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

Monday July 15, 2002 74th Edition

With the Cairns show occupying the local residents in Cairns it is likely that it will be quiet news week. However, the tourism season has kicked off big time with record numbers of visitors flocking to the region.

Tourism season kicks off big time
The far north tourism season has well and truly kicked off with record numbers being reported on various attractions in Cairns and Port Douglas. A cold snap in southern capitals is being attributed to large numbers of domestic tourists booking last minute holidays to escape from the cold. Restaurants in Port Douglas were full to capacity and SKYRAIL reported one of its busiest days ever last week.

Cairns Show rolls into town
Cairns settles back for a week of fun, fairy floss, livestock and rides as the show comes to town. The annual Cairns Show is a big event for the region with almost 60,000 people predicted to attend this year's show. The highlights include the livestock judging and displays, the rides, the showbags and the fireworks - all of which are guaranteed to keep the crowds entertained for hours on end.

Bryan Brown visits Cairns
There are very few Australian actors as well known as Bryan Brown. He has been in countless movies and without doubt, he is an Aussie icon. Brown was in Cairns to promote his latest movie, a gangster flick called 'Dirty Deeds". Brown produced and started in the movie, set in a gritty Sydney during the 1960's. Initial response to the movie has been very positive.

Dramatic crime drop in Cairns
Queensland Police are claiming a major victory in the war against crime on the streets of Cairns with the latest figures showing that crime overall was down by almost 40% in the region. The dramatic reductions are the result of greater police presence and vigilance in Cairns.

Cairns city centre given more lighting
The link between crime and poor lighting in heavily trafficked areas has been well established. The Cairns City Council has decided to brighten up the city centre by giving all of the lighting an intensive upgrade. The programme is expected to take two months with result being a much brighter city centre.

Push continues for regional hub
The push to make Cairns the aviation industry's regional North Queensland hub has continued with representatives from local business and tourism groups submitting a proposal as part of a Federal call for help develop a ten year strategy for tourism development in Australia. Cairns is well positioned to become a hub of this nature, particularly with the vote of confidence by QANTAS to base their new airline, Australian, out of Cairns. This call coincides with increased flights from Virgin and Air New Zealand into and out of Cairns.

Major sponsorship coup for Taipans appear imminent
The Cairns Taipans look set to start the 2002-03 season with two new major sponsors set to be announced. The local MacDonald's franchises and Radio Station HOT FM have expressed interest in taking over the major sponsorship title in a joint banner, with negotiations apparently being close to finalisation. The Taipans have struggled to secure a major sponsor since the Radisson Plaza Hotel decided not to renew its contract for the season.

Tjapukai launches new show
Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park has announced a new nightime show that is expected to become a major attraction in Cairns. Tjapukai is the most awarded tourism attraction in Australia, and it is very well known internationally. The new show is the first for a number of years and the visual combination of "fire and night" is expected to produce a stunning display. The new show starts on the 23rd of July with forward bookings already proving very strong, particularly with the Japanese market.