13
REGIONAL INVESTMENT PROSPECTUS AUSTRALIA CAIRNS

CaiRns...Cairns is the world’s most liveable tropical city. Perfectly positioned, it’s natural beauty and diverse landscape has made it both an international tourism destination

  • Upload
    others

  • View
    1

  • Download
    0

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: CaiRns...Cairns is the world’s most liveable tropical city. Perfectly positioned, it’s natural beauty and diverse landscape has made it both an international tourism destination

Regional investment ProsPectus

AustrALIA

CaiRns

Page 2: CaiRns...Cairns is the world’s most liveable tropical city. Perfectly positioned, it’s natural beauty and diverse landscape has made it both an international tourism destination

Cairns is the world’s most liveable tropical city. Perfectly positioned, it’s natural beauty and diverse landscape has made it both an international tourism destination and a desirable lifestyle region.

our region’s economic base is founded on its natural resources and unique natural environment.

in the early years, mining, timber and grazing drove an explosion of migration, settlement and development. attracting people from the southern parts of australia as well as those from europe, the United Kingdom, China and many other countries, the region has a very long history as a cultural melting pot, adding great diversity to our society.

over time, the sugar industry became the major industry on the coastal plain, with the atherton tablelands establishing itself as the food bowl for the coast, with diverse cropping and australia’s only tropical dairy industry.

Recognised also for its excellent fishing, the industry grew to become one of the region’s key economic mainstays. advancements in innovation and technology have seen the development of a burgeoning aquaculture industry which now exports product all over the world.

tourism in the region was established during the 1960’s and is one of the largest industries in the region. the opening of the Cairns international airport underpinned the development of the modern international tourism industry we see today.

the bountiful and beautiful districts that surround the city of Cairns have much to offer the prospective investor.

the atherton tablelands region to the west of Cairns is emerging as one of the most exciting places in north Queensland to live and do business. Due to its varied climate, rich agricultural soils and plentiful irrigation water, the tablelands is a prolific producer of agricultural commodities to australia and the world.

the Cassowary Coast region to the south of Cairns offers a relaxed, outdoor lifestyle with essential services readily available. With a healthy annual rainfall, this area is also one of the greenest in australia, making it ideal for the production of tropical crops such as sugar cane and bananas.

the pioneering spirit that established and developed the Cook shire to the north of Cairns is still alive and strong in the 21st century. the region’s main economic drivers are beef cattle, mining, fishing and horticultural industries.

this investment Prospectus provides a window of opportunity for those wishing to discover what makes Cairns and the region so unique and advantageous as an investment destination.

it is with a solid history of growth, a stable economy and unlimited potential that i welcome you to partner with our region to develop a complementary future.

Cam ChaRlton ChaiR, aDvanCe CaiRns

FroM tHe cHAIr oF ADVANce cAIrNs

cAIrNs Is tHe worLD’s

Most LIVeAbLe troPIcAL cIty

Perfectly Positioned,

Its NAturAL beAuty AND

DIVerse LANDscAPe HAs

MADe It botH AN INterNAtIoNAL

tourIsM DestINAtIoN

AND A DesIrAbLe LIFestyLe regIoN

WelcoMe

re

gio

na

l in

ves

tMe

nt

Pr

osP

ec

tus

3

Page 3: CaiRns...Cairns is the world’s most liveable tropical city. Perfectly positioned, it’s natural beauty and diverse landscape has made it both an international tourism destination

cairns and the region is Australia’s premier regional destination and is perfectly positioned for conducting serious business in Australia’s most stunning location.

cairns, the gateway city to the region, is highly regarded because of its location, infrastructure and world class facilities and attractions. It is Australia’s northern gateway to Asia and beyond, and a major service provider into Northern Australia.

As a developed city in the tropics we have the technology, health, education and social structures within a politically stable environment to capitalise upon our natural environment and our global location.

over 3 million passengers move through cairns Airport’s domestic terminal each year. there are direct domestic flights to brisbane, gold coast, sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Darwin and townsville as well as to Alice springs, uluru (Ayers rock) and other regional centres.

cairns Airport is one of Australia’s busiest for international passengers with direct flights from Auckland, tokyo, Hong Kong, shanghai, guam, Port Moresby and to singapore, via Darwin. there are also seasonal flights from guangzhou.

