A 31-year-old man was left fighting for life after he was allegedly robbed and attacked outside a hotel in Caboolture, with police seeking three people who fled before officers arrived.
Queensland Police said the incident happened at a licensed premises on Aerodrome Road on 10 May.
Police allege money was stolen from the man inside the venue’s pokies area before the situation moved into the hotel car park.
Police Investigate Violent Confrontation Outside Hotel
According to information released by Queensland Police, the man confronted the group outside the venue shortly after the alleged theft. The man was struck with a bottle before suffering a stab wound to the neck during the altercation.
The injured man was taken to Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital in a life-threatening condition. Police said three people fled the scene on foot before officers arrived.
As of the latest available police information, no arrests had been announced.
Police Appeal For Witnesses In Caboolture
Queensland Police said investigations into the alleged robbery and assault are continuing.
Investigators are appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident, or who may have CCTV or dashcam footage from the Aerodrome Road area, to contact police.
A Caboolture South woman has died after a head-on crash in Woodford involving an allegedly stolen ute, with a 31-year-old man later located at a nearby school and charged with manslaughter.
The crash happened around 6:10am on Tuesday, 5 May, on Archers Street near Victoria Lane, where an allegedly stolen white Isuzu D-Max ute and an orange Toyota Corolla collided head-on.
The driver of the Corolla, a 60-year-old Caboolture South woman, died at the scene. She has been identified as Carron Scott, a registered nurse who was travelling to work at a Woodford aged care centre when the crash occurred.
Her workplace described her as a respected and much-loved nurse who was valued by colleagues, residents and families. Her husband also shared his grief publicly after her death, describing the loss of his wife of 21 years.
The white Isuzu D-Max had allegedly been stolen from an address on McLoughlin Road in Morayfield around 3:45am on Tuesday, several hours before the crash.
After the collision, the alleged driver of the ute, a 31-year-old Ellen Grove man, allegedly left the scene on foot. He was later found at a nearby educational facility and taken to hospital with minor injuries.
Investigators have been examining the movements of the ute before the crash. Witness accounts suggested the vehicle may have been driven dangerously before the collision, although the exact circumstances remain part of the crash investigation.
The D’Aguilar Highway was temporarily closed after the crash, with traffic diverted while emergency crews responded. The road later reopened.
A nearby Woodford school was briefly locked down after the man was found in a toilet block on school grounds.
The lockdown was put in place as a precaution while police searched the area. Some staff, including cleaners and teachers, were on site at the time, but no students were present.
The lockdown was lifted at 9:10am, and classes later resumed as normal.
Man Charged Over Fatal Crash
The 31-year-old Ellen Grove man has been charged with manslaughter following the fatal crash.
He has also been charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle, failing to remain at an incident, disqualified driving, drug driving and two counts of trespass.
He was due to appear in Caboolture Magistrates Court on Wednesday, 6 May.
The Caboolture Criminal Investigation Branch is investigating the incident and has appealed for anyone with information or dashcam footage to come forward.
A development application is currently open for public comment, with Moreton Bay residents invited to have their say on plans that would bring a five-star hotel, full-line supermarket, fast food outlets, a service station, and a range of other commercial facilities to 1780-1820 Bribie Island Road, Sandstone Point.
The application covers two distinct precincts and would be delivered in three stages (with substages). The resort component, proposed immediately south of the existing hotel, includes two 11-storey buildings reaching 36 metres in height, with a combined 202 rooms, basement and ground-level parking totalling 367 spaces, and outdoor recreation areas including pools, wellness and recreation facilities, and open space linked to the adjoining hotel.
Photo credit: City of Moreton Bay DA Tracker
The mixed-use centre, proposed north-west of the resort, includes a full-line supermarket of 4,030 sqm, three fast food pad sites, a service station with convenience store, and a further 4,705 sqm of space spanning food and drink outlets, healthcare services, office space, service industry and indoor sport and recreation. A combined resort complex, indoor sport and recreation, and showroom component accounts for a further 6,875 sqm. Car parking for the mixed-use centre would exceed 1,200 spaces across basement and at-grade levels.
Photo credit: City of Moreton Bay DA Tracker
Access to the mixed-use precinct is proposed via a new signalised intersection on Bribie Island Road, a new left-in/left-out access point, and connection to the existing internal road from Bestmann Road. Bus drop-off, a taxi rank, and overflow parking are also included.
