Only one rental market in Queensland is classed as healthy, according to the Real Estate Institute of Queensland's September quarter vacancy report. The Bay Islands, near Redland, recorded a vacancy rate of 3.5 per cent. Forty-eight of the 50 regions tracked remain tight, with vacancy rates of 2.5 per cent or below. Thirty-four regions recorded rates of 1 per cent or less. Antonia Mercorella, the institute's chief executive, said the shortage was changing how Queenslanders live, with more multigenerational households forming and more friends sharing homes to split costs.
Garden owners and more than seventy volunteers welcomed visitors to Springtime 2026 on Tamborine Mountain over three days. Scenic Rim Mayor Tom Sharp opened the event at the Belicia gardens. Visitors enjoyed Devonshire teas, a plant sale, live music and a picnic spot run by local groups. Organisers have announced the next event will run from September 24 to 26, 2027.
Police from the Cairns Forensic Crash Unit are appealing for information about a serious single-vehicle crash at Little Mulgrave on October 25. A passing motorist saw a 24-year-old man on the side of Gillies Range Road near Roos Road, who appeared to have come off his motorbike at about 10.30am. He suffered critical injuries and was airlifted to hospital by Rescue 510. Anyone with information or dashcam footage is asked to come forward. Investigations are continuing.
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Torquay business S2 Adventure is encouraging families to shop locally as summer begins. Most stock is discounted by at least 40 per cent until Friday, with some items reduced by up to 60 per cent. The sale also includes samples and main-range Tavi Activewear pieces. Owner Michele Scarce said the team is local and the business supports other local businesses. The 40 per cent-off sale runs from October 26 to 30 at Unit 2/10 Cylinders Drive, Torquay.
A Cairns man has built a replica English pub in his backyard, complete with leather couches, a dartboard and a red phone box. Toby Chester said the idea came from online videos during COVID, and the bar is now the family's preferred living area. His sister and her husband have also turned old stables into a speak-easy, keeping the original red bricks. Psychologist Elisabeth Shaw said people have been investing in personal spaces at home and rethinking how they socialise as living costs rise.
Far North tourism leaders have returned from Canberra after raising concerns about proposed cuts to the Working Holiday Maker visa program. Leichhardt MP Matt Smith joined industry representatives at Parliament House to stress the value of backpackers to the regional economy. Smith said the group had constructive meetings with Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke and Senator Murray Watt. Industry bodies also backed a petition calling on the government to maintain visa availability and length of stay. Smith described the talks as just the beginning.
First-home buyers have been locked out of 169 previously affordable Queensland property markets since the federal 5 per cent deposit scheme was expanded a year ago. An analysis of Realestate.com.au data found that 852 of 890 house and unit markets have risen in value. Deagon houses jumped 31.2 per cent to $1.187 million. Since October, new Queensland mortgage lodgements have fallen 30 per cent, with first-home buyer applications down 18 per cent, according to Loan Market. Buyer's agent Lauren Jones said rising interest rates and living costs have cut borrowing power, leaving young buyers largely absent from the market.
Police data shows more than 15,000 people have been scanned for weapons in Queensland's Far North since Jack's Law became permanent. Officers have seized 129 items considered weapons and charged 241 people with 378 offences linked to the reforms. The law is named after 17-year-old Jack Beasley, who was fatally stabbed at Surfers Paradise in 2019. Police say the scans aim to prevent violence and reduce knife crime. Government ministers and local MPs have praised the results.
Small businesses in Queensland's Far North are the first in the state to take part in free Queensland Government artificial intelligence courses. The courses are part of an $11.5 million micro-credentials program. The first sessions are being held in Cairns, and about 80 businesses have taken part. Courses run over six weeks with weekly two-hour workshops, online or face-to-face. The University of the Sunshine Coast is delivering the AI course, and more courses are due next year.
Four men have been arrested and charged with a combined 57 child exploitation offences after co-ordinated searches across Brisbane and far north Queensland. Police allege one man was caught downloading disturbing material. Detective Acting Inspector Les Lucas urged caregivers to regularly talk with children about their online activity. He said children should know they can turn to a trusted adult if they feel unsafe. Three men were remanded in custody, and a fourth was bailed to appear before a court in December.
Award-winning Kuranda musician Djawarray will headline UMI Arts' 19th annual Big Talk One Fire festival at Munro Martin Parklands on 24 October. He will close the evening with the Koahlition band, blending rainforest reggae and rock with his language and English. Dance groups from across the region will also perform, including Babinda's Jaban Dancers, making their debut. Seven workshops will offer activities such as jewellery-making, painting and basket weaving.
West Pennant Hills Bowls Club held semi-finals in which Michael Williams beat his son Lachlan 125 to 112, and Kevin Tuckerman reached the final after winning an extra end against Geoff McIntosh. In the final, Tuckerman pulled ahead late to defeat Williams 125 to 114. The club is also preparing its yearly bus trip for 33 bowlers, partners and friends, travelling to Wagga Wagga in October. They will stay for ten days, play against three local clubs, and visit attractions such as the RAAF museum and a liquorice and chocolate factory in Junee.
Kawanji Dance Group from the Palmer River region will perform traditional dances at UMI Arts' Big Talk One Fire festival in Cairns on Saturday 24 October. The group says its dances honour ancestors and pass cultural knowledge from grandparents to grandchildren. Representative Graham Brady said the performances keep that knowledge alive for future generations. The free festival runs at Munro Martin Parklands from 3 to 9 pm, with gates opening at 2 pm. It features music, dance, workshops and art markets, including headline performer Djawarray.
An expansion to Cairns State Special School has been officially opened. Two new buildings and new outdoor learning spaces include therapy and sensory rooms, specialist equipment, a new playground and extra car parking. The school principal, Alicia Smith, said the facilities would let students keep learning tailored to their needs. Premier David Crisafulli said the government is delivering more special schools to give families more choice. Member for Mulgrave Terry James said the extra capacity would ease pressure from growing local enrolments.
Three Cairns-based arts organisations are asking Far North Queenslanders to help fund creative projects. The Cairns Indigenous Art Fair is aiming for $15,000 to help First Nations artists reach international audiences through opportunities linked to Art Central Hong Kong. JUTE Theatre Company and UMI Arts are also fundraising. The appeals form part of AusArt Day, a national campaign on 22 October involving more than 350 artists and organisations. Last year's campaign drew 4768 donors who gave a total of $2.42 million.
