The Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal. Image courtesy of Ports North

Ports North and Converge Heritage + Community were recognised for the adaptive reuse of the Queensland heritage-listed No. 3 Wharf Shed to the Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal at the National Trust of Queensland Bendigo Bank Heritage Awards held in Brisbane on Thursday 25 August.  The project was awarded a Gold Queensland Heritage Council Award, which recognises achievement in the conservation of places entered on the Queensland Heritage Register, and the John Herbert Memorial Award for the most outstanding nomination across all the award categories. The Heritage Awards recognise the exceptional cultural heritage projects undertaken throughout Queensland and have been held annually for over thirty years.

The Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal was originally a wharf shed that was constructed between 1912 and 1914.  It was part of a wharf improvement scheme undertaken by the Cairns Harbour Board, which resulted in the construction of reinforced concrete wharves, wharf sheds and railway infrastructure.  The scheme was significant for its time.  It was a major development in Cairns and it was also an early use of reinforced concrete in wharf construction in Australia.  The significance of the wharf complex has been recognised by its entry on the Queensland Heritage Register. 

The Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal project focused on the adaptive reuse of No. 3 Wharf Shed for the terminal.  Converge Heritage + Community was the appointed heritage consultant for the project and worked closely with the Project team, which included architects, engineers and a material conservation expert, to deliver a functional terminal whilst conserving and interpreting the heritage values of the shed and the broader wharf complex.    

Benjamin Gall, Director of Converge Heritage + Community, said: “We developed a heritage strategy for the shed that ensured relevant aspects of the historic fabric and features of the shed were retained in the new development.  This included the original cargo doors, corrugated sheeting, 1940s clock tower and impressive internal timber columns.  The railway that serviced the wharf sheds was also retained, so people can continue to appreciate how the wharves functioned in the past.  The redevelopment is vitally important because the shed is once again being used.  This ensures local residents and visitors can now access an important aspect of the region’s history.”

Ports North Chair, Dr. Ken Chapman, said the Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal has been one of the biggest infrastructure projects in Cairns in recent years and was a critical part of Ports North’s drive to support investment and economic development in Cairns: “We wanted a terminal that locals can be proud of and that’s what has been achieved.  It’s a privilege to receive these awards and to be recognised by the National Trust of Queensland, which is so highly regarded.”

The Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal has also received a number of recent architectural awards, including the Eddie Oribin Building of the Year award for Far North Queensland and the Don Roderick Award for Heritage, awarded by the Australian Institute of Architects.

Download the full Media Release here

Read more about our work on the Heritage Interpretation & Adaptive Re-use of the Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal