Tjapukai Cultural Park hits the market in shock sale by Djabugay Aboriginal Corporation
The site of a famous Indigenous cultural centre on the northern beaches of Cairns once visited by Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh has been listed in a shock sale by its owners.
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The site of a famous Indigenous cultural centre once visited by Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh has been listed in a shock sale by its owners.
Located at 4 Skyrail Drive in Smithfield, Tjapukai Cultural Park has operated as a cultural hub since its construction around 2000, providing a venue for visitors from around the world to experience the region’s Aboriginal culture, which dates back more than 40,000 years.
The site was the location of a famous visit from Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke Of Edinburgh Prince Phillip on the final leg of the Queen’s golden jubilee tour in 2002.
Known for a chequered history of cultural gaffes, Prince Phillip, true to form during the visit asked an elder, “Do you still throw spears at each other?” leaving heads shaking in disapproval.
Marketing agent Stacey Quaid said over its term the venue saw more than three million visitors and was considered a world class attraction up until its closure due to the Covid pandemic.
The facility was already in financial strife before Covid hit, but the complete removal of international tourists proved to be its death warrant.
The freehold site comprises a landmark multi-use commercial centre on a substantial 10.74ha land parcel.
“The site provides over 3000 sqm of net lettable area incorporating auditoriums, a bar, commercial kitchen, restaurant and function area, exhibition space, offices plus covered decking, a bridge over waterways, and outdoors stage and open display areas presenting a multitude of options to commercialise its use,” Mr Quaid said.
The site also sits among some of the region’s most popular tourist sites including the Skyrail cableway, Australian Armour and Artillery Museum, and Cairns Wake Park.
The facility was substantially redeveloped in 2015 and there were plans to reopen the facility after it was purchased by the Djabugay Aboriginal Corporation in 2021.
In 2022 the new CEO of the corporation Dennis Mirosevich revealed planning for the refurbishment, redevelopment and reopening of the park scheduled for 2023.
He revealed that government funding was not available but told the Cairns Post they had “secured in-principle funding from investors and humanitarian organisations” to rebuild the cultural centre to be “bigger and better than it was”.
Djabugay Aboriginal Corporation was contacted for comment.
The centre is for sale for expressions of interest, closing Thursday, October 3 at 4pm, through Colliers.
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