Major industries in the cairns region include tourism, agriculture, construction, mining and retail, with marine and aviation industries experiencing growth and offering opportunities for investment.

the bulk cargo capacity of the Port of cairns includes petroleum products, sugar, fertiliser and liquid petroleum gas. the port is ideally located as a supply and service centre for the mining industry.

PerFectLyPosItIoNeD

• A regional population of nearly 245,000, with an average annual growth rate of 1.9% between 2001 and 2012, compared to australia’s average annual growth rate of 1.5%

• average annual population growth in Cairns of 2.5%

A stroNg regIoNAL ecoNoMy wortH More tHAN $12 bILLIoN AND growINg by 3% ANNuALLy

• A diverse economy which features tourism, agriculture, construction, mining and retail industries, among others

• Exports of $6.9 billion each year

• More than 23,400 registered businesses generating employment for 117,000 locals

• 1.55 million domestic visitors and 690,000 international visitors each year

• annual domestic and international visitor expenditure of $2.46 billion

• A 24/7 curfew free international airport

• More than 140 primary and secondary schools

• A university ranked in the top 4% in the world

fast facts

taipei

Shanghai

taiwan

Kuala lumpar

Denpasar Bali honiara

Port moresby

Guam

Tokyo

Osaka

BrisbaneGold Coast

SydneyCanberra

Melbourne

hobart

Adelaide

Perth

Uluru Alice Springs

Darwin

Hong Kong

Auckland

mumbai

Bangkok

Singapore

cairnsTownsville

1.55 MILLIoN DoMestIc

VIsItors AND 690,000

INterNAtIoNAL VIsItors

eAcH yeAr

re

gio

na

l in

ves

tMe

nt

Pr

osP

ec

tus

5

Page 4: CaiRns...Cairns is the world’s most liveable tropical city. Perfectly positioned, it’s natural beauty and diverse landscape has made it both an international tourism destination

geograPHic ParaMeters

the regional Prospectus is primarily focused on the four Local government areas of tropical North Queensland being the cairns regional council, cassowary coast regional council, the cook shire council and the tablelands regional council.

However, it also acknowledges and integrates the economic links which extend beyond these localities.

these economic links include cape york Peninsula, the gulf of carpentaria, Hinchinbrook, townsville and the neighbouring indigenous communities.

re

gio

na

l in

ves

tMe

nt

Pr

osP

ec

tus

7

Page 5: CaiRns...Cairns is the world’s most liveable tropical city. Perfectly positioned, it’s natural beauty and diverse landscape has made it both an international tourism destination

tHe cAIrNs regIoN’s ecoNoMIc

bAse Is FouNDeD oN Its NAturAL resources AND

uNIQue NAturAL eNVIroNMeNt

the region has a number of key assets that serve to generate central drivers for economic development in the region.

economic assets include:

• excellent climate and soils for diverse agricultural industries and good supplies of clean, harvestable water.

• extensive mineral deposits such as bauxite, copper, zinc, gold and tin.

• renewable energy production including hydroelectric, solar, geothermal and wind power generation.

• well established transport and distribution networks across the region.

• An international airport in cairns and many smaller airports around the region.

• A well-established ports network, including four commercial ports and an international cruise ship terminal.

• Proximity to major Asian and south Pacific markets.

comparative and competitive economic advantages are being built on these assets through:

• building collaborative industry clusters to foster interaction, learning and innovative use of regional assets.

• Value adding to agricultural products.

• research and development focusing on new crops and products that can be derived from the wide range of biomass that can be produced in the region.

