Cairns Esplanade - Cairns, Tropical Far North Queensland, Australia
Cairns Australia Waterfront/Beachfront Lagoon

Redevelopment Progress - Cairns, North Queensland, Australia

CairnsEsplanade.com strives to maintain up-to-date information about the Esplanade redevelopment, however we are subject to the same public relations spin as everyone else. Consequently, if you notice any omission about the current state of development at the waterfront, please email us.

Completed: Swimming Lagoon
Completed: Foreshore promenade
Completed: Sound shell in the old Fogarty Fountain Park
Under construction: Regional Playground

Topless Sunbathing

On Friday May 23rd, Cairns Mayor Kevin Byrne gave the go-ahead for topless sunbathing at the Cairns Esplanade. He says full frontal nudity is banned, and topless beach volleyball, rugby or frisbee throwing is also banned. But bare breasts are permitted if sunbathers lie or sit still in the area north of the pool. Topless women have been asked to cover themselves if they venture into the pool or into areas where families are congregated.

Children’s Playground

At the time of writing, the Cairns Esplanade children’s playground was merely a sketch on paper accompanied with promises of grandeur, safety and FUN FUN FUN. But it does sound like a playground fit for kings, and it has a price tag to match!
A theme has been introduced for the area, with the common thread being water. Three distinct areas within the playground are designed to cater to different age groups so young kids don’t have to play in the same areas as older children. The three areas are themed as land and waterplay, fauna, and the seasons. The overall theme for the playground is Life In Trinity Bay.

The details of the playground are as follows:

Cost: $1.5 million (ouch!)
Size: 3 times the size of the current Minnie St. playground
Construction: Set to start in May 2003, with completion in October.
Location: Cairns Esplanade, spanning from Minnie St. to Upward St.
Features:

  • Picnic and barbeque shelters
  • Spacious grassy areas
  • Bikeway/walkway
  • Flying fox
  • Pelican swings
  • Mangrove maze
  • Climbing towers
  • Pyramid climbing net
  • Rope bridge and slides
  • Toddler play area including playhouses, story telling, sea-saw, spinning toys, maze, trike track, puzzle games, slippery slides
  • Jumping water jets
  • Mudskipper sculpture
  • Rain shelters
  • Sound chimes