The Manner In Which
The Cairns Yacht Club Building
Failed to Gain Queensland Heritage Listing
on December the 12th 2003. By Ray Taylor

In the year of 2003 an application for State Heritage Listing of the Cairns
Yacht Club building was made. A high level of public support was
acknowledged and reported by the press.₁
Expectations were high, buoyed by comments made by the Chairman of the
Queensland Heritage Council, Professor John Brannock, following an
inspection of the place.² :- Professor Brannock told the Cairns Post -
“The demolition of the Cairns Yacht Club would be a terrible loss to the city
and would reduce the social and cultural value of its waterfront irreparably,
Queensland Heritage Council chairman John Brannock said yesterday.-------”.
In addition to this, the Queensland Heritage Council sent an Assessor, from
Brisbane, to Cairns to inspect the place on two separate occasions:
14th of August 20033. The Queensland Heritage Council’s Assessor’s first of
two reports stated:

¹ Cairns Post News Board-19.05.2003

² Cairns Post-19.05.2003

“Assessors Decision³: The place is not of cultural heritage significance---
because of discrepancies in the listing boundary it is impossible to determine
whether the place is of cultural heritage significance---” (The Environmental Protection Agency subsequently ordered a survey".) Then on the 3rd of December 2003 Having clarified the listing boundary, the Queensland
Heritage Council’s Assessor’s final Decision states:
“Assessors Decision⁴: That the place is of cultural heritage significance, and
satisfies one or more of the criteria under section 23(1) of the Act.---”
The Heritage listing was objected to by the following:-

The Objectors^3&4.

There were four (4) Objectors to Heritage Listing of the
Cairns Yacht Club building.
1. The Cairns Port Authority.
2. The Cairns City Council. Led by Mayor Kevin Byrne
3. Tourism Tropical North Queensland.
4. The Hilton Hotel.

NOTE: Another objector is listed on the initial report from the Assessor^3,
namely ADVANCE CAIRNS.  Advance Cairns is a quango set up by Kevin Byrne and the then CEO of the Port Authority Brad Geatches.

The reasons for their objections where found to be the same as that given by
Cairns Port Authority⁵. For example, an Ordinary Meeting of the Cairns City
Council, dated 25th of December 2003, states :
“Council--- resolved to lodge an objection based on the grounds of the
heritage assessment undertaken by the Cairns Port Authority---
--- that the building has a high value for the residence of Cairns. The heritage
assessment undertaken for the Port Authority acknowledges that the social
significance of the place may be demonstrated at local level but no evidence to support it at state level.⁶”
(Note a place does not have to be of State importance to qualify, it,  satisfied the requirements of the Act, but that didn't stop what then happened.. )
⁴ Assessors Report - Michael Kennedy, qualified Brisbane architect-03.12.2003
⁵ Cairns City Council-Ordinary Meeting 25.09.03 p.1
⁶ Cairns City Council-Ordinary Meeting 25.09.03 p.2

The Vote.
On Friday the 12th of December 2003 the Heritage Council met in
Brisbane to decide the matter^7.
Of the twelve member Council two came from North Queensland. Although
both were in favour of heritage listing neither voted.
The reasons for not voting were, in one case, on so called ethical grounds⁷, because of a direct involvement in the preparation of the submission for Listing of the place (Dr. Wagner). In the second case the other North Queensland Council Member failed to attend⁷.
The outcome of the vote made by the remaining ten council members, that
included the chairman, professor John Brannock, was split, five in favour to
five against^7.
In this situation the chairman has another vote. He, professor John Brannock,
chose to vote against Listing^7.
It should be noted that the professor resigned 6 months later.
(History: it should also be noted that CEO of the Cairns City Council, The Cairns Port Authority and Tourism Tropical North Queensland, have all since resigned.)

The Fallout.
The level of disappointment, cynicism and anger at the decision
was great. It should also be noted that, the vast majority of the public were, at this point, unaware of any objectors to heritage listing of the place, or the
manner in which it failed. As the facts of the matter came to light, using the Freedom of Information Act, questions were raised.
For example:
1. Why, did the chairman of the Queensland Heritage Council, do a 180 degree
turn, when a few months earlier, following an inspection of the place, he clearly supported Heritage Listing.
2. Why, when placed in the position of a split vote, did professor John Brannock ignore, respectively, the Decision of the Assessor and the opinions of the two North Queensland Council Members, one of whom was told to leave the meeting while the vote was called, and of whom favoured listing of the place.
7 Copy of Letter to R.Taylor from the Ministry for Environment.(12.05.04) ⁴

