The man accused of murdering his former partner Tania Trickey stood with his hands behind his back as he fronted court for the first time.

Dressed in Capricornia Correctional greens, Damian James Carroll, 38, responded with a curt "yep" to each charge Magistrate James Morton read to him in Mackay Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Police will allege mother-of-four Tania Lee Trickey was killed at Bluewater, near Townsville, on Saturday morning.

A group of teenagers found her body while quad-biking in the sand on Saturday afternoon.

Police picked up Mr Carroll at a Proserpine service station on Sunday morning after he allegedly fired shots at a man in a highway incident.

He was charged with murder in a domestic violence setting, acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm and stealing fuel.

The court heard Mr Carroll was on a return-for-prison warrant and there was no application for bail.

Mr Carroll did not enter pleas and his Legal Aid solicitor Ancilla Seethya asked for his matters to be moved to Townsville for the next mention.

Mr Morton noted that Mr Carroll had matters in Mackay and Ayr but agreed to move them to Townsville.

Police prosecutor Linden Pollard asked Mr Morton for an extended brief of evidence given the nature of the charges.

Mr Morton agreed and set the date to November 30.

He noted the matters would likely not be heard again in court until mid-January next year.