| Cairns gets ready for big cruise ships

Cairns’ Trinity Inlet will be
dredged as part of a $40 million
project to allow larger ships
access to the port.
DEEPENING the channel, according to the
Tourism & Transport Forum, will allow large
cruise ships to berth right next to Carins’ city,
and will circumvent the process that larger
ships usually have to go through when visiting,
which sees them forced to moor at Yorkey’s
Knob, and then transfer guests via tenders to
shore, followed by buses to the city.
“Cruising already delivers millions of dollars
in economic activity to Cairns,” said Tourism &
Transport Forum ce John Lee.
“But the potential is even higher if the right
cruise ship access and facilities are provided,”
he added.
Given that visiting cruise ships usually only
stay for less than a day, Lee said that having a
facility where tourists can disembark within a
short walk from the Cairns CBD is vital, and would
improve the city’s financial position by giving
guests extra time to spend their money in town
at local shops, restaurants and attractions.
“Improving the economic activity and
business and employment opportunities for
Cairns is why deepening the channel has been
on TTF’s agenda for some time,” he said.
The dredging plan, announced by the Liberal
National Party (LNP), is also to timely,
according to Lee, in light of the trend for new
ships to be built “larger and larger”.
“Allowing them access direct to the city of
Cairns will encourage more ships to visit in the
future, bringing with them tens of thousands
of tourists each year,” he said.
“Considering the challenges the Cairns
tourism industry has been facing, this will
deliver a welcome boost to the city and
surrounding region,” he added.
MEANWHILE the announcement has not been
met with universal support, with Opposition
members arguing that the funding commitment
was premature in light of the fact that the
Government has not yet received the final
feasibility and environmental impact report on
the project, which may indicate that the
project will cost more than the planned $40m
and may have devestating effects on the Reef.
“There’s no point dredging the inlet if it
destroys the Reef,” Cairns Labor candidate
Kirsten Lesina told local media.
The LNP leader Campbell Newman
responded to the comments however saying
“the single most important commitment
tourism operators have been after” is to “see
large tourist cruise liners being able to get in
alongside to the berth here in Cairns”.