How to have your say
Cr Matt Savige flagged the public notification period on his Facebook page, encouraging residents to engage with the process. Anyone wishing to have their views formally considered should submit a submission before the notification period closes on 27 May 2026.
Submissions must be properly made under Queensland planning law to be formally considered. Details on how to do this are available via the council’s DA Tracker.
Two koalas pulled from a muddy pit at a Morayfield construction site have made a full recovery after weeks of intensive care and been released back into the wild.Both animals were in a serious condition when rescuers arrived.
Fudge and Santino, both male, were found trapped together at the bottom of a 1.5-metre-deep hole on the construction site, discovered when a worker went to place a wooden pole into the pit and heard movement below.
Photo credit: Facebook/Wildlife Rescue Queensland
On closer inspection, what at first appeared to be a single animal turned out to be two koalas trapped in the mud at the bottom of the hole. It is not known how long the pair had been down there before help arrived.
Photo credit: Facebook/Wildlife Rescue Queensland
Rescuers from Wildlife Rescue Queensland attended the scene and carefully retrieved both animals using nets. The koalas were hypothermic, covered in sludge and had ingested mud. Their condition was serious.
Photo credit: Facebook/Wildlife Rescue Queensland
Wildlife Rescue Queensland noted on Facebook that Fudge in particular required “intensive care and critical support for an extended period of time.”
Weeks of care before the road to recovery
Once the pair were stabilised, the challenges were not over. Both koalas were also found to be suffering from additional conditions, including cystitis and dental disease, which added to the complexity of their care.
Fudge and Santino were transferred to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital, where they spent between seven and nine weeks receiving ongoing treatment and monitoring. Fudge required intensive care and critical support for an extended period, but both animals ultimately pulled through.
Photo credit: Facebook/Wildlife Rescue Queensland
Wildlife Rescue Queensland wrote on Facebook: “Thanks to the dedicated team at Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital, both boys made a strong recovery and were able to be released back where they belong.”
The rescue is a reminder of the risks construction activity can pose to local wildlife, particularly in areas where development and koala habitat intersect.
Wildlife Rescue Queensland is urging locals across the Moreton Bay region to report any koala sightings, whether the animal appears healthy or not.
“If you spot a koala in the Moreton Bay region, whether healthy, sick, injured, or orphaned, please call 0478 901 801,” the organisation said. “Every reported koala sighting is important. Our rescue team is available 24/7.”
As for Fudge and Santino, after everything they went through, they are back where they belong.
Featured image credit: Facebook/Wildlife Rescue Queensland
Thousands of local families and workers across the Caboolture region must now prepare for a massive reduction in rail services as a maintenance crisis forces the majority of the network to a standstill.
The changes begin on Tuesday, 5 May, when nearly 300 train services will be cut from the daily schedule across Queensland. For those living in Caboolture, the usual frequency of trains will be replaced by a timetable that looks more like a Saturday morning than a busy work day. While extra services are being planned for the busiest parts of the morning and afternoon, the overall number of available trains is dropping significantly.
The decision to scale back the timetable comes as Queensland Rail struggles with a growing number of broken-down trains. Currently, about 20 per cent of the entire fleet is sitting in repair yards rather than on the tracks.
Maintenance staff have been involved in a long-running dispute over wages and working conditions, which has led to a backlog of repairs for things like faulty doors, electrical systems, and signaling equipment. Because there are not enough safe trains available to meet the normal schedule, the government has decided to run fewer services to ensure the ones that do run are reliable.
For those catching the train from Caboolture, the impact will be felt most during the middle of the day. While peak hour trains will run every 15 minutes, off-peak services will only arrive every 30 minutes. Further north, the Sunshine Coast line between Caboolture and Nambour will see gaps of up to 90 minutes between trains during quiet periods.
Beyond just the frequency of the trains, the physical size of the fleet is shrinking too. Many six-car trains have been swapped for three-car sets, meaning there is less room for everyone on board. Local passengers are being warned to expect much more crowded carriages and longer boarding times at every station.
The disruption is spreading far beyond the suburban commute and is starting to affect regional travel and local events. The upcoming NRL Magic Round is expected to draw 150,000 fans, and authorities are already looking for private trains and extra buses to help move the crowds.
Travel to the far north is also changing, with coaches replacing trains between Townsville and Cairns. Even freight services that carry goods across the state are facing delays. Officials have stated that these reduced timetables will remain in place for the foreseeable future until the maintenance issues are resolved.
