NOVEMBER 2020 LIVING IN CAIRNSA guide to living, working and playing in the tropical north www.cairns.qld.gov.au My Cairns App (available free for iOS and Android) www.facebook.com/CairnsRegionalCouncil 1300 69 22 47 KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON CONTENTS ABOUT CAIRNS 4 History & heritage 4 Climate and weather 4 ABOUT CAIRNS REGIONAL COUNCIL 20 Industry and economy 5 Council meetings, agendas and minutes 20 Housing 5 Rates, fees and charges 20 Education facilities 5 Paying your rates 21 Childcare and early childhood services 5 Pensioner remission 21 Shopping 6 COMMUNITY SERVICES 22 Getting around 6 Cemeteries 22 Cycling and walking 6 Citizenship 22 Public transport and coach services 6 Green Space Our Place 22 Rail 6 Community halls and centres 22 Airport 6 Community safety 22 Seaport 6 Disability support 22 Car parking 6 Assisted waste collection 22 Health Services 7 service for elderly/infirm 22 Hospitals 7 Car parking permits 23 Community health services 7 Multicultural services 23 CYCLONES 8 Sustainability 23 NATURAL HAZARDS 10 PETS AND ANIMALS 24 Crocodiles 10 Registration and microchipping 24 Mosquitoes 10 Out and about with your dog 24 Beach safety 11 Lost pets 25 Sun safety 11 Animal complaints 25 ARTS AND CULTURE 12 BUILDING AND PLANNING 26 Cairns Performing Arts Centre (CPAC) 12 Swimming pools, spas and wading pools 26 Munro Martin Parklands 12 Pool and spa fencing 26 Tanks Arts Centre 12 ROADS AND TRAFFIC 27 Cairns Libraries 12 Reporting issues with roads 27 Cairns Museum 13 Street lighting 27 Cairns Art Gallery 13 WATER AND WASTE 28 Cairns Convention Centre 13 Water supply 28 Festivals and celebrations 13 Water conservation 28 PARKS AND GARDENS 14 Waste (recycling and garbage) 28 Cairns Esplanade 14 Bin collections 28 Cairns Botanic Gardens 14 Transfer stations 29 Cattana Wetlands 14 Buy Back Shop 29 Sugarworld Parklands 15 COMMON NEIGHBOURHOOD 30 Sugarworld Adventure Park 15 COMPLAINTS Babinda Boulders 15 Rats and mice 30 Crystal Cascades 15 Graffiti 30 Mt Whitfield Conservation Park 15 Noise and environmental nuisance 30 SPORTS AND ACTIVE LIVING 16 Trees and vegetation 31 Active Living classes 16 Blocked drains 31 Public swimming pools 16 Littering and illegal dumping 31 Cairns International Tennis Centre 16 COUNCILLORS INFORMATION 32 Cycling and walking 16 SISTER CITIES 33 Barlow Park multi-sports facility 17 COUNCIL CONTACTS 34 Boat ramps 17 Other emergency contacts 34 Camping grounds and caravan parks 17 NEW RESIDENTS CHECKLIST 35 MARKETS 18 Cairns Esplanade markets 18 Tanks Arts Centre markets 18 2 3 WELCOME Welcome From The Mayor This is a very special part of the world and our residents enjoy a great way of life. Our unparalleled natural attractions, superb climate and tropical lifestyle make this one of Australia’s most desirable places to live, visit and do business. Cairns is a friendly, safe and sophisticated international city, alive with charm and spirit. We have world-class schools and universities, health services, sporting and recreation facilities, and enjoy a wonderfully diverse range of community and cultural celebrations. Our unique position as the international gateway to two of the world’s most precious and pristine natural wonders – the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef and Wet Tropics Rainforest – makes this one of Australia’s most popular destinations for international holiday visitors. Cairns is also a premier destination for national and international conferences and sporting events, and we are proud to welcome tens of thousands of delegates, competitors and spectators from around the world to our city each year. I encourage you to take advantage of all that our city and region has to offer – from the relaxed lifestyle, to the beaches and parks, rivers and reef, markets and community events. My fellow Councillors and I look forward to welcoming you to our tropical paradise. Bob Manning Bob Manning OAM Mayor 2 3 ABOUT CAIRNS Cairns is the international gateway to two precious and pristine World Heritage listed natural wonders. The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s biggest marine park and home to more than 9000 species of coral, birds, fish and marine life. The Wet Tropics rainforest is a living, History and heritage breathing ark and home to many Cairns is the traditional homeland of the Bama rainforest Aboriginal people who have plants and animals found nowhere lived here for thousands of years. Cairns else on earth. Regional Council acknowledges the custodians and first people of this country, and respects Over 158,000 people reside in Cairns their ongoing relationship and responsibility and this is one of Australia’s most to their land and sea. vibrant multicultural cities. People In 1770, Captain James Cook was the first from more than 47 nations choose to known European to visit the area where call Cairns home, with around 1300 Cairns is now located. Cairns was founded in 1876 and grew rapidly during the Gold Rush immigrants taking on Australian era of the 1870s. It was declared a city in 1923. citizenship here each