A MAN was in police custody last night after the suspicious death of an elderly cattleman on a property near Mt Carbine, 130km northwest of Cairns.

The body of the 84-year-old victim was found yesterday on the remote bush property, Curraghmore Station, by Mareeba police acting on a tip-off, Cairns.com.au reports.

A 55-year-old man at the property when police arrived about 1.30pm was the person last night being questioned by detectives.

The road leading to the homestead, 12km north of Mt Carbine on the Mulligan Highway, was cordoned off by police and no other suspects were being sought in relation to the death.

Locals at the Mt Carbine Hotel yesterday told The Weekend Post they were shocked at such an incident happening in their community, which is serviced by a town boasting only a pub and roadhouse.

Regional crime co-ordinator Acting Insp Brad Winks said a man was assisting police and scientific officers were last night on scene gathering evidence.

He said the informant had not witnessed a crime, but had forwarded information received on to police.

"We are treating this (death) as suspicious because of the circumstances (where) the body was located and the information received by police," Insp Winks said.

"At this stage the inquiries are centering around the person being questioned."

Insp Winks said police did not know the cause of death and an autopsy would be carried out to determine it.

"The body has yet to be formally identified," he said.

Police have not released the victim’s name.

A Mt Carbine pastoralist, who asked not to be named, said he believed the victim was a long-standing resident of the area.

"He was a colourful character," he said.

"He had been on the property since the ’40s."