ABC Far North

29/12/2025

Worried about flooding? Don't panic. Grab some sandbags.

ℹ️ For flood preparation tips and warnings in your area 👉 abc.net.au/emergency

28/12/2025

Severe Weather ⛈️ Heavy rain for parts of Far North QLD
⏰ Mon 29 Dec ​​👉 Areas of heavy rain forecast today until Tuesday, which could lead to flash flooding between Cairns and north of Rollingstone.

⛈️ WHAT THE WEATHER IS DOING
⚬ Six-hourly totals of 100–180mm likely, isolated falls up to 220mm.
⚬ Flash flooding risk is high, and river levels may rise quickly.
⚬ 196 mm of rain at South Mission Beach in the 6 hours to 8:13 pm last night.
⚬ There is a separate severe weather warning for areas west of Georgetown and Hughenden.

📷 What does it look like at your place?

📻 Listen to ABC Far North is available on Atherton 720 AM, Babinda 95.7 FM, Cairns 801 AM and 106.7 FM, Croydon 105.9 FM, Mission Beach 89.3 FM, Mossman 639 AM, Tully 95.5 FM or on ABC Listen: abc.net.au/listen/live/farnorth

🚧 Authorities are urging motorists not to travel on CLOSED roads.
Check before travelling: qldtraffic.qld.gov.au/
​​​​​​​
📢 Sandbags are available in many areas. Find details on your local dashboard: qld.gov.au/.../local-government-disaster-dashboards

ℹ️ABC Emergency: ab.co/ABC_QLD
⚬ Bureau of Meteorology: ab.co/BOMQLD

📸 Image: Innisfail rainfall 16-hour total 29 Dec 2025 (Supplied Trish Andrews)

27/12/2025

Look who’s turning 80? 👀 🎂 🎸

For a while even Johno didn’t believe it.

But now Cairns’ most-loved rocker is ready to celebrate the milestone … with a little help from his friends.

Ian 'Johno' Johnson lived and played hard in the 1980s when live music belted out in Cairns every night. It's why not even Johno believed it when he found out he was turning 80.

24/12/2025

🌟A Merry Christmas from all the team at ABC Far North!🎄

The greatest gift isn't found under the Christmas tree but in the moments shared with the ones you love.
From our family to yours, we hope you find lots of those moments this Christmas.
Our thoughts also go out to those who are missing someone special in their life and for those who have a loved one far away.

Wishing you all a Christmas filled with connection, kindness and peace.

From all the ABC team 😘

(Pictured L-R: Back row - Chris, Holly, Wendy, Amanda, Miriam, Charlie, Brendan and Adam. Front row - Rebekah, Conor, Juanita and Sharnie. MIA - Rosanne, Chris, Bluey, Kristy, Fiona and Sophie).

23/12/2025

Despite season constraints and rain-delayed harvests, this summer is producing some of the best Queensland lychees.

For consumers, prices are slightly cheaper compared to last Christmas.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-23/weather-impacted-christmas-lychees-are-best-quality-in-decades/106162250

19/12/2025

🌴Far North Queensland First Nations fashion designers are paving the way for others, gaining global recognition. 🌴

Lee's woven, wearable art creations have catapulted her from Cairns and the Torres Strait to Paris, a bustling textile mecca more than 15,000 kilometres away.

19/12/2025

Few deep sea divers have done as much for our scientific understanding as Tim Bennett 🐟🐠

The highly respected Cairns man didn't resurface from a deep exploratory dive in the Coral Sea this week.

Read more about his impact, legacy and loss here 😢👇

A professional deep-sea diver, with several fish species named in his honour, is remembered as a loving father and well-respected in the science community for his contributions to the study of fish species.

19/12/2025

🎄Where are the best Christmas lights this year? Is there a street or suburb you think deserves a shout out?

Share your photos and join Amanda Cranston on Saturday Breakfast tomorrow to find out where you can see cool Christmas displays this year. 🎄🎄🎄

📸 ABC Far North

19/12/2025

Cairns Regional Council has released details of their services and closures during the Christmas break.

FYI, Council's Spence Street Customer Service Centre will operate during normal business hours until 4.30pm on Wednesday 24 December and reopen for business as usual at 8.30am on Monday 5 January 2026.

The Customer Service call centre will also be closed for general business during this period.

18/12/2025

🎶Friday LIVE with Rachel Bradley !!

Rachel has dressed for the occasion today as the Christmas Elf 🎄 playing some jolly Xmas music for your enjoyment. 🤶

You can catch her performing live with her Xmas crew at the Shangri La on Christmas Day.

18/12/2025

Warning: This content contains information relating to pregnancy and neonatal loss which some readers may find distressing.

Wren Preo died eight hours after being born in Atherton Hospital in 2024.

The inquest has heard from the attending midwives and a professor who made a report and concluded nothing more could have been done.

An inquest has been examining the death of a newborn at Atherton Hospital and whether the care the mother and baby received were in any way responsible.

18/12/2025

Cases of melioidosis in the Cairns region have increased almost fourfold this year, with 131 cases and 17 deaths.

Chuck Irvine is one of hundreds across three states to have survived the potentially deadly disease.

Cases of melioidosis in Cairns have set records this year, and authorities are uncertain why. But one survivor has joined a campaign to start a conversation about safety as the rains return in the north.