Aurukun murder accused faces Qld court

A man accused of murdering another man during a night of violence in a Cape York indigenous community has appeared in court.

Russell James Woolla, 43, is accused of hitting the 30-year-old with a motor vehicle. It happened hours after a police car was struck with shotgun pellets and another car was torched in Aurukun.

Woolla appeared briefly in Cairns Magistrate Court on Tuesday when his matter was adjourned until February 3.

Police believe about nine men were involved in the initial disturbance on Saturday night. It ended with officers retreating after their police car was damaged by the pellets and rocks.

Federal coalition MP Warren Entsch says the recent death of a young woman had sparked tensions between two local families but police are yet to confirm the cause of the violence.

Fourteen extra police from Cairns and Weipa have since been sent to the community.

A local school was put into partial lockdown on Monday after some teachers left the community out of fear, Kevin Bates from the Queensland Teacher's Union told the ABC.