The Cairns Post
NEW FACES AT OLD FAVOURITE
Popular Edge Hill eatery Ozmosis has sold after 12 years in the hands of Lauren Vico, with new owners Maggie Yang and Cristian Couto excited to keep the Ozmosis ‘vibe’ going strong while adding their own touch. Ms Vico, who is relocating to Sydney to...
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TOOLBELT TRAILBLAZERS
An eighth organisation has joined the Far North’s growing list of early intervention providers, with the latest set to exclusively teach young girls new trade skills. The Busy Group at Manunda received a $300,000 state government grant through the...
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KIDS GO BANANAS FOR SWIMMING
For one day only on Wednesday, January 21, a fresh banana will give you access to a range of swimming pools across the Far North. The Banana Swim Pass promotion is a one-day initiative by Australian Bananas to encourage more Aussies to get in the...
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SHE WAS A ‘FIGHTER’
The victim of a violent alleged murder at a Gordonvale unit block has been remembered as a “bloody good girl” and a “fighter” whose life had been marked by tragedy. Childcare worker Richarna Clarke was just 35 years old when her life came to an abrupt...
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PAINFUL BLOW FOR SNAKES
Cairns Taipans coach Adam Forde and star point guard Andrew Andrews have blasted the referees in an almighty press conference following an 18point loss to New Zealand Breakers on Saturday. While the pair admitted officiating was the “hardest” job in...
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OUR SOCIAL HOUSING CAPITAL
A southside suburb is set to become the city’s social housing capital, with new projects to be pushed through by the state government on top of hundreds more public units already under construction. Two Woree developments are being fasttracked, but...
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BACK-TO-SCHOOL SAVINGS
Centacare FNQ is celebrating 10 years of helping children attend school with dignity and pride through its School Savvy program, providing discounted school supplies to families across the Far North. The program offers a range of discounted education...
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BRING YOUR PADDLES
Heavy rainfall has muddied creeks and shut Cairns’ water treatment plants, triggering Level 4 restrictions. Cairns Regional Council issued the urgent restrictions late Thursday calling on people to only use water for drinking, cooking and...
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‘EXPERIENCE SOMETHING REMARKABLE’
Tourism Tropical North Queensland has won a global award for campaigns promoting reef visitation as conservation, with officials asserting more tourists are needed to protect the Great Barrier Reef. The Guardian of the Reef campaign and The Lifetime...
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WARM OCEAN ‘PRIMES’ REGION
A looming trough near Townsville promises to relieve sodden Far North Queenslanders slightly this week, but experts warn an “overheated” Coral Sea has primed the region for cyclonic conditions. Cairns residents can expect less extreme totals peaking...
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LIFE IN THE CITY
Empty shopfronts and social issues have created a crisis of confidence in Cairns CBD, with major developers refusing to invest in the struggling tourist hub, a leading Cairns real estate director says. Real estate firm CBRE Cairns has 120 commercial...
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KILLER IN DEN OF EVIL
Behind razor wire, Queensland’s most serious offenders begin life sentences inside one of the state’s highest-security jails – a list that now includes Rajwinder Singh. The 41-year-old (right) will spend at least 25 years behind bars for the...
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CAIRNS RINGS IN 2026
Cairns residents are embracing fresh starts and new goals for 2026 following the city launching into its 150 anniversary year with spectacular esplanade fireworks. The city has kicked off its year-long anniversary celebrations with its annual New...
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DELUGE IS ‘PART OF LIFE’
Heavy rainfall has cut off Gulf towns for days, leaving residents completely isolated with empty shelves and no access roads open. Gulf shop owners have described the monsoonal deluge as “normal” and “not surprising”, while a crocodile was snapped...
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CITY VENUES READY TO PARTY
Cairns revellers have no shortage of options this New Year’s Eve, with venues across the city rolling out special events to welcome in 2026. Flamingos Tiki Bar on the Esplanade will lean into its signature tropical theme, offering extended hours from...
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FISHOS MAKE HAY WHILE SUN SHINES
Authorities have issued flood warnings across Far North Queensland as a tropical low threatens to bring up to 200mm of rain to compound king tides during the holiday period. The Cassowary Coast Local Disaster Management Group has moved its status to...
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‘DANGEROUS’ PATIENTS ON THE RUN
Authorities are searching for a “dangerous” man who staged a daring escape from Cairns Hospital’s mental health unit. It is understood that the man kicked in the mesh on a security screen on the unit’s first floor then scaled the side of the facility,...
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FAMILY, FUN AND FEASTS
The Cairns community is getting in the festive spirit, with Christmas only one sleep away. Despite the heat and potential for a soggy Christmas Day, locals are excited for this year’s holiday celebrations and annual traditions. Edge Hill local Susan...