• Development of tradable services building on the specialist skills in the region.

contribution of cairns and tHe region to grP

the gross regional Product totalled more than $12 billion as of 30 June 2012. After weathering the delayed impacts of the global Financial crisis, the region’s grP grew by 2.4% for the 12 months to June 2012. the region has achieved 3% average annual growth in grP between 2001 and 2012.

economic growth in Queensland is forecast to be 3% in both 2013-14 and 2014-15, before strengthening to 6% in 2015-16. Queensland’s economy recorded the second highest average annual growth rate of any Australian state or territory over the last 20 years.

soURCe: national institute of economic and industry Research- modelled data.

2002

year ending june

gr

P $

Mil

lio

n

0

4,000

8,000

12,000

2,000

6,000

10,000

14,000

2004 20092006 20112003 20082005 20102007 2012

ecoNoMIc &MArKet sNAPsHot

re

gio

na

l in

ves

tMe

nt

Pr

osP

ec

tus

9

Page 6: CaiRns...Cairns is the world’s most liveable tropical city. Perfectly positioned, it’s natural beauty and diverse landscape has made it both an international tourism destination

Productive industries

the cairns region has significant opportunities for growth and diversification especially in the foundation industries of agriculture and tourism. the emerging growth sectors of aviation, marine, education, health services and tropical expertise have potential to offer high-technology and knowledge-based investment opportunities.

In the region, transport, Postal and warehousing is the most productive industry, generating $1,004 million in 2011-12. this industry includes road, air, rail and sea transport (freight and passenger), as well as postal, warehousing and storage.

Value added by industry is an indicator of business productivity in the region. It shows how productive each industry sector is at increasing the value of its inputs. It is a more refined measure of the productivity of an industry sector than output, as some industries have high levels of output but require large amounts of input expenditure to achieve that.

value added by industry sector 2011-12

industry $m %

transport, Postal and warehousing 1004.1 9.4

construction 929.8 8.7

Health care and social Assistance 907.9 8.5

Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing 862.2 8.1

Public Administration and safety 824.7 7.7

Mining 814.7 7.6

retail trade 767.6 7.2

Manufacturing 657 6.2

Accommodation and Food services 593.9 5.6

wholesale trade 541.2 5.1

education and training 531.5 5.0

Financial and Insurance services 503.9 4.7

Professional, scientific and technical services 477.9 4.5

rental, Hiring and real estate services 284.5 2.7

Administrative and support services 255 2.4

other services 235.5 2.2

electricity, gas, water and waste services 202 1.9

Information Media and telecommunications 173.2 1.6

Arts and recreation services 105.3 1.0

total industries 10,672 100.0

soURCe: national institute of economic and industry Research.

skills and eMPloyMent

As a lifestyle region, many skilled workers are attracted to settle here. Professional skills in the region provide a broad base, encompassing english language tuition, sophisticated medical services, environmental assessment, management and monitoring services, financial and legal services, information and communications technology, scientific research and education.

In the region, retail trade is the largest employer, generating 14,626 local jobs in 2011-12.

eMPloyMent (total) by industry

industry $m %

retail trade 14,626 12.5

Health care and social Assistance 13,894 11.9

construction 13,886 11.9

Accommodation and Food services 11,973 10.3

Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing 9,447 8.1

education and training 7,871 6.7

Public Administration and safety 7,827 6.7

transport, Postal and warehousing 6,952 6.0

Professional, scientific and technical services 5,251 4.5

Manufacturing 5,137 4.4

Administrative and support services 5,116 4.4

other services 4,117 3.5

rental, Hiring and real estate services 2,553 2.2

Arts and recreation services 1,771 1.5

wholesale trade 1,714 1.5

Mining 1,468 1.3

electricity, gas, water and waste services 1,391 1.2

Financial and Insurance services 1,056 0.9

Information Media and telecommunications 751 0.6

total industries 116,800 100.0

soURCe: national institute of economic and industry Research.

