Promenade – FAQs
Preamble
Palm Cove is the only beach destination in Cairns that markets itself to both the international and domestic inbound tourism markets.
This means that unlike most other Cairns suburbs, Palm Cove (Division 9) residents are not the only stakeholders in Palm Cove’s future. Tourism investors are important stakeholders, yet unless they actually live in Cairns and are on the Cairns Regional Council electoral roll, they can’t vote in Council elections.
Palm Cove became an international tourism destination from 1984 when Cairns International Airport opened. This led to Development Applications for tourism accommodation properties along the Palm Cove waterfront and elsewhere in Palm Cove. In response to this, our Council back then, Mulgrave Shire Council, changed the Williams Esplanade zoning and other Palm Cove areas to Tourist Accommodation.
Business success and ongoing employment opportunities are just as important as typical residential needs in Palm Cove.
Palm Cove tourism is our friend as long as it continues to evolve in the way that it has over the past 100+ years. We wouldn’t have the jetty and the selection of restaurants, shops, kayaking and other services if we became just another residential beach suburb.
01 What is a Promenade?
The word ‘promenade’ first appeared in English in the 16th century.
1560s, “a leisurely walk, a walk for pleasure or display,” derived from the French word ‘promener’.
Oxford Dictionary: “A paved public walk; typically one along a seafront..” a “a walk that you take for pleasure or exercise, especially by the sea, in a public park, etc”
What would Palm Cove Promenade be like?
Obviously in order to create a promenade then cars, trucks and buses need to be diverted to back streets, over time. In the case of Palm Cove this is Oliva and Amphora Streets. Where necessary, there will be some vehicles that are always permitted to access the promenade at 10 km/hr just like on promenades all over the world.
How it evolves after that in terms of usage by pedestrians, person powered devices and electric personal devices is up to Cairns Regional Council informed by the stakeholders.
02 Why do we need a Promenade?
A promenade will solve issues now and into the future
- It will trigger the design and implementation of car parking solutions for the short, medium and long term. There are workable solutions available.
- It will allow our children, grandchildren and their children to enjoy our Palm Cove beachfront as well or better than we enjoy it today.
- It will maintain or improve the existing natural environment along the waterfront by not increasing existing path width as currently proposed in the Cairns Council Palm Cove Streetscape and Landscape Master Plan.
- It will help to limit beachfront erosion by not disturbing the beachfront zone by increasing the existing path width as currently proposed in the Cairns Council Palm Cove Streetscape and Landscape Master Plan.
- It will improve amenity and safety by reducing interactions between cars/trucks/buses, personal transport devices, wheelchairs and pedestrians.
- It will provide for a safe and compatible extension to the Northern Beaches Leisure Trail by providing three metre wide continuity along what is currently the road.
- It will provide for personal transport devices such as wheelchairs, onewheels, skateboards, unicycle onewheels, hoverboards, scooters, eScooters, segways and next plus generation personal transport devices.
- It will allow for the option to introduce a shuttle train and/or electric courtesy transfer vehicles.
- It will allow for much easier planning for autonomous vehicles. They are not as distant into the future as some may imagine.
- It will make the waterfront more appealing and manageable for Palm Cove events that currently require the closing of the esplanade to traffic.
03 How could the promenade zone be shared?
The promenade zone could be shared as follows:
Once non permitted traffic has been diverted through Oliva and Amphora Sts, there is enough distance between the property boundaries and the beach to create four zones.
-
- No change to the existing path for pedestrians on the western side of the road.
- Permitted essential access traffic, guest transfer and service vehicles at 10 kms per hour plus emergency vehicles in the landward side of the existing road.
- Bicycle, eDevice and Shuttle Train zone along half of the existing road.
- Pedestrian and wheelchair only zone via the existing path along the grassy verge through the coconut palms.
04 What about car parking?
Car parking issues – a universal reality – with universal solutions
Council has assured Palm Cove residents and business groups that they will be fully consulted with regard to the development of any plans for Williams Esplanade. Full consultation needs to include ALL of the stakeholders. While investors, residents and people who have businesses in Palm Cove are in the front line as stakeholders, there are others, including but not limited to:
- Cairns residents generally. Palm Cove is our favourite beach. We like to show off The Cove to visiting friends and relatives as well.
- Tour operators such as Capta, Quicksilver, Experience Co, Billy Tea and all of the other operators that pick up and drop off passengers at Palm Cove.
- Public transport being SunBus/Kinetic, Taxis and Rideshare.
- Supplier transport activity such as Alsco, Bidvest, Cleanaway and all of the other suppliers that need to access Williams Esplanade properties and businesses.
