Mining companies in Queensland's North West Minerals Province are struggling to find workers as drilling ramps up and new jobs open. AIC Mines chairman Aaron Colleran said hiring has been difficult everywhere, including at its Eloise copper mine near Cloncurry. The Australian Resources and Energy Employer Association estimates the industry will need 24,000 new workers across the country by 2027. Queensland Resources Council figures point to competing skill needs and fewer young people entering trades and mining careers. Industry leaders say apprenticeships must grow to ease the shortage.
Brisbane and the Gold Coast are on track for their wettest October in six years. Brisbane has recorded about 170 millimetres this month, roughly double its October average of 87 millimetres. Flash floods hit Caboolture and Morayfield, where more than 400 millimetres fell over the past week. The Sunshine Coast is likely to break its October record, with 369 millimetres already recorded at its airport. The Bureau of Meteorology says Brisbane is not expecting heavy falls, apart from possible showers.
Little blue penguins at SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast are exploring a new Halloween habitat with pumpkins, tombstones and other surprises. The aquarium says the enrichment encourages the penguins' natural curiosity. On Saturday, October 31, the aquarium will host a Halloween Beach Clean-Up at Mooloolaba Beach from 9am to noon. Children are encouraged to collect rubbish instead of lollies, and free face painting will be offered. Marine animals can mistake rubbish for food or become tangled in it.
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A Brisbane Supreme Court jury has heard that Robert John Crawford allegedly strangled his wife, Frances Elizabeth Crawford, and staged the scene to look like something else. Paramedics found her body beside a retaining wall and a ride-on lawnmower in the early hours of July 30, 2024. Crawford has pleaded not guilty to murder. Prosecutors allege he was motivated by money, including property valued at about $2 million and life insurance worth $860,000. Defence counsel described the case as a circumstantial one, comparing it to a jigsaw with many pieces still missing.
Real estate agent Emil Juresic and his partner Giselle Kramer have signed a lease for a four-storey space at the Oracle precinct in Broadbeach. The site was previously home to the Change gym, whose founder Peter Haselhurst is on bail facing extortion charges he has not yet answered. Stage one, a gym, pilates studio and recovery facilities, is set to open on December 1. A vertical expansion planned for 2027 will add a medical recovery suite, a rooftop pool and other facilities. Level X memberships start at $99 a week for select classes.
A $40 million luxury apartment project at Hope Island Resort on the Gold Coast has sold more than $28 million of residences ahead of completion. GH Properties says 14 of the 21 Sage apartments have sold at an average price above $2 million. The developer's managing director, Ellen Guan, said the boutique, north-facing waterfront units have drawn strong interest from downsizers. Prices start at $1.63 million for large two-bedroom apartments and $1.96 million for three-bedroom apartments. Residents will have access to the resort's golf course, pool and wellness programs.
A 19-year-old woman has been identified as the critically injured victim of a shooting at a Loganholme pub during a boxing event. Vana-Reese Schuster-Togiatau, from Jimboomba, was shot in the head and neck and remains in a critical condition. Police allege two masked men opened fire from a car, hitting four people, and are investigating possible links to organised crime. The shooting has raised concerns about retaliation and the reputation of boxing events.
Former RAAF pilot Robert John Crawford, 49, has pleaded not guilty to murdering his wife, Frances Elizabeth Crawford, at Upper Lockyer, west of Toowoomba, in July 2024. Prosecutor Chris Cook told the Brisbane Supreme Court jury that the scene, with her body beside a ride-on mower, was staged to hide her strangulation. Cook alleges Crawford was motivated by a looming divorce settlement and had affairs. Crawford's barrister, Saul Holt KC, argued the prosecution's evidence was incomplete. The jury will visit the site on Wednesday, and up to 47 witnesses are expected over three weeks.
Police have released images of three men who may help with an alleged assault in Fortitude Valley on 13 June. A 60-year-old Fairfield man was allegedly approached and assaulted by three unknown men on James Street at about 7.30pm. He suffered facial injuries and received medical treatment. The men were described as well dressed and wearing formal attire. Police also want two women who were nearby to come forward, and ask anyone with footage from the area to contact them.