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TIME FOR HOPE
From the Cassowary Coast to the Cape, thousands of faithful will flock to church services around the region to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Calvary Christian Church pastor Cam Murison said the Christmas message was about God reaching out to...
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FRESH CATCHES ON ICE
Australia may be clamouring for the Far North’s seafood, but local shoppers shouldn’t panic with fishmongers stocked with ample wild caught supply for Christmas. Some parts of Christmas never change – How to make Gravy by Paul Kelly blares, uncle Bill...
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SECRET TO STUDENTS’ ATAR SUCCESS
Trinity Anglican School has produced two of the state’s highest-achieving students who now plan to study medicine in Cairns. TAS dux Raphael Springell achieved an outstanding ATAR of 99.90, narrowly edging out school captain Joanna Chen, who recorded...
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STARS LOCKED IN FOR CARNIVALE
Former INXS frontman Jon Stevens leads the biggest lineup in Port Douglas Carnivale history, bringing iconic Australian rock hits to the resort town in May next year. Event organisers have unveiled a three-night program headlined by Savannah Sounds,...
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THIRSTY COMBO CUTS
From traditional shaves to complimentary drinks, a Cairns barbershop has looked to the past to transform the future. Barbershop staple Bullsnips, which started in Bungalow in 1995, has opened its third outlet in 15 months, this time with a fully...
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ELLIS IS BACK
A Far North surf club is powering ahead on a new beachside clubhouse after being devastated by landslides that left a group of partygoers stranded two years ago. Ellis Beach Surf Life Saving Club is building a new $5 million clubhouse which is due to...
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VANDALS RUN RIOT
Vandals are repeatedly targeting new homes in a suburb south of Cairns, leaving one family’s Christmas dream home uninhabitable from extensive damage. Police are investigating a suspicious house fire on Huey Drive in Edmonton after a recently...
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MID-AIR TAIL SNAG TERROR
A heart-stopping skydiving accident caught on video has captured the moment a jumper’s reserve chute got snagged on the launch aircraft’s tail plane over Mission Beach .
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RETURN OF KING CASSIUS
A crocodile that once claimed the title of being the biggest captive croc in Australia has returned to Green Island and will feature in a new display celebrating the iconic animal and his late keeper George Craig. On November 3 in 2024 Cassius died in...
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‘GUTLESS COWARD’
A judge who sentenced “gutless” killer Rajwinder Singh to life in prison has described the murder of 24-year-old Cairns woman Toyah Cordingley as “vicious, sickening, shocking and depraved”. Justice Lincoln Crowley said an “obvious explanation” for the...
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JUSTICE AT LAST FOR TOYAH
Rajwinder Singh has been found guilty of the savage murder of Toyah Cordingley on a remote stretch of Wangetti Beach north of Cairns in October 2018. After seven years, two trials, the payout of a million-dollar reward, more than four years on the run...
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PREMMIE JOY WRAPPED
The Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation is offering gift wrapping at Cairns Central this Christmas season, with donations raising funds for new murals in the Special Care Nursery at the Cairns Hospital. Six month old Andrew Franz, pictured with...
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‘IT TAKES A VILLAGE’: SCHOOL READY HELP
Families can now access a “village” approach to education support in the Far North through a new permanent hub replacing temporary pop-ups. CentaCare FNQ has established a permanent School Savvy Hub in Cairns to provide year-round support to kids and...
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MAMMOTH DRUG HAUL
A former Cairns resident with alleged links to a bikie gang was the “principal target” of a major two-year police operation which led to four people arrested on drug trafficking charges. And there’s likely to be more investigations and charges...
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STREET IN SHOCK
Families living on the street where a man was fatally stabbed on Tuesday have expressed their shock after waking up to a crime scene in the usually quiet neighbourhood. One neighbour said residents generally “mind their business” in the area.
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PARTY OF THE YEAR FOR GRADUATES
Cairns State Special School has celebrated its largest year 12 graduation, with 15 students completing their studies. It was a bittersweet night for students and parents, as the school’s graduates celebrated their final year in style. Cairns State...
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FINE FOR SNAPS
A social media influencer who worked with The Real Tarzann has been fined $4000 in a Cairns court for taking native snakes and lizards to pose for tourist photos around the Daintree and Cape York. Ricky Mackenzie (pictured left) has more than 188,000...
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PAW PATROL
A "firecracker" detection dog who helped seize 250kg of cocaine has traded her Border Force harness for beach walks and family life. After a lifetime of keeping our borders safe, Australian Border Force detection dog Whisky has started a new chapter...
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‘NOT A PRANK’
A convenience store manager who trapped seven public health and police officers inside a city store as they investigated illicit tobacco sales has been fined $8000. William Wallace Lewis, 21, pleaded guilty to deprivation of liberty over the incident...
