Building the northern Australia vision through creative industries: the case of Cairns in far north Queensland

Abstract

This article focuses on the creative industries sector in the regional city of Cairns in far north Queensland, Australia. Renowned for its international reputation as a tourist destination, Cairns is a key urban centre relevant to the current federal government's vision to develop the vast geographical area of northern Australia. Using data obtained via surveys and follow-up explanatory interviews with a sample of practitioners working in the field, this article seeks to identify the potential ways in which the creative industries sector in Cairns might play a stronger role in relation to the vision for northern Australia. The findings point to the potential to explore and develop new opportunities and partnerships with other sectors of the Cairns economy, including education/training and tourism. In addition, evidence points to the need for strong leadership within the sector and in combination with other areas of the economy, so that the potential contribution of Cairns to the northern Australia vision might be strengthened.