Townsville Bulletin
BLOSSOMS BLOOM
This is a beautiful shot of gum nuts flowering (Corymbia Gum) at Annandale in early January. Picture: David Ryan
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MUM NOT GUILTY
A mother has been cleared of manslaughter after a jury took less than two hours to find her not guilty of the drowning deaths of her two young sons. Leeanne Chrysilla Eatts wept as the verdict was delivered in the Townsville Supreme Court, ending a...
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SWEEPING SHORES
Terry Gillman sent in this snap taken from the mouth of Althaus Creek, looking out towards Rattlesnake Island.
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PLAYGROUND BULLIES
Children as young as four in North Queensland are already acting like “mean girls” to push their classmates out of the group, experts say. Kids Helpline boss Tony Fitzgerald said bullies targeted kids they knew were weaker or shy, just to feel like...
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MASTER OF CREEPY
Prominent NQ media personality Glenn ‘Minty’ Mintern has been accused of a years-long campaign of harassment, including sending unsolicited explicit images to multiple women. Mr Mintern confirmed he is withdrawing from public life to address his...
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ROCKPOOL UPDATE
A man in his 60s was rushed to hospital in critical condition after an altercation in Heatley yesterday morning. Emergency crews were called to the intersection of Nathan and Riechelmann streets after 7am, where Queensland Ambulance Service treated...
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‘PUNISHED ENOUGH’
A mother accused of the manslaughter of her two young children has pleaded not guilty in a Townsville courtroom. Leanne Chrysilla Eatts is accused of not taking reasonable care in supervising her sons, Jhulio, 3, and Barak, 5, who both drowned in the...
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CALM WATERS
Mangrove outcrops stand in the shallows as the sea rests easy under a brooding sky at Balgal Beach. Picture:
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TAINTED HONOUR
A prominent advocate for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse has urged the government to strip a convicted predator of a prestigious national title, saying it’s a “disgrace” he still holds an OAM despite being sentenced to 12 years behind bars.
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PARKING MAD
Townsville’s struggling city traders, currently battling a “ghost town” economy, say parking access and costs weigh heavily on customers, with the business community now urging the city council to reconsider its entire approach to CBD parking.
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RUNNING ON EMPTY
The transport industry could soon be brought to its knees, and the Australian Defence Force impacted, by the fuel crisis unfolding across the nation. The warning comes as truckers sound the alarm about unsustainable fuel prices that have soared past...
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$12M UP IN SMOKE
Federal and state authorities have seized $12m in contraband during raids across the North, including more than 2.5 million illicit cigarettes from a Garbutt storage unit.
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KIDS SNATCHED OFF STREET
Former butcher, 28-year-old Damon Bailey Hargrave, applied for bail in Townsville on Tuesday after allegedly kidnapping two young girls while already on bail for a prior offence against an 11-year-old, a court was told.
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EYESORE TO ICON
Townsville’s North Rail Yards are finally on track for an amazing transformation with $35 million in funding officially unlocked. The derelict 1880s-era site is drawing comparisons to Brisbane’s Howard Smith Wharves with the project set to save all...
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Spotlight on the monsters
Two sex offenders who could have had unsupervised contact with children were identified and charged under the state’s landmark public register. New figures measuring Queensland’s child sex offender register revealed that in the 75 days since it went...
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CRIME’S CORNER STORE
Organised interstate crime syndicates are strangling North Queensland’s retail sector, leaving veteran business owners fearing for their lives and their livelihoods. Townsville businesswoman Pamela Wright says her world is crumbling as illicit...
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KIDS LEFT IN LIMBO
A pillar of Townsville’s disability support network has vanished overnight. On Wednesday afternoon, the AEIOU Foundation entered administration, giving staff and parents just hours notice before shuttering its Kirwan centre. The sudden move sparked...
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Eight nabbed in crime spree
A major police operation has resulted in the arrest of eight people – including seven juveniles – after a fleet of stolen cars was allegedly used to target patrol vehicles in a series of “deliberate” attacks across the city. The group faces more than...
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‘CRIME DOES PAY’
Business owners have revealed the true cost of worsening anti-social behaviour plaguing the Townsville CBD as the Queensland government calls for input on statewide legislation designed to “clean up” the streets.
