Townsville Bulletin
‘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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BEDLOCK FOR TUH PATIENTS
Patients at Townsville University Hospital are waiting longer than ever for care as ambulance ramping worsens, costing thousands of minutes of treatment time this year alone. New Queensland Health data shows the hospital’s “lost minutes” — the time...
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SUNNY SIDE UP
David Ryan sent through this snap of a croc lazing about along the river near Palmetum.
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MIRACLE RETURN
Australia’s youngest ever premature baby has been sent home in time for Christmas after battling for her precious little life across two states. Staff at Townsville University Hospital proved pivotal in saving the life of tiny tot Stevie when she...
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BOY SAVES FAMILY
When the airconditioner caught fire in young Thomas Steff’s bedroom, he leapt into action, waking his family and rescuing their beloved pet in the nick of time.
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OLD BANK TO GET NEW LIFE IN CBD
A heritage-listed Townsville building in the heart of the CBD will become a boutique hotel next year thanks to a $9m transformation, adding momentum to the city’s revival. The Carey Property Group has revealed the Old Commonwealth Bank building at...
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DATA REVVED UP
A secret report which led the government to scrap a $10 million crime prevention trial has been slammed as a flawed analysis by a leading criminologist. Terry Goldsworthy said despite the report stating that car theft offences did not decrease during...
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CYCLONE SAVIOUR
A mum who went into labour on a remote Northern Territory island was rushed to Townsville University Hospital to give birth as Cyclone Fina bore down on the region.
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SITTING IN A TREE
The blue wing kookaburra photo was taken recently near the Palmetum. Picture by: David Ryan
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THE ONLY WAY IS UP
Leighton Smith Townsville’s CBD is betting on a vertical fix. From politicians to planners, the message is unanimous – Townsville’s heart needs residents. Experts say a major residential surge by injecting some life means tackling Townsville’s housing...
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RIVERWAY TRAGEDY
Townsville police are investigating the death of a man at Riverway Lagoons on Thursday. About 11am the 39-year-old man was pulled from the water unresponsive. He was later pronounced dead at the scene. Townsville City Council CEO Joe Mccabe said the...
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SCHOOL HELPERS BASHED
More than 70 per cent of North Queensland teacher aides and school support staff have been assaulted in the classroom this year. The shocking statistics have been laid bare in a survey from the United Workers Union that reveals frontline support...
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CHRISTMAS GIFTS
The North Queensland Cowboys have donated $50,000 worth of official merchandise to Fuel for Schools, Ronald Mcdonald House and Hope in a Suitcase.
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HARROWING TRUTH
Townsville continues to dominate regional suicide rates – but the fatal factors driving this heartbreaking statistic might not be what you think. New data gathering methods have brought to light a previously unappreciated risk factor, and have also...
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AGED CARE WAR ZONE
Exhausted healthcare workers at Townsville University Hospital have been instructed to spray lavender as protection against violent patients in a ward plagued by horrific assaults. Medical Ward 5, designated for aged care, has descended into what...
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BACK TO BASICS
Townsville City Council is launching an urgent recruitment drive to fix the city’s bin collection crisis and get basic services back on track. New Mayor Nick Dametto said up to 30 positions would be advertised next week as he moved to deliver on his...
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TOP OF CLASS
A North Queensland school has claimed the top spot in the region’s year 9 NAPLAN results for 2025, jumping from third place the previous year. Annandale Christian College dominated across all five subjects to take out the top spot. The second spot...
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KATTER’S LAST STAND
Branded “arrogant” by a furious Robbie Katter after declaring the formerly safe Hinchinbrook seat was no longer “Katter country,” the LNP’S by-election victory has ignited a political firestorm that sees KAP fighting for its survival.
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HUB’S PAINFUL GOODBYE
A veteran support service once hailed as a blueprint for the national response to the nation’s veterans and their needs will close permanently. Chair Lieutenant General (retired) John Caligari wrote to staff, members, clients and supporters on Monday...
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SWING AND A MISS
Labor and the KAP have been dealt severe blows as the LNP scored an immense win and One Nation’s vote surged.
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WAR OF WORDS
The Katter’s Australian Party Hinchinbrook candidate Mark Molachino has threatened to launch legal action against Premier David Crisafulli and the LNP after it released a series of ads comparing him to Troy Thompson. The party has sent a formal...
