25/08/2025
Cairns Regional Council’s Budget for 2025/2026 was endorsed and released on 25 June.
Some highlights relevant to the disability community that are planned for this financial year:
• Pram ramps and road crossings - $100,000
◦ Includes improvements to existing and constructing new pram ramps and road crossings to be DDA compliant
• Bus stop upgrades - $650,000
◦ Includes improvements to bus stops to be more physically accessible
• Active Travel Program (including recommendations from the Neighbourhood Pathways Program) - $3 million (across 2 years)
◦ Locations have been chosen to construct missing links in footpaths as identified by the public (see attached the Report which lists locations)
◦ Total of 7km of footpaths to be completed by 30 June 2027 (incorrect date of 2026 in Report)
• Public toilets - $1.9 million
◦ Ellis Beach north – demolishing existing public toilets and replacing with 3 unisex cubicles (1x all abilities, 1x ambulant, 1x standard).
◦ Lions Park, Earlville – demolishing existing toilets and replacing with 2 unisex cubicles (1x all abilities, 1x ambulant).
◦ Machans Beach, south esplanade – demolishing existing toilets and replacing with 2 unisex cubicles (1x all abilities, 1x ambulant).
◦ Tom Dooley/Information Park – demolishing existing toilets and replacing with 2 unisex cubicles (1x all abilities, 1x ambulant)
◦ Botanic Gardens – demolishing existing toilets and replacing with 3 new cubicles (1x female ambulant, 1x male ambulant, 1x all abilities)
◦ Lake Placid – existing unisex cubicles getting a refresh/clean up (1x ambulant, 1x all abilities)
• Parks and playgrounds - $3 million
This funding will include improvements to existing and new playgrounds (both accessible and non-accessible components), wheelchair accessible BBQs and drinking water fountains, footpaths within parks, and accessible toilets. Some specific projects include:
◦ Nature Play at Botanic Gardens – upgrade planned which includes additional all-abilities elements planned to enhance connectivity and play, with specific design yet to be completed.
◦ Jeff Pezzutti, Woree – all abilities access to all park facilities which includes skatepark, basketball court, playground, toilets, and picnic benches. Playground will have some all-abilities elements. Detailed design is complete for all elements except the playground (consultation is planned to occur in 2025/2026) and construction of the park will begin 2025/2026, all due for completion by 2027.
◦ Sugarworld, Edmonton – this is a long-term improvement project, which will include reviewing and upgrading where required the existing all-abilities playground and improving connectivity of pathways, and other parts of this upgrade will include adventure play for teenagers. Design concept development is planned to begin in 2025/2026.
◦ Kookaburra Park, Kewarra Beach – proposed to add connecting pathways and fencing around the playground to keep wallabies out.
• Muddy’s Playground revitalisation - $2.4 million
◦ All of the existing water play equipment is due to be replaced with new play equipment while keeping compatibility with existing hydraulics. All new equipment has been designed with accessibility in mind. This includes water interaction at various heights and with varying abilities in mind, wide turning circles, and flat and smooth surface transitions from footpaths and between equipment.
• Cairns Libraries
◦ Cairns Libraries has committed to reinstating Virtual 3D tours of all eight library branches, to be accessible via the library website.
Council is also planning to construct a Changing Places facility at Tobruk Memorial Pool in the next few years, however it’s uncertain which year it will occur in yet – but there is a plan to begin the scoping and design process in 2025/2026 financial year.
Keep an eye out on our ‘Have Your Say’ page, as opportunities for public consultation are often listed here. For example, the Cairns Botanic Gardens Masterplan Review is currently open for public feedback.
