General News
14 January, 2026
2025 News in review
2025 is done and dusted but the year certainly had its ups and downs for our region. We look back at what made the headlines over the past 12 months.
JANUARY
The month was sadly dominated by the devastating news of the passing of Mareeba Shire Councillor Kevin Davies after a battle with an aggressive cancer, only diagnosed two months before. The popular father of two was known for his many voluntary hats, community spirit, and involvement in the Mareeba Field Days, and his signature event, the Great Wheelbarrow Race.
At Tablelands Regional Council, the year began with a new CEO, Dr Nikola Stepanov, who replaced Gary Rinehart after his sudden departure from the job.
There was a win for residents in Newland Street, Yungaburra, with a Supreme Court Judge slapping an injunction on a developer’s plan to sell off parkland behind the houses - which owners had bought on the assurance it would remain parkland.
In Mareeba, the council kicked off Stage 2 of its major upgrade to water infrastructure; and Julatten’s Gerahty Park was to get a new mural to brighten up the popular spot.
TRC’s Australia Day awards went to Alf Hogan for Citizen of the Year, Flynn Hyde for Junior Citizen of the Year, and Tableland Roller Derby for Event of the Year. The MSC awarded Cheryl Emmerson as Citizen of the Year, and Junior Citizen of the Year to Steven Young.
FEBRUARY
Mareeba Shire Council came under fire after it decided to hold a by-election for a new councillor instead of opting to appoint the next person on the ballot, Mladen Bosnic. A public outcry denounced the decision as an unnecessary cost and a time waster considering the election was less than 12 months before.
The gloves were also off at TRC, when Cr Kevin Cardew declared he would expose inefficiencies, budget blowouts, and bureaucratic overkill at council.
Meanwhile, former chief executive officer Gary Rinehart began action against TRC in the Industrial Relations Commission related to the circumstances of his departure from the council.
Across the Tablelands, pressure rose for an upgrade to the Hahn Highway to provide another access route for freight, as communities continued to scramble for scarce grocery items.
The Atherton Arboretum was also in the spotlight after the Department of Environment confirmed trees on the property had been poisoned. Prior to this, locals were up in arms when the new owner of the property began to chop down a number of trees, an action that was stopped by the Department.
Meals on Wheels Mareeba celebrated 50 years of service, delivering an average of 12,000 meals a year, and Queensland’s oldest butchery, located in Yungaburra, turned 111 years old.
MARCH
Two TRC councillors called for more resources to maintain the Atherton town centre, which looked “disgraceful”. Crs Kevin Cardew and Con Spanos said the once Tidy Town winner needed more staff to maintain the main street, and later in the year, a group was being formed to help the council beautify the area.
Questions were also raised over Atherton’s Priors Creek recreational project and the approval of stage 1B, with residents concerned over how it would be maintained, given the state of the town centre, the costs of the precinct, and the planned removal of a toilet block that services the main business area.
The council again came under fire when it announced the closure of the recycle shop, and for its failure to maintain the Patrick English Pavillion at Malanda which is now set to be demolished.
In Mareeba, vacant shops in the main street reflected a struggling retail sector, but later in the year, some new businesses would open their doors.
The council revealed that a postal vote for a new councillor could cost up to $150,000 which brought more criticism from locals. Five candidates lined up for the April election.
Rumblings about the Ceola Drive bollards continued, with residents complaining of their unsightly and restrictive impact on their home frontage, street parking, bus services and access to driveways. They would eventually be removed in December.
APRIL
Mladen Bosnic was voted in as the new Mareeba councillor – the irony of which was not lost on ratepayers, given he could have been appointed without the cost of the election.
Savannah in the Round announced two powerhouse performers from the United States as the headline acts for the October music festival, while Mareeba’s Project Blueprint, which will deliver a detailed design for a revamped central business district, was announced.
The project has received $2.1 million from the Federal Government to deliver a construction-ready project plan to revitalise the CBD’s pedestrian accessibility, stormwater drainage and general amenities.