These stakeholders will have a different perspective from local residents. One resident of Palm Cove recently suggested on social media that “Esplanade parking should be for Palm Cove residents only”. While this is an extreme comment, it is an example of the many residents who don’t appreciate what tourism brings to our suburb.
We already have a car park at Palm Cove that is only full during special events. Everything that we do now must be with a view to the future even if implementation is some way down the track.
Palm Cove isn’t the only place on the planet with car parking issues. Here is a universal summary of possible solutions
Here is a selection of a few of those universal solutions that may be adapted to the current and future needs of Palm Cove.
- Smart Parking Systems: Implementing technology like sensors and cameras in parking lots can track real-time availability, allowing drivers to find open spots easily and reducing circling, which contributes to congestion.
- Data-driven Decision Making: Utilising data from these systems, communities can understand parking patterns and optimise resources. This could involve adjusting parking fees based on demand, converting underused spaces for other purposes, or building new lots in areas with consistent high demand.
- Promoting Cycling and Walking: Creating dedicated bike lanes, pedestrian pathways, and safe intersections can encourage residents to choose active modes of transportation for short trips
- Parking Enforcement: Consistently enforcing parking regulations, including time limits and designated areas, discourages misuse and ensures fair access to available spaces
- Explore alternative parking structures: Implement multi-story parking garages or utilise vacant lots for temporary parking solutions.
- Engage the community: Through open forums and surveys, communities can understand residents’ concerns and tailor solutions that address their specific needs.
There is no more public land available in proximity to Williams Esplanade suitable for a car park. Council needs to develop a strategy for Palm Cove parking into the future and the only way is up, on private land or a park ‘n’ ride service. Or a combination or variation of those options.
05 Will the promenade help Palm Cove tourism?
The Promenade will transform Palm Cove tourism
The best way to market any product or service is to meet the lived expectations of the target markets.
From a tourism marketing point of view, Palm Cove has always struggled with projecting its identity. We’ve used taglines like “Ultimate Tranquillity”, “Spa Capital of Australia” and more recently “Sophisticated Simplicity”.
Retain the views of Double Island and the Coral Sea
Not sure what this means. What is the possible threat to losing the existing views?
If anything the views need to be enhanced for people at ground level on the western side of the esplanade. This includes the diners at restaurants. Removing conventional vehicular traffic from the esplanade will improve these views.
The Master Plan is underpinned by a set of principles to guide future public space improvement projects.
The Master Plan is underpinned by a set of principles to guide future public space improvement projects. These guiding principles respond to the challenges and community aspirations identified throughout the Master Planning process. As a set of core values, they will guide all future changes and help to deliver on both Council and community aspirations for Palm Cove into the future.
Veivers Gateway Node
This is one of the worst things about the Council Master Plan – the Veivers Gateway Node. The place for a Palm Cove entry statement is up on the highway. But the planners were restricted to only working within the waterfront precinct. There is not even a street sign pointing to the main entry to Palm Cove from the south – being Palm Cove Boulevard. That is the place for an entry statement. This is what Leigh Ratcliffe had to say:
It comes back to a whole lot of identity issues too. We talked about this in the TTNQ meeting at The Reef House on 10 Feb 2022. I see Palm Cove as its own brand, as its own destination, but we are not promoted well for self-drive visitors. Apart from inclusion on the large sign in the rest area off the highway at Aeroglen, we don’t get a mention until the industry erected billboard at Palm Cove.
There should be a significant Palm Cove entry statement on the highway because I can’t tell you the number of people that I talk to who’ve been to Cairns and Port Douglas but who’ve never been into Palm Cove. I would say it’s 90%.. They see Trinity Beach, Clifton Beach etc but no Palm Cove.
And it’s only after a process of discovery, usually, on the way back to the airport stopping in for lunch, they say, “Wow. This is a great place. So there’s this, there’s got to be a whole lot of stuff worked out with main roads.
There’s a lot of stuff landscaping-wise to be done up on the highway, cleverly done without a lot of maintenance that can just signal to people that hey we just hit a special area. So there’s heaps of stuff to do. It’s not a staging thing. It’s not a half pregnant thing. That’s not gonna work. We’re either in or out. And if we’re out, well it’s opportunity lost.
Also, you can’t improve on the existing outstanding natural beauty of the Veivers Rd/Williams Esplanade corner. The first view of the sea framed by coconut palms, beach almonds and casuarinas with the elegant Alamanda entry on the right and the rustic timber furniture of Chill Cafe on the left not to mention the spectacular pandanus in the centre road planting.
This is just one of so many terrible concepts within this plan.