Projects and initiatives to enhance liveability and community connectivity, strengthen the economy and help with flood recovery are top of Council’s State Election wish list.Council is advocating for commitments on nine key projects ahead of the State Election on 26 October.Cairns Mayor Amy Eden said the Council-led priorities (which were unanimously endorsed by Council on 24 July) would pave the way for future growth and development across areas such as housing, recreational infrastructure and tourism.“These projects and initiatives will enhance the community and safeguard our city’s prosperity,” Cr Eden said.“We have been actively engaging with government members, candidates, ministers and shadow minsters, to outline the needs of our community.“And we we’ve already had some success, with a commitment from the LNP to help enhance and expand mountain bike trails at Smithfield.“I am confident that as the election nears, there will be further announcements and we can expect to secure commitments for more initiatives.” Tourism and sport Adding to visitor experiences and enhancing sporting facilities have been identified as fundamental for the city’s future prosperity.To that end, Council is looking to secure a $14 million commitment from Barron River candidates to expand the trail network at the Smithfield Mountain Bike Park to match a pledge made by the LNP last month.There is also a call for the new government to support the establishment of a high-performance facility within the Major Events Precinct next to Barlow Park, as well as providing funding for the Major Events Precinct Masterplan.We are also calling for a new entry statement for Palm Cove on the Captain Cook Highway, to mark one of the city’s iconic tourist destinations, support broader destination marketing, and improve traffic and pedestrian safety Liveability and community There is a push to secure more than $12.3 million in funding that will enhance community amenity.This includes $5 million to expand sporting facilities at the Redlynch Community Sporting Precinct, $4 million to design and build the Cairns Community and Multicultural Centre in White Rock, $1.46 million for further improvements to Jeff Pezzutti Park in Woree, and $1.85 to enrich leisure facilities in the Smithfield/Trinity Park area.Meeting the housing needs of the region’s growing population has been recognised, with Council calling on for a Priority Development Area (PDA) to be declared over the Mount Peter Southern Growth Corridor to fast-track development and infrastructure delivery.This corridor has the potential to deliver around 18,500 new homes for an estimated 42,500 people so will be critical to meeting the medium to long term housing needs of Cairns Flood recovery Council is seeking a commitment from the State Government, in conjunction with the Federal Government (where appropriate), to address gaps in the Tropical Cyclone Jasper funding arrangements is also on the agenda.While grateful for funding from the Queensland and Australian Governments to support the community recovery from the December 2023 flooding following Tropical Cyclone Jasper, Council has identified funding gaps in key areas.This includes for restoring and building resilience of community infrastructure; ensuring public and private assets are rebuilt to a more resilient standard; and mitigation and assessment to better manage flood risks.

It was a year that will go into the record books.The 2023/24 financial year brought with it the heartbreaking devastation of a record-breaking flood, the awarding of Council’s biggest ever contract, a…

How to make the CBD the next in-demand residential address is the focus of a six-month project being rolled out by Council.The Cairns City Precincts Urban Regeneration Project aims to stimulate infill…

From cars and buses to boats and even shipping containers, Council impounds around 320 items each year.Usually removed from roadsides, they can also be taken from places such as parks, beaches, and bu…

A delegation from Lae, Papua New Guinea, has been in Cairns as part of a five-day visit aimed at further enhancing the relationship and opportunities between the two regions.It has been four decades s…

Cairns and Far North Queensland is leading the charge towards a smarter, greener economy.With two World Heritage Sites on our doorstep and abundant renewable energy sources, the region is perfectly si…

The best of the best in world mountain biking are gearing up to return to Cairns as it hosts an action-packed fortnight of mountain biking at the iconic Smithfield trails, with the return of Crankworx…

Council has again teamed up with rehoming organisations to host its annual Dog Adoption Day on Saturday.There was plenty of yapping, tail wagging and licking today as Cairns Councillors Anna Middleton…

Here is the latest information on Council's process in recruiting a new CEO....