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SMASH AND JAB
A Kirwan medical practice is reeling after heartless thieves “cleaned out” more than 800 doses of vital vaccines in a targeted midnight raid. The brazen theft is the eighth break-in for the Kirwan GP Clinic in just 12 months, leaving staff...
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Stadium set to bring in the big Guns
Townsville has again cemented itself as the events capital of North Queensland, with Guns N’ Roses set to perform at Queensland Country Bank Stadium. Stadium general manager Cameron Jones said the stadium would be the home of rock for 2026. “Off the...
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RED SKY AT NIGHT
While the phenomenon used to be known as a shepherd’s delight, this photo was taken by Ben Pitt after a recent thunderstorm at Cranbrook.
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VIOLENT STREETS
New legislation introduced into state parliament will help police crackdown on anti-social behaviour as Townsville grapples with the third vicious attack in the CBD in recent weeks. Mayor Nick Dametto (pictured) says the police need the power to move...
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COWBOYS TOUCHDOWN BACK HOME
Even the toughest trip away couldn’t dampen the moment — especially for the players’ biggest fans, like little Naivy Clifford, who was all smiles as she greeted her dad at the airport
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FIRE UP THE FURNACE
A $130m upgrade to the home of five-time WNBL champions the Townsville Fire is at the forefront of a push for government funding in Canberra this week. Mayor Nick Dametto said after the team clinched another title, it was time to upgrade the...
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GIANT SLAYERS
The Townsville Fire was forced to dig deep against a red-hot Perth Lynx side and their towering big Han Xu on Sunday. The gritty NQ side sealed a late nail-biting win in overtime to secure the championship on enemy territory in one of the best WNBL...
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MOTHER’S TERROR
A deeply traumatised Townsville single mother has revealed how cowardly armed robbers invaded her home and threatened to hurt her terrified young boys.
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FORGING A NEW PATH
The Queensland Police Service’s new deputy commissioner of regional operations has revealed how police plan to crack down on crime, using evidence-based tactics and local intel to make a difference on the ground and put a dent in victim numbers.
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WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE
Queensland councils will have better access to flood data, the Bureau of Meteorology has revealed, with plans in place to upgrade its software to deliver information faster. This comes after the BOM axed its long-term weather monitoring software, and...
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SHOW YOUR COMMUNITY PRIDE SMS SAVIOURS
An Outback mayor is relying on station owners to warn of rainfall totals, enacting a decades-old communication train in a bid to keep residents informed about flooding. Richmond Mayor John Wharton (right) has slammed the Bureau of Meteorology’s...
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FANS UNDER FIRE
The WNBL is investigating a clash between a Southside Flyers player and a Townsville Fire fan at Sunday’s game. Maddy Rocci claims the Townsville fan was “targeting players” across the WNBL semi-final series, which led to the ugly incident. Rocci had...
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OPEN-DOOR POLICY
A series of humiliating security bungles has left dangerous inmates roaming free inside the Townsville Correctional Centre. In three shocking midnight lapses, guards failed to bolt the doors, leaving weapons offenders and highrisk prisoners to haunt...
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WE DON’T GIVE A RAT’S
A bitter standoff has erupted at a local school, where a year 6 student faces expulsion over his haircut. A lifelong student at the institution has been issued an ultimatum: cut his locks or lose his place in the classroom.
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BORDER BLITZ BEGINS
Criminal syndicates trafficking drugs through the Torres Strait will be targeted by a new north Queensland joint taskforce involving the Australian Federal Police and the Queensland Police Service. AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett and QPS Assistant...
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BIRTHING AT RISK
Ingham’s maternity unit will go without an anaesthetist for more than seven months as health bosses scramble to fill the vital position and fears escalate that birthing will be placed on bypass. The unsettling situation is likely to be a blow for...
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Tribunal saves dog
A long-running legal battle over the fate of two Townsville dogs has finally come to a conclusion, with a tribunal ordering that the pets be destroyed. The Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) upheld a Townsville City Council order to...
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SUBURBAN SHOOTOUT CAPTURED
CCTV has revealed the moment a Townsville suburb became a battlefield as a homeowner traded shots with masked gunmen. Terrifying security footage – released following the sentencing of Nathanael James Sailor – shows the moment a vehicle arrived before...
