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Articles by Dan McCray
Emergency warning issued for South Burnett bushfire with homes at risk
Aisling Brennan, Kemi Maguire and Dan McCray Authorities have issued an Emergency Warning for a bushfire in Queensland's South Burnett. A Seek Shelter Now alert is in place for the very dangerous blaze in the rural area of Teelah, north of Blackbutt. The Queensland Fire Department (QFD) says it is burning near Stretton Drive and homes could be at risk. South Burnett Mayor Kathy Duff said the council was working with the QFD and planned to set up evacuation centres.
Spring showers possible for parts of Queensland
Queenslanders lapped up sunny skies over the weekend but can expect possible showers for the east coast from Tuesday. The Bureau of Meteorology said the state was experiencing above-average temperatures for this time of year. Emergency services are continuing to battle fires across central and south-east Queensland, including a blaze near Gladstone that police allege was deliberately lit. The large grassfire near Gladstone on the weekend.
Small businesses and creatives take small wins pushing back against global AI boom
Chloe Young is sick to death of seeing images generated by artificial intelligence (AI) in their online feeds. "You scroll and scroll and scroll, and it all looks the same," said the 28-year-old creative who runs an online sewing and garment-making business. Young is facing an uphill battle in the face of a global AI boom pushed by billions of dollars' worth of investments and free or relatively cheap access for consumers.
Fire rips through Falvey's Sundowner Saloon on Warrego Highway
Dan McCray and Brandon Long Fire has ripped through a landmark pub on the main highway between Brisbane and Toowoomba, and a worker at the scene has been treated for smoke inhalation. Falvey's Sundowner Saloon, a bright pink pub on the Warrego Highway at Haigslea, was left with significant damage, including a partially collapsed roof, after the fire broke out at 8.30am. Queensland Fire Department Acting Inspector Dan Skellern said crews were met with thick black smoke.
Nearly 900 patients contacted after colonoscopy audit at Warwick and Goondiwindi hospitals
Dan McCray and Grace Nakamura Queensland Health is in the process of contacting almost 900 patients who had colonoscopy procedures at two southern Queensland hospitals after it was found that a doctor may not have met expected standards of care. The health department says an audit raised questions about a private specialist's procedures at Goondiwindi and Warwick hospitals between 2023 and 2026.
Jury discharged in rape trial of competitive bull rider Clay Benjamin Hall
The jury in the rape trial of competitive bull rider Clay Benjamin Hall has been discharged after failing to reach a verdict on one of two charges in relation to an incident in Warwick in 2021. After more than eight hours of deliberations the jury unanimously found Mr Hall not guilty of one count of rape but was unable to reach a verdict on a second count related to the same incident.
Rape trial of competitive bull rider Clay Benjamin Hall hears closing arguments
The trial of competitive bull rider Clay Benjamin Hall, who is charged with the alleged rape of a teenage girl, has heard closing arguments from the prosecution and defence. Warning: This article contains details of alleged sexual assault that some readers may find distressing. The court was told Mr Hall met the girl, who was in her late teens at the time, on a street in Warwick, about 160 kilometres south-west of Brisbane, in the early hours of October 2021.
150 bilbies released in Queensland national park where they were once extinct
In the middle of the night in western Queensland, Save the Bilby Fund CEO Kev Bradley is nervous and excited opening a small hessian bag to allow a bilby to gently bounce out. "You've got a lump in your throat. It's pretty rough in the bush. But it takes my breath away," he said. Wild bilbies were last seen in Currawinya National Park in the 1970s before going locally extinct. After a decade of preparation, conservationists have spent the past six nights releasing 150 bilbies into the park.
Farmers prepare for potential spread after H5 bird flu detected in Queensland
Queensland farmers are on alert after the state recorded its first H5 bird flu case, but consumers are being assured eggs and chicken remain safe to eat. The detection was in a migratory petrel washed up on Moreton Island last week. Authorities say there is no need for consumers to change their buying or eating habits. Queenslanders are being assured eggs and chicken remain safe to eat as the state's farmers prepare for the potential spread of H5 bird flu.