The situation remains stuck as different groups fail to reach an agreement. Maintenance workers have expressed frustration, stating they are willing to work but feel they are being pushed out of their roles. Meanwhile, transport officials argue they cannot pay staff who are only performing part of their duties. A key deadline is set for 7 May, which may determine if legal action is taken to get the trains back to normal. Until then, every person using the rail network is encouraged to use digital journey planners to check for the latest updates before leaving home.
Hooning complaints across the Caboolture Police Division have risen sharply, with preliminary police figures showing a more than 30 per cent increase as residents in nearby communities report repeated dangerous driving, burnouts and convoy-style activity.
The Caboolture Police Division recorded 351 hooning-related traffic complaints in 2025, up from 262 in 2024.
The increase of 89 complaints has sharpened attention on road safety concerns across the area, including in Elimbah and Moodlu, where residents have described hooning as becoming more frequent over the past 18 months.
Locals have reported burnouts on main and residential roads, groups of vehicles travelling together, smoke reducing visibility and near-misses at intersections. Concerns have also been raised about loud tyre noise frightening horses and dogs, along with skid marks affecting local streets.
Elimbah And Moodlu Residents Report Repeated Incidents
Residents in Elimbah and Moodlu have described a shift from occasional incidents to repeated activity several nights a week.
The behaviour reported by locals includes vehicles gathering or travelling in groups, burnouts near roads used by residents, and smoke creating visibility concerns. Some residents also said repeated complaints had left them feeling their concerns were not being adequately addressed.
The issue has become both a safety and amenity concern for affected communities, with residents pointing to risks for road users, pedestrians, animals and nearby properties.
Police said officers were aware of concerns in the Elimbah area and were following up information provided by the community.
Local patrols are using data and intelligence to identify hotspots linked to hooning and dangerous driving. Moreton Highway Patrol also conducts proactive patrols and speed detection in Caboolture, Elimbah and surrounding areas, including the Bruce Highway, using marked and unmarked vehicles.
Police have said unsafe driving behaviour is being targeted through road safety operations and patrols.
Wider SEQ Operation Adds Enforcement Context
The Caboolture concerns come amid wider anti-hooning activity across South East Queensland.
Operation X-ray Antler ran over four consecutive Saturdays from 4 October to 25 October 2025 and targeted hooning across several districts, including Moreton. The operation resulted in 405 traffic infringement notices.
The operation involved visible and covert enforcement strategies, including the use of unmarked motorbikes to patrol known hotspots. It also recorded notices to appear, drink-driving charges, drug-driving charges, vehicle impoundment or forfeiture actions and evade-police matters.
Public Reports Sought On Dangerous Driving
Police have urged anyone who witnesses hooning or dangerous driving to report it through Policelink.
For Caboolture-area residents, the complaint figures point to a continuing local road safety issue. With reports increasing and patrols continuing, police are using community information, data and intelligence to identify hotspots and respond to dangerous driving.
Construction is underway on a major upgrade to Clayton Park near the Beachmere foreshore, with new playground equipment, barbecue facilities and improved amenities set to be completed by late June 2026, weather permitting.
The $800,000 project marks the park’s most significant upgrade in years, backed by a $500,000 funding commitment and a $300,000 contribution, transforming the existing green space into a more accessible, well-equipped destination for families, visitors and local residents of all ages.
New equipment across the whole park
The upgrade centres on a brand new all-ages playground featuring slides, a swing bay and a carousel, built on accessible rubber surfacing that supports safer play for children of all abilities. A new shade structure will sit above the play area, addressing one of the most common limitations of existing outdoor playgrounds in Queensland’s climate.
Beyond the playground itself, the project also delivers new picnic shelters, new barbecue facilities, sandstone block seating and renewed gardens throughout the park. The combination of shaded seating, cooking facilities and new planting is designed to make Clayton Park a more comfortable and welcoming space for extended family visits, not just a quick stop.
Clayton Park sits close to the Beachmere foreshore and is already one of Beachmere’s most versatile outdoor spaces, featuring grassed areas, a dog off-leash area, footpaths, fixed exercise equipment and a large skate bowl.
The adjacent caravan park and motel make it a regular stop for visitors to the region as well as a daily destination for local families. The playground and barbecue upgrade builds on that existing footprint without displacing any of the current facilities.
Construction is expected to be complete by late June 2026. Until then, a section of the park may be impacted while works are underway. For the latest updates on construction progress, follow the City of Moreton Bay’s Facebook page.
A highly invasive weed capable of overrunning an entire hectare of land in just six months has been found in Morayfield, and Moreton Bay is urging residents to stay vigilant as biosecurity officers work to stamp it out before it takes hold.
