Cairns Convention Centre facts for kids
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The Snakepit
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The entrance of Cairns Convention Centre as viewed from Wharf Street (April 2019)
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| Location | Cnr Wharf & Sheridan Street, Cairns, Queensland, 4870 |
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| Coordinates | 16°55′39″S 145°46′40″E / 16.92750°S 145.77778°E |
| Owner | Government of Queensland |
| Operator | AEG Ogden |
| Capacity | 5,300 |
| Record attendance | 5,500 – 3 March 2004, Cairns Taipans vs Perth Wildcats NBL |
| Surface | various |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1995 |
| Opened | 26 June 1996 |
| Renovated | 2005, 2011 |
| Expanded | 1999, 2021–2023 |
| Architect | Philip Cox & Partners |
| Tenants | |
| Cairns Taipans (NBL) (1999–present) | |
The Cairns Convention Centre is a big building in Cairns, Australia. It's a place where people meet for events and have fun. It was even named the "World's Best Congress Centre" twice! This happened in 2004 and again in 2014.
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What is the Cairns Convention Centre?
This huge building has lots of space, about 31,000 square meters! It sits on a 2.2-hectare area in the middle of Cairns. It's super close to the airport, just a 10-minute drive away.
Inside the Centre
The centre has many different areas for events.
- There's an auditorium with 2,300 seats.
- A large arena can hold 5,000 people.
- A newer meeting space, called a plenary, fits 410 guests.
- There's also a banquet area for 400 people.
- Plus, it has 23 smaller meeting rooms.
- The building uses the latest sound and video technology.
A Look at the Centre's History
The Cairns Convention Centre is owned by the Queensland State Government. It has been managed by a company called AEG Ogden since 1994.
Building and Growing
The first part of the building opened on June 26, 1996. A few years later, in 1999, a large hall was added. This hall can hold 5,300 people for different events.
The centre was Australia's first convention centre outside a major city. It was also the country's first public building designed to be good for the environment. In its opening year, it won an award for being the most environmentally friendly congress centre.
Upgrades and Expansions
The Cairns Convention Centre has been updated several times.
- In 2005, it had a $12 million refurbishment.
- Another upgrade in 2011 cost $6.3 million.
- A big expansion project started in 2020. This added more meeting spaces and a third level. This expansion was completed in 2022 and cost $176 million.
Sports and "The Snakepit"
The Cairns Convention Centre is a popular place for sports.
Home of the Taipans
Since 1999, the centre has been the home court for the Cairns Taipans. They are a professional basketball team that plays in the National Basketball League. When the Taipans play here, fans call the centre "The Snakepit"!
Commonwealth Games Host
The centre also hosted some big international events. In April 2018, it held the first rounds of the men's basketball competition. This was part of the 2018 Commonwealth Games, which took place on Queensland's Gold Coast.
Awards and Recognition
The Cairns Convention Centre has won many awards for being a great place for events.
Top International Awards
- It received the "World's Best Congress Centre" award in 2004 and 2014. This award comes from the International Association of Congress Centres (AIPC).
- In 2011, it earned a Gold Certification for its quality standards from AIPC.
Local and State Awards
- The centre was added to the Queensland Tourism Awards Hall of Fame. This happened after it won gold three years in a row (2013, 2014, and 2015) for "Business Event Venues."
- It also received the Chairman's Award for Excellence from Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ).
See also
- List of indoor arenas in Australia
