Cairns to Smithfield
Captian Cook Highway, Cairns CBD to Smithfield, upgrade (C2S)
Road Connectivity
An integrated and efficient road transport network is critical for economic stability and growth in Far North Queensland, a region of 380,000km² which includes some of the nation’s most remote communities. The region’s inland roads and Cairns’ access to the northern beaches and Tablelands play a vital role in enabling the productivity of northern Australia and the contribution to the national economy through improved connectivity to southern markets. The disruption and dislocation to these road networks in the wake of ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper have underpinned the importance of these links to the region and indeed, to the nation. Growth in population, employment, tourism and freight volumes coupled with the increasing importance of food security, means safety and capacity requirements will only be exacerbated. Investment in FNQ’s road connectivity is crucial to avoid nationally significant productivity losses, to connect rural and remote communities and to ensure continued regional and state economic development.
The road network spanning Cairns’ northern beaches is of regional significance and remains essential to Far North Queensland’s future prosperity and liveability. A cohesive and effective road network between Cairns’ CBD and northern beaches guarantees access to vital healthcare, education and community services in addition to resident, tourist and trade and business connectivity.
An integrated and efficient road transport network is critical for economic stability and growth. Population growth in FNQ, and the Cairns northern beaches in particular, calls for an immediate response with this corridor plagued by accidents, lengthy delays and bottlenecks.
Master planning, including a staged approach for the upgrades is underway. The expected completion date for this work was late 2023, however this has been deferred until mid-2025.
Upgrades to the Captain Cook Highway, Cairns CBD to Smithfield are of even greater importance in the wake of record-breaking flooding in the wake of ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper, highlighting the region’s vulnerabilities relating to transport and infrastructure. It is imperative for the future prosperity and liveability of Cairns that the Captain Cook Highway, Cairns CBD to Smithfield, upgrade be undertaken as a matter of urgency to meet pressing current and future needs. This is critical to building a resilient future for the region.
Funding
This project is funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments and was announced as part of the 2019-20 Federal Budget.
 |
Australian Government $287.2 million |
 |
Queensland Government $71.8 million |
Benefits to the region
• Enhance regional connectivity.
• Enhance disaster and climate resilience.
• Improve accessibility.
• Decrease travel time, increase road network reliability and mitigate loss of productivity.
• Improve safety, reducing number and severity of crashes.
• Encourage use of active and public transport.
Recommendation
Queensland Government
The Queensland Government allocates $96m towards the Captain Cook Highway (Cairns CBD to Smithfield upgrade) over four years from 2024-25 in accordance with the Queensland Transport and Roads Investment Program 2024-25 to 2027-28.
Australian Government
The Australian Government commit $287.2 million towards the Captain Cook Highway, Cairns CBD to Smithfield, upgrade (C2S).
Overview
An integrated and efficient road transport network is critical for economic stability and growth. Population growth in FNQ and the Cairns northern beaches in particular, calls for an immediate response with this corridor plagued by accidents, lengthy delays and bottlenecks.
The road network provides vital access to the region’s resident population of more than 285,000[i] (with up to 50,000 tourists during peak holiday season) ensuring accessibility to health, education, community services, and trade. Due to continued population growth, FNQ’s road transport system faces increasing pressure – which is particularly evident on Cairns’ northern beaches. Meeting the growing demand for freight has strained existing infrastructure, impacting on transport costs and service levels across the supply chain.
The need to upgrade Captain Cook Highway to enhance connectivity was recognised by the Australian Government in the National Land Transport Network Determination 2020. The National Highway A1 was extended by the Australian Government in 2020 to the intersection of Captain Cook and Kennedy Highways and Mount Milman Drive, Smithfield, north of Cairns. In 2019, prior to this road re-classification, the Australian Government announced it would fund the road upgrades to Smithfield together with the Queensland Government on an 80:20 basis.
Master planning for the Captain Cook Highway, Cairns CBD to Smithfield, upgrade is currently underway with a priority $359m Stage 1 project identified (Florence Street to Aeroglen Drive). Master planning, including a staged approach for upgrades, is expected to be complete mid-2025.
With Cairns’ (SA4) population projected to reach over 330,000 people by 2046[ii] – an increase of more than 75,000 – the geographic constraints of a linear city bound by the World Heritage-listed mountains and rainforest to the west and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park to the east significantly impedes both population expansion and the ability to build new roads. Upgrades to the Captain Cook Highway, Cairns CBD to Smithfield are of even greater importance in the wake of record-breaking flooding caused by ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper, highlighting the region’s vulnerabilities relating to transport and infrastructure. It is imperative for the future prosperity and liveability of Cairns that the Captain Cook Highway, Cairns CBD to Smithfield, upgrade be undertaken as a matter of urgency to meet pressing current and future needs and not least, to build resilience.