The Savannahlander train leaves from Mareeba Station for the first time following months of concern on the popular rail trip’s future after line damage between Kuranda to Mareeba closed off the first leg of the track from Cairns.
The Federal Government announced a May election and committed $225 million for a new bridge over the Barron River at Kuranda in its Budget. Candidates did the rounds, promising to improve the region’s road network as a top priority.
MAY
Bob Katter glides back into the seat of Kennedy for the 12th time, defying the overwhelming swing against conservative politicians, after Anthony Albanese’s Labor Party records a landslide victory of 94 seats.
Closer to home, Mareeba had a massive month of activity, with Mt Garnet kicking off the rodeo circuit, the 22nd Great Wheelbarrow Race being held, the Northern Nats Drag Racing and the Rotary FNQ Field Days.
In a people power outcome, Millaa Millaa residents won over TRC with its call for large tourist buses to be banned from the lower car park of the famous waterfall, despite recommendations from its own officers.
The international focus on the new Pope Leo XIV, took a lovely turn for Mareeba, when news of that the previously known Father Robert Greenup spent two days visiting Mareeba 20 years ago.
Meanwhile, the State Government announced that a business study had revealed that a new bridge was required for the Barron River at Kuranda, but it would take at least another four years to deliver.
JUNE
The push for more action to remove saltwater crocodiles from the region increased, with a local farmer launching a petition calling for all crocs to be automatically removed, revealing that landowners were having to cope with the animals which now inhabit the Barron and Mitchell Rivers.
The move was backed by the Mareeba Shire Council amidst attempts by State authorities to remove a 3-5 metre croc from the Biboohra area.
The issue continued to make headlines throughout the month, with Katter’s Australian Party leading the way with a new Crocodile Control and Conservation Bill.
The Mareeba Railway Station hit the spotlight when Member for Cook David Kempton started a discussion about how the facility could be beautified, vowing also to secure funds to fix the Copperfield Bridge to allow the train to get its passengers to Forsayth.
JULY
The region was in celebratory mode in July, with local agricultural shows and the Mareeba Rodeo making the month a fun time for events.
But there was bad news for TRC residents when the council announced a 7.7% rate rise, the ditching of its 2.5% discount, and a nearly 10% rise in water and sewerage access charges.
Mayor Rod Marti attributed the steep rise to the need for the council to fund $100 million of sewerage works for Atherton and Yungaburra and to replace ageing water infrastructure.
TRC also dissolved all of its advisory committees and announced an extensive review by its CEO in a bid to find efficiencies and savings.
Just two weeks after announcing its budget, TRC proposed the closure of three of its libraries which drew a strong response from the community who bombarded the council until it withdrew the plan several months later.
The area was also hit with the bad news that the Bega Group would be closing Tolga’s peanut processing plant.
Mareeba locals were shocked to hear of the brutal bashing of a 79-year-old man in broad daylight in the town’s CBD, but they did get some good news, with the council announcing a modest 3% rate rise.
AUGUST
A Mareeba woman who was brutally bashed outside her home went public with her ordeal in the hope of getting more support for victims of crime.
Meanwhile TRC announced it would fork out $100,000 in a bid to boost tourist visitation to their area while trying to calm down a group of farmers who asserted that the agricultural sector was being unfairly penalised by increasing rates.
There was good news for Atherton, with 20 new units being built that will give some hope to those affected by the housing crisis, and the Atherton Golf Club celebrated its 100th year in operation.
The Savannahlander received a massive boost when Cook MP David Kempton announced he had managed to secure $500,000 to fix the Copperfield Bridge which will allow the popular tourist train to get its passengers close to Forsayth.
SEPTEMBER
House and land packages were set to rise in the TRC area after the council approved new infrastructure charges which could add thousands of dollars to the overall cost. Meanwhile, a local business owner considered taking legal action against the council over his loss of business due to works associated with the Priors Creek Parklands.
The agricultural sector had its big night of the year, with a gala ceremony during which Jason Salvetti received the honour of winning the Charlie Nastasi Farmer of the Year award.
