Cairns needs more trees
AS A regular visitor to Cairns for almost 30 years, and now a resident on the Northern Beaches, I can say in one word what Cairns lacks to appeal to visitors trees.
The town is hot and airless, the streetscapes harsh and unfriendly, because apart from one or two outstanding exceptions, there are next to no streets full of trees.
Visitors rush from airconditioned tour bus to airconditioned hotel to avoid the heat and the glare.
Fill the streets with vibrant, colourful tropical trees and flowers, down either side and in the centre.
Filter the harsh tropical sun through curtains of living green, shading the streets and lowering the temperature.
It’s natural outdoor airconditioning. You can build all the convention centres, sports grounds, dining plazas, theatres and cinemas you want, but if the city is as comfortable and visually inviting as a sun-scorched carpark, people will not explore, stroll, linger, stop for a coffee or a meal, or buy a souvenir.
Here in the tropics most things grow fast, and mature trees can be planted while the rest grows up around them.
It won’t take long to turn the whole town into an urban rainforest park.
A beautiful world-class attraction in its own right.
A must-see destination that people will want to spend time in.
Doug Pollard, Clifton Beach 1779: British explorer James Cook and four marines from his ship, the Resolution, are killed in Hawaii after disputes with locals.
1966: Dollars and cents replace pounds, shillings and pence as Australia launches its decimal currency.
2015: Australia-wide recall is announced of Nanna frozen mixed berries, (above) linked to a Hepatitis A outbreak.
2019: The British Crown Prosecution Service announces Prince Philip will not face charges in connection with a car crash that left two injured earlier in the year.
PRIVACY POLICY: Our privacy policy www.apnarm.com.au/privacy includes important information about our collection, use and disclosure of your personal information (including to provide you with targeted advertising based on your online activities). It explains that if you do not provide us with information we have requested from you, we may not be able to provide you with the goods and services you require. It also explains how you can access or seek correction of your personal information, how you can complain about a breach of the Australian Privacy Principles and how we will deal with a complaint of that nature.
CONDITIONS: Letters must be 150 words or fewer. Send them to PO Box 126, Cairns 4870 or email letters@cairnspost.com.au. They must include your name, home address and telephone number. Letters that can not be verified will not be published. The Cairns Post reserves the right to edit all letters and reproduce them in electronic form. TXT messages should be short. Include your name and suburb. Your TXT messages will be printed in TXT language. Normal call costs apply. Please check The Cairns Post website for our privacy policy at www.cairnspost.com.au