An elderly man has been hospitalised in a critical condition after a crash in the carpark of a Cairns shopping centre Please call us on 1800 070 535 and we’ll help resolve the issue or try again later Any Questions? Please call 1800 070 535 Saturday & Sunday 7:00am – 11:30am (AEST) Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInCOMANCHE CO. (KSWO) - New details are being released about the wildfire that broke out at the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge on Thursday The fire has burned approximately 1,500 acres with around 900 acres being on refuge lands and 400 off the refuge Conditions have improved for some private lands around the Meers area due to a wind shift and efforts made by emergency personnel Containment efforts for the fire included: There have been over 180 different people who have helped with the effort to contain the fire The Evacuation Order associated with the fire has been lifted Residents of evacuated areas such as Mount Sheridan Estates Fire Fighters are continuing their work in the area and authorities are urging residents to use caution when returning Only residents are being allowed back in these areas as of this posting Due to the fires there will be closure on some roads and areas including the Wildlife Refuge east of the Visitors Center and Highways 115/49 There is also a big impact being caused by the excessive smoke in the Wildlife Refuge because of the fire People with breathing complications are urged to take necessary precautions to remain safe The following evacuation centers remain open: A Cairns man has described his terror as he rushed home after hearing his house was on fire and his partner had been inside Far Northerner’s have been stranded for hours following bus discrepancies and delays as the Department of Transport and Main Roads promised a solution was on the horizon Detectives from the Major and Organised Crime Squad Far North with the assistance of Cairns Criminal Investigation Branch and Tactical Crime Squad have charged four people with drug related offences Operation Whiskey Sindel commenced in December 2024 to target alleged cocaine trafficking in the Cairns area police executed search warrants at four properties in Kewarra Beach cannabis and cash were seized along with several drug utensils and electronic devices It will be alleged three men aged between 41 and 64 were involved in trafficking cocaine in the Cairns area in recent months It is further alleged that upon arrival at the Kewarra Beach property police located a 64-year-old man attempting to flee while holding a quantity of cocaine The 64-year-old Kewarra Beach man was charged with four counts of possess dangerous drugs and one count each of trafficking in dangerous drugs possessing dangerous drugs Schedule 1 drug quantity of or exceeding Schedule 3 but less than Schedule 4 possessing anything used in the commission of a crime offence to buy or possess S4 or S8 medicines A 53-year-old Smithfield man was charged with one count each of trafficking in dangerous drugs possessing anything used in the commission of crime A 41-year-old Mount Peter man was charged with two counts of possessing dangerous drugs possession of property suspected of being the proceeds of an offence A 53-year-old Mount Sheridan man was charged with one count of possessing dangerous drug Schedule 2 drug quantity of or exceeding Schedule 3 All four men are scheduled to appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on April 28 Officer in charge of the Major and Organised Crime Squad Far Northern Detective Senior Sergeant Brad Grace said police are continuing to target the alleged distribution of dangerous drugs in the greater Cairns area "These substances pose a significant risk to the community and we will continue to run operations like this one to target offenders," Detective Senior Sergeant Grace said "Anyone who has information about the distribution of illegal drugs is urged to report it to police contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24hrs per day at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting Report crime information anonymously via Crime Stoppers Call 1800 333 000 or report online at www.crimestoppersqld.com.au A Mooroobool man accused of smashing into a Mt Sheridan house with a baseball bat and setting the property alight is now facing extra charges after drugs were found in a vehicle at the damaged property Any Questions? Please call 1800 070 535. Monday to Friday 7:30am – 6:00pm, Saturday & Sunday 7:00am – 11:30am (AEST) Share via...Gift this articleSubscribe to gift this article Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe Fierce competition between cashed-up local farmers and corporate investors combined with a shortage of listings is driving a surge in farmland values in Western Australia’s wheat belt amid a strong outlook for commodities such as wheat and lamb “There’s very strong buyer demand and limited properties available across the majority of the state particularly in the cropping zones,” said Elders rural specialist Simon Cheetham SaveLog in or to save articleShareCopy link Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe. Follow the topics, people and companies that matter to you. Read MoreRural property Farming Latest In CommercialFetching latest articles Local family robbed in their sleep as thieves go for a ‘joy ride.’ See what the Queensland Police Service is doing Cairns most avid seafarers among 105 lucky ticket holders who embarked on Coral Expeditions’ newest cruise on Monday See where the $1000-a-day voyage is taking them A community meeting on the fires in NE Wyoming and southern Montana will be held Wednesday at 6 p.m private landowners that have heavy equipment line or fences cut during the fire suppression efforts can contact fire officials at (307) 303-7642 containment is increasing while firefighters focus on extinguishing hotspots and holding lines sits at 52,500 acres with 49% containment; the Remington Fire is at 196,000 acres and 5% containment; the Constitution Fire is roughly 25,000 acres and at 28% containment; and the House Draw Fire sits at about 175,000 acres with 88% containment Fire activity was reduced on several of the fires on Monday due to precipitation that fell across the region firefighters were to target hot spots and begin assessing suppression repair needs and assess and map dozer lines for suppression repair Containment has increased on the Flat Rock and Remington fires No evacuations are in effect on the Flat Rock https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/wyhpd-house-draw-fire https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/mtgnf-remington-fire https://linktr.ee/housedrawfire https://www.facebook.com/SWIMT5/ Fire Information Phone: 307-201-3885 (8 a.m Media Information Phone: 307-543-7202 (8 a.m Suppression Repair Phone: 307-303-7642 (8 a.m and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Wondering where and when to vote in the Cairns council election Don't miss out on the headlines from Cairns Followed categories will be added to My News The 2024 local government election is in full swing with election day on March 16 We’ve also run a poll revealing our readers’ choice for mayor. But here is the nuts and bolts information you need to know ahead of casting your votes You can vote between 8am and 6pm on this day Postal voting for the 2024 local government elections has closed Mooroobool and parts of Manoora and Manunda If you’re still not sure you can search by address on the Electoral Commission Queensland website Read more about each mayoral candidate Click on the links below to learn more about the candidates in your division Division 1: Brett Moller (Unity) Division 2: Patricia Courtenay (Community First) Division 3: Marisa Seden (Community First) Division 4: Trevor Tim (Team Eden) Division 5: Rob Pyne Division 6: Shane Trimby (Team Eden) Division 7: Ian Moller-Nielsen (Team Eden) Division 8: Rhonda Coghlan (Unity) Division 9: Brett Olds You will need to fill in two ballot papers: one for your choice of mayor and one for your preferred divisional candidate Cairns Regional Council election has optional preferential voting which means you have the choice to vote for one You can number the candidates in order of preference (1 being your preferred candidate and so on) or you can simply choose to vote for just one candidate on each ballot paper Voting in local government elections is compulsory and yes you may receive an ‘apparent failure to vote notice’ and you will have the chance to provide a valid reason for not voting you may be referred to the State Penalties Enforcement Registry (SPER) and additional charges could apply You can enrol to vote or check your enrolment details on the Australian Electoral Commission website Cairns Post journalists will be working through the weekend to publish results as they are counted the results may not be known until postal votes are counted the last of which will be returned on March 26 annabel.bowles@news.com.au Far North leaders have cast their eyes’ ahead following Labor’s big win in Leichhardt with Matt Smith to be called on to deliver hundreds of millions in funding to kickstart the region’s crippled economy Retiring Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch has blasted the ALP’s efforts to liken a Far North political hopeful to Donald Trump during the federal election campaign A Cairns-based aged care worker has been suspended and an investigating launched to get to the bottom of “disturbing” treatment suffered by an elderly woman in a White Rock nursing home A shopping centre is investigating the terms of a lease agreement following claims from Cairns mums that a pop up baby photography business locked them into payment plans with no way to cancel PANORAMIC views and cool breezes from the slopes of Mt Sheridan set this Queenslander-inspired home apart from others in the suburb After accepting a job in Roma two months ago valuer Gary Cotter decided to put his four-bedroom two-bathroom home on the market after 17 years The sprawling building features tulip oak polished floors and a back veranda which is the perfect spot to unwind after work and take in stunning views to Green Hill Walsh’s Pyramid and all the way to Russell Heads Designed to catch the north-easterly breeze Mr Cotter said the natural cooling system meant the air conditioning was only used in the main bedroom a couple of weeks a year Mr Cotter said an area underneath the house was the perfect place for a home gym and to store canoes and other equipment “I completed building the place in