Mareeba parents were facing an after-school care crisis after the Mareeba Kids Campus announced it would no longer be able to provide the service and the few alternatives on offer had long waiting lists.
But there was some good news for the town after a decision by Mareeba Shire Council to agree to support the sale of a small piece of land which would allow the long-awaited Woolworths supermarket complex to be built.
OCTOBER
Good news for Mareeba, with the much-anticipated new PCYC facility for the town a step closer to reality, with the organisation submitting its plans for the new building. Later in the year, the plans would be approved for construction to start on the Constance Steet site.
Mareeba was the place to be during the month when Savannah in the Round hit town, with the event the biggest ever to date, bringing huge economic benefits to the town.
Four libraries that were under threat of closure by Tablelands Regional Council were saved after the public backlash about losing the community facilities.
Questions were also asked about the rise in the number of items to be discussed at TRC meetings being put behind closed doors, with 43 in an eight-month period since the new CEO came on board, compared to 24 in the same time frame before she took up the job.
The council was also asked for confidential documentation by a law enforcement agency for an investigation, believed to be in relation to the departure of the former CEO.
The council came under fire again later in the month when they refused to give two sporting clubs a rates concession, leaving them unsure as to how they would pay thousands of dollars more in rates.
Herberton’s reputation as a former powerhouse of mining was on its way back, with the discovery of Australia’s largest known silver-indium deposit and an investment by the State to help unlock the multi-billion-dollar critical mineral resource.
In other good news, horticultural production in the region rose by a massive 42% over the past five years, contributing to a gross value production of $748 million.
NOVEMBER
Mareeba’s Kurt Shephard capped off a brilliant year in bull riding, taking out the PBR Australia Championship and picking up $100,000 and a gold buckle for his efforts.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli made the trip north to Mareeba for the town’s chamber of commerce business excellence awards, with Emerald Creek Ice Creamery taking out to the top gong.
The town’s leagues club was also in the news, with Mareeba Shire Council giving the go-ahead for the buildings to be purchased by the club which will allow it to be upgraded and expanded.
At Yungaburra, locals raised the alarm about the absence of platypus in Peterson Creek after research conducted by the Yungaburra Landcare Group revealed that faecal bacteria in the water was up to 93 times higher than the safe concentration for swimming, posing not only a problem for humans, but for the long-term future of the shy, egg-laying mammal.
Meanwhile, Mt Garnet residents were lamenting the loss of their swimming pool after it was demolished by TRC, leaving the town with nowhere to safely swim.
Cr Kevin Cardew also raised questions as to why Atherton Performing Arts had been unable to secure a new lease of its building on Silo Road despite council making a resolution 12 months ago to get the matter sorted.
Still in Atherton, the maternity unit at the new hospital also prompted concerns about staffing and budget constraints, with 200 signatures on a petition demanding urgent action.
DECEMBER
The month started with bad news for two sporting clubs in Atherton and at Tinaroo, with Tablelands Regional Council again refusing to budge on its decision not to grant them a rates concession.
In other bad news for the town, the latest statistics showed crime had increased in the town by 30% over the last 12 months. The figures revealed that car thefts had nearly doubled over the previous year, with unlawful entry into homes and businesses also much higher than 2024.
In contrast, Mareeba’s crime was down by 9%, with reductions in almost every offence category.
Also in the news was a move by the Atherton Lions Club and the town’s chamber of commerce to establish a new group of citizens who want to lend a hand to make their town cleaner and more attractive.
TRC also made a decision that will allow four and five-storey buildings in the CBD, aimed at opening the door for new commercial investment and creating revenue for the council to help pay for its Prior’s Creek Parklands project.
Locals again got up in arms though at the council about its decision to demolish the main public toilet in the town centre, with a publican declaring his hotel toilets would not be able to be used by the public.
Meanwhile, a new Crocodile Management Plan was endorsed by the State Government that placed parts of the Mitchell and Barron rivers in reportable removal zones, meaning that if crocs are sighted and reported in these areas, they will be targeted for removal.
The state also announced a new early intervention program for at-risk youth to be introduced to a farm near Mareeba.
