A man who allegedly filmed girls in Queensland public toilets is among several people charged with more than 100 child sex offences.

The 46-year-old was one of six men arrested from Cairns to Brisbane in the past two weeks by detectives investigating the online possession and distribution of child exploitation material.

The man from Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley was arrested on September 1 and charged with 20 child sex offences, including grooming and administrating a hidden network on a child exploitation material website.

He appeared in Brisbane Magistrates court on August 31 and was remanded in custody until September 18.

Five other men were arrested from August 25 to 30 and charged with offences including possessing child exploitation material.

One of them, a 26-year-old from Carina in Brisbane’s east, was also charged with attempting to meet a 14-year-old for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

The other men – a 44-year-old from Beerwah, a 42-year-old from Upper Kedron, a 39-year-old from Cairns, and a 22-year-old from Albion – were also charged with offences including grooming a child on social media and exposing them to indecent matter, and using a carriage service to access child abuse material.

They are due to face court in coming weeks.

Detective Acting Superintendent Glen Donaldson said the whole community played an important role in caring for children.

“These arrests are a reminder to parents and caregivers of the dangers of online predators and how crucial trusted loved ones are in teaching children about privacy, personal safety and that nothing is so awful they can’t speak to them about it,” he said in a statement.

The arrests were made in the lead-up to Child Protection Week, which began on Monday.

Queensland Police charged almost 1590 people with more than 8000 child sex offences in the 12 months to June 30.

1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)

National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028

– AAP