Worker housing for approved $1.5 billion Queensland wind farm faces opposition
James Barclay has been studying the sky for the best part of seven decades. But the 79-year-old astronomer says a temporary workers' camp proposed to be built next door would put his observatory in the Queensland town of Kingaroy at risk of closure. "If this camp goes ahead, the lighting alone will be enough to close this observatory down," Dr Barclay said.
Toowoomba Cemetery headstones restored after 2024 vandalism attack
More than 100 headstones damaged in the 2024 vandalism of Drayton and Toowoomba Cemetery have been repaired and restored. The volunteer-led Headstone Healing Project raised $96,500 through community donations to fund the work. The restored monuments and etched reproductions of the most damaged memorials are expected to help preserve local history for future generations.
Program: Two years of successful headstone healing
When 150 graves were targeted by vandals at the heritage-listed Drayton and Toowoomba Cemetery in southern Queensland, a group of local volunteers refused to leave their region's history broken. The Headstone Healing Project set out to raise funds and repair as many of the damaged monuments as possible. This story by Dan McCray. 130 headstones were vandalised in August 2024, including that of William Farquharson and his wife Mary Maxwell's 1869, seven-foot-tall, sandstone headstone.
Goondiwindi woman banned from owning pets for life after neglecting two dogs
A 67-year-old woman has been banned from owning animals after pleading guilty to neglecting two dogs under her care. Marie Lorraine Tatnell was also fined $1,500 and ordered to pay over $1,000 in vet bills. Rippa, the Australian bulldog, was euthanised due to his injuries. Matilda, the blue cattle dog, has been adopted into a "loving and caring home".
Queensland watch houses still overcrowded nearly a year after internal police review
Overcrowding and deteriorating conditions continue to strain Queensland watch houses almost 12 months after an internal review identified serious problems across the network. Queensland Police Service (QPS) data shows regional watch houses are among the worst, with some facilities regularly operating well beyond their intended capacity. In Toowoomba, 130 kilometres west of Brisbane, the watch house has exceeded capacity nearly every month since January 2025.
Police officer says rescuing dog from burning South Burnett home all in a day's work
A Queensland police officer says saving a "snarky" Chihuahua from a house fire that claimed the home and belongings of the 91-year-old owner was all in a day's work. Constable Kieren Trannore climbed over a railing onto the verandah of the Blackbutt North home in the South Burnett, 170 kilometres north-west of Brisbane, and retrieved the dog while the building was still alight.
Gas industry boom brings uneven growth to Western Downs towns
In Chinchilla on Queensland's Western Downs, Lyn McCullough throws open the doors of her bakery at 4am. It is still dark and, at this time of year, cold. But within minutes, a line of high-vis-clad workers files in, stocking up before heading out to nearby gas fields. "They'll come in for a coffee, pie or sausage roll — they'll spend $50 or $60 at a time," Ms McCullough said. She opens early to catch the rush. "Otherwise, I'd open at 6am," she said with a laugh.
Angry swarm of bees surround hive truck rollover on Warego Highway west of Roma, Queensland
A truck carrying honey bees has rolled over in the state's south-west, leaving an angry swarm and destroyed hives. The truck tipped onto its side just after 3:30am on the Warrego Highway at Womalilla, about 120 kilometres west of Roma. An eastbound lane is currently blocked and State Emergency Service volunteer Wayne Bryant has been directing traffic through what he describes as an "angry swarm".
Man sentenced for killing Ian Welldon in Toowoomba truck and motorcycle crash
Allan John Eveleigh, 56, has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in jail after pleading guilty to one count of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death. Ian Welldon, 49, died when a truck driven by Eveleigh hit him from behind while he was waiting at a red light in Toowoomba in 2023. Eveleigh will be eligible for parole in 10 months. Mr Welldon's family say the sentence has not given them closure.
Elderly woman dies 11 days after fatal crash on Queensland's Southern Downs
An 85-year-old Wallangarra woman has died 11 days after a crash in the Southern Downs that also claimed the life of a 92-year-old man. Emergency services were called to the New England Highway at Glen Aplin, near Stanthorpe, just before 2pm on May 9, after a car rolled and crashed into a power pole. Initial investigations indicated an MG SUV travelling south swerved off the highway when an oncoming vehicle crossed onto the wrong side of the road.