Within the region, there are more people with engineering and Related technologies qualifications in the workforce than any other field of qualification.

tHe LocAL LAbour MArKet ProVIDes Access to A HIgHLy sKILLeD AND stAbLe worKForce wHIcH Is crItIcAL For busINess success.

extensive education and skilling programs and opportunities exist locally. analysis of the fields of qualifications of the workforce shows that the three largest fields of qualification were:

• Engineering and Related Technologies (10,501 people or 11.7%)

• Management and Commerce (9,546 people or 1.6%)

• Health (6,293 people or 7.0%)

skill force

re

gio

na

l in

ves

tMe

nt

Pr

osP

ec

tus

11

Page 7: CaiRns...Cairns is the world’s most liveable tropical city. Perfectly positioned, it’s natural beauty and diverse landscape has made it both an international tourism destination

Major Projects

energy

the region benefits from a safe, secure and reliable electricity supply from a combination of local generation facilities and via transmission and distribution networks connected to other power stations in the state. energy infrastructure providers have a number of projects under construction and planned for the future to meet the expected growth in demand.

Water

water for the region is supplied by various dams, creeks, rivers and aquifers. councils across the region actively address the provision of adequate water supply to meet the growing demands of industry, primary production, urban development, recreation and environmental uses.

cAIrNs AND tHe regIoN HAs A

brIgHt Future

cairns and the region has a bright future, with population estimated to grow by more than 90,000 by 2026, accompanied by major infrastructure development. the region’s economic development will be driven by its existing industries and the development of new industries.

the trend towards a more digitally based economy will provide a transformational opportunity for cairns and regional communities as more business activity is conducted through high-speed broadband.

the availability of high speed broadband in cairns and the region means regional and remote businesses will be able to connect and interact with domestic and international markets like never before, enabling greater innovation, facilitating new business models and improving regional productivity.

PosItIoNeDFor growtH

land availability

Local governments in the region work closely with stakeholders to identify and develop land suitable for future industrial precincts through formal planning processes.

there is a substantial amount of land in the region, including land which is currently zoned for residential purposes.

residential land develoPMent activity Profile MArcH QuArter 2013

council

broadhectare* land supply (hectares)

expected yield (dwellings)

cairns regional council 1,470 11,000

cassowary coast regional council 1,050 5,000

tablelands regional council 4,640 11,000

cook shire council n/a n/a

Broadhectare land refers to residential greenfield and brownfield land (greater than 2,500m2) that is currently suitable for residential development.

soURCe: Queensland government statistician

Around 20 per cent of the region’s population currently live outside of urban centres like cairns. the existing range of rural lot sizes provides flexibility for agricultural practices.

re

gio

na

l in

ves

tMe

nt

Pr

osP

ec

tus

13

major projects underway or planned for Cairns and the region include:

• $15 million expansion to the Redlynch Central Shopping Centre

• $40 million Cairns Shipping Development Project

• $150 million Bruce Highway upgrade south of Cairns, with a further $674 million to be spent locally

• $500 million mount emerald Wind Farm on the atherton tablelands

• $1 billion redevelopment of Cairns Airport

$4.2 bILLIoN AQuIs greAt bArrIer reeF resort At yorKeys KNob

Page 8: CaiRns...Cairns is the world’s most liveable tropical city. Perfectly positioned, it’s natural beauty and diverse landscape has made it both an international tourism destination

tHe cAIrNs regIoN boAsts HIgH

QuALIty, worLD-cLAss eDucAtIoN

FAcILItIes tHAt Are VItAL to

tHe regIoN’s coMPetItIVeNess botH NAtIoNALLy

AND gLobALLy

with established primary, secondary and tertiary institutions, plus vocational education providers, the region has extensive education facilities.

the cairns region offers a wide range of healthcare services from oncology, general surgery, dental, social work, plastic surgery, to world-leading fertility technology, in accordance with its status as a regional capital city.

Cairns Convention Centre A purpose-built, international standard meeting facility which is ideal for exhibitions, banquets and conventions and meets domestic and international business needs.

Cairns AirportAustralia’s seventh busiest airport for international passengers and has over 3 million passengers passing through the domestic terminal each year. the airport, just 7 kilometres from the cairns cbD, also features a thriving general Aviation precinct.

Cairns Reef Fleet Terminal and CityPort development cityPort is a world-class all- weather waterfront facility which provides facilities for reef operations, pleasure craft and superyachts, complemented by a waterfront tourism precinct adjacent to the cbD.

Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal An international standard cruise liner terminal, function and exhibition space.

World class facilities

global outlook

innovation and troPical exPertise

As a region, we have fine- tuned our unique knowledge in accordance with the characteristics of our environment – how to build roads, bridges and housing; how to treat disease; how to raise livestock; how to produce crops; how to manage water collection, storage and reticulation.

businesses and research organisations in the cairns region offer a wide array of tropical expertise in areas such as health, security, environmental management, tropical architecture, design and construction, and renewable energy, with many of them recognised as experts in their field.

cairns and the region is positioned to boom over the next 20 years as Asia’s increasingly prosperous nations drive huge growth in Australian industries like farming, tourism and education. Deloitte Access economics’ catching the Next wave report indicated that these growth drivers have the potential to grow significantly faster than the global economy over the next 10 to 20 years.

the Northern Australia policy of the Federal government exposes numerous opportunities for investment into and around the region. Prospective projects will include renewable energy, water catchments and associated infrastructure, and agriculture including food production. the development of a food bowl in the North will assist to double Australia’s agricultural output, while building the clean and efficient energy industry has the potential to provide major increases to resource exports out of the region.

coMPetitive advantages

the cairns region’s competitive advantages are founded on its location, natural assets and industry specialisations.

competitive advantages include:

• Access to international markets though the international airport and seaport facilities.

• established trading activities and networks, including direct international flights to Hong Kong, china, Japan and Papua New guinea.

• A strong international image which has emerged from our profile as a tourist destination.

• excellent public and private education facilities, including a world-class university and the tropical North Queensland tAFe, providing access to a skilled workforce, research facilities and expertise.

• An attractive lifestyle enriched by the availability of a wide range of sporting and cultural facilities, complemented by the natural environment.

• A substantial amount of land is available for development.

the region’s competitive industry specialisations extend beyond the core of tourism and agriculture to industries such as marine and aviation, the provision of tropical expertise and the supply of support services to businesses, industry and the community.

coMPetitive business conditions

taxation in Queensland in 2013-14 is estimated to be $490 per person less than the average of other Australian states. the cairns region’s low business costs offer a strong destination for business and investment.

coMParison of Payroll tax rates and tHresHolds (As At 1 JuLy 2013)

state or territory

tax rate (%)

exemption threshold

Queensland 4.75 $1,100,000

Victoria 4.90 $550,000

south Australia* 4.95 $600,000

New south wales 5.45 $750,000

western Australia 5.50 $750,000

Northern territory 5.50 $1,500,000

tasmania 6.10 $1,250,000

Australian capital territory

6.85 $1,750,000

*note: For 2013-14 south australia offers concessional rates for payrolls up to $1.2 million.

soURCe: Queensland government

re

gio

na

l in

ves

tMe

nt

Pr

osP

ec

tus

15

Page 9: CaiRns...Cairns is the world’s most liveable tropical city. Perfectly positioned, it’s natural beauty and diverse landscape has made it both an international tourism destination

tHere Are A wIDe rANge oF

busINesses AND orgANIsAtIoNs

HeLPINg to sHAPe tHe Future oF

AustrALIA’s Most DyNAMIc regIoN

there are a wide range of businesses and organisations helping to shape the future of Australia’s most dynamic region. steel manufacturers, boat builders, land developers, regional airlines, events managers, finance managers, insurance agencies, transport and logistics companies, and construction companies are just some of the organisations.

the enthusiasm, commitment and determination of the business community is a key characteristic of the region.

there is also much support for regional businesses, with a region-wide commitment to promoting new and existing industries and pursuing business opportunities.

the expansion and diversification of the region’s industry base is a key strategy in the development of a solid economic and social framework that will provide long term outcomes and a dynamic future for our region.

industry overvieWs

tourism

tourism is a well-established and pivotal industry for the region. It is strongly linked to a number of other industry sectors and has been the driver of growth in sectors such as aviation and marine.

