DEADLY LIST: The Bruce Highway’s fatal reputation
The stretch of road connecting the Far North to Brisbane is littered with crosses and tributes to those whose lives have been claimed on the road. Read the full list of NQ road deaths.
Townsville
Don't miss out on the headlines from Townsville. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Hundreds of people have died on the Bruce Highway across the state in the past three years. The Townsville Bulletin, the Courier Mail and the Cairns Post have come together in a push to Help Our Highway.
See the faces of the North Queensland road toll below.
February 27, 2024
Wreckage discovered in the morning
32-year-old Thomas Micheal Brady and 34-year-old Belinda Judy Waltisbuhl from Sydney were killed outside Cardwell, at Damper Creek in a single-vehicle crash.
The pair were travelling north in a Holden Commodore when it rolled off the road sometime on Monday night or early Tuesday morning.
The wreckage was discovered by a motorist at 6.15am near the tree line.
Both occupants were dead.
Family said Thomas had recently travelled up to NQ to visit his dad.
August 1, 2023
Man dies in multi-vehicle crash that shut down highway
A 69-year-old Mundingburra man died after a horror multi-vehicle crash near Julago that closed the Bruce Highway for five hours.
Initial investigations indicate a blue 2021 Kenworth T410SAR prime mover and a white 2010 Toyota HiLux were travelling northbound on the highway before they collided just before 5pm.
The HiLux then crashed with a white 1997 Holden Jackaroo travelling southbound.
The 69-year-old Mundingburra man, who had been driving the HiLux, sustained critical injuries and was declared deceased at the scene. The driver of the Holden, a 72-year-old Giru man, was transported to Townsville Hospital with minor injuries.
The driver of the Kenworth truck, a 56-year-old Kelso man, was not physically injured.
October 8, 2023
Motorcyclist killed at traffic lights
27-year-old Bluewater dad Tyson Mackenzie was killed in a motorcycle accident on the Bruce Hwy at the Veals Rd traffic light intersection.
Despite being administered CPR by an off-duty nurse and doctor, the man died at the scene from traumatic injuries.
January 30, 2022
Motorbike rider dies taking part in group ride
Motorcyclist John Weber, 78, was taking part in his first official ride of the year with the Townsville Restored Motorcycle Club when his bike suddenly left the road and crashed.
Mr Weber died on the Bruce Highway near the Barrett Rd turn off to Paluma, at Mutarnee.
Club president Drew Jackson said at the time that the group of more than 100 members was in shock at the loss of their mate.
The group were travelling home from the Frosty Mango after a coffee when the tragedy occurred.
May 17, 2022
Veteran truckie dies days after birthday
Neville Palmer, a veteran truckie, died in a crash just two weeks after deciding to retire, and two days after his 73rd birthday.
Mr Palmer tragically lost his life when his truck rolled at Rollingstone.
The father and grandfather was remembered as a true gentleman who lived life by his old-school values.
August 2, 2022
Mother dies travelling to visit newly pregnant daughter
Kuranda woman Jackie Faulkner, 59, died near Cardwell after she stopped behind a sugar cane truck that was waiting to turn onto a farm access road when another truck, travelling south, struck her Mazda sedan.
Ms Faulkner was travelling to Townsville to visit her pregnant daughter.
Neither of the truck drivers were physically injured.
Chaise Boon, 18, of Cardwell pulled over to help and held Ms Faulkners hand while a registered doctor, who was in the car behind Ms Boon, started performing CPR until emergency services arrived but tragically Ms Faulkner died at the scene.
August 12, 2022
Two die in car and truck crash
The crash, between a truck and a car, was reported at Wunjunga, 22km south of Home Hill. A third vehicle was subsequently involved.
Both the driver and the passenger of the car hit by the truck died.
The 67-year-old driver died at the scene and a 62-year old woman was flown to Townsville University Hospital where she subsequently died as a result of her injuries.
The pair from Hervey Bay have not been publicly identified.
August 31, 2022
Tasmanian man dies following head on crash
John Perkins, 68, was killed when his car and another vehicle collided on the Bruce Highway north of Brandon at around 4am.
Mr Perkins was rushed to Ayr Hospital but could not be saved.
