General News
20 February, 2026
Esplanade works sped up
WORKS to further strengthen and stabilise the foreshore along the Cairns Esplanade has been fast-tracked without being considered by Cairns regional councillors through normal processes.
Despite a call last week by Cr Matthew Tickner, who is also an engineer, for the matter to go back to a workshop, CEO Ken Gouldthorpe indicated the councillor’s questions would be answered at the council meeting.
Cr Tickner was also concerned that the council had ignored a “gold standard” seawall recommended by engineering firm GHD in 2015.
However, the work was unanimously approved by councillors.
The project worth $1.5m was fast-tracked after Mayor Amy Eden prioritised the matter following a concerned resident raising the issue in December last year.
A council report found coastal erosion has been an ongoing issue along the Esplanade foreshore, with impacts intensified during king tides and severe weather events, including cyclones and tropical lows. It said earlier rock-boulder erosion protection had performed well.
“Council has already observed strong results from earlier stages of the rock-boulder erosion protection installed in 2015 and 2020, with these sections performing well even during extreme weather events and requiring only minor repairs following TC Jasper,” it said.
“Several adjacent, unprotected sections are now showing accelerated erosion and require similar treatment to prevent further degradation.”
Cairns Mayor Amy Eden said strengthening the foreshore was about protecting both the environment and the community’s way of life.
“The Esplanade is the front yard of our city. These works are about strengthening the foreshore, protecting vegetation and cultural values and ensuring this space remains safe, attractive and resilient in the face of increasingly severe weather,” she said.
“We’ve seen that the rock-boulder protection already in place works. Extending this approach now is the most practical and cost-effective way to stop erosion before it causes more serious damage.”
Construction on the $1.5 million project will largely occur during the tourism off-season to minimise disruption.
Division 5 Councillor Rob Pyne said the works were about safeguarding the natural systems that protected the shoreline.
“With more intense weather events becoming the norm, strengthening the foreshore is a practical step to protect coastal ecosystems and ensure the Esplanade can adapt to a changing climate,” he said.
“While the rock-boulder solution does not eliminate all erosion risk, council considers the residual risk acceptable given the proven performance of existing sections and the significantly lower cost compared with a fully engineered concrete seawall,” the report said.
“Council is proposing to commence works as soon as possible under emergency provisions due to the urgency of the erosion, with formal development approvals to be obtained retrospectively.”