the cairns region offers unique experiences including the great barrier reef, world Heritage- listed wet tropics rainforests, including Daintree and cape tribulation, and rich Indigenous culture. the region caters for domestic and international visitors with a spectrum of service offerings from adventure and budget to luxury, boutique and eco-friendly resorts.

competitive advantages include the international airport, cruise ship facilities, a world-class conference centre and highly developed, high-quality tourism infrastructure.

the cairns region is ideal for hosting business events and the focus on this market sector has resulted in substantial increases in major business events, numbers of delegates and overall spending. world-class facilities and services are able to cater to all venue and accommodation requirements, providing incentives, themes and ideas, pre and post touring programs and professional support services.

engineering, manufacturing and construction

the cairns region is positioned as an ideal engineering and manufacturing hub for the booming resource sector in the oceania-Australasian region, due to its geographical proximity to many markets and excellent aviation links. It has an experienced and motivated business sector ready to provide exceptional service in heavy engineering, vehicle and machinery repairs, mechanical repairs, consulting engineers, and numerous other fields.

the region has grown into a major supply and service hub for the resources sector with demonstrable experience across Australasia, including Papua New guinea and Indonesia.

the region’s manufacturing industry is accustomed to providing a quality product in a timely manner. specialist work crews based across the region are available for major construction and maintenance works as well as shut downs, are easily mobilised, and are accustomed to working and living in remote locations.

the sector provides a point of hire that forms a vital part of competitive employment packages for workers in the resource sector.

specific capabilities include fabrication and associated services, machining and processing, design and consulting services and ship building and repairs.

Investment opportunities exist in the establishment of specialised engineering manufacturing.

busINessIN Focus

re

gio

na

l in

ves

tMe

nt

Pr

osP

ec

tus

17

Page 10: CaiRns...Cairns is the world’s most liveable tropical city. Perfectly positioned, it’s natural beauty and diverse landscape has made it both an international tourism destination

food boWl

learning

aviation

the aviation industry has grown steadily over the past 20 years and continues to demonstrate strong growth, enhanced by the tourism industry. the region has a large and very diverse general aviation fleet and supports substantial domestic and international air traffic.

to support this high level of activity there are many supply chain industries that include flight catering, engineering, trucking, logistics and air transport. equipment installation, maintenance and training have also developed to service the industry. cairns has the only recognised service facility for bombardier’s Dash 8 Q-series aircraft in the southern Hemisphere and also boasts the largest avionics facility in Australia. the major training institution for aircraft engineers and technical support staff is the cairns Aviation skills centre.

with this continued growth, there are opportunities in allied aviation industries including avionics, engineering, manufacturing and training, as well as logistics, particularly in the export of perishable goods from the region.

while aircraft maintenance activities are concentrated in cairns, significant opportunities exist for the development of maintenance and flight training facilities at Mareeba, with complementary activities at smaller regional airports.

Agribusiness and food processing

boAstINg stroNg AgrIcuLturAL AND growINg NIcHe FooD sectors

with a strong agricultural sector, the produce of the region supplies food processors and also supports a growing niche food sector.the region specialises in bananas, mangos, tropical fruits, diary, beef, sugar, seafood, poultry, coffee, peanuts, maize, pasture seed, potatoes, and a wide range of horticultural produce and forestry products for domestic and international markets.

competitive advantages of the region supporting these sectors are the tropical climate and fertile soil, as well as long established and sophisticated primary production and associated supply chains in the region. the proximity to the Asian Pacific market is also of considerable benefit, supported by the accessibility to an international airport for fresh produce export, including seafood and tropical fruit.

Investment opportunities exist in the higher-value related products from primary production including biotechnology, production and processing of specialised organic products and other niche market products.

Marine

the cairns region has a well-established and world renowned marine industry, particularly in marine tourism, which has contributed to the strong growth in this sector through the superyacht, cruise liner and local charter boat sectors.

cairns has the largest marine tourism sector in Australia. the reef Fleet terminal is the gateway to the great barrier reef for more than 650,000 passengers each year. white boat (recreational) sectoral activity includes a combination of maintenance, refit and/or provedore services for superyachts, local charters, recreational boating and cruise liners.

there is significant ability in the region in maritime servicing at three major slipways, all with significant experience and capacity.

they have the ability to provide maintenance on a wide variety of vessel types and the capacity to meet almost all maritime service needs, catering from everything from trawlers, cargo vessels through to superyachts.

