Towards 2050: Shaping Cairns

Cairns is a popular place to live and work, and our population will grow even more in the coming decades. Council’s Towards 2050 Shaping Cairns project is planning for this growth now, to make sure everyone can live here and enjoy what we love about Cairns today.

Have your say: Draft Growth Strategy

Over the past few years, we have been working to understand what we want the future of our region to look like — not just for ourselves, but for generations to come.

During this time we have listened to the community, tested outcomes and studied influences. All of our work has led to the development of the Draft Growth Strategy. We now want to hear what you think about it!

We encourage you to read the Explanatory guide and consultation paper (20MB PDF) which provides a summary and explains the key concepts that are covered in the draft Growth Strategy.

You can explore the outcomes and strategies in more detail by reading the Draft Growth Strategy document (107MB PDF).

We then invite you to share your thoughts with us. Complete our short feedback form below to tell us what you think about our decisions and priorities for sustainable growth in Cairns. Your feedback will help us to understand which parts of the Draft Growth Strategy connect with you, and which parts do not. The form will be open from 2 May 2025 and will close at 5pm on 24 June 2025.


Project phases

The Towards 2050 project will be delivered in four phases with community engagement at the centre of every step we take.
  • Timeline item 1 - complete

    Phase 1: Commit and get ready (Oct - Dec 2022)

    This phase will seek to understand what makes Cairns special; explore the community's hopes for the future and formulate Vision and Growth Strategy Framework.

  • Timeline item 2 - complete

    Phase 2: Identify and assess (Oct 2022 - Aug 2023)

    refine the vision for the future of Cairns.

    Capture input to inform the technical direction which will shape our growth options.

  • Timeline item 3 - active

    Phase 3: Shape the strategy (Sept 2023 - August 2025)

    Develop scenarios for growth and evaluate against community's feedback and guiding principles.

    Develop Draft Growth Strategy

  • Timeline item 4 - incomplete

    Phase 4: Finalise Towards 2050 Growth Strategy (June 2025 - July 2025)

    Finalise Towards 2050: Shaping Cairns Growth Strategy

Pop-up sessions (4 May - 22 June 2025)

Visit our information stalls at the following locations and chat with our planning team about the Draft Growth Strategy and Towards 2050 project.

Saturday 24 May 2025

Redlynch Central Shopping Centre

Redlynch Intake Road, Redlynch

Sunday 25 May 2025

Tanks Markets

Collins Avenue, Edge Hill

Sunday 1 June 2025

Mount Sheridan Plaza

Barnard Drive, Mount Sheridan

Register for Towards 2050 project updates

You can receive project updates and notification of community engagement activities.

Contact Us

Have questions or want to learn more about a project, contact us below:

Contact Information
Name The Towards 2050 Team
Phone 1300 69 22 47
Email towards2050@cairns.qld.gov.au
Website haveyoursay.cairns.qld.gov.au/towards2050