Doctor fined $30k for self-publishing unauthorised pictures of patients
In 2023 Lachlan Rathie self-published a picture book depicted his day-to-day life as an anaesthetist at Towoomba Hospital. The anaesthetist's actions were reported to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) by the Helath Ombudsman. QCAT has fined Dr Rathie $30,000 for professional misconduct. An anaesthetist who worked at Toowoomba Hospital has been fined $30,000 for professional misconduct after he included confidential patient information in a self-published book.
Calls for drought declaration as southern Queensland graziers begin to destock
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Calls for drought declaration as southern Queensland graziers begin to destock
Graziers in southern Queensland are rapidly destocking cattle due to dry conditions. Meandarra cattle farmer Bill Plant and his family think it is time for the state government to declare a drought. Queensland Minister for Primary Industries Tony Perrett said there was the "possibility" of a declaration next month. A cloud of dust billows around a cattle truck as it rattles onto a parched farm in south-west Queensland.
Patchy showers and warm weather forecast across Queensland this weekend
Cloudy skies and showers are forecast for the east and west of Queensland this weekend. However, the driest parts of the state are likely to miss out on the most meaningful rainfall. Footy fans attending the Magic Round in Brisbane have been told to pack umbrellas but not to expect heavy rainfall. Showers and above-average temperatures are expected across much of Queensland today, with unsettled conditions set to continue into the weekend.
Queensland shivers through coldest morning of the year
Freezing temperatures are forecast for southern inland parts of Queensland today and into the weekend. A cold air mass from the Southern Ocean is responsible for the wintry temperatures across the Sunshine State. Below-average temperatures are expected throughout the weekend for much of southern Queensland, while the north could see showers later today and across the weekend.
Licensed post office to remain in Dirranbandi after fears of closure
Jane Steiger left her corporate career and moved to the bush for love. "Ten years ago I would have said you were crazy if you'd think I was going to be living out here," Ms Steiger laughed. Now she has found herself taking on the licensed post office for the rural Queensland town of Dirranbandi, about a 7-hour drive west of Brisbane, on top of owning the school bus run. Jane Steiger drives the school bus and runs the Rural Transaction Centre in Dirranbandi.
Federal government approves 1,695 gas wells in rural...
A multinational gas venture has received federal approval to extract more gas from rural Queensland for the next 55 years. The Australia Pacific LNG project — a joint venture between US firm ConocoPhillips, Australian energy company Origin, and Chinese operator Sinopec — will produce gas for export and domestic markets. It will involve up to 1,695 new production wells, 1,545 kilometres of pipelines, and three processing facilities across the Surat and Bowen basins.
Severe Cyclone Maila moving again towards Far North Qld after stalling in Solomon Sea
Severe Tropical Cyclone Maila is again heading for Queensland from the Solomon Sea, roughly 1,300 kilometres off Australia's coast. The category four storm is again tracking west at 7km/h. Tropical Cyclone Maila is expected to cross the Cape York Peninsula "early next week" as a category two system. Severe Tropical Cyclone Maila's days of rest are over, with the system again heading west towards Queensland after stalling in the Solomon Sea.
Man accused of three-day armed carjacking spree across southern Queensland appears in court
Beau Wallace Flegler, 39, has appeared in the Toowoomba Magistrates Court charged after an alleged carjacking spree. Police will allege the man stole multiple vehicles at gunpoint over two days. He has been remanded in custody with the matter to be mentioned in the Toowoomba Magistrates Court again in May. A 39-year-old Westbrook man will remain in custody after being charged with 15 offences following an alleged carjacking spree across southern Queensland.
Outback Queensland's Nindigully Pub changes hands after 25 years
Standing on the front deck of the watering hole he turned into an outback icon, Stephen "Burnsie" Burns leans on the shoulders of Tom Leggett. After 24 years at the helm of the Nindigully Pub, Burnsie is leasing the business to the 39 -year-old navy veteran. "The Gully" is one of Queensland's oldest pubs. Its first license dates back to 1864.
