Plans to build a $39million tourism attraction celebrating East Trinity’s indigenous and ecological history have been lodged with Cairns Regional Council.
The ambitious project includes the construction of three 33m-tall observation towers spaced along a 1.1km boardwalk, with zip line cables offering adventurous visitors an aerial view of East Trinity’s landscape.
Conference and research spaces, offices, single-storey buildings with a range of other attractions, short-term accommodation, shops and restaurants also feature in the proposal, as well as a high ropes course and rockclimbing walls.
Mandingalby Yidinji Aboriginal Corporation spokesman Dewayne Mundraby said the organisation had been working on the project for the past three years and members were excited to finally have a development application in place.
He said the initial $39 million outlay was predicted to reap $305 million in benefits over 30 years.
The construction period was expected to employ about 350 people, with the underemployed Yarrabah community likely to be a big winner from the 49 ongoing jobs the project will create.
“One of the big benefits is economic participation and curbing the welfare regime, particularly in Yarrabah with about 60% unemployment,” Mr Mundraby said.
“It has all come about through community consultation with the Mandingalby Yidinji people.”
The 484-page development application before the council includes a range of artist’s impressions illustrating the organisation’s bold vision.
It states the facility would be entirely led and operated by traditional owners of the land, specifically targeted as a social development initiative aimed at creating revenue.
The facility, labelled the Eco Cultural Infrastructure Tourism Project, would be a 10-minute ferry ride from Cairns across Trinity Inlet.
Mr Mundraby said the Indigenous Land Corporation and Federal and State Governments had helped in the design process, and now their financial help would be needed along with donations.
He expected tough questions to be asked as the proposal was judged over the coming months. “We will continue to have discussions … but we would ideally like to turn the first dirt during the dry seasonnext year,” he said.
ROLES OF TOWERS
Each of the three activity and observation towers will have a different focus. The first will serve as a welcoming beacon to embrace visitors for the journey ahead. The second tower at the centre of the boardwalk will place emphasis on the “performance” aspects of the attraction. The final tower at the boardwalk’s end, and closest to thick pockets of vegetation, would create a “research and calm” zone to end the tour.
