This is the stunning first look at what a massive 2.2 hectare lagoon will look like as the centrepiece of a proposed 1000 home residential development north of Cairns.

The lagoon will run for 700 metres through the centre of the Botanica development at Caravonica and provide waterfront-style living for the $200 million worth of apartments and townhouses at the site.

A partnership agreement to build the lagoon was signed today by the Botanica Property Group and Crystal Lagoons Oceania, the Australian arm of a global firm renowned for its lagoon projects.

The 32 hectare Botanica precinct will also include restaurants, cafes, a beach club, tennis courts, walking trails and 8kms of landscaped gardens.

Cairns Regional Council gave the project preliminary approval in March last year, and tree planting began on the site shortly after.

Crystal Lagoons Oceania Director German Rocca said today's agreement with Botanica Property Group "signals a turning point in Australian real estate development".

"Crystal Lagoons offers the world’s top amenity and the future residents of Botanica will be the first in Australia to enjoy the lifestyle benefits of an idyllic beach and the pristine water of a man-made lagoon in their backyard," Mr Rocca said.

"Cairns is an amazing tropical paradise with one drawback – for part of the year swimming in the ocean is restricted to only those beaches with stinger enclosures because of the Irukandji and Box Jellyfish.

"Botanica will provide year-round swimming and water sports without anybody having to worry about the dangers."

Botanica Property Group director Rob Wallace first inspected a Crystal Lagoons project in Mexico several years ago.

"We want to make Botanica a lifestyle destination where residents can enjoy this incredible 2.2 hectare lagoon," Mr Wallace said.

"I travelled to Mexico to see for myself whether Crystal Lagoons lived up to the promise and that experience confirmed the huge potential for a lagoon in our Botanica development.

"We have a warm tropical climate and a lagoon is going to put this development on the map and deliver a huge boost to the region.

"Not only will people be able to swim and go boating in the lagoon but the technology used to purify the water is right at the cutting edge of sustainable technology. We are committed to eco-friendly development so water and energy use is an important consideration for us."