The Tanks Arts Centre location has a long and fascinating history, starting with a culturally rich Indigenous history, progressing through World War II until today as an extraordinary and unique place in the establishment of Cairns, and in the hearts of everyone who visits.
The local Aboriginal people, the Gimuy Walubara Yidinji and Yirrganydji are the traditional owners of the Edge Hill area who still maintain a deep connection to their homeland.
These local Bama (Aboriginals) have a spiritual connection to the Mount Whitfield Range through their story of Bunda Jambun, the Scorpion Mountain Totem.
Tanks Arts Centre is situated near the border (Barron River) of the Yirranganji and Djabugay territories, with the Yarranganji and Djabugay people calling Mount Whitfield Bunda Bandara.
The descendants of the Bama still reside in Cairns and the surrounding district, enriching this locality's culture with their stories and culture.
Set amongst Cairns City’s 38-hectare tropical rainforest, the Tanks Arts Centre was originally constructed as a diesel and crude oil tank store by the Royal Australian Navy in 1944 to provide fuel to naval ships via an extensive pipeline to Trinity Wharf, eight kilometres away.
Tanks 1 and 2 were first built at a cost of £2,500 each, and are both welded steel tanks set on concrete foundations that were artificially camouflaged by netting so they wouldn't be spotted by enemy planes.
Tanks 3, 4 and 5 were then built, containing crude or furnace oil. The concrete was mixed and poured 24 hours a day by local company Kynerston and Andrews until finished, and some of those workers have left their names etched into the concrete on top of the perimeter wall adjacent to Collins Avenue.
The Cairns City Council purchased all five fuel tanks and land along Collins Avenue in 1991, and a grant from the Federal Government was received in 1992 to allow redevelopment of the site.
In the conversion of the oil tanks to the Tanks as we know it, the one-metre-thick walls were cut to create public access to the extraordinary internal spaces with oil-stained timber columns supporting the roof structure.
The three large concrete tanks known as Tank 5, 4 and 3, now proudly host a diverse music, performance, gallery, and workshop program and are an extraordinary event space.
When exploring the historic Tanks Arts Centre grounds, visit the digitised touchscreen in the Botanic Gardens Visitors Centre for interactive exploration. With over 300 images, videos, and official documents collated by Historian Gordon Grimwade, you can test your skills and take the quiz.
The project was funded by the Commonwealth Government’s Saluting Their Services Commemorative Grants Program. It commemorates the role of the Allied Workers Council, the Construction Corps, the Royal Australian Navy and the civilian personnel in the construction and operation of the strategically important RAN’s Cairns fuel facility.
Set amongst Cairns City’s 38-hectare tropical rainforest, botanical garden and cultural precinct, the Tanks Arts Centre was originally constructed as a crude oil tank store by the Royal Australian Navy in 1944.
In the camouflage of the rainforests of Mount Whitfield, the tanks protected the stored oil from WWII attacks. Oil was pumped in through an underground pipe system to Cairns harbour some 8kms away, remaining in use to supply the navy until the site was decommissioned in 1987.
Three large concrete tanks nestled in the lush rainforest, known as Tank 5, 4 and 3, respectively, nestled in the lush rainforest, from the centre, which proudly runs a diverse music, performance, gallery, and workshop program and is an extraordinary event space.
When exploring the historic Tanks Arts Centre grounds, visit the digitised touchscreen located in Tank 4 for an interactive exploration. With over 300 images, videos, and official documents collated by Historian Gordon Grimwade, you can then test your skills and take the quiz.
The project was funded by the Commonwealth Government’s Saluting Their Services Commemorative Grants Program. It commemorates the role of Allied Workers Council, the Construction Corps, the Royal Australian Navy and the civilian personnel in the construction and operation of the strategically important RAN’s Cairns fuel facility.
Historian Gordon Grimwade and Mel Touw, testing out the touchscreen.