsville police officers say using lethal force on a knife-wielding man outside their police station was unavoidable, as the investigation into the fatal shooting continues.
According to police, about 10pm Saturday July 6, the 46-year-old man approached the Kirwan police station armed with a knife.
Two male constables confronted the man outside where they were threatened with the weapon but after the Cranbrook man failed to comply with directions the officers produced a taser and a firearm, which were fired simultaneously.
The man, who was not previously known to police, sustained two gunshot wounds.
July 9
Hughenden’s power play
North Queensland town Hughenden will become the beating heart of Powerlink’s 2032 CopperString project, with construction underway on the $5bn energy transmission link.
Ground was broken at the remote accommodation site that will house the first, and largest, complement of workers building the connection to Mount Isa.
Powerlink CEO Paul Shimshauer said the step was a “significant milestone” after 12 months of hard work.
“We are proud to be building the future of north Queensland, starting right here in Hughenden,” Mr Shimshauer said.
When fully constructed, the hub will house 550 workers, who will be charged with laying the foundations of the 1000km transmission line that will connect Mount Isa to the rest of the northern region for power.
July 9
Going down the drain
Townsville City Council face the prospect of their crown jewel water security project, the Haughton Pipeline, becoming another white elephant.
The pipeline faces a cost blowout to nearly half a billion dollars, well above initial estimates.
July 15
Too high a price to pay
Cafe operators and business owners along The Strand say they were blindsided by the council’s decision to introduce paid parking, while their clientele are planning to abandon the area altogether if the criticised plans go ahead.
July 16
‘Fought to the end’
A grieving mother has remembered her son who died in a double-fatal house fire in Townsville as a hard-working young man who loved cars, horses and his girlfriend.
An emotional Christie Stonehouse confirmed that her son Benjamin (left) had tragically succumbed to critical burns he suffered in the house fire while in a Brisbane hospital.
July 19
Done and dusted
Queensland’s state government is in for a harsh reality check in October, according to exclusive polling.
All three of Townsville’s Labor MPs are set to lose their seats, with the current government facing the lowest primary vote recorded in 131 years.
July 24
Lives on the line
A Townsville doctor is warning people are risking death by not wearing a helmet on motorised vehicles, as extreme airlift delays of up to seven hours or more are putting patients’ lives on the lines.
Townsville University Hospital (TUH) doctor Matan Ben David said he had seen the worst outcomes for people with head injuries after they chose not to wear a helmet when riding electric scooters, quad bikes or motorcycles.
“If a major accident occurs one hour away from Townsville, where the patient needs to be flown whether by helicopter or by the RFDS (Royal Flying Doctor Service) … it can take up to seven hours to get to the hospital,” Dr David said.
“Most of the time if you need to be flown it would take you longer than it would by road because the logistics are so complex.”
July 27
Merci Paris, you were incredible
A beheaded Marie Antoinette starts singing while a French heavy metal band thrashes guitars and fire erupts across the River Seine.
There’s Les Mis, dancers from Moulin Rouge, Celine Dion singing her heart out, the can-can, Lady Gaga performing on a golden stage, a metal horse galloping across the famous river and weightlifting, boxing, pole vaulting Minions who steal the Mona Lisa.
Bravo! They pulled it off.
July 31
Now or never
Passionate Indigenous leaders say they are ready to step up and help save their communities by taking troubled young offenders out to the bush for rehabilitation, offering them a fresh start away from negative influences.
“It’s time for my generation to stand up and do something about this,” says Alfred Smallwood Junior (above), part of a new organisation united in their mission to get kids back on track.
Originally published as Townsville Bulletin newspaper headlines for the month of July, 2024
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