If you’re having an off day, spare a thought for one Mackay man who’s probably feeling worse.
Everyone is wondering about the identity of “Steve”, whose newly former partner Jenny took out a full-page ad in the Mackay And Whitsunday Life newspaper to denounce him as a “filthy cheater”.
“Dear Steve, I hope you’re happy with her. Now the whole town will know what a filthy cheater you are. From Jenny. . I bought this ad using your credit card,” it read.
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The ad created so much interest the editor posted a response saying: “We have been inundated with dozens of messages this morning about the Advert on Page 4 of Mackay Life – as there’s too many to reply to, we would like to address it here.
“1. We do NOT know who Steve is, but apparently he’s been very, very bad.
“two. We won’t be revealing any details about Jenny.”
Jenny paid for the ad on her ex’s credit card – but the paper confirmed it had not charged him.
“Jenny sounds like someone I want to be friends with,” one person commented. “Never trust Steve.”
“Not all heroines wear capes. Jenny is my new favorite person,” said another.
One Jenny even clarified: “So all my friends are aware. I am not the legend ‘Jenny’ and my ‘Steve’ has not been bad.”
But not everyone was convinced. Some claimed Jenny and Steve didn’t exist at all and the ad was a very clever marketing tactic by the team at Mackay And Whitsunday Life newspaper.
“This has PR stunt written all over it,” one user wrote, and another: “Good way of getting more likes and readers to your page.”
Woman confirms the man her dad set her up with is now her boyfriend.
Woman confirms the man her dad set her up with is now her boyfriend.
Two people died in a horror three-vehicle crash in regional Queensland on Friday.
Queensland Police say a man and woman were traveling north on the Bruce Highway in Wunjunga, about 22km south of Home Hill, when a truck traveling in the opposite direction collided with their vehicle about 11.30am.
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The incident subsequently caused a third vehicle to crash.
The driver of the initial vehicle, a 67-year-old Hervey Bay man, died from his injuries at the scene.
His 62-year-old passenger was airlifted to Townsville University Hospital in a critical condition, but later died from his injuries.
The 67-year-old driver of the car died from his injuries at this scene and his 62-year-old female passenger later died in hospital. Credit: 7NEWSPolice at the scene of the Wunjunga fatal crash. Credit: 7NEWS
The truck driver, a 61-year-old Deeragun woman, and the 36-year-old male driver of the third vehicle managed to escape the ordeal uninjured.
“It’s a very horrific scene,” Queensland Police senior sergeant Craig Shepherd told 7NEWS.
Forensic police are investigating the circumstances of the crash.
Anyone with information or dashcam vision of the area at the time of the crash is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report online at www.crimestoppersqld.com.au.
Four young children may be at “significant risk” after a man abducted them from a Queensland property on Thursday morning.
Queensland Police said the children – aged 8, 7, 4 and 3 – were taken from a property at The Leap, north of Mackay, about 11.30am.
“All of the children are described as being Caucasian in appearance with a slim build and brown hair,” police said in a statement.
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An amber alert has been issued asking members of the public to help locate the youngsters.
The children – aged three, four, seven and eight years old – were taken by a man from a property at The Leap. Credit: QLD Police
A man, with identifiable Batman ‘joker’ themed facial tattoos, was seen taking the children from a Maraju Yakapari Road address in a white 2005 Nissan Patrol 4WD with the Queensland Registration 063BC9.
The car was last seen heading toward Bruce Highway.
Police said the alleged offender is described as Caucasian, solid build, approximately 175cm tall with a shaven head and full bushy beard.
Police said the man seen taking the children, pictured, has identifiable facial tattoos. Credit: QLD PoliceThe man was seen driving toward Bruce Highway in a white 2005 Nissan Patrol 4WD. Credit: QLD Police
Anyone with information about the abduction is asked to call 131 564.
Those with life-threatening information about the incident should contact triple-0.
CCTV captures father using pram and pants to steal from shop.
CCTV captures father using pram and pants to steal from shop.
A man accused of fatally shooting three members of the same family kept his gun license more than a decade ago despite police applying to revoke it.
Darryl Young, a farmer from Bogie in regional Queensland, appeared in court on Monday charged with the murders of Graham Tighe, his mother Maree Schwarz and her husband Merv.
