Since it first opened over three decades ago in September 1990, the international terminal at Australia's Cairns Airport has never undergone any significant upgrades until this year. Scheduled to begin sometime in April, contractors are preparing to start work on a multi-million-dollar overhaul of the international terminal building.
Getting a much-needed transformation
According to Chief Executive Officer of Cairns Airport, Richard Barker, the redevelopment of the international terminal will be rolled out in stages to minimize passenger disruption. Staff from the contractors - Hutchinson Builders, will be on site from March onwards, and work is due to begin early in April.
The first order of business would be the removal of the terminal's iconic and significantly distinctive blue carpet, which will eventually be replaced with modern, luxurious tiles. Baker describes the use of tiles as:
"The carpet has certainly been a talking point over the years, and while it has served us well, it's time for something new and fresh. The terminal will be transformed into a contemporary space that reflects the dynamic atmosphere of our region from the moment visitors arrive."
And since the blue carpet has been the primary identification point of Cairns Airport's international terminal building since it first opened, Barker confirms that a fun farewell will be planned for it, and the community can get involved.
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Plenty of glass is expected in the first stage
Once the farewell party and blue carpet are out of the way, the proper first stage of the redevelopment can begin. It involves a complete makeover of the check-in and arrival areas, including installing new escalators, elevators, bathrooms, fresh paint colors, modern artwork, and comfier furnishings.
The external facade of the terminal building will also be re-cladded alongside the installation of four new, state-of-the-art glass airbridges that will give passengers a panoramic view of the nearby mountains and waterways as soon as they land.
With significant changes already planned for the first stage of redevelopment, and with that many intricate details involving glasswork and design work, the overhaul is expected to take about 14 months to complete and will generate up to 100 jobs during the construction phase.
Expanded spaces expected in the subsequent stages
The second stage will focus on enhancing passengers' arrival experience with new baggage belts and an expanded passenger movement area to increase the terminal's capacity. Then in the third and final stage, the departure areas will be overhauled with new layouts and improved seating spaces.
Unfortunately, any official artist's impressions of the three-stage redevelopment have yet to be found or provided at this time of writing, so the final look is entirely up to anyone's imagination. But Barker provided some hints, as he said:
"Lighting, materials, furnishing, and greenery have been selected to reflect each of Far North Queensland’s rich landscapes in different areas of the terminal, from the rainforest to the reef, coast, and mangroves."
Baker also hints that the revamped terminal aims to integrate Traditional Custodians' connection to the country and that the redevelopment will use locally sourced materials such as timber and stone wherever possible. Local artists and designers will also be engaged for the new furniture and artwork.
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An exciting future for Cairns Airport
While there's no expected timeline of when all of the overhaul works will be completed, the total cost of the upgrade is estimated to be around AUD$40 to AUD$50 million ($29.6 to $33.63 million). And with Cairns Airport already being Australia's seventh busiest for international passengers, the modernized end-product will certainly boost the airport's popularity and usage.