In Summary:
1. The Objectors claimed:
“The place is not of cultural heritage significance,---”
2. The Report of the Queensland Heritage Council’s Assessor states:
“The place is of cultural heritage significance,---“
3. The two North Queensland Heritage Council members were both in
favour of heritage listing.
4. In the May of 2003 the chairman of the Queensland Heritage Council,
Professor John Brannock, led everyone to believe, in his statement to the
Cairns Post, that he was strongly in favour of heritage listing.
5. When met with a split vote situation the chairman of the Queensland
Heritage Council, Professor John Brannock:
a) Ignored the Council Assessor’s Decision.
(note: DECISION- not opinion)
b) Ignored the views of the two North Queensland
Members of the Heritage Council.
and finally, c) Reneged on his media release to the public, via the
Cairns Post, and voted against the heritage listing
of the place.
Since its failure to gain State Heritage listing, the historic value of the Cairns Yacht Club Building has been acknowledged on state and national basis when it was listed on :
a) Australian Council of National Trusts 2004 Endangered places List.
b) The National Trust of the Queensland Register.(31st March 2005)
So much for the Objectors claim that: “---acknowledges that the social significance of the place may be demonstrated at local level but no evidence to support it at state level.”
At a meeting on the 27th of August 2004 the QHC issued the Cairns Port Authority with a Certificate of Immunity the effect of which was that the Cairns Yacht Club Building could not be entered on the Heritage Register for a period of five years. Of the Objectors, the following should be noted:
Bill Calderwood-CEO Tourism Tropical North Queensland- Resigned.
Brad Geatches -CEO Cairns Port Authority- Resigned.
David Maguire -CEO Advance Cairns- Resigned.
Ray Taylor
Little Mulgrave-North Queensland
September-2005
7. It should be noted that the Cairns Historical Society supported and helped provide valuable information for saving the 100 year old Cairns Aquatic Club.  Dr. Jan Wegner, a Professor at the Cairns James Cook University is a Director of the Cairns Historical Society and because of her knowledge and expertise is a permanent appointed member of the committee of the Queensland Heritage Council, however as stated above, Dr.Wegner was denied a vote at the fatefull meeting.

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The 10 members of the Cairns Heritage Group believes that the make up of the Council on the day of the decision not to list the building was carefully manipulated so that the outcome would fall into line with the State Governments will to demolish the building to make way for more high rise units along the face of the Inlet fronting the Casino to the main wharves.

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Here are excerpts from the latest letter from Hon Paul Lucas, Deputy Premier and one of two shareholder Directors in the Cairns Port Authority. To the Chairman of the Cairns Heritage Group, Rob Williams dated 17th December 2007.

"The Cairns Port Authority (CPA) has been undertaking the Cityport North Project, which has delivered unprecedented public waterfront access and amenity in Cairns",
"Extensive community consultation has occurred at each stage of the Cityport Project."
"While the Cairns Yacht Club (clubhouse) is located on a site owned by the CPA, the building itself and internal fittings are owned by the CYC." 

Our note:: The Cairns Port Authority has put the onus of removing or demolishing this Historical building squarely at the feet of the Cairns Yacht Club Committee and like Pontius Pilot attempts to wash its hands of the destruction of our Heritage, hoping instead, that the stigma will be worn by the Cairns Yacht Club Committee.

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What can YOU do about the intransigence of the Queensland State Government?

For your voice to be heard in Parliament you need to..

Write to the two Shareholders of the Cairns Port Authority, They are,

The Premier, The Hon Anna Bligh and the Deputy Premier, The Hon Paul Lucas at the following address; P.O. Box 15009 City East Queensland 4002.

Send copies to

The Minister for Heritage
The Hon Ms Lindy Nelson-Carr
Level 13 111 George Street BRISBANE QLD, 4000

Your local Member

The Hon Ms Desley Boyle

The Leader of the Opposition
Mr. Jeff Seeney

  64 Callide Street, BILOELA, QLD, 4715

and particularly

Miss Fiona Simpson,
Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Planning, Shadow Minister for Tourism Suite 1 Cnr First & Memorial Avenues MAROOCHYDORE, QLD, 4558

(A lady who attended our Centenary Ball and knows the Cairns Yacht Club house )

and

The Hon Peter Garrett MP

House of Representatives
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

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Make the following statements if you believe them to be true..

1.   I do not believe that the Cairns Port Authority has delivered unprecedented public waterfront access and amenity in Cairns.  We have lost a lot more than we have gained.
2.  I am not aware of any extensive community consultation carried out by the Cairns Port Authority or that any consultation with the community has occurred at each stage of the Cityport Project.
3.   That the building structure called "Harbour Lights" was not open to any transparency or public consultation and that the details of the transaction with the developers is still secret. That it is not an amenity for the people of Cairns City and like other CPA projects has no public input from the Ratepayers of Cairns.

4.   That the Cairns public has lost a great deal of their beloved waterfront and amenities, boat ramp, Historical Marlin Wharf, Hales Wharf, Trinity Inlet views and access due to the activities of the Cairns Port Authority.
5.      5,000 Cairns City ratepayers and voters, signed a petition that was presented to your government, I strongly object to the fact that it took 12 months to answer and then you disregarded our plea to save the Cairns Yacht Clubhouse.

6. The Cairns Aquatic Club will be 100 years old on 30th March 2008 and will be celebrated by a Centenary Regatta run by the Cairns Yacht Club and supported by the Cairns Tropic Jazz Club with a Festival of music.

7.   As the Cairns Aquatic Club house has National significance by virture of its involvement in World War II, and a Nomination for National Heritage is with the Federal Government now.   I request that the your State Government remove the Certificate of Immunity you have placed on the Cairns Yacht Club building and allow Cairns City people to renominate the building for further consideration of a State Heritage Listing.

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Important

--  sign the letter with your name, address and phone number --

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"I was once told that, if you want to gain attention from government, take hold of the tree trunk and shake it with all your strength. Even the leaves right at the top will shake." Rob Williams.

Disclaimer:: The Cairns Tropic Jazz Club has a vested interest in seeing the Aquatic preserved. The CTJC plays there every Thursday Night and have done so for 174 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 Tropic Jazz Club Inc.
Signed Rob Williams President Cairns Tropic Jazz Club Inc
Chairman Cairns Heritage Group
21122007