The Weekend Post
HOSPITAL SURGERY BOOST
Cairns Hospital’s surgical theatres will operate more frequently and for longer following a $2.8m boost. Meanwhile, Health Minister Tim Nicholls has addressed increased ambulance ramping figures, saying they were the result of numbers “going up and...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
SINGH’S APPEAL BID
Rajwinder Singh’s lawyers have confirmed an appeal has been lodged against his life sentence for the murder of 24-year-old Toyah Cordingley. Singh, 41 (pictured above), a former Innisfail nurse, was found guilty in December of murdering Ms Cordingley...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘SHE WAS SUNSHINE’
Toyah Cordingley’s presence would light up a room. The 24-year-old was brutally murdered by killer Rajwinder Singh on Wangetti Beach in 2018. Her death, the global hunt for the man who killed her and the murder trial that followed were all highly...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
SOUTHSIDE’S HAMMER TIME!
A new $41m Bunnings Warehouse store is earmarked for Edmonton with plans to transform a prominent highway corner into the hardware giant’s next site.
Read Full Story (Page 1)
HUMBLE GENIUS OF THE DEEP
An underwater pioneer who spent decades diving the least-visited places on earth in the ocean’s twilight zone has been remembered as a humble and “brilliant” man who helped uncover one of the planet’s final frontiers. Commercial diver and marine...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
KILLER’S LIFE ON THE RUN
A Sikh priest has revealed some insight into murderer Rajwinder Singh’s life on the run in India, where he hid himself in plain sight, likely as a daily temple volunteer. Satnam Singh said the notorious killer, who was this week sentenced for the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
ISLAND DEAL ON KNIFE EDGE
A deal to secure a new leaseholder for a treasured tropical island off the coast of Cairns is in doubt, despite plans for a bold $40 million makeover. The Morris Group hoped to add the luxury Double Island resort to its diverse portfolio, but the deal...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
EDMONTON COPS BOOT
Edmonton Storm president Sarah Addo has reacted to a bombshell QRL decision to ban the club’s senior sides from the 2026 FNQRL competition, saying there had been years of “friction” between herself and the governing body. On Friday, the QRL confirmed...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
KILLERS’ ‘SHARED DELUSION’
The State Coroner has found three conspiracy theorists who killed police, including a former Far North principal, were suffering from a shared delusional disorder and did not commit a terrorist act when they ambushed officers at Wieambilla. Constables...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
LIGHT RAIL PITCH BUILDS HEAD OF STEAM
A Far North MP has thrown his support behind the latest light rail proposal while revealing his views on whether a Cairns to Cardwell route should be 50c in line with the South East. Mulgrave MP Terry James says he’s written to Cassowary Coast Mayor...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
FRIDAY FLIES TO FREEDOM
The pelican who famously evaded capture for weeks after being covered in tar from a chemical spill has been released back into the wild after a two-week rehabilitation. Friday the pelican was covered in tar from a 10,000 litre kerosene-bitumen spill...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
ABUSE ‘BEYOND COMPARE’
Horrific claims of rape, brutal assaults and a culture of cover-ups have been aired in a bombshell class action lawsuit against the Australian Defence Force. The ADF has been branded “the worst place for a woman to work in this country”, after...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
SUGAR HAULAGE DERAILED
A controversial plan to move about 250,000 tonnes of sugar cane from Mossman to MSF Sugar’s Gordonvale Mill has been abandoned and $6m earmarked for the haulage will now be used to help support the nation’s most northern sugar town in consultation with...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
YOUNG HEART AMBASSADOR INSPIRES OTHERS
A Cairns boy who wasn’t expected to survive infancy has already raised $3000 for the charity that supported his family through his three open-heart surgeries. Samson Farkas, 8, is a brave heart warrior who defied doctors’ expectations and refused to...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
FITTING TRIBUTE TO LOVED FASHIONISTA
The legacy of one of Cairns’ most fashionable women will live on, as loved ones sell her incredible wardrobe at the final in-person, preloved fashion sale of the year. Nearly 10 years after launching the region’s first and largest second-hand...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
ADVENTURE REDEFINED: TOUR BRAND’S BIG SPLASH
Leading the way in Far North Queensland, a local adventure tourism operator has expanded his signature tour and introduced a gamechanging new service to set him apart. Since purchasing the original canyoning company in December 2019, Bazz Goes has...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
OUTBREAK FEARS FOR TINY TOWN
