The project involved fitting out a former Bunnings Warehouse, which has a long-term lease with the Queensland Government.

This project aimed to support film production in Far North Queensland.

“For nurturing the growth of Queensland’s national and international reputation as an emerging screen powerhouse, the potential of the new state-of-the-art Cairns screen hub is enormous,” says Arts Minister, Leeanne Enoch.

Renowned for its lush tropical rainforests, white sandy beaches, and remote island oases, Far North Queensland now boasts a state-of-the-art film and television studio complex in the Cairns suburb of Portsmith. Screen Queensland Studios Cairns is open to productions, complementing Screen Queensland Studios Brisbane, and other facilities on the Gold Coast.

Previously, the building served as a temporary basketball facility while the Cairns Convention Centre was being refurbished, a project also completed by COX with CA Architects.

The warehouse has been transformed to support various production needs, such as a sound stage, which encompassed a 1000m² footprint, as well as production offices, editing suites, a sound recording studio and construction spaces.

The sound stage can also serve as an event space, enhancing its flexibility and utility. The project had a modest budget focused on delivering versatile spaces where productions can adopt a plug-and-play approach.

Motivated by high demand from both Australian and international productions, Screen Queensland Studios, Cairns, is poised to become a central hub for the film industry in Far North Queensland, transforming a dormant warehouse into a vibrant creative space that leverages the region’s natural beauty and robust infrastructure.

Clémence Carayol

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