Cairns City Council Chambers

The Cairns City Council Chambers were constructed during 1929-30 by local builder Alex McKenzie. Designed by the architectural partnership of Richard Hill and Arthur John Taylor, the building was opened on 11 August 1930. During the 1920s, Cairns experienced unprecedented building activity as a consequence of damage from regular summer cyclones. By 1920 the local newspaper was advocating for the construction of brick or concrete cyclone-proof buildings. The Mayor recognised the need to replace the old 1886 timber office, stating in 1921 that the last cyclone showed the building would not survive another one. The new council offices with Classical design features, such as a characteristic temple facade, ionic columns and geometric symmetry, reflect other buildings in Cairns constructed during the interwar period, including the Courthouse and the Cairns Post newspaper office. After the construction of new council offices in 1998, this building was transformed into the Cairns library. A special feature of the City Library is the Literary Trail, a display of public artworks completed in 1999 by local artists. It builds on the inspiration of literary works by authors who have resided at one time or other in the Cairns Region.