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‘DESERVE BETTER’: TEACHERS STRIKE
Far North teachers have joined mass protest action in a bitter fight for better working conditions and pay that the union claims is at the bottom end of the Australian pay scale. Nearly 200 Cairns teachers gathered at the Brother’s Leagues Club for...
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FAILURES EXPOSED IN AUDIT
An ex-council worker returned to a Far North council as a contractor and was paid triple their former wage, the state’s auditor has revealed. The Queensland Audit Office has uncovered a “significant deficiency” in procurement processes at Douglas...
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NO GLOVES USED ON DOG LEAD
A dog lead was handled without gloves and Toyah Cordingley’s boyfriend had an “unusual” home visit during police investigations, a court has heard.
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‘WRONG PLACE, WRONG TIME’
Rajwinder Singh has been described as a “caring man”, not a “brutal lone killer”, as his defence barrister outlined the “issues in dispute” during an opening statement to the jury in the Toyah Cordingley murder trial.
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VETERANS SHARE THEIR STORIES
They’ve mapped Australia’s oceans and protected its borders – now, two servicemen share their stories of service, sacrifice and what Remembrance Day means to them. Ex-servicemen Gordon Burgess and Jeff Langham, who served together in the Royal...
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SINGH TRIAL BEGINS
The trial of Rajwinder Singh, accused of murdering Toyah Cordingley seven years ago on a Far North Queensland beach, is due to start today in the Cairns Supreme Court. The body of 24-yearold pharmacy worker, Ms Cordingley, was found on Wangetti Beach...
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LIVE MUSIC ROCKS CITY
City venues have joined forces to create a free live music festival, turning a city block into a party precinct this weekend. Five locations across Spence and Lake streets in the Cairns CBD will shine a light on local artists, support emerging talent...
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COASTAL COOLDOWN
The Far North is settling into its usual pre-monsoon pattern with short relief from hot temperatures on the way this week. The Bureau of Meteorology has ended its heatwave warning with showers tipped to provide a reprieve over the next few days. Etta...
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YOU’VE GOT TO HAVE FAITH
A video has been posted by a social media account belonging to Cairns-born businessman Lamar Ahchee, 43, as he faces trial in Bali over allegations he smuggled 1.8kg of cocaine into Indonesia. The short video shows a dark background with two lines of...
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A TASTE OF ITALY
Cairns chef Giuseppe Morabito has placed fifth in Queensland’s top cooking competition after transforming Ollie’s Italian into a chef-hatted waterfront destination. Hailing from Calabria, Italy, Mr Morabito has worked all over the world, including at...
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GIDDY UP FOR THE CUP
From trackside action to colourful fashion parades and gourmet lunch outings, Far North punters will be spoiled for choice for Melbourne Cup viewing events on Tuesday. Horse racing fans, and those just looking to have some fun with their annual punt,...
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BOO-LEVARD OF TREATS: GUIDE TO HALLOWEEN
Halloween is booming across Far North Queensland, with families gearing up to raid the best trick-or-treat streets from Cairns to Port Douglas. In true tropical style, some locations will even be serving up icy poles to keep the ghouls, zombies and...
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CRANK YANKERS
A mountain bike event worth millions of dollars to the Far North economy has been derailed with funding negotiations between organisers and Tourism Events Queensland forcing the premier festival to be cancelled. Crankworx Cairns has been part of the...
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WATCH OUT, STINGERS ABOUT
Nets are being prepped and beaches combed as lifesavers get ready for the stinger season, which kicks off this weekend. Enclosures will be rolled out across six Far North sites from November 3, when warm and wet conditions are ideal for deadly box...
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BEATING THE HEATWAVE
Coastal areas in Far North Queensland offer relief as severe heatwave conditions grip inland regions this week. The Bureau of Meteorology has extended a severe heatwave warning for the Atherton Tablelands, particularly north-west of Cairns. BOM...
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LET’S BACK AUSTRALIA
A $100 a week spend on Aussie made products could generate $16bn a year and create 40,000 jobs according to new research for a campaign which launches today and is supported by some of Australia’s most iconic businesses.
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WHAT A LOT OF ROT
Cairns Regional Council has sent 20,487 tonnes more rubbish to landfill in the last financial year than in 2021/22 with councillors calling for the return of an annual sustainability report into its environmental practices. But the council says it...
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‘SINISTER’ ATTACK ON BOY
A 17-year-old boy has fronted court in Cairns, accused of sexually assaulting a child at a northern beaches underpass and taking photos of the victim with his phone. In court, it was revealed the teen had “prior episodes of engaging in similar...
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TROPICAL GLAM GOES TO THE DARK SIDE
High fashion with a dark twist and entertainment over five days will mark the return of Cairns Fashion Week to the Far North in November. Founder Jade Turnbull said this year’s theme was Paradise Reloaded, a spin on the traditional tropical...
