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

Monday July 29, 2002 76th Edition

Cairns is caught in Commonwealth Games excitement in a week that has seen US war planes buzzing the city, revelations that Cairns is in a major growth spurt and a visit by 15 European yachts on a round the world race.

US War planes visit Cairns
The sky over Cairns was filled with the roaring sounds of eight US F/A 18 Hornets, visiting the city as part of a joint military exercise being held in Queensland and the Northern Territory. The Hornets are versatile attack craft designed to operate long-range missions. The US Navy and Marine Corps fly more Hornets than any other aircraft.

$300 million worth of building projects underway
There is no doubt that Cairns is in the midst of a major growth spurt with new developments currently underway being valued at over $300 million. This does not take into consideration numerous smaller developments that could collectively bring the total closer to $350 million. Northern Development Industry Association Chairman, Mr Greg Wood, stated, "there is a sentiment that Cairns has been underestimated for a long time and it is a good opportunity to get into the market".

Cairns wins tidiest town award
Cairns has beaten 35 other north Queensland contenders to be named the "Far North Queensland Tidiest Town'. Cairns will join the finalists from 8 other Queensland regions for the State awards to be held in Brisbane in late August. Next year the finalist awards will be held in Cairns.

Commonwealth Games buzz hits Cairns
Cairns residents are cheering on Australian athletes as the Commonwealth Games commenced in Manchester last Friday night. Australian's are extremely proud of their athletes and as a nation, they are officially "sports crazy". Large viewing screens have been erected in many venues throughout Cairns and Port Douglas to enable both local residents and tourists to keep up to date on the events at the Commonwealth Games.

Ergon Energy to put new power lines underground
North Queensland's largest energy provider, Ergon Energy, has agreed to place a new power line project completely underground. The high voltage power cables were going to run to the northern beaches via large towers. A public outcry over the towers has led to Ergon Energy taking the more expensive option of putting the power cables underground. The total cost of the new 22,000-volt cable will be $13.5 million.

Actor Leo McKern mourned in Cairns
Well known actor, Leo McKern, passed away last week at the age of 82. Best known for his role as a rotund and tenacious Barrister in "Rumpole of the Bailey", McKern lived in Cairns during the 1970's and he was wall well known and well liked during his stay. Australian born McKern used his time in Cairns to recharge his batteries following a stressful period of his life. He left Cairns with his wife and started work on the highly successful "Rumpole of the Bailey" series.

Cairns still continues to grow in popularity with the Japanese
Cairns has jumped from 14th place to 6th place as the most popular destination for Japanese Honeymooners. From March 2001 to May 2002, Cairns played host to over 2500 Japanese newlyweds. The top six destinations for the honeymooners are:

1. Honolulu
2. Gold Coast
3. Sydney
4. Rome
5. Guam
6. Cairns

European yachts visit Cairns
A fleet of European yachts are visiting Cairns during their attempt to circumnavigate the world. There are 15 yachts in total, with approximately 75 crewmembers. The fleet is expected to spend several weeks in Cairns, stocking up on supplies, making repairs and giving the crews some time to relax and prepare for the second half of their journey.

Supermodel to be used to attract Italians
Megan Gale is a huge celebrity in Italy. The voluptuous supermodel appears in many advertisements and commercials in Italy, where she enjoys celebrity status. The Australian Tourist Commission has joined forces with Ms Gale in a $500,000 campaign designed to encourage more Italians to visit Australia. The campaign is a joint initiative between the ATC and Qantas.