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Local News
NOVEMBER 29, 2024
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Fountain of youth
Feels like a tropical Christmas l CAIRNS ESPLANADE
Young people reveal the good, the bad and the ugly of Cairns
A young couple enjoy the cool waters of Stoney Creek at Kamerunga. A survey has found that the youth of Cairns highly value the region’s natural assets. Picture: Tourism Tropical North Queensland
l CAIRNS REGION | Nick Dalton MENTAL health is the number one concern of the young people of Cairns aged between 14 and 24. According to the Cairns Regional Council’s 2024 Our Cairns Youth Survey, 70 per cent of youth were worried about mental health (50 per cent in the 2020
survey). Other key issues were crime 66 per cent (11 per cent in 2020) and money at 65 per cent (60 per cent in 2020). This year’s survey received 1010 responses, compared to 1279 in 2020. But what they liked the most about living in Cairns was natural outdoor areas to explore (72 per cent), the relaxed lifestyle (47 per cent) and great weather (46 per cent). What made them embarrassed or sad
was crime, including youth crime (31 per cent), lack of activities for youth (13 per cent) and environmental concerns/town is unclean/rubbish (10 per cent). Of those attending school, 45 per cent said they planned to leave Cairns when their high school education was finished, with 49 per cent saying it was because their preferred study path was not available in Cairns, 43 per cent want to move to a bigger city and 37 per cent said they
Early childhood education for children aged from 6 weeks to Kindergarten.
could not pursue the job/career they wanted in Cairns. They said they would stay in Cairns if there was a lower cost of living (60 per cent), access to higher education and the courses they wanted to study (46 per cent) and more options for employment/ career (38 per cent). Cairns Mayor Amy Eden said young people were the future of the city. CONTINUED PAGE 2
IT’S starting to feel a little bit like Christmas … and this year two Minions will be on hand to get the party started and kick off festive celebrations in Cairns. Kevin and Stuart Minion will be down at the Cairns Esplanade Lagoon Plaza on Sunday (December 1) to help with the traditional Christmas tree lightup event. Mayor Amy Eden invited residents to come down in festive attire and make the most of the free event, which gets underway at 5.30pm with the first of four opportunities to meet the illustrious banana-munching yellow duo. Further meet and greet sessions will be at 6.15pm, 7.15pm and 7.50pm. Residents will notice a few changes this year with a new Christmas tree at the Esplanade Lagoon Plaza, complemented with an array of extra decorations, including some by designed by local artist Hayley Gillespie, to enhance the city’s festive ambience. The lights will be turned on the new Christmas tree at 7pm by the mayor and the winners of the council’s Christmas eCard competition – Alicia McGowan (10-13 years old category), Sebastian Tolkach (6-9 years), and Jayden Goode (under 5).
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