The Cairns business community is looking for a boost from $3 billion in infrastructure investment that is scheduled for Cairns and the surrounding region.  The Queensland Government-compiled list of infrastructure projects is dominated by Queensland and Commonwealth Government projects:

Cairns and surrounding region: Infrastructure projects as at 2010-11

While the lacklustre Cairns regional economy appears to be on Government life support, there is at least one exciting private sector development, a $550 million wind farm.

The Cairns Post reports:

The list is topped by the $550 million Mt Emerald wind farm near Mareeba, as well as the ongoing $455 million Cairns Base Hospital redevelopment and the $443 million Lotus Glen Correctional Centre extension.

It consists of $1.7 billion in State Government works, including schools, roads, health, housing, corrective services, police and emergency services.

More than $61.2 million in local government works include the Sugarworld redevelopment, the Innisfail sewerage treatment plant and Innisfail’s new Jubilee Bridge.