Cairns council has dramatic plans to enhance Palm Cove
Pedestrian safety, accessibility, amenities and public artworks form part of a newly-released streetscape masterplan for a Cairns visitor mecca. Have your say in our poll.
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PALM Cove business leaders are backing a newly-released Palm Cove Streetscape and Landscape Master Plan with a fresh vision for the northern beaches hotspot.
Cairns Regional Council released the plan, which evolved from community consultation, on Wednesday.
Having completed the $28m Esplanade dining precinct in the city, council has set its sights on Palm Cove, although there is no budget yet to implement the plan.
Tourism Palm Cove president Gary Kerr said it was vital to retain Palm Cove’s character.
“One of our key wishes is that the personality of Palm Cove is not changed, that it is still seen as a seaside village,” Mr Kerr said.
“We know and understand some of the infrastructure along the esplanade needs to be upgraded, things like path widths, and we could do signage and visitor information showing were amenities are,” he said.
He said there were “choke” points on the western side of the Esplanade footpaths and safety issues with people having to walk around cars.
“The environment is very slow moving traffic, and people do become a bit complacent, not crossing the road in the safest manner.”
Annie Gillow, who owns Annie’s at the Beach boutique and Beach Catwalk at Palm Cove, said more public amenities at the Veivers Rd end would be welcome.
“I am pretty happy with a lot of what council has done in the 14 years I have been trading here,” she said.
“The footpaths and the bike paths are fantastic and we get that feedback from visitors.
“There is a little bit of concern with people crossing the road, people are on holidays and relaxed and on their mobiles, but people need to take responsibility,” she said.
Woree resident Gayle Bunce, visiting Palm Cove for the fare at Lucky Fish, said more parking would be welcome.
“More parking would be the biggest thing, Palm Cove is such a nice place to come and have lunch,” Ms Bunce said.
One veteran business owner who did not wish to be named said while the masterplan was welcome, he wanted to see a time frame.
“Palm Cove is where Noosa was 25 years ago, the future is really bright and we want our business to succeed, but to do that we need certainty from council, and we don’t have that,” he said.
The blueprint for the future of the foreshore of the popular northern beaches suburb was adopted at council’s planning and environment committee meeting on Wednesday.
The report accompanying the glossy masterplan evolved after two rounds of community consultation.
The community identified public facilities such as amenities and playgrounds as important.
The plan has six elements including the Harpa St node and the Veivers Gateway node.
At Harpa St, there will be safer pedestrian crossings and better pedestrian connection between Tom McDonald park and on-street parking areas in Oliva St, and Amphora St and Williams Esp and the foreshore.
New public toilet amenities will be built on the southern side of Veivers Rd to service the southern end of Williams Esp and the foreshore.
The Veivers Gateway node will encompass improved pedestrian paths on both sides of Williams Espl including improved access around the ‘Nunu’s’ corner, and provide a new artwork as a focal point.
“This project opportunity aims to improve traffic flows and pedestrian, cycle and vehicle safety while creating a sense of arrival for Palm Cove,” the report states.
Public art will include welcome signage, an entry feature and nodal pieces, providing an opportunity to integrate art, Yirriganydji first nations storytelling and place-making into public spaces.
The northern activity precinct will return under-utilised roadway and trafficable areas to green open space.
The play precinct will address safety, access and overcrowding issues at the existing play facility by moving the children’s playground further north, with the swimming enclosure.
The feature lighting element of the plan aims to address the current prevalence of bud or fairy lighting on trees, which the report says has the potential to impact the ongoing health of the trees.
“It should be noted that each of these project opportunities will require further concept design, technical studies, testing and community engagement,” the document states.
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