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CONFIRMED KING CON
A shocking corruption watchdog report has finally blown the roof off disgraced mayor Troy Thompson’s house of cards, unravelling a stunning web of lies about his military service and education. It separately found no evidence of a life-threatening...
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FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES
Daniel Shirkie State government ministers have ramped up their presence in Hinchinbrook, with almost double the number of visits in the last six weeks compared to the six weeks prior. The LNP is throwing everything at its bid to get Premier David...
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STAR’S LNP CAMEO
The LNP is throwing everything – including an NRL legend – at a win in Hinchinbrook, as the countdown to election day begins. Johnathan Thurston has relived the glory days with candidate and former NRL caller Wayde Chiesa as the pair re-watched the...
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CIRCLE OF LIFE
Ben Pitt snapped this shot on the Douglas Walking Track of a laughing Kookaburra snapping up a monitor lizard.
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WITNESS DEFENDS PARENTS
A leading witness in the manslaughter trial of Townsville parents Breannon James and Jack Campbell testified the pair “would not be expected” to have recognised the medical symptoms that led to their daughter’s death. On day one of a committal hearing...
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CITY MOURNS WITH FAMILY
Townsville’s Remembrance Day service was marked by a “sharp pain of grief” as the city’s traditional silence for the fallen was deepened by the recent loss of one of its own. Hundreds gathered at ANZAC Park to honour all who served, but the day held a...
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‘THE PAIN WON’T STOP’
Raphael Steven Woodhouse cried in the dock when confronted by the mother of the 19-year-old boy he killed last year in a senseless traffic accident. The 33-year-old appeared yesterday in Townsville District Court to be sentenced for one count of...
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PLEA TO PROTECT SERVICE
A mother who fought for answers into the tragic suicide of her veteran son - sparking the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, will spend her Remembrance Day at Townsville’s beleaguered support service Oasis. The centre, which provides...
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Senses given free rein to find healing
Pinnacles Gallery is being taken over by an explosion of colour as The Children’s Sensorium touring exhibition arrives in Townsville. The Children’s Sensorium encourages children and their families to explore their senses, including touch, sound,...
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DRIVEWAY TRAGEDY
Emergency services tried desperately to save the life of a two year old boy injured in Abergowrie yesterday but were unable to revive him. A witness said cries could be heard as emergency serivces repeatedly tried CPR. Ambulance, fire and police were...
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Our city’s future underwater
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority has put the call-out to creative minds from across the globe to design what could become the centrepiece of the city’s tourism offerings and showcase the best of the underwater life in the North
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KILLER DRONE FOUND IN BUST
A major Queensland counter-terrorism operation has made seven arrests, including two in the north, and allegedly netted illegal assault rifles, 20 kilograms of commercial explosives and a number of operational IEDS, including a drone. It is understood...
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FAKE BIKIE’S SICK ‘LIES’
A man accused of fabricating a web of lies about being in an outlaw motorcycle gang to pressure a colleague into sending him nudes has been granted bail. Clinton James A’hang appeared in the Townsville Magistrates Court on Monday. Prosecutor Kimberley...
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Townsville tops Qld in
Townsville was Queensland’s top performing property market in October with new data revealing price surges of almost 20 per cent in the past year. The October Proptrack Home Price Index revealed the unit market was leading the price growth charge in...
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WEEKEND PLANNER 5 THINGS TO DO
1 Families are invited to celebrate the state’s youngest residents at the G’day Little Queenslanders Townsville event on Sunday from 9am to noon at Jezzine Barracks. The free community celebration promises a morning of live children’s entertainment,...
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Cop mates disciplined over bungle
A group of police officers who didn’t conduct a drunk driving test on a colleague have been disciplined after their mismanagement led to the cop’s charges being dropped. Sergeant David John Lynch, 56, was charged with driving under the influence of...
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‘GREATEST HIDDEN CRIME’
Shocking Queensland Police Service data has revealed one sexual assault is reported a day in Townsville, with experts saying the consequences for survivors are “enormous”. The number of reported rape incidents in Townsville has increased this year,...
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VIEW OF THE ROSS
The banks of Ross Creek in Idalia as the tide was coming in during the late late afternoon. Picture by: John Fowler, Idalia.
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