Morayfield residents are being put on notice after Tropical soda apple, a highly invasive weed listed as a prohibited invasive plant under Queensland law, was detected at a site in the suburb, with Council biosecurity officers working to prevent the plant from spreading further across the region.
Photo credit: City of Moreton Bay
The find at Morayfield is separate from a cluster of detections in the Stony Creek and Neurum areas, where the weed has been confirmed on 18 properties out of 40 inspected along Stony Creek and the Lower Stanley River. Together, the detections have prompted Moreton Bay Regional Council to deploy its biosecurity team to work directly with affected landholders.
What is Tropical Soda Apple?
Photo credit: City of Moreton Bay
Known scientifically as Solanum viarum, Tropical soda apple, or TSA, is a perennial shrub native to South America that can grow up to two metres tall. It is covered in sharp, thorn-like prickles up to 12mm long that can injure both people and animals. The plant produces small yellow fruit and white flowers, but its impact on the landscape can be severe.
Left unchecked, TSA spreads at an alarming rate, forming dense thickets that block livestock from accessing water and shade. It can displace native vegetation and hosts a range of plant viruses known to damage fruit and vegetable crops including potatoes, tomatoes and eggplant. The fruit is also potentially poisonous to humans if consumed in large quantities.
Photo credit: City of Moreton Bay
The weed is a prohibited invasive plant under Queensland’s Biosecurity Act 2014.
Mayor Peter Flannery said Council’s biosecurity officers were on the ground supporting landholders with identification, treatment and property management plans.
“Council is concerned TSA may become established so our biosecurity officers are supplying direction to landholders on how to identify, treat and remove the weed which can pose a serious risk to pastures, horticulture, natural areas, crops, livestock and even humans,” Mayor Flannery said.
The initial detection in the Stony Creek area was made by a contractor working in the region. The contractor, familiar with TSA from previous work in New South Wales where the plant is more prevalent, spotted it and uploaded a photo to the iNaturalist app, which confirmed the identification. Council believes the weed may have arrived via cattle that had grazed on infested land, possibly in NSW, before being moved to the region.
Mayor Peter Flannery with Biosecurity Officer Barry Sullivan (Photo credit: City of Moreton Bay)
“The weed’s seeds are usually spread by animals that feed on the fruit,” Mayor Flannery said. “In this case, we believe the weed may have been spread to the Stony Creek area by cattle that had consumed Tropical soda apple from an infestation elsewhere, possibly in NSW, although it’s impossible to know for sure.”
As for the Morayfield detection, Mayor Flannery said that site appeared to be unrelated to the Stony Creek finds, with investigations still ongoing and conclusions yet to be determined.
In Florida, which shares a broadly similar subtropical climate to south-east Queensland, TSA infested more than half a million hectares in just five years, costing landowners millions of dollars annually. Council says early detection and reporting are key to preventing a similar outcome in the region.
Council is asking the entire community to keep an eye out for the weed, particularly in rural and semi-rural areas. If you spot a shrubby plant with yellow fruit, white flowers and sharp prickles on your property or nearby, do not ignore it.
Sightings should be reported immediately to Biosecurity Queensland online, by phoning 13 25 23, or via the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881. The initial Stony Creek detection was made via the iNaturalist app, highlighting how community awareness can play a vital role in early identification.
At Lake Kawana, Sandstone Point’s John Butler is carrying more than sporting ambition into the Australian National Dragon Boat Championships. The 72-year-old former Army serviceman is among thousands of paddlers competing at the national titles, bringing with him a story shaped by discipline, recovery and the pull of team sport.
Butler, a member of Dragon Boat Pumicestone, was selected for Queensland’s Sen C Division squad for paddlers aged over 60. His place in the team followed a demanding selection process that included push-ups, pull-ups, planking, water sessions and a timed 2km effort on a rowing machine.
The championships at Lake Kawana run from April 18 to 23, with more than 76 clubs represented and 370 races scheduled. For Butler, the event marks another step in a sport he first took up three years ago.
After six months of training with the Queensland Sen C crew, Butler believed the team had a strong opportunity to compete for gold.
Butler’s sporting path follows a 47-year Army career that included deployments to Afghanistan, Malaysia, Timor, Bougainville and Papua New Guinea. He was promoted to Warrant Officer 1 and served with infantry units before later working with Army Reserve battalions.
