The millions pour in $50 million for Triton Palace and now $60 million for Sea Temple Resort and Spa to be built next door to the south.

With a headline "Sea Change - Palm Cove takes on Port and Noosa," Cairns Post of 26 July said it was the latest in a string of developments for Palm Cove which would help establish the area as a major centre for resort accommodation in the state.

Palm Cove's future has always been assured, but now after a decade of the doldrums, things were starting to move, it said.

Mr Shaun Juniper of Queensland developers Juniper, who are building the resort, said : "Sea Temple's architectural style is reflective of the premium quality resorts found in the highlands and beaches of Asia and will set a new benchmark for beachfront resort apartments in Tropical North Queensland."

The complex will have 83 villas and apartments which will sell from $525,000 to $1.5 million. Northern Development Industry Association chairman Greg Wood said development of Palm Cove beachfront will soon be at its maximum. "The last couple of years we've gone from boiled lollies to chocolates as far as the peak end of the market goes," he said. Eleven Sea Temple apartments, fully furnished in "modern Asian overtones," have already been sold.

The designers, Desmond Brooks International Architects, designed the Sheraton Mirage resorts at Port Douglas and the Gold Coast.

$20,000 day for Double Island

OWNER Sean Howard will lease the whole of Double Island for $20,000 a day.

The flat fee includes exclusive accommodation for up to 60 people in 24 rooms, all meals and resort facilities, and hired staff from the mainland. "This is for companies who want to hold conferences or weddings or a family who might want it as a private playground,"Mr Howard, a part founder of OzEmail in 1992, said. Howard used part of the funds from the sale of his shares in OzEmail to purchase Double Island in late 2000 for $4.5 million and has since added a gym and water pipeline from the mainland. The only permanent employee is his resort manager.
Over the New Year period, film star Keanu Reeves rented the island along with a party of 30 friends including actors Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston, Keefer Sutherland, and Matt Damon.

Brad loves us

AMERICAN megastar Brad Pitt says he likes the far north and there should be a major film studio here. Pitt is regarded as one of the most influential actors in Hollywood," Cairns Post said in an editorial of 25 July. "When one of Hollywood's leading stars endorses somewhere or something, you can bet a lot of people will stand up and take notice," it said. Pitt and wife Jennifer Aniston were guests at fellow actor Keanu Reeves' exclusive New Year's Eve bash at Double Island. The actor said Cairns had great food and great ambience. It was believed the couple had bought property near Port Douglas recently. Pitt said he already had investors interested in a $14 million film centre with three soundproof studios in Cairns, plans for which were being developed in the US. Comment: The actor said why he liked Cairns. "The locals leave you alone. They are used to having visits from the biggest names in the world," he is understood to have said.
Perhaps we can thank Carol Farley's staff member Lynn Hart for not recognising Keanu Reeves when he called into the shop for sunglasses last January. "Keanu and I chatted away for 20 minutes and I didn't know who he was until I saw him in the next day's paper," she said.

The owner said the policy of hiring out the island resort on a daily basis avoided the high cost of keeping it open fulltime. "It was that expense that put the previous owners out of business," he said.

(Ref : Cairns Post 20/7/02)

Letter to Editor

Having noticed the rather strange names of our steets : Terebra, Thais, Lambus, Amphora, etc, I am wondering what they meant or perhaps who they were named after. Can any reader advise, please?

- Jan Smark Nilssen, Terebra St.

Taking the bit firmly between my teeth, I called at the Cairns Historical Society in town. "Yes, we have just what you need," they said. It was a book of place names for Cairns. I found the person who named our streets had an obvious preoccupation.
Caryota Close was named after the Caryota Palm. French St was named after Eric French, a headmaster who did good work for Mulgrave Shire.

Veivers Rd was named after Rob Veivers,the first resident of Palm Cove (but we all knew that, didn't we?) Williams Esplanade was named after Cecil Williams, one-time shire clerk for Mulgrave and later town clerk for Cairns.

But would you believe this? Amphora, Bursa, Drupa, Harpa, Lambus, Oliva, Talpa, Terebra, Thais, Triton and Trivia Streets were ALL named after shells. There was, however, one welcome change. Cedar Road was named after a tree. - Ed.

AMPHORA ST TO GET SHOULDER SEAL

Unsealed road shoulders in Amphora St from Harpa St to the end will be sealed by council this year as part of its Suburban Enhancement Program, the Cairns Post 20 July said.

Film Tax Carrot

FILM makers who spend $A15 million or more on a production in Australia will earn a 12.5% tax rebate, a new law has provided.

The Act, passed by Federal Parliament this year, will save film producers millions of dollars or about 10% of the film's cost.

"Combined with Australia's weak currency, state government incentives, and cheap labour costs, Australia becomes one of the most viable places in the world to shoot a movie," AusFILM's film commissioner David Pratt said.