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He was also charged with the attempted murder of Graham’s brother Ross, who survived the alleged shooting on Thursday morning and raised the alarm.
7NEWS understands that Young has held a gun license for decades. But in 2010, police rejected his renewal application.
Darryl Young. Credit: 7NEWS
He challenged the decision in the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal, saying he “used weapons on two properties to control feral animals”.
He also answered that he “had not contravened the weapons-related laws at any stage”.
Police argued at the time: “You are presently not a fit and proper person to hold a license.”
QCAT ruled in Young’s favour, saying: “Mr Young is a fit and proper person to hold a weapons license… (I) set aside the refusal to allow him to renew his license.”
Young’s case was heard early on Monday morning, the accused shooter appearing via video link.
His charges were read out before he was remanded in custody until November.
Graham had welcomed his second child with his partner just weeks before he was fatally shot. Credit: 7NEWSGraham’s brother Ross survived and was able to flee into remote bushland with a gunshot wound to his stomach. Credit: 7NEWS
Ross remains in hospital, recovering in a stable condition.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise money for him and his family.
“We have created this fund to help them with the aftermath of suddenly having their worlds turned upside down,” it said.
“Please help us lessen some of this burden and unforeseen future costs.”
On Monday morning, almost $11,000 had been raised.
Slain husband and wife Merv and Maree are remembered as a ‘lovely, hardworking’ family. Credit: Supplied
It’s understood that police will allege Young met his neighbors at the boundary line of their properties before the alleged shooting occurred.
Ross managed to flee by car before raising the alarm and being airlifted to Mackay Base Hospital, undergoing multiple emergency surgeries.
Police then swept the surrounding rural cattle properties.
Young and four other people were taken into custody, with all but the accused released without charge.
He will next appear in court on November 1.
Man with 2 boomerangs smashes window in road rage incident.
Man with 2 boomerangs smashes window in road rage incident.
An elderly Bribie Island couple is fighting for compensation after a removalist sold off their belongings during their interstate move to Bega in NSW.
The removal company, Kent Removals & Storage, apologized and described the incident as the result of human error, but lawyers say the retirees would have to take $50,000 from their pension to help recover just some of the items.
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Retirees Gary and Lorraine Taylor, aged in their late 70s, moved from Queensland to Bega in southeast NSW one year ago, making the tree change after more than 60 years of marriage.
They packed all of their possessions, including furniture and sentimental belongings, into two removal trucks – one of which contained $120,000 worth of furniture they would never see again.
When Wridgways, the removalist company they had originally planned to use, went into liquidation in July 2021, Kent Removals & Storage took 160 of its clients – including the Taylors.
Kent Removals & Storage was also assisting court-appointed liquidator Hall Chadwick to sell off Wridgways’ assets, such as office furniture, and say there was confusion over one of the containers full of the Taylors’ belongings.
That container was accidentally sent to online auction company Grays Online where everything was auctioned off at a fraction of its value.
Retirees Gary and Lorraine Taylor are distracted over the nightmare move during which interstate removalists sold off their belongings. Credit: 7NEWSTwo containers left the Taylors’ Bribie Island home last year, holding a lifetime of belongings that they would never see again. Credit: 7NEWS
Gary told 7NEWS his $28,000 rug was sold off for around $200.
It has left the couple in limbo. Some of their furniture had multiple pieces which were split between the two moving containers, so much of what did arrive could not be assembled.
Couch cushions with no frame and a dressing table without its mirror are stacked up within the bare-walled Bega house that is still piled with boxes.
“We’ve been married for 60 years, and 60 years of our bloody furniture has just gone down the tube and nobody cares,” Gary told 7NEWS.
Lorraine spoke through tears as she told 7NEWS the incident was “very hard to describe.”
“It’s not believable what we’ve been through,” she said.
“Its been terrible for both of us, and for our family.”
The Taylors were told by their lawyer that they could take legal action to recover some of their losses but it would cost the retirees $50,000.
That is money the couple would need to take from their retirement fund and something they cannot afford to do.