A growth sector includes the maintenance of grey boats and provision of defence services.

well over 100 businesses operate in the marine services sector, from shipping agents to naval architects to cater to such demand. the skills required to cater to the region’s marine services sector can be delivered by the great barrier reef International Marine college.

the cairns trading port handles bulk carriers, coastal shipping, mother ships, and project specific cargo and container carriers. Adding to the capacity of the Port of cairns is Mourilyan Harbour, which is primarily used for sugar, molasses, woodchip, logs and live cattle export but has the capacity to be used for additional purposes in the future.

Mining and mining services

cairns and the broader region is rich in diverse minerals resources, with the region having a long history in providing quality services to the mining and resource industry.

businesses within the region have built expertise around servicing this market in mostly remote and difficult to reach mining locations. the region boasts a wide array of mining and resource services including training, recruitment, contract labour, safety, environmental consulting, mechanical servicing plant manufacture, maintenance and shut-down services.

while significant activity already exists, further opportunities in the areas of mining including service provision, and training services.

Education and training

the cairns region boasts internationally-recognised education and training facilities in a unique tropic environment, including the world-renowned James cook university, ranked in the top four per cent of the world’s tertiary institutions, central Queensland university’s cairns Distance education study centre, and the state-of-the-art tNQ tAFe.

the diversity of education options is immense, with more than 140 schools catering to the education needs of thousands of primary and secondary students, while the training capability of the region spans the marine, aviation, mining, tourism and hospitality sectors.

Various international programs are offered across the spectrum of schools, catering for students from many different cultures through study tour programs, short-stay programs and full enrolment.

James cook university has established a strong reputation in a number of fields. the university conducts internationally-recognised research in areas such as marine sciences, biodiversity, tropical ecology and environments, global warming, tourism, and tropical medicine and public health care.

the great barrier reef Marine International college is Australia’s newest maritime training colleges and one of the best equipped training centres in the southern hemisphere.

the cairns Aviation skills centre boasts one of the largest avionics facilities in Australia and has won international acclaim for its level of professionalism and innovative training programs. the centre is a purpose-built aviation training centre of excellence, offering internationally-recognised aircraft maintenance qualifications. r

eg

ion

al

inve

stM

en

t P

ro

sPe

ctu

s

19

Page 11: CaiRns...Cairns is the world’s most liveable tropical city. Perfectly positioned, it’s natural beauty and diverse landscape has made it both an international tourism destination

cAIrNs, tHe worLD’s

Most LIVeAbLe troPIcAL cIty,

Is A soPHIstIcAteD busINess

ceNtre wHIcH INcorPorAtes ALL

tHe esseNtIAL eLeMeNts

oF A MoDerN coMMercIAL

eNVIroNMeNt AND AN eNrIcHeD

cosMoPoLItAN LIFestyLe

People in the region enjoy a choice of housing options to suit every lifestyle preference, from apartment living, to homes in the rainforests of the Daintree or Mission beach, to the tablelands, cooktown and beyond, which offer both rural, residential and urban living. with minimal travel times to work, metropolitan shopping and an abundance of dining options, the region offers an enviable lifestyle where it is possible to strike a balance between work and life.

For locals, investors and tourists alike, cairns is one of the leading regions in Australia for growth and opportunity. Affordable quality housing, high standards of education and health care, and a low cost of living means cairns measures up favourable when compared to the rest of the country. Additionally, crime and safety statistics for Far North Queensland show that the region is approximately 50% safer and experiences less crime than most major capital cities.

ethnic and cultural diversity defines the cairns region. today, people of Indigenous, African, American, Asian, european, Hmong, Indian, Latin American and Middle eastern descent continue to contribute to the economic, social and cultural development of the region.

