Cairns Esplanade reminded me a little of our East Coast Park, although it was less busy and more quiet.
The road abutting the esplanade was literally without much vehicular traffic and the air was clean and fresh.
Interestingly, I was told this area used to be a mangrove mudflat and the esplanade was built on a higher platform level than the muddy seafront.
Physically, it was quite a drop in terms of height from the edge of the timber deck walkway. But surprise surprise, there were no railings at all to prevent people from falling onto the mud. I suppose their culture is so different that they really do not need a physical barrier to protect their safety, unlike in Singapore where the slightest drop in height would likely illicit feedback of hazards and danger from the general public. So I guess they are more responsible and conscious of their personal safety.
The seagull and other shorebirds were comfortably strolling in the mud, supposedly looking for food amongst the planted or regenerated mangrove saplings.
There was nothing really unusual or spectacular about the walkway and there was no conflict in terms of pedestrians and cyclists etc. Come to think of it, there were very few cyclists along the roads or at the esplanade.
What I really love was the big open swimming pool. How I wished I could take a dip in the clear shallow waters. It was interesting why a public swimming pool was constructed next to the sea. In fact, it seemed quite ironical, if you think about it. But that aside, to me this was really the highlight of the place.
They also had an interesting signage that showed the daily temperature and weather etc. How refreshing!
And yes, I absolutely love the stout Cassia with beautiful pinkish yellow flowers.
The walkway linking to the Pier was planted with 2 linear rows of Moreton Bay Ficus (Ficus macrophylla) that provided lots of shade to the area.
Well, this has to be the post with one of the most photos. The record is 16 photos here.