Babies and children living in a popular tourist village are at greater risk of contracting a deadly virus, with a Far North doctor warning that an “explosion” in cases is likely to have traumatic consequences. Kuranda GP Dr Steve Salleras said a drop...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
ISLAND’S SKELETON SECRET
After years of silence about human remains found on a Far North island during resort works, a tradie has spoken about what he dug up. The electrician recalls digging and making a grisly find. “I was just sort of like holy sh*t, those bones are human,”...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
COCAINE HACK BUSTED
A cocaine dealer with “grandiose” dreams of world domination and a narcissistic complex has been jailed for eight years for peddling the party drug through the Cairns nightclub scene. Jayson Hajiyasemi, 32, was caught in a major crimes surveillance...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
IMPLANT PAIN PLEA
A Far North Queensland woman says her breast implants have been slowly poisoning her for six years, forcing her to launch a crowdfund appeal for surgery after facing a three-year public wait. In a desperate bid for relief, Elise Pither, 37, has...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
HUNTERS EVADE CAPTURE
Trophy hunters selling crocodile heads on the black market are evading prosecution as understaffed wildlife teams battle to catch poachers. At least five Far North crocs have been decapitated in two years, including “Big John” at Yarrabah, “Lizzie” in...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
THE FINAL COUNTDOWN
The FNQ Rugby League is all set for a huge opening week of finals action, and you can catch every moment live and exclusive right on KommunityTV. With six games set to be played across the under-19s, reserves and A-grade men’s competitions, it...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
TASTE TEST OF PORT
The mastermind behind a famous tarte tatin recipe, which made Reina Patrick fall in love with her Michelinstarred partner, will spill his secrets at this year’s Taste Port Douglas food and wine festival. Eighteen of the world’s top chefs and food...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
JAIL PLAN SLAMMED
Blindsided southside councillors have rejected a proposal to place a youth detention centre north of Gordonvale in an area earmarked for major economic development. Cairns Regional Council Mayor Amy Eden declared on ABC radio this week that her...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
JURORS DISMISSED
A former youth worker and OAM recipient known for his work with troubled teens may face a retrial on historical child sexual abuse charges after a jury was unable to reach a verdict in his trial. Geoffrey John Guest, 98, pleaded not guilty to six...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
BIG WIN FOR TINY HEARTS
A second paediatric cardiologist will soon be treating Far North kids with heart conditions – a crucial win for families who have campaigned tirelessly for expanded services. The Crisafulli Government has allocated $1.45 million to increase capacity...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
COWBOYS WRANGLE PUB
The North Queensland Cowboys have taken a crucial step in their Cairns expansion plans with the Cape York Hotel earmarked to become its NRLW team’s spiritual home from 2027.
Read Full Story (Page 1)
TIMELINE OF A TRAGEDY
The final moments before a stolen car crashed, killing 14-yearold Bradley Smith (pictured) and leaving a 12-year-old girl a quadriplegic, have been detailed during an inquest into the teen’s death. Bradley was killed in the early hours of Valentine’s...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
WHO SHOT RIDERS?
A coroner examining the mysterious deaths of three motorcyclists on a trip from Alice Springs to Mount Isa has told their families she hopes the process will bring them the answers they have been seeking “for decades”. Timothy Thomson, Karen Edwards...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
DOG-TIRED
From protecting King Charles III and providing protection at an international summit to screening suitcases at Cairns Airport, high-risk explosive detection dog, Ando, has hung up the harness on a ‘paw-some’ career. The seven-year-old canine worked as...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
ROCK & A HARD PLACE
Healthcare workers are calling for shorter operational hours in Yarrabah as they continue to face dangerous rock attacks during their daily commute. But Work Healthand Safety has commended the Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service for...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
COP THAT PRESSURE
With an average of one police officer a day walking away from their roles, the Queensland union president has raised fears they will never come back to the force. While the Far North District has reported a record number of employed police officers,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
SUMMER HOLIDAY BOOST
Five-star airline Cathay Pacific will return to Cairns with a renewed seasonal service labelled a “major coup” for the region. Hong Kong’s home carrier will operate three flights per week between December and February.
