The Scenic Amenity Study aims to identify and assess the visual qualities and landscape values, or natural beauty, of Cairns. By understanding the scenic qualities of Cairns, we can make better decisions to inform land use policy and guide development in a way that protects and enhances the region’s natural beauty so that it remains an appealing place to live, work in, and visit.

Towards 2050: Shaping Cairns has a critical role to play in protecting and enhancing scenic amenity values for current and future generations of Cairns residents, while enhancing the sustainability and liveability of the region.

The Scenic Amenity Study is one of a suite of technical studies being prepared for the Towards 2050 Growth Strategy project. This Study will integrate current community preferences - as identified through the Scenic Preference Survey - with contemporary themes and policies to help identify and assess the scenic qualities of Cairns and guide its protection and management.

Scenic amenity is defined as “a measure of the relative contribution of each place in the landscape to the collective appreciation of open space as viewed from places that are important to the public” (Department of Natural Resources, 2001).

It refers to the visual qualities and landscape values of a place. It is a combination of two factors: scenic preference and visual exposure.

Scenic preference is defined as “a rating of the community’s liking for scenery of open space compared to areas occupied by built structures, measured using photographs” (Department of Natural Resources, 2001).

It indicates people’s relative preference for different landscape features

Visual exposure is defined as “a measure of the extent to which a place in the landscape is seen from important public viewing locations (e.g. roads, recreation areas, schools, golf courses)” (Department of Natural Resources, 2001)

Visual exposure can be defined as a measure of a relative visibility of different parts of the landscape.

The Scenic Amenity Study involves evaluating the planning context at multiple levels of government that underpins the protection and enhancement of scenic amenity values. It implements the technical guidelines and procedures that are endorsed by state and local government to assist in determining these values.

The process of conducting the Scenic Amenity Study is a collective effort that involves identifying key stakeholders, engaging local communities and providing key findings and recommendations to ensure future growth retains the intrinsic and scenic qualities of Cairns. One of the integral components to conducting this study is understanding the local community’s preference and appreciation of the scenic qualities of the Cairns region.

This is done through a Scenic Preference Survey where community members are asked to rate scenes of the various landscapes within Cairns and rank the visual elements for their importance. Participants are asked to share where their favourite scenic place in Cairns is, and what are the qualities that define its scenic qualities.

The Scenic Preference Survey follows a standard methodology that was first adopted in south-east Queensland. This methodology has since been endorsed by Queensland Government and used by other local government areas in Queensland to assess community scenic preferences (please refer to the Document Library).

The information on the community's scenic preferences is then categorised, combined and compared with previous studies and reports and mapping of visual exposure to map out the scenic qualities in Cairns.