Region’s empty feeling
A NEW Cairns Post bird’s-eye photo series has revealed with stunning clarity the city’s drastic transformation since coronavirus lockdown measures were enforced.
The eerie drone images show empty suburban streets, pools devoid of swimmers, and public playgrounds and exercise equipment going unused for months on end.
The shutdown has already had a major effect on the Cairns economy, with a report forecasting a $389 million hit to the region by July.
It has been a long and hard slog for everybody from mums, dads and children dealing with the school shutdown to hospitality workers left without jobs as trade came to a dead halt.
Fetta’s Greek Taverna owner George Karagiannis said he was finally starting to see some life return to the CBD – but it was a drop in the ocean compared to what was needed to kickstart the city’s economy.
“There’s definitely a few more people in the city,” he said. “Basically people can now walk around the Esplanade area and this sort of thing, and go home, which is beautiful.
“But after that the city becomes dead again.”
Mr Karagiannis vented his frustration at the State Government’s decision to limit restaurants to 10 dine-in customers at a time, which he said would barely cover electricity costs.
“It’s ridiculous,” he said. “I went to Bunnings before and there were people everywhere. You go to Cairns Central and people are everywhere, just about bumping into each other.”