General News
26 September, 2025
Scouts 10-year lease
SCOUTS and guides will share a substantial block of land at Edmonton where a much-need regional headquarters will be established to run adult leader meetings, training sessions and administrative coordination.
Cairns Regional Council has approved a new long-term lease (10 years) of the land at Jubilee Street, Edmonton, to the Scouts Association of Australia.
The new arrangement also ensures the ongoing presence of Guides Queensland in the community, with both organisations set to share the facility.
The new deal means the present guides building will be used for adult training and other activities while the existing scout dens will be used by the youth sections. A storage shed will be built and kitchen and bathrooms facilities upgraded. The site will also host community events, camps and sleepovers for young people in a safe, supervised environment.
A council report said the guides could not afford to renew their lease and would now come under the banner of the scouts.
Deputy mayor Brett Olds said last week’s council decision recognised the significant value scouts and guides brought to Cairns.
“These organisations play a vital role in shaping confident, resilient, community-minded young people,” he said.
Division 2 Councillor Matthew Tickner said giving the scouts a lease over the larger area would help them offer even more youth development opportunities for young people across Cairns and the surrounding regions.
For nearly 20 years, scouts have been based at the Edmonton site, running programs that focus on teamwork, resilience, vocational skills and other youth issues.
