What Toowoomba can learn from Cairns boom
A CHRONICLE reader says the council can learn from seeing Cairns boom. Here's how he saw the city change.
Opinion
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A RECENT front page focused on the continual decline of Toowoomba's main street. More large shops continue to move to Grand Central with Kathmandu following suit.
I lived in Cairns until 1990 and watched the city start to boom. Today it's almost unrecognisable with the waterfront precinct crammed with hotels, apartments, a casino and tourist shops along with every type of pub/bar/restaurant imaginable.
The city has planted walkways lined with massive fig trees, and other tropical plants. At night the promenade is a hive of activity with live music, lanterns, street magicians etc. Cairns locals mix in with tourists and support numerous promotions, be it "happy hours"', two for one meal deals, etc. The CBD has a vibrancy and it feels alive.
Compare that with the Margaret/Ruthven Sts precinct and they could hardly be more different. Plus Cairns has a bustling marina with reef cruises, fishing charters, aqua sports that Toowoomba's inland location cannot match. Yet 30 years ago, Toowoomba's population was 15% larger than Cairns.
Much of Cairns' social life is semi-outside. Restaurants/bars open out onto the pavement and you smell the food/hear the music as you walk by. It's very appealing and we walked down to the waterfront on most days of our recent holidays. For nine months of the year Toowoomba has a better climate than Cairns, yet many cafes/restaurants/shops have closed in Margaret and Ruthven Sts.
Cairns is a tourist destination for 10 months each year versus Toowoomba for just three weeks with Carnival of Flowers and Ag show. But it wasn't all tourists socialising, especially after 5pm. Cairns locals stopped by after work to join in the vibe.
One solution is for Toowoomba Council to encourage spacious apartments in high rise blocks to be built near to CBD so residents/visitors can walk to the action.
MIKE MENNELL, Oakey
Originally published as What Toowoomba can learn from Cairns boom
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