Read Full Story (Page 1)
LITTLE BIRDIE TOLD ME TO COME DOWN
The national budgerigar championships begin in Cairns on Saturday, with more than 600 budgies from across Australia battling to be crowned the finest of their kind. The 49th Annual Expert ANBC National Titles will name 29 champion budgies, each...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘HE TOLD ME HE’D KILL ME’
After being forced facedown on a coffee table with a shotgun held to her throat, a Cairns mum has broken her silence on surviving a near-deadly domestic violence attack. In an emotional and harrowing account, the 38-year-old woman described how her...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
HOSPITAL’S WALK OF SHAME
Nurses in Cairns are considering quitting their jobs because they don’t feel safe walking to their cars, with one woman treated in emergency after she was attacked. Of the 530 nurse respondents in a recent survey by the Nurses’ Professional...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
IT’S A TOSS OF A COIN
The question of who will succeed retiring MP Warren Entsch is still unanswered with the result expected to go down to the wire
Read Full Story (Page 1)
THOUSANDS PAY TRIBUTE AT DAWN SERVICES
Thousands of people have gathered at Anzac Day Services across Cairns and Far North Queensland to pay tribute to the men and women who served in the nation’s defence forces. HMAS Cairns Commanding Officer Andrew Thorpe emphasised the enduring legacy...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
CRIMINAL MINDS
Fifteen per cent of children in custody are suspected of having or diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, data shows. Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls labelled FASD a “significant problem” while in Cairns earlier this week.
Read Full Story (Page 1)
FROM BADU TO THE BIG SMOKE
A trailblazing Torres Strait health lecturer has overcome a crippling sense of isolation and self-doubt to achieve his academic dreams. And now book-smart Badu Islander Nathaniel Tamwoy is sharing his experiences and cultural knowledge with students...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
CAUSE & EFFECT
Queensland’s youth crime crisis won’t improve if families have to wait two years and are forced to pay up to $10,000 to get diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, experts say.
Read Full Story (Page 1)
IN MEMORY OF MY WIFE
For the husband of one of two radiographers shot and killed at Cairns hospital, the “unnecessary tragedy” feels like yesterday. But on Sunday it will be 30 years since Lynette ‘Lyn’ Muller and Jack Carter were murdered by radiography student Gregory...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
WHY WOMEN THINK TWICE
A retired midwife struck a lone figure on the beach where Toyah Cordingley was brutally killed the day after a jury was dismissed in her murder trial. The 70-year-old, with her small dog by her side, had no cell service and was 40 minutes from Cairns’...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
HERO TEENS SAVED KIDS
Heroic teenagers brought a child back to life and saved one other after two kids were swept away in dangerous waters while swimming at a creek in Far North Queensland. Lifelong friends Angus Lane, Molly Jenkins and Zac Parker, all 19, were floating...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
GLIDER’S MIRACLE RESCUE
A furry friend from Karumba in a miracle story of survival owes his life to the efforts of Far North Queensland Wildlife Rescue. Often a thankless task with little financial support from government, the rescue and rehabilitation of wildlife just got a...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
WHO IS RAJWINDER SINGH?
Rajwinder Singh is an Australiantrained nurse, a home-owner, an Indian national, and the owner of a ‘distinctive’ blue Alfa Romeo, one of only three of its kind registered in North Queensland, a jury has heard. He is now on trial for murder.
Read Full Story (Page 1)
ABHORRENT SEXUAL ASSAULT
A horror home invasion in which a woman was brutally raped at knifepoint, allegedly by two teens, has been condemned by Queensland Premier David Crisafulli. News of the attack broke while Mr Crisafulli was holding a media conference at Bentley...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘PLEASE, KEEP HER SAFE’
She might be six-foot tall, but she is still his little girl. The father of a Cairns nurse is calling for a safe parking solution for frontline health workers. Lerisa Simpson-Harris, along with other hospital staff, works night and early morning...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Urgent action needed
The leading body representing private radiology practices across Australia says critical delays in diagnostic breast imaging across Far North Queensland must be resolved urgently. Wait times blew out to four months when a private provider...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
FRACTURED LEADERSHIP
Leaked correspondence has revealed the Cairns mayor is disappointed in her chief executive’s performance so far, arguing he has failed to meet key performance indicators. But Mayor Amy Eden says council’s top boss has her “full support” despite a...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
HERE’S A HOT TIP...