A year after their move the Taylors’ home in Bega is still largely empty. Credit: 7NEWSPieces of furniture were split between the two containers, which means some of what did arrive remains unassembled in their home. Credit: 7NEWS
Kent Removals & Storage CEO Steve Alves told 7NEWS: “Due to human error, one of the containers containing the effects belonging to Mr and Mrs Taylor was incorrectly sent to Grays Online for sale of the goods.”
Alves said the matter was only reported to him last Thursday and he has since apologized for the handling of the matter.
He said the matter had been referred to Kent’s insurers but that, “the matter was incorrectly internalized between Kent, Grays Online and Hall Chadwick with a view to establishing liability for this error”.
“As Kent Relocation Group contracted with Mr and Mrs Taylor and, irrespective of where the liability resides, Kent Relocation Group could and should have taken a lead role in this process and did not.”
Alves said the company “apologies for the way in which this matter has been handled.”
“Our team will focus on ensuring we support Mr and Mrs Taylor in any way we can to bring closure to this matter for them.
“In terms of the missing items, given the quantum of the potential claim, the matter has been referred to Kent’s insurers along with an instruction to ensure that the matter is expedited in a prompt, efficient and reasonable manner for Mr and Mrs Taylor”.
So far only 40 per cent of the moving charges have been refunded, but since the matter was escalated Alves said Kent Removals & Storage would work to refund 100 per cent of the moving charges.
As to whether they will see a refund of their $120,000 worth of lost furniture, they must wait for the companies’ insurance process to run its course to find out.
The man accused of murder after mass shooting in rural Queensland has been revealed to be local farmer Darryl Young.
The 59-year-old has been charged with murdering his neighbours, Mervyn Schwarz, 71, his wife Maree, 59, and her son Graham Tighe, 35.
The neighbors had a long-running dispute about boundary lines at their properties, in the rural town of Bogie, police say.
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It is alleged that Young invited his neighbors to meet him at the edge of his Shannonvale Road property on Thursday.
Young is accused of then shooting the couple, and Maree’s sons Graham and Ross Tighe, ‘execution-style’ with a rifle.
Darryl Young has been identified as the accused murderer. Credit: 7NEWSMaree and Mervyn Schwarz. Credit: Supplied
Ross, who was shot in the stomach, miraculously survived the shooting, and managed to escape in a ute and call for help.
Ross was able to escape in a ute and call for help. Credit: 7NEWS
He remains in Mackay Base Hospital in a stable condition.
Graham’s brother Ross survived and was able to flee into remote bushland with a gunshot wound to his stomach. Credit: 7NEWS
On Friday, Young was charged with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.
He is due to appear in the Proserpine Magistrates Court on Monday.
Acting Superintendent Tom Armitt said the property where the shooting allegedly took place was “tens of thousands of acres”.
“It’s actually a 45-minute drive between the neighbours,” he said.
“At the crime scene, which is at the front gate of one of the premises, it is a 3km drive between the gate and the house at that location.”
The shooting occurred at the gate of Young’s rural property. Credit: 7NEWS
Armitt said because Ross had been so far from the crime scene, and it was unclear whether the alleged gunman was still at large, police were cautious in their approach to the property.
“At that time, not knowing whether the armed offender was present or not, putting their lives in grave danger, especially when the report was that the people had been shot with a rifle,” Armitt said.
“So that was slow and meticulous work and extremely brave of the officers who were involved at that time.”
The charges come as new tragic details emerge that Graham’s partner Lucy had only recently given birth to their second child.
Graham’s partner Lucy had given birth to their second child just weeks before. Credit: 7NEWS
Graham’s uncle, Greg Austen, told 7NEWS the father had only spent a few days with the newborn before the baby was taken to Brisbane to visit Lucy’s mother.
“It’s just devastating shock that things can happen so quickly in the blink of an eye and ruin so many lives so quickly,” he said.
Lucy had been stuck in Brisbane, as she was unable to fly on commercial airlines weeks after giving birth.
On Friday, the charity Angel Flight arranged a charter for Lucy and her two young children to fly home to north Queensland.
Horrific footage of crowd falling as railing collapses
Horrific footage of crowd falling as railing collapses
The youngest victim of an alleged triple murder was the father of a newborn baby boy.
