Mon, 14th Nov, 2016 Mum & Dad’s, Cairns, Qld (Cairns City sightseeing)

Picked up Wendy then headed into town to explore the city block. The Council with the Historical Society have put in more historical information boards.

First down Grafton Street which was originally Sachs St and the home of Chinatown 1876-1936.

The site of the temple.

Chinese artifacts.

Up a block to the corner of Lake and Spence Streets looking at the Boland Centre. It has been an icon of Cairns for many years. It housed David Jones for many years and I remember going to the café inside many times.

When I was fundraising for Miss Cairns (part of the Fun In The Sun Festival) we held a Money Mile around the main block. We laid down tape and people placed their coins on it as they walked by. We collected the money as we the coins moved around the block but the tape stayed their till we made it around the block. Of course it was mainly small coins – no $1 and $2 then but it was a great fundraiser and we had a lot of fun.

On the other corner is the Central Hotel, constructed in 1909. The building incorporated the old Bank of North Queensland building, which was constructed in 1890. The Central’s exterior at the second level is still in its original form. Of course there were many hotels in Cairns too which seems to be the main buildings of many towns and the ones that seem to remain too!!

Crossed over to the Bolands Centre to check out the information inside.

Before the Fun In The Sun times there was the Queen of Bolands in 1930.

These red advertising banners were found in ‘as is’ condition and were hand painted in the 1940s. They were discovered on top of a machine in the old Fabric room. Note the spelling mistake – careless work or deliberately done to attract attention!

The old lift (which we all enjoyed riding in) is mounted above the entrance.

Back onto Spence St looking across to the dome on top of the Casino – it now houses a zip line over a zoo.

Down Abbott Street – looking across to the Cairns Post – still operating out of this building though the papers are now printed in Townsville and brought up each night!! The original building was completed in 1908 and had only 3 northern bays and it was extended to its present 8 bays in 1924.

Next to Woolworths is a sign about the signalmen who worked at this site during WW2.

Across the road is the old Court House. Its construction started in 1919. It replaced the original Court House which was opened in 1884. It looks so small being dwarfed by the apartment block behind it. The Court House is now a pub but the Council has just purchased it back to make it part of the Art Gallery next door. This building was originally the Public Curator’s offices and the State Government Insurance Office and was opened in 1936. The Gallery moved in in 1995.

We went into the Gallery but they were just changing their exhibits and only had one gallery open – normally there is a charge but today it was free to enter so we wandered up the stairs to the Loft Gallery.

Interesting art using items found on Far North Queensland beaches by Robyn Glade-Wright. These old cigarette lighters creating the coastline.

This one is twigs creating ‘Cyclone’.

Wendy in front of painted dangling palm frongs to depict Crown of Thorns.

A buoy – painted and on the back wall two arched bits of metal – Art can mean different things!!

This is ‘Sorry’ sorry for all the tropical plants that will be extinct by 2099 – lots of leaves painted with sorry written on them. Really!!

Fish created out of plastic knives, forks and spoons.

In the middle of the road was a sub-station which has been painted to look like an old Queenslander home – fantastic.

In the trees around the old Council Chambers (now the City Library) the flying foxes are still in residence even after the Council tried cutting down the trees to stop them.

Made it through to the Library without being pooped on!!

Back to where the old Mall was (now made back into a street) – lovely fig.

Across to the Hides Hotel.

On the other corner is the old School of Arts building (built 1907) which is under renovation. It is home to the Historical Society and Museum.

Headed down Lake Street to check out the new information boards.

The Walk (where my jeweller’s shop is).

Graffiti Lane.

Fancy bike racks.

Nice mosaics around the garden beds. Got the pigeon in full flight.

Info about Hides Hotel.

Headed back to Cairns Central Shopping Centre which was the site of the railway station – still is on the other side now. Across the road from it is the Railway Hotel – great sign, pub for the blokes, shopping centre for the ladies. 

With worn out feet we headed back in to Central to meet Sandra for a cuppa and lunch. Had a great time chatting.

Back to Wendy’s where Steve was doing a gas pressure test of Dave & Wendy’s little Coromal Popette. They are starting with a little van to see if they caravanning. Would be so good to meet them somewhere on the road.

Off to Brothers for dinner with Mum & Dad. Val’s leg still playing up so she didn’t join us. The Hicklings joined us again so we all had a great night though the pokies weren’t in the mood for playing.