A multimillion-dollar fire, which could have been started by a battery dumped in a wheelie bin, has sent foul-smelling toxic fumes over Far North Queensland. More than 35 firefighters from 11 crews battled the inferno overnight Thursday which...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
BOY HIT BY COP CAR
The family of a nine-year-old boy claims he has a fractured skull and jaw after he was hit by a police car while riding his bike in Cairns. Dhiraj Hari Jnr (pictured with his Dad Dhiraj Hari Sr, right) was riding his new Christmas present in front of...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
ONE OF A KIND
The man killed in a freak jet ski crash on the Barron River last week has been remembered as a dedicated father, hard working businessman and loving partner. Jonathon Walter Bird of Brinsmead (pictured) was killed near the Stratford boat ramp after...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
How region can unlock two-city northern defence potential
A long-serving defence veteran has called for greater teamwork from the country’s northern cities and local governments to carve out a “pivotal role” in the future of the Australian defence industry. Commanding Officer 5th Aviation Regiment Lieutenant...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
TIME FOR JEWEL TO SHINE
Tourists will be able to enjoy glamping holidays on an iconic Far North island early next year, it has been revealed. The newly appointed general manager of the Dunk Island Spit, Jason Blackburn, has provided an update on the highly anticipated...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
GRAND VISION
Far North sports fans could soon have access to a stadium with enough bells and whistles to rival venues like Brisbane’s Gabba for major events. The AFL Cairns board has unveiled an ambitious vision to transform the current Cazalys facility at...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
LIVING IN LIMBO
For victims like Holloways Beach resident Ray Morgan (pictured, right) who lost everything in the devastating 2023 floods, life is still far from normal. “We used to have a nice community here,” Mr Morgan said, when reflecting on the changes to the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
THROWN AGAINST A WALL
It is almost two-and-a-half years since Cairns artist Hayley Gillespie had half a lung and part of her ribcage removed in a surgery targeting a malignant tumour. Today she shares her emotional story for the first time publicly as part of the Cairn’s...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
FORCED TO HIDE FAITH
Anti-Semitism in Far North Queensland is forcing Jewish people to be “less visible” to avoid discrimination. Outback Rabbi Ari Rubin (right) services Mackay to the top of the Cape. In one example, one man is “absolutely afraid” to walk the street with...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘LOOK AT THE EVIDENCE’
Queensland’s peak medical body is calling on Cairns Regional Council to meet with experts to further discuss fluoridating its water supply ahead of a potentially critical meeting on the issue next month. Australian Medical Association of Queensland...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
BULLIED IN HER GRAVE
A year after 13-year-old Corrine Lee Cheu ended her life, her family says the bullies are still taunting her. Corrine was pushed around in the playground, told to kill herself and called an ugly rat to her face and online but despite repeated pleas to...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
CANCER HUB’S SOS
A beloved Far North haven for cancer battlers is facing a financial cliff. COUCH Wellness Centre’s federal funding will be cut off within five months, a situation which has caused widespread concern throughout the cancer-impacted community. In...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
CHHHS DRILLS CAIRNS COUNCIL
A woman has been charged after a car crashed into a pedestrian, killing a 76-yearold Yungaburra man, in Far North Queensland. Police will allege a white MG sedan was travelling on Gillies Range Rd about 1.10pm on Thursday, October 31, when it left the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
HAWKS BOOT IT HOME
More than 2600 people turned out to Cazalys Stadium on Thursday night to see the Hawks clinch a top two spot after defeating the 2022 premiers Melbourne.
Read Full Story (Page 1)
ON THE PATH TO BEATING CANCER
Two Cairns women have come together to raise funds for pancreatic cancer through the Put Your Foot Down walk, partnering with PanKind, Australia’s only charity dedicated exclusively to pancreatic cancer. Last year, Laura Johnstone hosted Cairns’ first...
Read Full Story (Page 1)