One thing the city of Cairns does extremely well, more than any other city, is repurposing its historic structures. There is no better example of this than at the Tanks Arts Centre, which for many decades was nothing more than three concrete fuel tanks used for storage during World War II.
Cairns Regional Council originally purchased the land upon which the Tanks stand in 1991 for future development of the Botanic Gardens. After lobbying from the Cairns Community for a dedicated arts hub, a grant was subsequently secured from the Federal Government in 1992 which allowed for initial remodelling of the Tanks site to accommodate all of the community arts requirements.
Council Youth Arts programs that were previously rolled out from the Graft'n'Arts centre in the CBD, were then moved to Tanks.
The Tanks Arts Centre, whilst being a stand-alone venue, is an integral part of the 42 hectare Cairns Botanic Gardens Precinct. Along with the Flecker Garden, the Tanks Arts Centre was placed on the Queensland State Heritage Register in 2007. Major redevelopment works in recent times have resulted in a highly attractive parkland environment and Visitor Centre. The precinct is a must-see destination for the best in tropical botanical and cultural experiences reflective of the region.
It has the distinction not only among locals, but touring musicians as being one of the most unique concert venues in Australia. Thousands of incredible acts have appeared on the stage of Tank 5, with performers and audiences alike enjoying the amazing acoustics afforded by the circular shape of the tank.
In memory of one of my favourite bands - Gomez - appearing here not once, but twice in the past decade (and recently in June 2022 with Gomez' Ben Ottewell and Ian Bell as a duet) - a geocache has been hidden here for visitors to find.
The container you are looking for is a small film cannister. BYO pen/pencil and stealth is an absolute must! I can thoroughly recommend, though, pretending to take an up-close photo of the artwork adorning the surroundings...
PLEASE NOTE: Tanks Art Centre opening hours are 7.30am-5.30pm, 7 days a week; but the centre is often open until late whenever there are shows. Cache is NOT available when gates are closed (sorry for the inconvenience).
📸Gomez live at Tanks Arts Centre, 2011. Photo credit: Romy Bullerjahn, Romy Photography