Plans for a bold new arts and cultural precinct in Cairns are gaining momentum, with sculpted timber columns inspired by the fig trees of Fogarty Park set to anchor the design.
Revealed yesterday by Cairns Regional Council, the proposed gallery forms part of a wider master plan to revitalise the city’s CBD and position Cairns as a cultural destination ahead of the 2032 Olympics.
“The sculpted columns clad in timber emulate the canopies of the fig trees in the adjoining Fogarty Park,” the design report states. “Gallery lobbies are carved from the building form in a variety of endemic timbers.”
Set behind the heritage-listed Mulgrave Shire building, the gallery will offer dual access from Abbott Street and the Esplanade. Renders published by The Cairns Post show rooftop planting, a café and bar, and a second-floor outdoor dining terrace overlooking Fogarty Park and Trinity Inlet.
The concept was commissioned by Cairns Regional Council in 2023 and awarded to CA Architects during a closed council session led by then-mayor Bob Manning. The motion was moved by current Deputy Mayor Brett Olds and seconded by Amy Eden, who was a councillor at the time and now serves as mayor.
Timber Design Awards understands that First Nations architectural consultants Blaklash collaborated on the design to embed Indigenous stories into the precinct’s planning.
“The design aims to generate a deep understanding and appreciation of Country,” the report notes. “By connecting with Country, the Cairns Gallery precinct presents a genuine gesture of welcome … and gathering.”
Drawing inspiration from the slippery blue fig tree, or Gimuy, the gallery’s form reflects the tree’s roots, trunk, and canopy — symbolism planners hope will resonate with the region’s cultural and environmental heritage.
The proposal has gained fresh momentum following the Queensland Government’s decision to scrap the $165 million First Nations cultural centre previously slated for Fogarty Park.
Local leaders now see the gallery as a potential anchor for Cairns’ creative industries and a catalyst for city centre renewal.
Mayor Amy Eden said that while she was disappointed by the cancellation, she remains optimistic about the gallery’s future.
“We’ve got all the plans, all the detailed design for that new gallery. It could be fast-tracked if they wanted to have something happening for the Olympics and have a venue,” she said. “Cairns is a really special space because we’ve got Aboriginal and Torres Strait cultures, and that is a perfect opportunity to really put Cairns on the map. We’ve got the work there for that new gallery, and that would just really tie very nicely into the existing precinct.”
