‘A wonderful facility’: Timeline set on eco attraction reopening
After close to three years of controversy and bureaucratic wrangling an important mangrove biodiversity hub and tourism drawcard is set to reopen to the public.
Cairns
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AFTER close to three years of controversy and bureaucratic wrangling an important mangrove biodiversity hub and tourism drawcard is set to reopen to the public.
The Jack Barnes Bicentennial Mangrove Boardwalk at Aeroglen has been shut since April 2019 after it was considered unsafe. Management and maintenance of the elevated 1000m boardwalk was the responsibility of Cairns Regional Council until late 2000 when a lease agreement with Cairns Airport ended.
Faced with the costly demolition as the land transferred back to the airport, council in May 2021 stumped up $460,000 to fund the restoration of the infrastructure engineered using bamboo supports by retired council engineer John Breen.
Birdlife Northern Queensland conservation officer Peter Valentine visited the boardwalk last month and reported work on the southern arm was complete and interpretative signage was being finalised.
“The airport has been so positive and done such a good job developing such a great asset,” he said.
“It’s a meandering walk, a place you can stop to soak in the view and there are signs telling people what they are looking at.
“It’s a wonderful facility, the variety of mangroves is enormous.”
Mr Valentine said no date had yet been confirmed for the opening but he expected a formal ribbon cutting around March. The saltmarsh boardwalk first opened in 1988 and is a memorial to the medical researcher who identified Irukandji jellyfish. A physician and toxicologist Jack Barnes was the first researcher to discover box jellyfish would not discharge their toxin on to a synthetic surface and wore pantyhose when collecting specimens.
Mr Valentine said a solution to a previous sticking point, relating to the unsafe use of the boardwalk car park by airport users, would form part of the upgrade.
“That is going to be addressed, that means that people that want to use the boardwalk will have a parking area,” he said.
A bus parking area for school and university field trips will also be constructed.
The James Cook University adjunct professor applauded the Cairns Airport decision to involve traditional owners in the boardwalk project.
“The traditional owners have been very much been involved in the repair and they are continuing on as co-managers,” he said.
When the boardwalk opens Mr Valentine said a host of plant and bird species endemic to tropical mangroves, including the torresian kingfisher, were waiting to be spotted.
“The mangrove robin is widespread and a breeding resident and the boardwalk will give people a nice opportunity to see it,” he said.
“And there is also fascinating plants within the mangroves like ant plant that occurs as an epiphyte and brings other animals into the mangroves.”
A Cairns Airport spokeswoman confirmed restoration works are progressing well and on schedule.
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Originally published as ‘A wonderful facility’: Timeline set on eco attraction reopening
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