The full history of our fight to save this Historic Building, the ONLY one still existing, that was built by the pioneers and people of Cairns City, is located at (Cairns Aquatic Building 01 to 16)..

http://www.tropicjazz.org.au/content/category/2/3/29/. 

The story is far to complicated to discuss in a few words, and the Local Member and Government has used spin to confuse you all into thinking there is a $7 million Cairns Yacht Club in front of Shangri-La. The pollies have spun themselves into La-La Land. The bottom line is that the State Labor Government want to sell the land. To them, money is more important than our history.

There is no question that the building has state significance and the proof of that is that the Environmental Protection Agency, a state government department, had the land surveyed for Heritage Listing. See registered plan IS174589. It was even noted for Heritage in the EPA Coastal Planning Scheme. All this hard evidence is available if the people decide take the government to Court in a future class action to recover damages because they robbed us of our Heritage and loss of revenue from Tourism.

The place WAS on track to be protected under the State Heritage Act and supported by the Queensland Heritage Council Chairman himself together with the Cairns Historical Society and the National Heritage Trust. This until Daikyo looked out the window of his then owned Hilton Hotel and realized his idea of building another Hilton next door was to be lost. He went to the Cairns Port Authority with big dough. This immediately put the Government and the Port Authority between a rock and a place with money. They decided to take the money. Ironically Daikyo fell on his Japanese Banks economic sword. He ended up selling all his holdings and the Government was left holding the empty bag.

The State Government administer the land on our behalf, the same way as the Cairns International Airport. The Cairns Yacht Club own the building. In this day of enlightenment one would think the Government would hand over the land and comply with the wishes of the people. That is wishful thinking – You haven’t been listening -- Does the Cairns Base Hospital or Mugabe mean anything to you when we speak about politicians?

Rob Williams j.p.(Qual.)
Former Chairman Cairns Heritage Group.
Monday, June 23, 2008

Disclaimer:: The Cairns Tropic Jazz Club has a historically vested interest in seeing the Aquatic preserved. The CTJC plays there every Thursday Night and have done so for 230 weeks. Musician Members of the Jazz Club have played the Aquatic as far back as 1938 (69 years). Furthermore the Aquatic Club will be 100 years old on 30th March 2008. Timbers in the building date back to 1895. The Cairns Tropic Jazz Club committee has granted me permission to tell the story of the Aquatic Building through these pages. The views and facts displayed in these pages are not necessarily those of the Cairns Tropiuc Jazz Club Inc.
Signed Rob Williams President Cairns Tropic Jazz Club Inc
Chairman Cairns Heritage Group

Signed Rob Williams Pesident Cairns Tropic Jazz Club Inc
Chairman Cairns Heritage Group