Friends of Cominos House to be ousted from historic Edge Hill building
After 35 years of managing the historic Cominos House a Cairns not-for-profit is being evicted at the end of the current lease and the live-in caretaker turfed out.
Cairns
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After 35 years of managing the historic Cominos House, a Cairns not-for-profit is being evicted at the end of the current lease and the live-in caretaker turfed out.
The Friends of Cominos House on April 11 were advised by Cairns Regional Council that a lease due to end on June 30 would not be renewed.
Friends of Cominos House president Lone White expressed disappointment at the decision and said the incorporated association had started a petition to have the decision reversed.
“We were understandably surprised and concerned to receive this letter, which effectively asks us to cease our operations at Cominos House,” she said.
In a statement council acknowledged the contribution of Friends of Cominos House but also noted “challenges in meeting lease maintenance obligations”.
After July 1 council will make interim arrangements for tenants of Cominos House ahead of a public tender for the future lease and management of the site.
Council made it clear that Friends of Cominos House could submit a tender proposal which Ms Lone said the organisation planned to do.
Cairns and Far North Environment Centre is also expected to apply once the tender is open.
It’s understood the roof of the building is leaking in the kitchen and gutters being blocked up with leaves triggered an unresolved dispute between council as owner of Cominos House and the tenant.
Friends of Cominos House pay a nominal annual fee to council as current leaseholders. The organisation self-funded a $450,000 renovation of the building in the 1980s when the house was relocated to the current site on Greenslopes St.
But under a 2015 policy change the charity was expected to maintain the outside of the building which caused financial and logistic challenges.
“The problem is when we want to get it fixed up we can’t get anyone in to do it because of safety compliance,” Ms White said
Ms White claimed council had contributed little to the upkeep of the building they own and had shifted the goalposts to make it difficult for the registered charity that survived in 2025 on shoestring revenue of 39,000.
Ms Lone said Friends of Cominos House are now looking to engage with Cairns Mayor Amy Eden in an effort to seek a resolution.
“(We have) written to the council CEO asking the councillors please use their
powers under Local Government Regulation 2012 to fix this mistake and allow Friends of Cominos House community services to continue until such time as any new leasing arrangements can be better planned,” she said.
Cairns and Far North Environment Centre president Pia Harkness said CAFNEC would be given a permit to stay in Cominos House for at least six months while the council takes care of building maintenance and renovations.
“Management of Cominos House during this transition is still in discussion and we’d prefer not to comment until details are confirmed, however we understand that regular users of the space will continue to have access during this time,” she said.
Cominos House is one of the oldest surviving houses in Cairns and has been previously owned by respected pioneering Cairns families.
The old Queenslander property is home to the Cairns and Far North Environment Centre, the Visual Arts Association and a community space downstairs used for seminars, workshops and community meetings.
Originally published as Friends of Cominos House to be ousted from historic Edge Hill building
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