Toowoomba Royal Show in full swing despite soaring fuel costs
Stood in front of her family's dagwood dog van, flanked by her father and daughter, Melissa Nilon raises her voice over the hum of diesel generators. The fifth‑generation showman and secretary of the Showmen's Guild of Australasia says that with rising interest rates, insurance costs and skyrocketing fuel prices, putting on a show is getting harder.
Federal government approves 1,695 gas wells in rural Queensland
A multinational gas venture has received federal approval to extract more gas from rural Queensland for the next 55 years. The Australia Pacific LNG project — a joint venture between US firm ConocoPhillips, Australian energy company Origin, and Chinese operator Sinopec — will produce gas for export and domestic markets. It will involve up to 1,695 new production wells, 1,545 kilometres of pipelines, and three processing facilities across the Surat and Bowen basins.
Trial date set in Bruce Lehrmann rape case in Toowoomba
Former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann will stand trial in the Toowoomba District Court later this year on two counts of rape. Judge Deborah Richards said in the court today the trial was listed for November 2. 1800 Respect National Helpline: 1800 737 732 Men's Referral Service: 1300 766 491 Lifeline (24-hour crisis line): 131 114 : 1800 819 817 Full Stop Australia: 1800 385 578 Mr Lehrmann, 30, is charged with two counts of rape, alleged to have happened in Toowoomba in October 2021.
Outback Queensland boy Hugh Proud's stroke at age seven highlights hidden risk for children
Four years ago, seven‑year‑old Hugh Proud suffered a stroke while playing at school in outback Queensland. Now 11, he's been elected vice captain of his primary school in Dalby on the Western Downs. Hugh is sharing his story to raise awareness that children can have strokes and to inspire others to push through their own challenges. On a warm February day in 2022, Year 2 student Hugh Proud was playing with friends during recess at his tiny school in Eromanga in outback Queensland.
Central Australia tropical low expected to linger for days as flooding cuts off towns
A tropical low over Central Australia, which has brought record rainfall, is expected to linger in Queensland's outback until the end of the week, with some towns preparing for months of isolation. Road closures caused by flooding have continued to impede the flow of food and essentials to towns including Mount Isa, Boulia and Bedourie. A swift-water rescue team saved a man who became trapped while driving through floodwaters near Doomadgee, about 470 kilometres north of Mount Isa.
As congregations shrink, old rural churches are being given new life
When Our Lady of the Annunciation Catholic Church was built in a tiny railway town on Queensland's Darling Downs in 1917, parishioners raised £630 to pay for it. In those early years, families travelled from surrounding farms for mass, weddings and funerals at the weatherboard church, often tying their horses and parking their buggies out the front.
Jail term increased for Roma man who stabbed police officer during call-out
A man convicted of multiple offences, including domestic violence and stabbing a police officer, has had his sentence extended after an appeal by Queensland's attorney-general. The man's eligibility for parole was extended by nine and a half months. The Queensland Police Union will advocate for the Queensland government to introduce mandatory minimum sentencing for offenders who harm police.
Five-year-old girl killed in ATV rollover on Queensland’s Western Downs
A five-year-old girl has died and a boy has been taken to hospital after an ATV being driven by a child rolled on a rural property in Queensland's Western Downs. Emergency services were called at around 6pm yesterday to Chinchilla Tara Road near Chinchilla, about three-and-a-half hours west of Brisbane. The five-year-old girl died at the scene. A nine-year-old boy who police say was driving the buggy was taken to Tara hospital in a stable condition. The Forensic Crash Unit is investigating.
Meringandan collector sells vintage tractors, trucks, machines on Queensland farm
Lifelong grazier Mervyn Polzin knows he is at the "end of the line", but he isn't sad about it. On a quiet rise at Meringandan, just outside Toowoomba in southern Queensland, the 78-year-old is letting go of his life's passion. Just weeks ago, hundreds of pieces of machinery were scattered across the paddocks of his family property, Greenview, their steel skins dulled by decades of work and weather.
Tropical low triggers major flooding in the north as extreme heat builds in Queensland's south‑west
A tropical low has dumped heavy rain across North Queensland, triggering flash flooding and evacuations. Major and moderate flood warnings remain in place across several river systems, with flooding expected to last for days. Meanwhile, western and southern Queensland is enduring a severe heatwave, with temperatures approaching record levels.