After leaving the Army, he faced challenges in maintaining his physical and mental wellbeing. He began looking for a sport that would keep him active while taking account of his age and injuries from military service and earlier sporting activity.
Dragon boating came through a connection at Meals on Wheels Bribie Island, where he volunteered. A come-and-try session led to further involvement, and after attending a regatta, the sport became a serious commitment.
For Butler, dragon boating offered the teamwork and camaraderie he had known in the Army, while also providing a full-body workout in a supportive environment. He has credited the sport with helping his physical wellbeing and supporting him in managing PTSD and anxiety.
The connection between dragon boating and the Invictus spirit is central to Butler’s story. Both are linked through physical and mental wellbeing, inclusion and a shared environment where participants can feel understood and accepted.
The national championships have also highlighted the wider community behind the sport. Volunteers played a major role across the event at Kawana, helping keep the competition running and supporting the experience for paddlers.
For the Sandstone Point veteran, the championships are not only about medals. They also reflect the value of finding a new team, a new challenge and a place on the water where discipline, recovery and community meet.
Published 29-Apr-2026
Photo Credit: Australian Dragon Boat Federation/Facebook
Caboolture Hospital has launched Queensland’s first nurse-led Medical Discharge Support Service, giving patients from both medical and surgical wards a direct line to an expert clinical nurse consultant for up to 30 days after they leave hospital, in a move that aims to significantly reduce unnecessary emergency department presentations across the Moreton Bay region.
The service, led by Clinical Nurse Consultant Lynette Smith, officially commenced on 30 March 2026. The service operates as a phone-based point of contact, allowing patients to consult the nursing team from home regarding recovery concerns. This provides an immediate alternative to presenting at an emergency department or seeking a standard GP appointment for non-urgent post-hospital queries.
“Patients can contact the service within 30 days of leaving hospital to receive advice and support from our nursing team,” Smith said. “We’re helping with all aspects, from wound care and pain management to answering questions about recovery and coordinating referrals to GPs or outpatient services.”
The model makes Caboolture Hospital the first site in Queensland to extend the discharge support concept beyond surgical patients to cover medical ward discharges as well.
The problem it was built to solve
The statistics behind the new service reveal the scale of the gap it fills. Queensland data from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program shows that one in ten post-operative patients presents to an emergency department within 30 days of being discharged, often with questions or concerns that do not require emergency-level care.
For a busy regional hospital like Caboolture, which serves one of the fastest-growing catchment areas in Queensland, that translates to a significant and largely avoidable burden on its emergency department. Patients who have just had surgery or been discharged after a medical admission are often uncertain about what is normal in their recovery, when to worry, and who to call. Without a clear answer, many default to the ED.
The Discharge Support Service is designed to be the answer to that question. A trained Clinical Nurse Consultant on the other end of a phone call can assess a patient’s concern, provide clinical advice, arrange a referral to an appropriate service or, where genuine emergency care is needed, direct the patient accordingly.
The new service extends the proven model of PODSS, the Post-Operative Discharge Support Service first developed and piloted at Metro North Health’s Surgical, Treatment and Rehabilitation Service in Brisbane.
PODSS was designed specifically for surgical patients and proved its value quickly. In its first five weeks of operation at STARS, the service received more than 305 calls covering everything from pain management and wound care queries to more serious complications requiring rapid referral.
The results were strong enough that six further Queensland hospitals, including sites in Mackay, Cairns, Rockhampton, Brisbane, Ipswich and on the Gold Coast, have since adopted the model. Several hospitals, including Queensland Children’s Hospital, Redcliffe Hospital and Gold Coast University Hospital, have chosen to self-fund ongoing PODSS operations based on the clinical outcomes and high patient satisfaction they experienced.
Caboolture’s Discharge Support Service takes that foundation and widens the net. Where PODSS covered surgical patients, the new service also encompasses patients discharged from medical wards, the first time this expanded model has been implemented anywhere in Queensland.
“I’m passionate about making a positive difference in our patients’ recovery journeys and ensuring they feel supported once they leave hospital,” Smith said.
A phone call that can change a recovery
For Caboolture and Moreton Bay residents who have recently been discharged from Caboolture Hospital’s medical or surgical wards, the Discharge Support Service is available for 30 days from the date of discharge. Patients with concerns about their recovery, wound care, pain levels or any aspect of their post-hospital health are encouraged to use the service rather than waiting or presenting to an emergency department for non-urgent concerns.
For more information about the Discharge Support Service and other services at Caboolture Hospital, click here or call Caboolture Hospital on 07 5433 8888.
