Police are urgently scouring surveillance footage as they investigate a “horrific” rock-throwing incident on a tourist train that seriously injured a young boy.
The five-year-old boy, visiting with his family from Japan, was aboard the Kuranda Scenic Railway on Saturday afternoon when the rock was thrown just before 4pm, near an intersection in Cairns North.
The boy was taken to Cairns Hospital with serious injuries, and flown to Townsville Hospital on Sunday.
His condition is now stable, according to Townsville Hospital and Health Service.
Senior Constable Heidi Marek said the child’s injuries were “quite significant at that time” but the transfer was precautionary and he was “doing OK”.
“Our detectives have been working hard all weekend looking through relevant CCTV and attempting to identify any suspects,” she said.
“They are making some progress but we certainly are appealing for any help from members of the public … who may have been in that area in Cairns North.
“We are urging anyone to come forward.”
Senior Constable Marek said the boy was with his family, including his brother.
“Certainly, [it was] a horrific scene to happen to a five-year-old boy, so we’ve been working extremely hard trying to solve this over the weekend,” she said.
The rock was thrown near the intersection of James and Law streets, as the train neared its final destination in Cairns its way back from the rainforest village of Kuranda.
A Queensland Rail spokeswoman said the authority had been in touch with the boy’s family to check in with them following the incident.
Services on the Kuranda rail line have continued as normal.
