CAST (Cairns Action for Sustainable Transport) - home

CAST (Cairns Action for Sustainable Transport)

CAST is a community group which formed in early 2008 from a diverse range of FNQ residents, who are concerned that current government transport policies seem to largely continue with 'business as usual'. We recognise that the extraordinary challenges of climate change and peak oil demand new and innovative approaches to transport issues.

World Environment Day action on Friday 12th June 2009

CAST in cooperation with several other community groups has created Cairns first tram station outside of federal MP Jim Turnour's office
Here are some photos,

When interviewed on ABC radio after the event, Jim evaded all questions about when Cairns will get rail passenger services and instead claimed that "all the studies show that we need to improve buses".

While we agree that Cairns bus services are totally inadequate, we note that both the 2010 plan as well as the SCILUTS report call for the rail from Cairns to Gordonvale to be duplicated.
In the face of climate change and peak oil it should surely be obvious to our political leaders, that we need to move as soon as possible from roads relying on fossil fuels towards rail using renewable electricity.
A Cairns Post survey showed that about 80% of respondents want trams in Cairns

CAST challenges Jim Turnour to listen to the people and to work towards developing the Cairns region as a model for sustainability

In the course of our campaign CAST has identified practical transport solutions, informed the public, organised bike-to-work rides and other direct actions, lobbied politicians, created information sheets and made submissions to various governments including the following:

Infosheet on Cairns Southern Rail Tunnel

Infosheet on Dual Mode Rail

CAST submission to the FNQ 2025 plan

CAST submission to Infrastructure Australia (including support letters from politicians)

In coordination with www.needaride.com.au CAST member Andrea has created Carpool Cairns, an online easy-to-use car sharing facility for Far North Queensland which we encourage you to join.

CAST also supports the Walking School bus initiative by parents in Forest Garden.

For up to date news and discussions, please visit our blog.

If you support our call for better public transport, please feel free to come along to our monthly meetings, at 7pm every second Tuesday at Tramways, next to Cape York hotel on Spence Street

or contact: Jonathan Strauss, 10 Draper Pl, Cairns 4870, ph: 0418 773 287