[i] Economy.id, Population, Far North Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils, last updated June 30, 2023, https://economy.id.com.au/fnqroc/population
[ii] Queensland Government population projections, 2023 edition; Australian Bureau of Statistics, Regional Population, 2021
Last updated: February 2024
An integrated and efficient road transport network is critical for economic stability and growth. Population growth in FNQ, and the Cairns northern beaches in particular, calls for an immediate response with this corridor plagued by accidents, lengthy delays and bottlenecks.
Master planning, including a staged approach for the upgrades is underway. The expected completion date for this work was late 2023, however this has been deferred until mid-2025.
Upgrades to the Captain Cook Highway, Cairns CBD to Smithfield are of even greater importance in the wake of record-breaking flooding in the wake of ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper, highlighting the region’s vulnerabilities relating to transport and infrastructure. It is imperative for the future prosperity and liveability of Cairns that the Captain Cook Highway, Cairns CBD to Smithfield, upgrade be undertaken as a matter of urgency to meet pressing current and future needs. This is critical to building a resilient future for the region.
Funding
This project is funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments and was announced as part of the 2019-20 Federal Budget.
| Australian Government $287.2 million |
Queensland Government $71.8 million |
Benefits to the region
• Enhance regional connectivity.
• Enhance disaster and climate resilience.
• Improve accessibility.
• Decrease travel time, increase road network reliability and mitigate loss of productivity.
• Improve safety, reducing number and severity of crashes.
• Encourage use of active and public transport.
Recommendation
Queensland Government
The Queensland Government allocates $96m towards the Captain Cook Highway (Cairns CBD to Smithfield upgrade) over four years from 2024-25 in accordance with the Queensland Transport and Roads Investment Program 2024-25 to 2027-28.
Australian Government
The Australian Government commit $287.2 million towards the Captain Cook Highway, Cairns CBD to Smithfield, upgrade (C2S).
Overview
An integrated and efficient road transport network is critical for economic stability and growth. Population growth in FNQ and the Cairns northern beaches in particular, calls for an immediate response with this corridor plagued by accidents, lengthy delays and bottlenecks.
The road network provides vital access to the region’s resident population of more than 285,000[i] (with up to 50,000 tourists during peak holiday season) ensuring accessibility to health, education, community services, and trade. Due to continued population growth, FNQ’s road transport system faces increasing pressure – which is particularly evident on Cairns’ northern beaches. Meeting the growing demand for freight has strained existing infrastructure, impacting on transport costs and service levels across the supply chain.
The need to upgrade Captain Cook Highway to enhance connectivity was recognised by the Australian Government in the National Land Transport Network Determination 2020. The National Highway A1 was extended by the Australian Government in 2020 to the intersection of Captain Cook and Kennedy Highways and Mount Milman Drive, Smithfield, north of Cairns. In 2019, prior to this road re-classification, the Australian Government announced it would fund the road upgrades to Smithfield together with the Queensland Government on an 80:20 basis.
Master planning for the Captain Cook Highway, Cairns CBD to Smithfield, upgrade is currently underway with a priority $359m Stage 1 project identified (Florence Street to Aeroglen Drive). Master planning, including a staged approach for upgrades, is expected to be complete mid-2025.
With Cairns’ (SA4) population projected to reach over 330,000 people by 2046[ii] – an increase of more than 75,000 – the geographic constraints of a linear city bound by the World Heritage-listed mountains and rainforest to the west and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park to the east significantly impedes both population expansion and the ability to build new roads. Upgrades to the Captain Cook Highway, Cairns CBD to Smithfield are of even greater importance in the wake of record-breaking flooding caused by ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper, highlighting the region’s vulnerabilities relating to transport and infrastructure. It is imperative for the future prosperity and liveability of Cairns that the Captain Cook Highway, Cairns CBD to Smithfield, upgrade be undertaken as a matter of urgency to meet pressing current and future needs and not least, to build resilience.
[i] Economy.id, Population, Far North Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils, last updated June 30, 2023, https://economy.id.com.au/fnqroc/population
[ii] Queensland Government population projections, 2023 edition; Australian Bureau of Statistics, Regional Population, 2021
Last updated: February 2024