early 1999 I love my Queenslander-style homes and I’ve tried to replicate a Queenslander with a more functional design,” he said “You come up the front steps and into the house and we’ve got away from that design where the bedrooms all come off the lounge room With a servery linking the kitchen to the veranda Mr Cotter said the space was perfect for gatherings with friends and family Cairns Property Office sales agent Jon Snell said the property was perfect for a family “If you had teenage kids they could virtually do their own thing downstairs in the fourth bedroom and there are three good-sized bedrooms upstairs,” he said “The whole design of the house is about catching the breeze so it cuts down on your energy bills It’s not your run-of-the-mill block home.” The main bedroom features a walk-in robe and ensuite including two basins and a remote double lockup garage will keep all the toys safe and sound The property has been listed for sale at $480,000 For more information or to make an offer please call 0417 642 630 third parties have written and supplied the content and we are not responsible for it completeness or reliability of the information nor do we accept any liability or responsibility arising in any way from omissions or errors contained in the content We do not recommend sponsored lenders or loan products and we cannot introduce you to sponsored lenders We strongly recommend that you obtain independent advice before you act on the content realestate.com.au is owned and operated by ASX-listed REA Group Ltd (REA:ASX) © REA Group Ltd. By accessing or using our platform, you agree to our Terms of Use. the shortcomings of a number of Cairns aged care homes have been laid bare in damning audit reports published by the aged care watchdog Therese Plath from Ray White Cairns Central sold 2 Jumna Cl This private and elevated four-bedroom home is surrounded by established gardens and generous open plan living and dining areas which merge to the centrally located gourmet kitchen one of Cairns’ original southern suburbs has always lived up to its reputation as a haven of affordable properties and easy lifestyles Bentley Park has grown to offer an abundance of childcare centres a shopping strip and both private and public schools attracting young families in their droves Homes in the foothills of the mountains bordering Bentley Park offer views east and south across the Coral Sea and the green pastures and farming fields Bentley Park is now a thriving community and is a short drive to leisure attractions such as Sugarworld Waterpark and the Ross and Locke swimming and four-wheel-driving spot the suburb has expanded into the surrounding foothills with new and expanding residential developments at Kingfisher Creek The Fretwell Park sporting complex provides facilities for AFL South Cairns Gymnastics is also in Bentley Park and Robert Rd is home to a council reserve with a basketball court the area is full of residents from varied backgrounds Japanese and Tagalog were the most spoken languages at home 12.4 per cent of households had a weekly household income of less than $650 and 10.5 per cent of households had a weekly income of more than $3000 Property Shop Cairns’ 39-lot Orchard Grove development on Timberlea Dr in Bentley Park offered some of the newest housing stock in the region affordable land — with some blocks up to 1000 sqm has been popular with all buyer demographics The enormous cost to develop Cairns shopping centres has meant the exit of most family operators but a few local shopping centre kings and queens still compete with the big boys Just one hour in the day is the most common time for crime in more than three-quarters of all Cairns suburbs and just one offence is the most common in almost half Is a pool a must-have feature when buying a home DREAMING of a dip in your own pool this Christmas There are some mouth-watering options on the market featuring dreamy pools in which to while away a steamy summer This sensational home high on Buchans Point has commanding views and an 80,000 litre infinity edge pool Cool down in your own infinity pool at Palm Cove Check out the pool from the rooftop garden at this designer home where the indoor and outdoor areas flow seamlessly to a natural edge heated pool with a flowing water feature in a stone wall this three bedroom home has a pool overlooking the ocean gently sloping grassed land and an abundance of fruit trees A wet-edged swimming pool with outdoor entertaining space on an 11-acre property with a breathtaking five bedroom home backing on to rainforest Floor to ceiling windows in this contemporary masterpiece look out on a bespoke pool with fantastic views of treetops and mountain ranges Sit on the stairs in this pool and enjoy a spa at an airy four-bedroom home that also has a spa in the main bathroom Which fixed speed and red light camera sites have proved the worst around Cairns in the past 11 months — we have all the figures right here A beast of a scrub python weighing in at 30kg is thought to be responsible for the mysterious disappearance of a ginger cat from a southern Cairns suburb The site of a demolished servo could be home to the Far North’s newest fast food restaurant if given the green light by council All the details of the 24-hour drive through restaurant