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‘TOXIC’ CULTURE
Townsville’s landmark $33m hospitality precinct Flinders Street Wharves has been rocked by a mass exodus of staff and explosive claims of bullying and verbal abuse. Former employees have broken their silence, describing a dysfunctional workplace.
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SOLDIERS’ PHOTO HORROR
Fifteen members of 2nd Cavalry Regiment were taken to Townsville University Hospital on Friday after the platform they were standing on during a group photo collapsed.
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‘I CANNOT SUPPORT HER’
Townsville-based MP Phillip Thompson has demanded Sussan Ley resign, saying Angus Taylor is the only person who can restore the public’s confidence. He is one of multiple MPS and senators to quit their portfolios, forcing a leadership spill after...
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P&C FAILS CHILDREN
Cranbrook State School’s P&C has been fined $50,000 after it failed to disclose reported sexual abuse and inappropriate behaviour against children at the hands of an educator. A Townsville court heard the P&C, represented by president Adrian Coventry...
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GPS RECEPTION ‘DISASTER’
Electronic monitoring of young offenders on bail has come under scrutiny in North Queensland after a review found the region was plagued with spotty reception. The state government has been reviewing the Youth Justice (Electronic Monitoring) Amendment...
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NQ reps back as LNP reforms
North Queensland Federal MP Andrew Willcox and Senator Susan Mcdonald have confirmed they will return to the frontbench as the Coalition formally reunited in an eleventh-hour deal between Opposition leader Sussan Ley and Nationals leader David...
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KATTER CORNERS PREMIER
The Katter’s Australian Party has ramped up pressure on the Queensland government to scrap what it describes as an “undemocratic” gag order preventing parliamentary discussion on abortion. KAP leader Robbie Katter labelled Premier David Crisafulli’s...
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REST IN PEACE, ANGELS
The Townsville community is reeling after sisters Hallie, two, and Evie, 13, died from injuries sustained in a Sunday morning house fire. Despite the best efforts of medical staff at Townsville University Hospital, the girls passed away on Thursday...
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PARANOIA LEADS TO LEWD PUBLIC ACTS
A television thief suffering from paranoia said he masturbated in front of multiple women – including a 17 year old – to prove he wasn’t a pedophile. Jeremy Johnson, 29, appeared in court after he committed multiple indecent acts in front of women...
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TASERS HIT THE MARK
More than 80 per cent of the Queensland Police Service’s Taser 10s have been sent to the North, as it is revealed officers have used them in the region almost 500 times.
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NEW HOUSING UNLOCKED
As many as 150 new homes are on the way for Townsville after the state government unlocked “under-utilised governmentowned land” in a prime innercity location. The state government has confirmed that 4.5 hectares of land next to the Pimlico TAFE was...
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‘MY HEROES’
Two Townsville officers who saved the life of Tyler Dorta in 2020 have been reunited with the boy, now 15, who suffered life-threatening injuries in a horror fall from his backyard playground equipment. Tyler’s mum Damita said her son was alive today...
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‘DODGED BULLET’
Survivors of the chaotic flooding crisis in Ingham last year have reflected on how the tragic death toll could have been much higher. Those who battled floodwaters and found themselves up to their neck in the opening hours of the devastation said it...
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‘HE’S STILL WORKING’
Townsville police are investigating whether a masseuse banned from the industry is still working after a witness revealed they received a treatment from him the day before his court appearance. Multiple women have come forward to say Andrew Martin...
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OLD BOYS LEAD US STAMPEDE
Former Cowboys captains Matt Scott and Michael Morgan have been named the official Las Vegas trip ambassadors as fan events in the United States are revealed.
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CLEANER LEFT WITH KIDS
A former staff member at an embattled North Queensland daycare has lifted the lid on shocking practices a the centre, revealing she was left to supervise children and change nappies while working as a cleaner.
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HIDE AND SEEK
A man alleged to have helped his girlfriend hide from the authorities after she murdered a young Townsville woman has pleaded not guilty on day one of his trial. Jamie Alan Mcauliffe appeared in Townsville Supreme Court on Tuesday to defend himself...
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MORNING GLORY
The sun peaking through the trees on a morning walk through the park (Anderson Gardens). Photo by: Katrina Rowan
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CENTRE UNDER FIRE
A North Queensland childcare centre is facing allegations that infants slept in a storeroom and an ambulance was not called after a child was knocked unconscious on a jumping castle. A source has revealed several damning allegations against the centre,...