Toowoomba students will present their advanced manufacturing project ideas at a showcase on Monday, 9 November 2026. The event runs from 10 am to 1 pm at Toowoomba State High School. The projects propose solutions to manufacturing industry challenges and were developed with industry partners over two terms. Students will pitch their work to an industry panel, and senior secondary students will also present to a shark tank panel. The showcase is part of a statewide Queensland series for the Advanced Manufacturing Future Skills program.
A man has died after being found unresponsive in floodwaters at Smothering Creek on the Fraser Coast in Queensland. Emergency crews were called shortly after 11am on Monday and declared him dead at the scene. Police are investigating whether the 57-year-old drove into the floodwaters before his death, and a report will go to the Coroner. The death follows torrential rain across the Wide Bay-Burnett region, which triggered flash flooding, road closures and major flood warnings. Authorities have urged motorists not to drive through floodwaters.
Former Fraser Coast councillor James Hansen, 57, has been identified as the man found dead in floodwaters at Boompa, police say. He served on the Fraser Coast regional council from 2012 to 2024 and ran for One Nation in 2017. Mayor George Seymour called his death a great loss to the community. Police have begun an investigation and will prepare a report for the coroner. Separately, six campers were rescued from flood waters at Leyburn on the Southern Downs.
A 57-year-old man found dead in floodwaters on Queensland's Fraser Coast has been identified as former councillor James Hansen. Emergency services were called to Smothering Creek at Boompa Road in Boompa, west of Maryborough, just after 11am on Monday, after heavy rain. Officers declared him dead on arrival. Police will prepare a report for the coroner while the cause of death is investigated. Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour paid tribute to Mr Hansen, one of the region's last dairy farmers, who served on Fraser Coast Regional Council from 2012 to 2024.
Six campers were rescued from rising floodwaters at a public campground in Leyburn, near Toowoomba, on Monday. Emergency crews were called about 7.45am after the campers woke to find water around their campsite. Queensland Fire and Rescue swiftwater crews rescued all six by about 11.15am, and none were reported injured. Police urged motorists never to drive through floodwater. The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast severe thunderstorms continuing into Tuesday across parts of Queensland and New South Wales, with flash flooding possible.
A former RAAF pilot, Robert John Crawford, 49, has pleaded not guilty to murdering his wife, Frances Elizabeth Crawford, in July 2024. The Brisbane Supreme Court jury heard prosecutor Chris Cook allege that Crawford staged her death to look like an accident. Her body was found near a ride-on lawnmower below a retaining wall on their rural property west of Toowoomba. Cook said Crawford was motivated by the financial cost of a divorce, and four women allegedly involved with him are expected to give evidence. The jury will visit the site on Wednesday.
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Logan has about 206 hectares of vacant industrial development land, the Property Council says, offering room for new investment as greater Brisbane faces a shortage of industrial space. Property Council Queensland executive director Jess Caire said infrastructure such as roads and water must keep pace with demand. The council is calling for a $500 million industrial infrastructure fund and a coordinated state strategy to unlock more employment land. Average sale prices for smaller industrial sites rose about 44 per cent over the year to June 2026.
Amanda Stoker has been appointed Queensland's Minister for Families, Seniors and Disability Services and Minister for Child Safety and the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence. She replaces Amanda Camm, who stepped down from the role due to illness. Stoker previously worked at the private bar in commercial, administrative and corporate crime law, and served as an Australian senator. Her tasks include refining domestic and family violence laws, rolling out a perpetrator electronic monitoring pilot and expanding support for victims. Premier David Crisafulli said she will build on reforms begun by Camm.
Prison officers in Queensland fear deaths in custody and more assaults on staff under a proposed bill. The bill would remove a requirement for corrective services staff to consider prisoners' human rights. Officers interviewed by the ABC say overcrowding, including possible triple bunking, would make jails more dangerous. Queensland Corrective Services supports the exemption, saying it is needed for staff and community safety. Corrective Services Minister Laura Gerber says the government will put victims' rights ahead of offenders' rights.
