Birthday a celebration of how to dream big

IT’S hard to believe that back when the idea of the Esplanade Lagoon project was first mooted, people were against the idea. Today, as the city celebrates two decades on from the opening of the transformative project, the Cairns Esplanade Lagoon stands as much as a testament to governments working together as it does for dreaming big.

The project took what was once a strip of grass and concrete steps down to a beach that was more mud than sand, and has turned it into one of the most enduring, instantly recognisable landmarks in Far North Queensland.

As Mayor Bob Manning reflected recently: “I know that at the time there was some resistance to this vision, but 20 years on, I don’t think you would find too many people who could argue about the value it has added to our city.”

But this was no simple project. Foreshore had to be reclaimed, sand had to be trucked in from a cane farm in Yorkeys Knob, and the works had to be integrated with other developments occurring as part of the Cairns CityPort project.

Looking at it now, it’s clear the amount of economic investment the lagoon project and Esplanade redevelopment has generated for the city of Cairns is massive.

So expect a massive family-friendly celebration event at the lagoon on Saturday, April 1, to mark 20 years since its opening.

Running from 3pm-9pm, there’ll be free admission to the Reef Eye Ferris Wheel, live entertainment, children's activities, and the screening of the movie Clifford the Big Red Dog.

So come on down, bring the kids, and enjoy an afternoon at the lagoon, and take in all that can be achieved by a city with a big idea and the drive to bring it to life.