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HIDDEN GEM FOR SLOW-GO
A Far North Queensland suburb has been named one of Australia’s top spots for travellers seeking a slowpaced getaway, as new data reveals a growing desire for holidays away from the hustle and bustle. Expedia Group has released their annual travel...
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RE-OPEN FROM THE ASHES
Just weeks after a suspected arson attack destroyed Wholesale Paint Cairns, staff have worked around the clock to reopen the business at a new site. The fire, which tore through the Portsmith store last month, left the long-running local business in...
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KEEPING STOCKS SUSTAINABLE
Anglers hankering for sweet reef fish this weekend will have to be patient, as hundreds of species are busy producing millions of eggs in a mesmerising “underwater ballet”. Between October 18 – 22 and November 17-21 coral reef fin fish will be closed...
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SENTENCE UNDER SCRUTINY
Queensland’s AttorneyGeneral will lodge an appeal against the sentence of Cairns swim teacher, Bill Evans, who escaped a jail sentence and convictions when he pleaded guilty to eight child sexual offences.
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TIME TO SHINE
First Nations artists will light up the Cairns Esplanade with a huge display exploring Indigenous history and culture during the Shine On Gimuy Festival which returns to Cairns this week. Running from October 16 to 26, the cultural festival is a...
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BULLS GONE WILD
New Zealand cowboy Rylee Ward took out top prize at the Malanda Bull Ride at the weekend. Thousands of people from Townsville, Cairns and across the Cape flocked to Malanda Showgrounds to see 165 buckouts on Saturday. Malanda’s Jack Dredge won first...
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ROCKIN’ TIME FOR FESTIVAL LOVERS
Thousands of music lovers from all over the country flocked to Savannah in the Round for four days of bootscooting action to catch some of the biggest names in country music. Punters flocked to the Far North from all corners of the country, including...
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SISTERS CLAIM DANCE CROWNS
Two Cairns sisters have walked away from a national dance competition with three championships after stunning the judges with their acrobatic performances. Sisters Milla and Zahlee Lucht, aged 11 and 9, won the junior duo national championship at the...
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MOOVING ON UP
North Queensland Cowboys’ bosses have revealed more details on how they plan to “show love” to the Far North, a region they say has helped bolster their balance sheet. Chief executive Jeff Reibel confirmed “fortifying” the club’s supporter base...
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‘HE DIDN’T STOP’
A Holloways Beach tradie is in hospital awaiting surgery after becoming the second man to be run over by his own car this week while attempting to stop a theft. Police allege at about 4am on Saturday, teens busted into Mark Miller’s home and stole...
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CULTURE COMES ALIVE AT CARMA FESTIVAL
A refreshed Cairns Multicultural Festival has drawn more than 7000 visitors to experience the cuisines, entertainment and crafts of the many cultures of the Far North. Cairns and Region Multicultural Association festival co-ordinator Alison Geno said...
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HORROR SCENES AT UNIT BLOCK
A terrifying incident has played out in a Cairns unit block car park after the owner of a car was allegedly run over by his own vehicle while trying to stop it from being stolen. A 61-year-old Woree man suffered significant arm and chest injuries...
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CROC GRAB STIRS ROW
A powerful legal group has slammed the Queensland government over the controversial removal of a beloved 4.5m crocodile from a Cape York waterway, demanding answers over the use of “questionable” tactics to condemn the animal to a life in...
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FAMILIES OPT FOR SCHOOL BREAK STAYCATIONS
Families across the Far North are playing backyard tourists these school holidays, boosting local tourist towns before the wet season kicks in. Big 4 Holiday Park Glengarry manager Karlie Kenny said the park had seen a rise in Far North families...
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SNATCHED BY CROC
A radio host who went missing on a fishing trip in remote Cape York was tragically snatched by a crocodile, a coroner has found. Roman “Butch” Butchaski (pictured), 76, was visiting friends at Bramwell Homestead when he vanished in November 2023. He...
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Best in OZ!
A baker with a penchant for cheeseburgers spent a year transforming the flavours of the f ast food staple into one of the nation’s best-tasting pies, picking up nine national medals in the process. My Little Bakehouse on Grafton St claimed two golds,...
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SMOOTH SAILING FOR CITY
The city’s cruise ship arrivals have surged 35 per cent as an army of volunteer ambassadors help transform visitors into lifelong Cairns fans. More than 3000 cruise ship passengers and 1000 crew disembarked in Cairns on Monday, coinciding with the...
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$130K FOR 4.5 YEARS
A man who was wrongfully convicted of an armed bank robbery and maliciously prosecuted on an accessory charge has been awarded compensation in the Supreme Court of Queensland. In 1993 Terry Irving (right), then 37, was living in Cairns. He was jailed...
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