General News
24 October, 2026
Resident proposes creek dredging
A RETIRED Cairns council officer has called for the dredging of Saltwater Creek to fix flooding problems in Torrance Avenue at Edge Hill.
Last week’s Cairns Local News highlighted the flooding issues of at least two Torrance Ave households from the drain behind their properties and nearby Saltwater Creek.
Ray, who has withheld his surname because his son still works at council, said the local authority could not just blame high tides for the flooding.
He said he worked for the Cairns and Mulgrave Shire councils for 40 years in water supply and construction and had lived in Russell St, Edge Hill, since 1975.
“So, I know a little bit about the waterways and stuff,” he said.
“Now, the water actually comes from right up near Birch Street south (at Manunda). Comes down in drains all the way across there, picks up all of that water from all of that area, and comes down underneath Anderson Street and discharges into the drain (Saltwater Creek) on the southern side of Brothers Football Club.”
Ray said water also came from Richardson St from the west, the areas around Boden St and Springfield Crescent behind the Piccone’s shopping centre as well as from the top of Edge Hill.
“So, it’s a massive catchment area,” he said.
Ray said the islands in Saltwater Creek were getting bigger and were part of the problem.
“I’ve got an article here saying that that drain (Saltwater Creek) was dug out and it was dug out to 30m wide to drain all of that water from over near the Edge Hill Tavern and all of that Boden Street area. It was dug out as a part of the flood mitigation area for Cairns city,” he said.
“They should go back to dredging it out as was done originally when we came here in 1975.” Ray said drag lines were successfully used and then suddenly stopped.
