We put the spotlight on construction projects in Queensland that are generating jobs and boosting the economy, with Cairns taking the lead in far North Queensland.
Last week we learnt that Queensland is leading the way, when it comes to the growth of advertised employment opportunities in the construction sector.
This week, we’ll take a closer look at some of the projects that are creating more jobs in regional Queensland.
Cairns is a hot spot for much of this activity, hosting a number of high-profile projects, such as the 400 million dollar Mount Emerald Wind Farm and the Cairns Performing Arts Centre – expected to be completed in April 2018.
The Cairns Aquarium is a good example of upgrades to tourism assets generating significant growth. This multi-million dollar infrastructure project will open in 2017, serving as Cairns’ largest and newest attraction.
These projects put the Far North in a better position than other regional centres. Their success can be traced back to the booming tourism sector, according to Robert Sobyra, director of evidence and data at Construction Skills Queensland.
He recently told the Regional Major Projects Forum that some areas in Queensland are struggling, but the sense of optimism is justified in Cairns.
“Now, with the Australian dollar lowering and rise of the Chinese middle class, there’s a huge amount of tourism and service export potential for the Far North,” Mr Sobyra said.
“We forecast a great period of growth for the region over the next five to 10 years as investment comes to upgrade tourism assets.”
These benefits could stretch to other parts of Queensland, as the state government plans to introduce projects and programs that will create thousands of jobs across Queensland.
This includes generating over 7000 construction jobs for 19 major private sector projects (with a combined private sector investment of 26 billion dollars).
The Queen’s Wharf Brisbane development is one example. Once completed, it will feature five luxury hotels, 2000 apartments, retail outlets, restaurants and a bridge to South Park.
