Three 80-year-old bombs from WWII have been safely detonated after they were discovered during a routine search of a Queensland forest.
Authorities said the ordnances, which were located in a remote part of Bilwon State Forest last month, were rusted but still had the capacity to explode.
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service ranger Ben Finnerty said two members of the Australian Defence Force travelled to the area to detonate the explosives.
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“It shows even though these objects have been sitting on the ground for around 80 years they are still highly dangerous and ready to explode,” Finnerty said.
“According to the defence force members, old unexploded ordnances become more unpredictable and prone to explosions if they are moved or tampered with.
“This is the first unexploded ordnances rangers have found in the region since 2014 and 2016, and we will continue to search the forest for unexploded ordnances on our patrols.
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“Remember, if it looks like a bomb, it probably is.
“Anyone who finds a suspected unexploded ordnances in the region is urged to leave it alone and immediately contact police.”
Finnerty said the back to the rich history Mareeba and the Tablelands had during World War Two.
“The Mareeba Airfield was built in 1942 with two runways and served as a base for the Australian and United States air forces,” he said.
“After the war, the southern runway remained active, and the northern section of the airfield was used for agriculture.
“We believe the unexploded ordnances were either used for war-time drills or accidentally discarded in the bushland.”