Graham Tighe, 35, was one of three people allegedly fatally shot at a property in the central Queensland town of Bogie on Thursday.
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As details of the circumstances surrounding the alleged shooting continue to emerge, The Courier-Mail reports Tighe leaves behind a three-week-old son.
It reports that he only got to spend a few days with the child before his death.
Tighe, his mother Maree Schwarz, 59, and her husband Merv, 71, all died at the scene. Graham’s brother Ross survived and raised the alarm.
A 59-year-old neighbor has been arrested and charged with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder, and will face court Monday.
Graham’s partner Lucy had given birth to their second child just weeks before. Credit: 7NEWS
7NEWS understands police will allege that the gunman invited them to meet up at his property amid a dispute over a boundary line.
The 59-year-old man – who was also charged with one count of attempted murder – will appear in Proserpine Magistrates Court on Monday.
The charges come as new tragic details emerge that Graham’s partner Lucy had only recently given birth.
Graham’s uncle, Greg Austen, told 7NEWS the father had only spent a few days with the newborn before the baby was taken to Brisbane to visit Lucy’s mother.
“It’s just devastating shock that things can happen so quickly in the blink of an eye and ruin so many lives so quickly,” he said.
Maree and Mervyn Schwarz. Credit: Supplied
7NEWS understands police will allege the farming family was invited to meet with their neighbor at the edge of his Bogie property, 45 minutes away.
Acting Superintendent Tom Armitt said the property where the shooting allegedly took place was “tens of thousands of acres”.
“It’s actually a 45-minute drive between the neighbours,” he said.
“At the crime scene, which is at the front gate of one of the premises, it is a 3km drive between the gate and the house at that location.”
Armitt said because Ross had been so far from the crime scene, and it was unclear whether the alleged gunman was still at large, police were cautious in their approach to the property.
“At that time, not knowing whether the armed offender was present or not, putting their lives in grave danger, especially when the report was that the people had been shot with a rifle,” Armitt said.
“So that was slow and meticulous work and extremely brave of the officers who were involved at that time.”
The surviving man was airlifted to Mackay Base Hospital where he remains in a serious but stable condition. Credit: 7NEWS
Ross was initially in a critical condition but since undergoing multiple emergency surgeries is now reported as serious but stable.
“He was able to speak to us overnight and provide us details of what occurred at the incident yesterday morning,” Armitt said.
“And detectives will be speaking to him again this morning.”
Community in shock
Merv and Maree are being remembered as a “lovely, hardworking” family as loved ones try to make sense of the tragedy.
“We’re lucky we still have Ross with us,” Austen told 7NEWS.
“To see the trauma that would have unfolded in front of him and then be able to go that far to raise the alarm, it’s a mighty effort.”
Graham leaves behind two young children, with partner Lucy stuck in Brisbane, unable to fly on commercial airlines as she gave birth a few weeks ago.
7NEWS understands after desperate efforts from family and friends, a charity will put Lucy and her children on a charter flight home.
Graham’s brother Ross survived and was able to flee into remote bushland with a gunshot wound to his stomach. Credit: 7NEWS
Whitsunday Regional councilor Jan Clifford said the tight-knit community would be devastated.
“To my knowledge, nothing like this has ever happened in the Whitsunday region before,” Clifford said.
“We are all deeply saddened by the tragedy.”
Clifford said the incident was bound to have a big effect on the tiny community of Bogie, which has a population of 207 according to the latest census data.
“It’s a little village. Everyone will know everyone… It’s just awful.”
One woman working in nearby Collinsville said the entire community was in shock.
“The whole town is a bit rattled that something like that could happen here,” she told AAP.
A 59-year-old man has been charged with three counts of murder relating to the mass shooting on a rural property near the central Queensland town of Bogie on Thursday.
Police will allege that around 9am, they received a report three people had been fatally shot at a property on Shannonvale Road and another man had suffered a gunshot wound to the abdomen.
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A 35-year-old Bogie man, Graham Tighe, his mother Maree Schwarz, 59, and her husband Merv, 71, all died at the scene.
Graham’s brother, Ross Tighe, survived and was able to flee into remote bushland with a gunshot wound to his stomach before raising the alarm.
