Hi Everyone
We have had a few enquires as to the proposed development at the southern
end of the Cairns Esplanade.The current situation is as follows:
Consultants have been appointed to put together peoples views on what should
be done with the Cairns foreshore. They are starting out with a clean slate
with no pre-conceived plans. When they have analysed the ideas these will
then go to three separate design consultants who will each come up with two
designs each. These designs will then go to public consultation and we will
see what happens at that time. The local bird groups have met with the
consultants and we have put our views forward and received a very positive
response, that the bird habitat needs to be preserved and promoted as a
unique experience - which it is. Separately to this, Birds Australia-North
Queensland Group has with the Cairns City Council put a joint funding
application together for a bird interpretive centre to be put along the
Esplanade, the council have been very supportive of our suggestion. We
(BA-NQG) envisage this centre will have interpretive material on the birds
as well as aids to identification including telescopes. Whilst none of this
is set in stone the signs are looking good for protection of the main
feeding areas on the Esplanade. I think we all accept that some development
will go ahead, but we are keeping an eye on it to try and make sure the
impacts are minimal for the birds.
If anyone would like to put forward positive ideas about the proposal to
redevelop the Esplanade, the consultants have a free phone No 1800 065 614
or e-mail
The current display shelter has had extra posters on bird migration added
both in Japanese and English (thanks to Doug Watkins of Environment
Australia for supplying them to BA-NQG, who in turn presented them to Cairns
City Council). However the current display shelter is to undergo a $10,000
revamp with information on the whole of Trinity Inlet, which will include
the birds.
Thanks for your attention and we hope this helps you understand the current
situation.
Regards
Keith & Lindsay Fisher
PO Box 2209, Cairns QLD 4870
e-mail:
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