Community
7 August, 2023
It’s a sign of the times
A CAMPAIGN is underway to have a ‘Welcome to Cairns’ sign on the Bruce Highway at Edmonton shifted north and replaced with one greeting travellers to the southern corridor town.
Long-time and high-profile Edmonton resident Fran Lindsay is leading the crusade.
“Cairns isn’t at Edmonton. Edmonton is a town in its own right and should have its own ‘Welcome to Edmonton’ sign just like at Gordonvale and at Babinda,” the former Cairns city councillor said.
“Edmonton is not a suburb of Cairns. It is a town. We have our own postcode of 4869, not 4870 which is Cairns,” she said.
“The Cairns sign should be shifted to Gordon Creek at Woree where the city starts. Edmonton is 11km from Cairns,” she said.
“The sign (which is just south of Petersen Rd on the Bruce Highway) went up about a month ago when they finished the road work.
“Who decides where these signs go? They have no idea.”
Ms Lindsay said the sign should have a photograph (which currently shows the woven fish at the Cairns Lagoon) depicting something typical of Edmonton, such as one of the beautiful trees at Sugarworld.
“I’ve been to the office of Curtis Pitt (Member for Mulgrave) and told them the sign doesn’t belong there,” she said.
“I told them I was not happy about it and I’m taking it further with the Department of Transport and Main Roads.
“I told them to let Curtis know that Edmonton is not a suburb of Cairns, it is a town with our own postcode.”
Ms Lindsay has raised the issue at Neighbourhood Watch, Friends of Sugarworld and Edmonton Lions Club meetings.
“I know I have the support of the community. I bring up the issue of the sign everywhere I go and they all agree,” she said.
But the department has ruled out a sign for Edmonton and has suggested Ms Lindsay contact the regional council for a town-specific sign.
In a letter to Ms Lindsay, TMR’s district director Ross Hodgman said the sign had been shifted from Djarragun Way.
“There are no plans to further relocate the sign as it is situated on the official Cairns City border. This site was nominated following consultation with Tourism Tropical North Queensland, Cairns Regional Council and TMR in 2013,” he said.
“I acknowledge that Edmonton – Hambledon is historically significant in the Cairns region.
“However, TMR has no plans to install welcome signage for Edmonton - Hambledon in this location.
“Over the years, especially as towns develop into cities and areas change, they may encompass smaller towns resulting in multiple welcome signs on the same approach. Ideally, only one welcome sign should be required for any area.”
