It’s boom or bust for Aussie basketballers in Far North
THE Boomers have arrived in Far North Queensland and they mean business. That’s the message from head coach Andrej Lemanis (right) as his team arrived at Cairns Airport on Saturday afternoon in readiness for the Commonwealth Games preliminary rounds. The Australian men’s basketball team will play Canada (Friday, April 6), New Zealand (Saturday, April 7) and Nigeria (Monday, April 9) at the Cairns Convention Centre before hopefully embarking on a finals campaign on the Gold Coast. Those not fussed with the on-court action can sample the larger than life art display and take in the nightly concerts along the Cairns Esplanade precinct from Wednesday April 4.
ART created by 17 Cairns students has been manufactured to sit larger than life along the Cairns Esplanade during the Commonwealth Games’ Festival 2018.
The Big Design works will include oversized green ants, jellyfish, sugarcane and flying foxes and will capture the heart and soul of the region in gigantic proportions.
Mayor Bob Manning said the Big Design works captured symbolic representations of the artists’ connections to the region.
“This exhibition lets us see the tropics through young eyes,” he said.
“They have captured what makes our region unique and special to the young people who live here. This is a great story of collaboration, of sharing of knowledge and supporting our region’s young, emerging artists.”
Cairns artist Daniel Wallwork said seeing the artworks along the Esplanade for the first time would be a transformational moment for the young public artists.
“I know for a fact they’ll be very excited,” he said.
“I know because that’s how I’ve felt before.
“There’s nothing better than being in the public arena or the community arena and hearing people talk about your work in a positive way.”
There will be plenty of room for people wanting to see the art to roam as The Esplanade between Aplin and Shields Streets will be closed to traffic from April 3 to April 16.
Little Grafton St between Hartley St and the Wharf St cul-de-sac will remain closed until April 17, as will Hartley St between Sheridan and Grafton streets.
Grafton St between Spence and Shields streets will remain closed until April 11, while Hartley St between Grafton and Lake streets and Wharf St between Lake and Sheridan streets will close tomorrow until April 11.