Queensland family trades cattle breeding for steak searing
In the emerald-green hills near Yarraman, Bradley Frohloff stands quietly as his cattle move through the grass. It's a view he and his wife Jodie have taken in almost every day for 20 years while they've been building their purebred Limousin stud in southern Queensland. But this year, that all changes. The Frohloffs are selling all their stud cattle — the females offered next month and bulls to follow a few months later. Every carefully selected bloodline, offered to new hands.
12yo girl and two others dead after fiery late-night ute crash
Three people, including a 12-year-old girl, are dead and a teenager has been flown to hospital after a horror crash in southern Queensland. Police believe two large utes, a Dodge Ram and Ford Ranger, collided on the Bunya Highway at Taabinga, about 200 kilometres north-west of Brisbane, just after 10pm on Monday. A 44-year-old woman was travelling in the Ford with two young girls, aged 12 and 13, at the time of the crash.
People First Bank closures spark concern, confusion for older, disabled customers
People First Bank will close 18 sites across Australia, including several in regional towns. Customers who rely on in‑person banking are scared they will lose access and community connection. 15 branches and three agencies will close permanently on March 12, 2026. When Anthony Anderson walks into his local People First Bank branch in Queensland's south-west, staff know his name.
Tropical low with 'high' chance of becoming cyclone looms off North Queensland coast
Residents in North Queensland are preparing for severe weather as a tropical low with a high chance of developing into a cyclone nears the coastline. The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) predicts the low will become a category one cyclone at 4pm, local time, today and make landfall over Townsville early on Sunday morning. The BOM will continue to monitor the system and issue further warnings if the low develops into a tropical cyclone.
From soapboxes to social media: Two artists shaping Queensland's bush art scene
Marion Moore says she's a late bloomer when it came to painting. It wasn't until her mid-thirties that she began bringing imagined bush scenes to life, her first pieces painted with house paint on old soapboxes. That was in 1960. The 101-year-old said she has spent the past six decades honing her passion in stolen moments, adorning the walls of her family's outback property. Marion Moore's painting of her home at "The Peaks".
From Tehran to Roma: First permanent psychiatrist appointed in south-west Queensland
Farzin Rezaei has been appointed as the South West Hospital and Health Service's first permanent in-house psychiatrist. It comes as mental health leaders say people in the bush are still struggling with barriers that prevent them from using mental health services. Farzin Rezaei will service the entire South West Hospital and Health Service region, an area larger than the state of Victoria.
Man charged with fleecing nearly 900 sheep in 'significant' stock theft
A 69-year-old man has been accused of pocketing more than $100,000 after allegedly selling nearly 900 stolen sheep over a 12-month period at the Warwick Saleyards in southern Queensland. A prolonged investigation by the Rural and Stock Crime Squad culminated in the man being charged with a series of stock stealing, firearm and fraud offences. He is due to appear in the St George Magistrates Court on January 20 next year.
Camp oven legend Ned Winter brought south-west Queensland to the world
In the early 1960s, a red-and-white Volkswagen Kombi full of tourists bounced along a dusty outback track. At the wheel was a fresh-faced 26-year-old Ned Winter. Telling yarns and pointing out places of interest, he reassured his intrepid guests that their destination — Metford Station near Bollon — was just a few hundred more kilometres down the track.
Camp oven king baked into local legend
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Northern hairy-nosed wombat joeys mark conservation success for rare Queensland animal
Three joey northern hairy-nosed wombats have been born inside Powrunna State Forest, marking a new era for the critically endangered species. In the 1980s, only 35 northern hairy-nosed wombats remained in Queensland; there are now more than 400. The joeys should spend the next 10 months in their mother's pouches before venturing out. Tucked away in their mothers' pouches, three tiny wombat joeys have unknowingly marked a new era for their species.
Boy's death from snake bite found to have been preventable
By Dan McCray, for ABC Australia has several species of snakes called brown snakes, including the deadly Australian eastern brown snake. An Australian coroner has found the death of 11-year-old Tristian Frahm was "potentially" preventable if he had received early medical attention. The coroner made no referrals to the Director of Public Prosecutions in relation to Tristan's death.
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