Eight children aged from 18 months to 15 years have been found stabbed to death inside a house in Manoora suburb of the city of Cairns in far north Queensland, police have confirmed.
Authorities were initially called in the scene after reports of a woman with serious injuries around 11.20am local time.
Police have cordoned off the house and closed traffic on Murray St. while detectives are searching through the property. Ambulances also remain on scene.
The children were apparently all siblings and the 34-year-old was their mother, a cousin of the injured woman told AAP. According to Lisa Thaiday, another 20-year-old sibling was the one who found his brothers and sisters dead inside the house.
Police could not initially confirm the relationship between the children and the injured woman. She is in stable condition and assisting the investigation, Cairns Detective Inspector Bruno Asnicar said.
Police said the situation is under control and there is no need for the public to be concerned about safety.There is no reason to believe that the incident was terrorism related, authorities say.