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HIDDEN ‘DEATH TRAP’
A North Queensland mum says she warned Townsville City Council about the dangers lurking under the water at a Mutarnee creek that claimed the lives of two people on Thursday. Just days before the tragedy, she watched as five people were dragged under...
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Beloved columnist celebrates 30 years
Thirty years ago this week, I penned my very first fishing column for this paper – then a broadsheet publication back in those relatively carefree and fish rich mid-90s (pictured right in 1997). I can’t for the life of me remember the tide, the moon...
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WATER DELIGHT
Kev Rowan snapped this picture of the Ross River in full run after recent rains.
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‘DON’T TELL US WHAT TO DO’
Kennedy MP Bob Katter says North Queensland shouldn’t have to follow the same rules as Brisbane, calling for the region to “break away” and deal with crocodiles the way “we’ve done for generations” after a man was bitten near Ingham.
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REGION’S $40B BOOM
Townsville has officially entered a “highgrowth era,” fuelled by a massive $40 billion investment pipeline. With investment surging 33 per cent in just twelve months, North Queensland is being hailed as the nation’s economic engine room. From the...
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Drunken mum’s wild night
A mother of three who presented an alcohol reading of almost four times the legal limit fronted court after she seriously assaulted police officers and abused hospital staff. Michelle Carroll appeared in Townsville Magistrates Court this week,...
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MAGGOTS ON THE MENU
A remote North Queensland work camp has been plunged into a health scare after workers were served meals crawling with maggots,sparking fears of a gastro outbreak at one of the state’s biggest renewable energy projects. Unions have blasted officials at...
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WARNING SHOT FIRED
Townsville has “dodged a bullet” as Cyclone Koji veered south towards Ayr and Bowen, but Mayor Nick Dametto has warned residents it should serve as a wake-up call rather than cause for relief. As the Townsville Local Disaster Management Group stands...
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‘TAKE IT SERIOUSLY’
North Queenslanders are bracing for their first cyclone of the wet season as a tropical low threatens to strengthen into category one system – named Koji. The latest Bureau of Meteorology modelling shows the system is expected to cross the coast near...
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HOMELESS AND HOPELESS
Townsville’s housing crisis has reached new heights, with a new household joining the “desperate” social housing queue every single working day. New data reveals the city’s waitlist has surged by 15 per cent in just 12 months, leaving more than 2500...
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THE BIG REPAIR
A $38 million emergency relief package has been fast-tracked to flood ravaged northwest Queensland as the Prime Minister warns of a potential “doublebarrelled disaster” heading for the region. Anthony Albanese, speaking from the heart of the disaster...
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BOTTLE BRUSH
A photo of a Callistemon flower taken in November on the pathway to the Kissing Point Lookout. Photo by David Ryan.
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‘SAVE MY SON’S LIFE’
A North Queensland mother is begging the federal government to urgently list a lifesaving cancer treatment on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme after the drug changed her son’s health outlook from “imminent death” to the possibility of a full...
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DRAIN DISASTER
Experts have warned Townsville residents to stay out of floodwaters and think twice about stepping into mud after more than 25 people died last year from exposure to the killer bacteria melioidosis. It comes as rain intensified and the city’s sewerage...
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THE NORTH’S GOLDEN TICKET
Townsville is charging into 2026 with a steely resolve and a massive $40 billion project pipeline as the city transitions from planning to a high-octane “year of action.”
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BREAK-INS PLUNGE BY 15PC
Townsville has recorded a significant drop in property crime, with police attributing the decline to increased resources and enhanced police presence across the region. Detective Sergeant Jason Milner from the Kirwan Criminal Investigation Branch said...
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WASHED OUT AND CUT OFF
The flood-prone Gulf region is facing near-total isolation after a slow-moving low dumped heavy rain across the Far North, cutting off Karumba and Burketown while threatening communities from Mackay to Cairns with dangerous flooding. The region...
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RESCUE CHOPPERS GROUNDED
Overworked rescue helicopter crews were dealt a “kick in the guts” this festive season, with a critical staffing crisis forcing aircraft to be grounded on Christmas Day. Townsvillebased Queensland Government Air staff were told there would be no...
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