as money went missing from his Mount Sheridan home retiree John Rennie thought he was losing the plot But when the 79-year-old installed a hidden camera in his wardrobe have sprung into action after witnessing a Mount Sheridan car crash helped keep a 28-year-old man’s airways open after he crashed head-on into a tree at Mount Sheridan yesterday Shireen and Stephen O’Brien were returning home from church on Foster Rd about noon yesterday when they came across the still-smoking wreck The car had struck a tree on the oncoming side of the road instructing others to help with traffic control while they set to work on the driver “He was right underneath the front of the car on the floor,” Mr O’Brien said “We couldn’t see him – initially we thought he’d somehow got out but the airbags had gone over the top drifting in and out of consciousness.” Mrs O’Brien said it was a “blessing” she and her husband “We were just there as first-aiders,” she said “He obviously ran into the tree and we just came along to sustain his airways.” was taken to Cairns Hospital and was last night in a serious but stable condition Traffic was diverted for several hours while emergency services worked on the man before he was loaded into an ambulance It was among a host of crashes across the Far North that kept emergency services busy yesterday a 65-year-old woman was taken in a stable condition suffering back pain to Cairns Hospital after her car drove into an embankment at the bottom of the Kuranda Range a 31-year-old woman was also taken to the hospital after the motorbike she was riding and a car collided on the Captain Cook Highway at Yorkeys Knob who crashed his mountain bike while cycling near Mareeba and was flown to Cairns Hospital in a serious but stable condition This gym is giving away a life changing mentorship to one battler in need YELLOW crazy ants have invaded Mt Sheridan with a resident attacked by the acid-spraying insects in his bed Actor Hugh Sheridan (right) is on his way to Nepal to find his missing brother Zachary Sheridan (left) Link copiedShareShare articleActor Hugh Sheridan is on his way to Nepal to try and find his brother Zachary who has not been heard from since a massive earthquake hit the region had been trekking for days on his way to base camp and had been out of range before the quake hit best known for his role on the Australian series Packed to the Rafters took to Twitter to let fans know he would travel to the base camp at Mount Everest to find his brother and help any other Australian that might be stranded "I will be with a small crew helping with a chopper dr [doctor] and we will have a satellite phone available for any Australian there who needs to reach home and tell their loved ones they're ok," he wrote "I know so many of us are still waiting to hear I feel optimistic that he is alive and stuck." Hugh also asked the media to respect his family's privacy at this time "I know that the news have been eager to talk to my mum but it would be respectful to leave her alone at this time," he said "My heart goes out to every family who is still waiting to hear I can't imagine how they feel at Mt Everest "I'm looking forward to seeing my little brother and getting him out safely." Zachary had been studying at a Hong Kong university on an exchange from Adelaide and was travelling through Asia before his return to Australia Adelaide man Jamie Nikou made contact with his family late on Sunday afternoon after also being reported missing in Nepal. Mr Nikou's father Con, said it was an overwhelming moment when he heard his son's voice. "It's just unbelievable relief. You couldn't even put it in words," he said. We had no idea as to where he was, what he was doing or whether he could make contact or whether he was alive or not. Three more South Australians listed as missing have also made contact with their families. Georgette March, 25, was hiking on Mt Everest with a school friend, also from Adelaide, when the quake struck. While they were initially out of communication range, they have now contacted both their families to let them know they are safe. Ms March's mother, Heather Venning, said it had been a "heavy day" until she heard from her daughter via voicemail on Sunday night. "It was not a very pleasant experience just sitting there waiting to know whether she was okay or not," Ms Venning said. "We hadn't heard anything by night time and so I got very emotional. I was emotional all day so we're just glad she's okay." Adelaide man Sebastian Riebolge, 24, was trekking at Manang and managed to borrow a phone to call home on Sunday. His father, Robert, said he had not heard from his son for a while and was worried when the quake hit. "We had no idea as to where he was, what he was doing or whether he could make contact or whether he was alive or not," he said. "I can feel for most of the other people who are in the same position." He said his son would continue his trek and he hopes to hear from him again when he has finished. "His trek doesn't finish until the 24th or 25th of May, but we're hopeful he'll make contact." Stefan Parente and his girlfriend were travelling home from a holiday and were waiting to board a plane at Kathmandu international airport when they felt the earth move. Damage at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport after Saturday's earthquake. (Supplied: Stefan Parente) "We just sort of felt some rocking back and forth and me and my girlfriend kind of looked at each other and it got really quite violent from there," Mr Parente said. "It sort of threw us into the wall and then it was at that point we saw some tiles falling from the roof and realised this was an earthquake. "Luckily we just looked around the corner and saw daylight and just sort of ran for that and pushed each other out and helped each other out into the daylight." Mr Parente says others were also scrambling to get outside onto the open tarmac. "People were falling over and just trying to get to their feet to run out," he said. "I did speak to other people when I was out on the tarmac and they said that there were people actually breaking windows to get outside because there were so many people trying to get through the doors. "A lot of people were treated for injuries from breaking glass with their fists or with their feet and it just sounded like mayhem, TVs falling and seats strewn all over the place." Mr Parente said he felt lucky to have boarded one of the few planes that left the airport in the aftermath. Disasters, Accidents and Emergency Incidents Why Trump wants to reopen an infamous US prison — and whether it's possibleTopic:Explainer CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) ONE hundred staff will be recruited for the first Kmart store in the Cairns CBD this year Don't miss out on the headlines from Business The multi-million dollar store will take over the Bi-Lo supermarket space next to Coles on the second level of the Cairns Central shopping centre Retailers are thrilled with the new arrival saying it will draw more resident shoppers than tourists to the shopping centre A Kmart spokeswoman said the 4219sqm outlet would sell all Kmart categories She said the selling area would cover 3420sqm and feature the new look showcased at its Mt Sheridan Plaza venue "Kmart's new design layout will be implemented providing a shopping experience that allows customers to easily find what they need with wide aisles and colourful graphic displays clearly indicating each area," she said "The recruitment process has started and about 100 team members will be employed with a mixture of full time She said the store was expected to open in the second half of 2014 A Cairns Central spokeswoman said the centre was pleased that Kmart was adding to their brands which is immediately below on the ground floor Celine Chen of nearby Healthy care Massage said Kmart would be good for business "We are happy to see Kmart arrive and hope it will be soon," she said Mr Meats owner Rob Cronin said it was "fantastic" "It will bring more everyday people locals instead of tourists to the shopping centre," he said "It is one of the few stores that will attract locals." Kmart's opening also will be welcomed by customers who have been forced to travel to Mt Sheridan or Smithfield following the closure of its outlet at the former Westcourt Plaza shopping centre after 25 years in 2008 The Cairns Central store is the second new Kmart business in the region since a $6 million outlet opened at Mt Sheridan Plaza shopping centre 18 months ago as well as a tyre and auto service centre. Home loans with longer interest-only periods are appearing in Australia as housing costs climb Investors made jaw-dropping gains in big tech and Bitcoin in the past decade Real opportunities lie in areas no one is talking about yet The Mount Hope Cemetery Board in Big Horn would like to send out a thank you to the Big Horn Lions Club for mowing grass and trimming around the graves at the Mount Hope Cemetery on their workday on May 18 The Club has been volunteering for years and have chosen the cemetery as a community service project The board would also like to thank the veterans who placed flags on the Big Horn veterans’ graves The club had several members help this year to make the cemetery beautiful for Memorial Day The cemetery board also wants to thank Steve Bourne for organizing the veterans who decorated the veteran graves The veteran volunteers place the flags on Saturday morning of Memorial Day weekend each year The Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association members helped place the flags on May 25th There are close to 100 veterans buried in the small country graveyard that dates back to February 1885 Our veterans’ graves date back to those who served in the military in all branches of service since the Civil War Trish Coffeen prepared the flags with extra glue and duct tape so the flags would withstand the rain and wind this year Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association placing flags on veteran graves Hope Cemetery board is grateful for the help in decorating the graves for Memorial Day A special thank you to all those who have helped throughout the last year; you know who you are The board will be calling upon you again in the coming months for the new pioneer headstone marker project There will be about 130 engraved red stone markers (3”x12”x12”) to be installed Hope Cemetery Board members are Paul Garber Bless each and everyone of you who have given so much of yourselves Mount Hope is a place of peace and beauty where our loved ones can be at peace