General News
31 January, 2026
Speed does kill – slow down
IN the ‘Goss’ at the end of last October, I expressed my concerns about the speed of some drivers while travelling through the Douglas Shire’s suburbs.
Apart from people simply being too heavy on the throttle, other reasons have contributed to issues on our roads, such as the increased interest in properties over recent years and subsequent house price rises, which has also resulted in increased rental costs. I’ll explain the connection shortly, so bear with me.
While all this has been great for current property owners, it has not been so good for those trying to get on the property ladder or for those renting. Workers, particularly from overseas, have also seen the popularity of the Far North as an opportunity to live in paradise during their stay in Australia.
Considering many house prices and rental costs have advanced well out of the range for people, particularly younger ones, many residents are now sharing houses. A typical three-bedroom or four-bedroom house that would have been occupied by a single couple previously, may now have potentially four couples living in it. They may have a car each, which equates to eight cars. Suddenly that is a lot more cars travelling around our suburban streets, with front gardens that were once a tranquil view from the lounge or bedroom, now a car park.
Taking into account the above-mentioned factors of increased property values, inflated rental costs and higher numbers working in the Douglas Shire, as mentioned in last October’s ‘Goss’, one factor is the increased number of vehicles in the Shire’s suburbs. This is one that I have certainly become aware of over the last couple of years, and speaking with locals, I am not the only one with concerns.
Another side effect of the traffic increase and higher house occupancy now seems to be higher speeds on suburban roads. It is very apparent that road users of all types, including motorcyclists, some tradies and shuttle drivers, are travelling in excess of the 50km/h limit in these areas. Shuttle visitations to properties have noticeably increased with the enhanced number of people house-sharing.
Heavier traffic and higher speeds, in areas where pedestrians walk and children play, have their obvious dangers. Then there are the hazards to local wildlife and the extra noise to locals who moved to suburbia for a quieter life.
Just last week my point was proved, when I spotted a young dead curlew on the side of the road in Craiglie.
This is the third young bird of this species that I have seen, in exactly the same spot, in recent months.
While this may well have been an innocent accident, one can’t help think that speed may well have been a factor in this bird’s demise.
Although noisy at night, as many locals will know, these birds generally remain in one location, often for many generations. As a result, their connection and bond with their human neighbours often become very close.
It is not unusual for these feathered friends to regularly lay their eggs in a front or back garden, allowing the property owners to experience the initial egg hatch on day one, then the chick stage through to adolescence, if there is such a thing for birds, and their further development through to adulthood.
This whole process can be easily wiped out in one split second, when hit by a passing vehicle. For many people who have become attached to these fine bird specimens, it is often like losing a beloved member of the community.
As before, all I can do is ask drivers to stick to the speed limits as they are there for a reason and to be aware that our fragile wildlife is living around our busy lives at all times.
I’m off to enjoy our local curlew family as noisy as they can be, but for now it’s Gazza signing out.
Send your stories to gazza@cairnslocalnews.com.au