7NEWS understands police will alleged that the gunman invited them to meet up at his property amid a dispute over a boundary line.
The 59-year-old man – who was also charged with one count of attempted murder – will appear in Proserpine Magistrates Court on Monday.
The charges come as new tragic details emerge that Graham’s partner Lucy had only recently given birth.
Graham’s uncle, Greg Austen, told 7NEWS the father had only spent a few days with the newborn before the baby was taken to Brisbane to visit Lucy’s mother.
“It’s just devastating shock that things can happen so quickly in the blink of an eye and ruin so many lives so quickly,” he said.
Maree and Mervyn Schwarz. Credit: Supplied
7NEWS understands police will allege the farming family was invited to meet with their neighbor at the edge of his Bogie property, 45 minutes away.
Shortly after, Merv, Maree, Ross and Graham were dead.
Acting Superintendent Tom Armitt said the property where the shooting allegedly took place was “tens of thousands of acres”.
“It’s actually a 45-minute drive between the neighbours,” he said.
“At the crime scene, which is at the front gate of one of the premises, it is a 3km drive between the gate and the house at that location.”
Armitt said because Ross had been so far from the crime scene, and it was unclear whether the alleged gunman was still at large, police were cautious in their approach to the property.
“At that time, not knowing whether the armed offender was present or not, putting their lives in grave danger, especially when the report was that the people had been shot with a rifle,” Armitt said.
“So that was slow and meticulous work and extremely brave of the officers who were involved at that time.”
The surviving man was airlifted to Mackay Base Hospital where he remains in a serious but stable condition. Credit: 7NEWSGraham’s brother Ross survived and was able to flee into remote bushland with a gunshot wound to his stomach. Credit: 7NEWS
Ross was initially in a critical condition but since undergoing multiple emergency surgeries is now reported as serious but stable.
“He was able to speak to us overnight and provide us details of what occurred at the incident yesterday morning,” Armitt said.
“And detectives will be speaking to him again this morning.”
Community in shock
Merv and Maree are being remembered as a “lovely, hardworking” family as loved ones try to make sense of the tragedy.
“We’re lucky we still have Ross with us,” Austen told 7NEWS.
“To see the trauma that would have unfolded in front of him and then be able to go that far to raise the alarm, it’s a mighty effort.”
Graham leaves behind two young children, with partner Lucy stuck in Brisbane, unable to fly on commercial airlines as she gave birth a few weeks ago.
7NEWS understands after desperate efforts from family and friends, a charity will put Lucy and her children on a charter flight home.
Graham’s partner Lucy had given birth to their second child just weeks before. Credit: 7NEWS
Whitsunday Regional councilor Jan Clifford said the tight-knit community would be devastated.
“To my knowledge, nothing like this has ever happened in the Whitsunday region before,” Clifford said.
“We are all deeply saddened by the tragedy.”
Clifford said the incident was bound to have a big effect on the tiny community of Bogie, which has a population of 207 according to the latest census data.
“It’s a little village. Everyone will know everyone… It’s just awful.”
One woman working in nearby Collinsville said the entire community was in shock.
“The whole town is a bit rattled that something like that could happen here,” she told AAP.
A Queensland boy has died after he was hit by a four-wheel-drive, which was reportedly being driven by his grandmother.
Police say the one-year-old was on a footpath outside a home in Heatley in central Townsville about 5.30pm Tuesday when the tragedy took place.
“He was immediately taken to Townsville University Hospital where, sadly, the boy later died,” a spokesperson said.
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It is understood the boy was hit by the vehicle when he ran out of the home as the grandmother was leaving. She had been unaware the child was near her vehicle, The Townsville Bulletin reports.
The grandmother reportedly rushed the boy inside, before placing him in her car and taking him to hospital.
The one-year-old was on a footpath outside the central Townsville home when the tragedy took place. Credit: 7NEWS
A close neighbor recalled the shocking moment her husband saw the little boy injured on the ground.
She said he heard a commotion and saw a passing car stop in the middle of the road as the driver tried desperately to get the attention of the grandmother in a Toyota Prado, who had just hit the child.
“He saw him lying there … We would never have expected this to happen,” she told The Bulletin.
Forensic Crash Unit police are investigating the incident.