year. You can explore the region’s local heritage Cairns is one of Australia’s most through our various heritage drives, trails and self-guided walks – including the popular destinations for international Southern heritage drive, Freshwater holiday makers. We welcome more heritage trail, Stratford heritage trail, than 2.4 million people each year, Cairns heritage city walk and the Cairns Esplanade heritage walk. with approximately half of this number from overseas. Climate and weather The Cairns region is characterised by The Cairns Regional Council area two seasons – the wet summer season, encompasses 1687 km2 of land on which begins around November and ends around May, and the dry winter season. a narrow coastal strip between the Being a monsoonal climate, most rainfall Great Dividing Range and the Coral occurs between January and March. Sea. It extends from the Eubenangee The cyclone season is normally confined to between December and April. The dry Swamp (near Mirriwinni) in the south season is characterised by low humidity to the Macalister Range near Ellis and cool breezes, and is an ideal time for Beach (just north of Palm Cove) leisure activities. in the north. Typical daytime temperatures range from 14 to 26C (52-78F) in mid-winter/dry season, and from 24 to 33C (75-91F) in mid-summer/ wet season. 4 5 Industry and economy and 25 private/non-government schools Cairns is tropical north Queensland’s major (some with boarding facilities). commercial, industrial, educational, retail Visit Education Queensland’s website and entertainment centre. It provides a www.education.qld.gov.au for an online diverse range of high quality professional directory of state, independent and and business services both locally and Catholic schools. internationally to our rapidly expanding Asia Vocational and tertiary training institutes with Pacific market. campuses in Cairns include TAFE Queensland, James Cook University and CQUniversity. With well-developed transport and logistical A number of private, registered training networks, extensive health and education providers also offer a wide range of services, a high standard of living, affordable accredited programs. housing and vibrant cultural amenities, the Cairns region is the ideal place to live, visit The Great Barrier Reef International and do business. Marine College is one of the best equipped marine training centres in the southern Housing hemisphere and caters for local, national The Cairns region offers a wide spread of and international students. housing options and rates. Three and four bedroom homes with good sized backyards The Cairns Aviation Skills Centre, located can be found in most suburbs, and the at Cairns Airport, is a purpose-built Cairns CBD offers many modern apartment aviation training centre offering complexes (including some with stunning internationally recognised aircraft water views) close to restaurants, shops and maintenance qualifications. offices. The popular and distinctive high-set “Queenslander” homes are usually found in Child care and early the older suburbs and typify traditional childhood services Cairns Regional Council does not operate Cairns architecture. These traditional child care services. Private child care centres homes feature large verandahs, louvres and can be found in the telephone directory or on lattice to capture the tropical breezes and the Australian Government’s MyChild online are ideally suited to our tropical lifestyle. child care portal at www.mychild.gov.au. Education facilities A number of playgroups operate throughout The Cairns region boasts a full range of the region (mostly during school terms). quality education facilities from kindergartens Playgroups provide a low-cost, safe and to primary and secondary schools, tertiary supportive environment for young children and vocational education institutions. (from birth to school age) and parents/carers to socialise and play. Search for your There are more than 140 schools including 89 nearest group on the Playgroup website at state primary schools, 27 state high schools www.playgroupqld.com.au. 4 5 ABOUT CAIRNS Shopping Private bus lines operate services covering Port Cairns is well serviced by a wide range of quality Douglas, Kuranda, the Atherton Tablelands retail and service offerings. Unique pieces and Innisfail / Mission Beach. Long distance and designer labels can be found in boutiques and interstate coaches operate from a central throughout the city centre and suburbs. You’ll depot at the Reef Fleet Terminal on the Cairns also find a wealth of world-class art, gifts and Esplanade. homewares, to beauty and personal services, cafes and dining options. > Rail Queensland Rail operates regular passenger Major shopping centres across Cairns trade daily services between Brisbane and Cairns on and feature a range of national retailers and the high-speed Tilt Train. speciality outlets. > Airport Getting around Cairns International Airport (domestic and With our large network of integrated transport international terminals) is located 7km services, it’s easy to get around the region.