General News
20 August, 2025
Ideas sought for 150th year
Historical society launches program to celebrate city’s key milestone in 2026
THE Cairns Historical Society has been quietly preparing for the city’s 150th anniversary next year well ahead of the crowd.
With support from a $25,000 community partnership grant from Cairns Regional Council, the society has confirmed a major year-long program for 2026 and now they’re calling on locals to help shape it.
From exhibitions and public talks to blogs and family histories, the society is inviting individuals, families and community groups to get involved in sharing the stories that have shaped life in the tropical north.
Society executive officer Dr Sandi Robb said it was “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reflect on the people and events that shaped this place”.
“We’re not just revisiting history – we’re making sure the full story is told,” she said.
The 2026 program includes six exhibitions, a commemorative publication and a full calendar of community-led storytelling. Local groups already involved include the Cairns and District Junior Eisteddfod Association, CAFNEC, girl guides and local historians.
“You don’t need to be a historian,” said Dr Robb.
“If you’ve got a connection to this place, whether you’ve lived here all your life or just arrived, we want to hear from you,” she said.
The year will launch with Saltwater Art by local Yirrganydji artist Patricia Singleton and continue with:
Twin Beginnings: First Settlement at Smithfield – Dr Sarah Collins
Fostering the Junior Performing Arts: 70 Years of Cairns Eisteddfod – Cairns and District Junior Eisteddfod Association
150 Years of Girl Guides – Shani Ritchi
Decades of Dedication: CAFNEC’s Legacy of Environmental Stewardship – CAFNEC
Future Tense – Cairns Historical Society.
Dr Robb said the program reflected the society’s commitment to cultural, gender, age and perspective diversity, with stories of inventors, artists, environmentalists, old families, forgotten towns and emerging voices all taking their place in the city’s evolving narrative.
“Community members are encouraged to get in touch if they have a story to share, a lecture to propose or a blog to contribute,” she said.
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