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The future of one of the city’s most controversial landmarks has been decided, following a ‘token’ sale of just $1 for the towering statue.
The Captain Cook statue has been acquired by a local demolition contractor and “outspoken proponent of the statue’s preservation,” following a public call-out for a new owner.
Martin Anton of Machans Beach company Anton Demolitions said he’ll relocate the statue to his Mount Molloy property – if it doesn't fall apart in the process.
“It’s been standing on Sheridan Street for 50 years, and regrettably we don’t have reliable, detailed information on its engineering and construction,” he said.
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“Almost anything could happen when we try to move the statue.
“Is it hollow or solid core filled? We won’t know the answer to that and other questions until it’s forensically examined by structural engineers.”
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Mr Anton is responsible for all costs relating to its removal and plans to transport the figure up the Palmerston Highway.
Beyond its restoration, Mr Anton is weighing up options for the statue's future and told Tropic Now he'd like to return it to a public space if possible.
After purchasing its Sheridan Street site last year to make way for the new Cairns Health and Innovation Precinct, James Cook University (JCU) called for proposals on the statue’s fate.
JCU’s Cairns Campus Director David Craig said the university received no submissions that involved relocating the statue within Cairns.
“The successful submission was chosen because it addressed in detail the costs, technical challenges and logistics of relocating a statue of this size,” Dr Craig said.
“Thank you to everyone who has taken part in the often passionate discussion over the statue’s future.
“We recognise there’s a range of strongly held views and we have sought an outcome that is respectful of those differences.”
The seven-metre behemoth has drawn fierce debate over its 50-year history, particularly in recent years.
In January 2017, a massive banner brandishing the word 'sorry' was placed on the statue in an Australia Day protest.
Then at the height of the global Black Lives Matter movement, a petition calling for the statue’s removal garnered over 19,000 signatures.
A counter petition also collected more than 5,000 signatures, describing the structure as an ‘iconic figure of the area’.
It was originally built in 1972 as an advertising gimmick to promote the Captain Cook Motel.
Main points
- Cairns' Captain Cook statue is set to move to a private property in Mount Molloy
- Machans Beach demolition contractor Martin Anton says he will restore the statue to its ‘former glory’
- James Cook University chose Mr Anton’s submission for his relevant expertise in relocating the figure