A 39-year-old Giru man who was driving the other vehicle involved was not injured in the crash.
The Tasmanian man was remembered as an influential figure in his community of Latrobe, where he served as a councillor for 24 years.
March 19, 2021
18-year-old dies in motorbike-truck crash
Hunter Evans, known fondly as Merv by his mates, died when his motorcycle collided with a truck near Giru on the Bruce Highway.
The 18-year-old died at the scene, while the truck driver was uninjured.
June 22, 2021
Double fatality near Mutarnee
Townsville mother-of-two Holly Stewart, 26, and Atheron man Daniel Mitchell, 23, were killed when a man driving another car allegedly ploughed into the back of Ms Stewart’s car while she was waiting in a line of traffic caused by another crash on the highway.
The car allegedly rammed into the back of her Mazda, which hit a Mitsubishi ahead in the line.
The driver of the Toyota, Ayden John McLennan was charged with manslaughter.
October 31, 2021
LandCruiser driver charged for causing death
A 22-year-old Ayr man driving a LandCruiser on the Bruce Hwy was charged by police with dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death while adversely affected after he crashed into a Camry.
The LandCruiser was travelling southbound when it collided with a Camry travelling northbound, which then struck a Mazda also going northbound.
The driver of the Mazda, 47-year-old Donna Champman – was declared dead at the scene.
Travelling with her was a pair of two-year-old children who were taken to hospital in a critical condition, and a 30-year-old woman, also critical.
The driver of the Camry, a 44-year-old Rasmussen man, was not injured.
The driver of the LandCruiser and his passenger, a 30-year-old Kelso man, were taken to hospital in a stable condition before police pressed the charge.
December 21, 2020
Killed four days before Christmas
A 61-year-old Ayr man was killed at Mount Surround just four days before Christmas, after his Holden sedan strayed into the path of an oncoming garbage truck around 2pm.
The crash occurred in a roadworks area with a speed limit of 60km/h.
After the collision the garbage truck ran off the road and hit a pole.
The truck driver was struck inside the cab for over an hour, with fire crew using hydraulic equipment to free him.
September 13, 2020
Elderly couple dead
Couple John and Carol Kayes were killed after being involved in a four-car smash near Mount Surround.
Paramedics worked on the elderly man for several minutes, but he could not be saved.
The elderly woman died a short time later.
The crash occurred around 1.30pm when three cars were driving north on the Bruce Hwy and another was coming south when they collided.
The elderly couple were inside the southbound car.
September 13, 2020
Deeragun man ‘forced into oncoming traffic’
A 52-year-old Deeragun man is dead after a three-car-crash near the Yabulu turn off.
Initial investigations by police showed the Deeragun man had side swiped a car, forcing him into oncoming traffic where he collided head on with another vehicle.
More Coverage
Originally published as DEADLY LIST: The Bruce Highway’s fatal reputation
Officer injured, car destroyed after fire at jail
A prison officer was taken to hospital after a routine burn-off at the Townsville jail’s low-security farm turned dangerous, with strong winds reigniting a grass fire that destroyed a new work ute.
WATCH: Pups rescued as massive fire engulfs car yard
Footage shows the moment police officers rushed to rescue animals from properties near a massive industrial fire that broke out in Mount Isa recently. Watch it here.
‘Going down so fast’: Passenger tells of terror on Qantas flight
A terrified passenger on a flight to Brisbane has described the moment a Qantas flight went into emergency descent, dropping thousands of metres in a matter of minutes, after a cabin pressure issue. SEE THE VIDEO
Townsville crime drops, but brazen thieves still run rampant
Townsville’s crime stats might be heading in the right direction, with break-ins down 30 per cent in the past eight months, but locals say they’re still living in fear as car thieves continue to run wild. See the data breakdown here.
‘A joke’: Cowboys fans irate over airlines ‘price gouging’ for finals flights
North Queensland’s stunning progression to the NRL semi-finals in Sydney has left fervent fans scrambling for affordable flights, with some already forking out $1500+ to cheer on their team.
‘I’ll shoot you in the head’: Kid sentenced for armed robberies
A 16-year-old who stole food from a NightOwl was dismissive when the lone cashier threatened to call the cops, saying “what are they going to do?” - see how he was sentenced in court.