Cooktown needs a break

COOKTOWN doesn’t deserve the label of murder capital of Australia.

It also doesn’t deserve being identified as one of the five worst towns in Queensland for ice.

But the past 12 months have rocked the historic place with three of the 2500-strong community murdered in tragic, dark circumstances.

The community on the banks of the Endeavour River also is in the grips of a drug epidemic.

Police have descended on the town to try to solve the latest murder of mother-of-two Donna Steele.

Despite searches, thorough questioning and public appeals, detectives are no closer to finding her killer.

The relative remoteness of Cooktown, 328km north of Cairns, is what attracts many of its residents, but some for the wrong reasons.

Those with dubious pasts are drawn to the town, to hide from what they have done or what they are doing, hoping to sneak under the radar of the police.

The murders, drugs and a recent property crime spree have cast a dark shadow over a town which is trying to attract people, grow the economy and the population, and provide residents with the services they need without having to travel to Cairns.

Tourists love the town, its frontier image, the fishing, exploring and other attractions.

At least one person knows who killed Donna Steele.

He or she should have the courage to put a husband and two little boys out of their misery and come forward, anonymously, by calling Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.

Cooktown and its people need to get back to normal.