Housing and rental affordability

Housing prices in cairns and the region are more affordable than many other Queensland cities, making it economically attractive to live, work or set up a business here.

the median house price in cairns at December 2012 was $348,000, which is more affordable than townsville, Mackay, brisbane and gold coast. Median rent for a 3 bedroom house in cairns in 2012 was $350 per week, compared with $600 per week in brisbane city.

Queensland has a range of stamp duty concessions for eligible home buyers. the transfer duty home concession scheme provides a concessional stamp duty rate of 1% up to a value of $350,000, with normal rates for the remaining value of the purchase of a principal place of residence. the buyer must occupy the home for a period of 12 months.

residential dWelling sales (a) by LocAL goVerNMeNt AreA tNQ regIoN, 12 MoNtHs eNDINg 31 DeceMber 2012 (b)

local government area

number of sales Median sale price

detached dwellings (c)

attached dwellings (d)

total dwellings

detached dwellings (c)

attached dwellings (d)

total dwellings

– number – – $ –

cairns 2,295 1,695 3,990 348,000 200,000 300,000

cassowary coast 311 49 360 245,000 160,000 232,000

cook 44 2 46 270,000 n.a. 270,000

tablelands 553 43 596 300,000 186,000 295,000

tNQ region 3,203 1,789 4,992 n.a. n.a. n.a.

Queensland 66,413 28,475 94,885 395,000 345,000 380,000

soURCe: Department of natural Resources and mines, office of the valuer-general, Property sales.

LIFestyLeIN Focus

Median rent cairns versus brisbane QuArter DeceMber 2012

cairns

2 room

3 room

4 room

House $290 $350 $420

flat/ unit $200 $260 $360

townhouse $250 $300 -

brisbane

2 room

3 room

4 room

House $490 $600 $180

flat/ unit $440 $580 $770

townhouse - $690 -

soURCe: Residential tenancies authority

re

gio

na

l in

ves

tMe

nt

Pr

osP

ec

tus

21

Page 12: CaiRns...Cairns is the world’s most liveable tropical city. Perfectly positioned, it’s natural beauty and diverse landscape has made it both an international tourism destination

INVestMeNt PoteNtIAL

advance cairns

Phone +61 7 4080 2900Fax + 61 7 4031 3994email [email protected]

www.advancecairns.com

contact us

council suPPort

tHe INVestMeNt PoteNtIAL oF tHe

cAIrNs regIoN HAs ALreADy

beeN reALIseD AND coNtINues to grow wItHIN

A wIDe rANge oF INDustrIes,

ProVIDINg INVestors wItH A PosItIVe cLIMAte

to coMMIt to

tHIs Is bAcKeD uP by A rANge

oF suPPort NetworKs wItHIN tHe goVerNMeNt

AND PrIVAte sectors

HoW We can HelP

significant opportunities exist within the region for investment at all levels and across a wide range of industry sectors.

Land development and infrastructure options are attractive opportunities for companies, individuals and joint venture arrangements.

the region also boasts significant opportunities in resources and mining services, information and communications technology, renewable energy, biofuels, tourism, food and agribusiness, unique tropical expertise, and manufacturing.

gaining access to a variety of local investment opportunities is available through a regionally-compiled investment register, housed within the Advance cairns website www.advancecairns.com

the Investment opportunities register was established to facilitate connections between private enterprise, industry, community and government agencies, by connecting investors with investment opportunities to encourage economic development in the region.

support for investors seeking opportunities in the region is available from a network of private and public sector groups which Advance cairns seeks to facilitate.

business migration visas

the Queensland government considers nominations for business migrants who wish to invest in Queensland through the business Innovation and Investment Program. In partnership with the Department of Immigration and citizenship, Queensland considers expressions of Interest (eoI) for business migrants seeking to make an investment that directly benefits Queensland’s economy.

re

gio

na

l in

ves

tMe

nt

Pr

osP

ec

tus

23

Page 13: CaiRns...Cairns is the world’s most liveable tropical city. Perfectly positioned, it’s natural beauty and diverse landscape has made it both an international tourism destination