New plan to make Palm Cove shine once more
Beach Redevelopment
A “reimagined” Palm Cove which would include a small harbour and facilities for water taxis, a Village Green, a swimming lagoon and playgrounds has been put on the table as the destination controversially voted “world’s best beach” looks to recover some of its lustre.
Tourism Palm Cove has released a preliminary concept for the development, created by Far North Queensland urban design practice Hunt Design.
“No reliable maritime operators providing all-year-round access for snorkellers, divers and fishing tours wishing to go to the Great Barrier Reef, has meant locals and visitors need to head to Cairns or Port Douglas,’’ the release states.
“The existing jetty is unusable in moderate to stronger winds, which also limits safe maritime access to nearby Double Island.
“Swimming in the sea can be challenging during the wet season with stingers and on windy days waves mean the beach may be unsafe for poor swimmers and children.’’
Hunt Design, with extensive experience delivering major tourism projects on the Queensland Coast and 16 adjacent Islands, has re-imagined how a major revamp of Palm Cove could benefit the regional community and visitors to Cairns.
Hunt Design principal Gary Hunt said the centrepiece is a small Safe Harbour focussed on the existing jetty.
“The final configuration will require input from coastal processes engineers and will cater for berthing approximately 15 commercial craft. Access by ferries and water taxis will complement the reef operators visiting the GBR,’’ Mr Hunt said.
“The seawall protecting the harbour will allow for the installation of fishing decks along the perimeter, in addition to continuing existing fishing from the jetty. The new fishing decks are further out to sea in deeper water for improved fishing experiences.
“A community tropical park is conceived to be in the area currently occupied by the outdated caravan park which is proposed to be relocated closer to the Captain Cook Highway. Such an upgraded facility may cater for the new generation of vans and RVs, and provide a higher-level of amenity for guests.’’
The richly landscaped parklands will benefit from the retention of existing trees. Within the community park are playgrounds, BBQs, public toilets and shaded areas complementing a “village green” suitable for markets, entertainment and other events.
An access road to the jetty is planned to be on the back boundary of the tropical park. A further 180 carpark spaces will be serviced from the new road such that pedestrians are able to access the park amenities and foreshore without crossing a road.
“The Crisafulli Government has made tourism one of its key economic drivers and this vision for Palm Cove has the potential to generate massive growth for the industry, unlock the ability to reinstate Double Island as a tourism destination, and provide a huge shot in the arm for local businesses,’’ Mr Hunt said.
A focal point will be a new swimming lagoon next to the beach.
Cairns Mayor Amy Eden said Palm Cove is often referred to as the jewel in the Cairns crown and it is in need of some TLC.
“Input like this from such experienced and visionary locals are exactly what we need to feed into that master planning process,’’ she said.
“I support many elements of this vision and recognise there are many stakeholders and voices in Palm Cove who also need a say in its future to ensure it retains its ‘village vibe’ for locals and tourists alike.”
“There are so many opportunities to explore possible public-private partnerships and commercial cost-sharing initiatives as we work to rejuvenate Palm Cove.”
“I welcome the public discussion this vision will generate and look forward to working with all stakeholders to help deliver the kind of refresh that Palm Cove needs and deserves.”
A similar facility at Yeppoon has proven to be a magnet for locals and visitors with amazing amenities for all. Undoubtedly the cafe, functions spaces, change facilities, sheltered alfresco recreation areas and an all-ability lagoon with excellent visual supervision for kids will elevate the appeal of Palm Cove to another level.
Provision has been made for a reef operators’ terminal, watersports pavilions, kiosk and limited retail focussed on the needs of park users. These commercial uses will underpin income streams for the overall project.
Initial discussions with local operators, Advance Palm Cove, Palm Cove Tourism, Tourism Tropical North Queensland, Cairns Chamber of Commerce and others, has been overwhelmingly positive.
Tourism Tropical North Queensland chief executive Mark Olsen said that, while Palm Cove beach is one of the icons of Tropical North Queensland, its share of international visitors remains low.
“With the ability to access Double Island from a safe harbour and development of more year-round experiences it has the potential to grow its share of the key international markets supporting existing businesses and creating new jobs. “
Such a re-imagination of Palm Cove will catalyse other developers with premium landholdings to bring forward their intentions to deliver the next tranche of tourism products to complement the superb recently announced Hilton Resort and Spa.
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