A weekly re-cap of the events that have made news in Cairns over the past week.

Monday July 19, 2004 135th Edition

Country Comfort hotel sells for comfortable return
The Country Comfort Outrigger Hotel in Cairns has sold for $6.75 million to a private New South Wales based investor. The sale was finalised recently after a tender process that attracted interest from around Australia. “Future management arrangements are unclear at this stage,” Danny Betros from agent CB Richard Ellis said. The new owner is planning to upgrade the hotel, which was built in the 1970s and further extended back in 1985.

Bushwalk trail most challenging for Far North
One of the Far North’s most challenging bushwalk trails will open to the public this week. The Wet Tropics Great Walk, spanning 100km, will meander through the rugged terrain of Girringun National Park and the Garrawalt Forest Reserve near Ingham. “The entire walk will take up to eight days to complete and will offer visitors and locals a different Wet Tropics experience,” Minister for Environment John Mickel said yesterday. The walk will include rainforests, eucalypt forests and grasslands and offer walkers a view of the Wallaman and Blencoe waterfalls.

Cairns private school gets major refit
A multi million-dollar refit of Trinity Anglican School in Cairns has been unveiled with the first stage to commence next year. TAS principal Rev Paul Bland said both the White Rock and Kewarra Beach campuses would receive new classrooms and prep centres. In addition, the White Rock campus will also get new science and technology facilities, a library, junior high school and music-drama centre, accommodation centre for visiting schools, sports hall, administration block, chapel and principal’s residence. “The plan will give the school a fabric in keeping with its spirit and the level of excellence we’ve got in teaching and learning,” Rev Bland said.

Tourists still flocking to Skyrail
The award winning Cairns tourist attraction, Skyrail, is set to embark on its busiest year yet with passenger number for the past quarter up 20 per cent on last year. Skyrail Rainforest Cableway general manager Vince Hawkins said the domestic and Japanese tourists were the biggest market. “The main market for us has been domestic. During the July school holidays we are usually busy but we have noticed the impact of the competitive pricing of airline tickets and the extra seats available on flights,” Mr Hawkins said.

60 buyers express interest in Cannon Park sale
More than 60 buyers including large local and national developers have expressed interest in the purchase or redevelopment of the Cannon Park racetrack in Cairns. Around 10 have been rated as ‘extremely high quality’. “Things are well on track, the club is very happy with the response,” project committee chairman for the Cairns Jockey Club John Page said. “This allows us to move on to Stage 2 of the project.” Stage 2 will include compiling a list of 10 – 12 companies who will be invited to submit tenders by the end of August.

$1.5 million price tag for Esplanade shack
An 80-year-old Esplanade Queenslander cottage has recently been put on the market with a $1.5 million price tag. Owner Hedy Matthews said she bought the house on the 405sq m block on the Cairns waterfront in 1986 for $150,000. “We had to sell four flats and take an 18 per cent loan,” Ms Matthews said. At the time, Ms Matthews said her friends thought she was made to buy next to reclaimed land buzzing with sand flies. “People couldn’t understand it at the time, but I could see the potential.”