Landmark hitting market
A UNIQUE and heritage-listed Cairns CBD building is on the market for the first time in its 82-year history.
Completed in 1935, the Cairns Masonic Centre at the corner of Minnie and Grafton streets has served as the longstanding home of Freemasonry in Far North Queensland.
The property is now in need of a new owner with the vision to “combine its historic features with a modern, commercially viable enterprise”.
“Although originally a purpose-built property, Cairns Masonic Centre could easily be converted to suit a multitude of alternative uses,” said selling agent Jay Beattie of Colliers International Cairns.
“The overall structure lends itself to a number of possibilities, including a tourism-based restaurant or function centre, commercial offices, medical suites, or even boutique residential or holiday accommodation.”
Set on a 1000sq m block, this dual street access property is on the fringe of the Cairns CBD and within walking distance to the Esplanade.
Cairns Masonic Centre is a two-storey, concrete rendered building with a gable roof concealed behind a parapet wall.
External features include steel-framed and leadlight glass windows, and a gable entrance framed by Corinthian doors.
The building has an approximate interior floor area of 1550sq m (including mezzanines).
The building includes airconditioning, computer networking and NBN connection.
It was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register in August 1998.
In a statement, Carpentaria District Board of General Purposes vice-president Paul Brennand said: “Freemasonry must evolve and move its operations out to its members.
“The Cairns Masonic Centre was constructed at a time when there was a high need for having suitable premises for large group meetings, ceremonies and social events; this continues to a lesser degree today.
“While the Cairns Masonic Centre continues today to be the venue for over 16 local orders to meet regularly, it is recognised that, with significant growth of technology, there is now a much lesser need for office and storage area, and we see the building is significantly under-utilised. The joint owners have decided the building could be better used through an alternative commercial application and the funds generated by the sale of the building can be better applied to support several local initiatives.” Interested parties can secure an information memorandum and property inspection by calling Colliers International’s Jay Beattie on 0428 551 062 or Stacey Quaid on 0418 773 253.