Austral Construction has been awarded a $20 million contract to modernise six wharves at Port of Cairns.

It marks a major milestone for the third and final stage of the $127 million Cairns Shipping Development Project.

The upgrading of wharves 1-6 will complement the widening and deepening of the shipping channel which is currently being dredged.

A new concrete jetty will be constructed along the front of wharf 6 to replace the decayed timber wharf structure, with a portion of the old structure to be revealed and retained for heritage and interpretive purposes. 

Member for Cairns Michael Healy said it was another win for the region, after last week announcing the far north had the lowest unemployment rate in the state.

“This project has stimulated jobs, forming part of the 12,000 created in the far north over the last 12 months,” Mr Healy said.

“Once complete it’ll mean more ships, more visitors, more tourism and business opportunities for the region.”

Austral Construction operations director Aaron Turner said the company had nominated numerous local suppliers – except where specialist items were not available.

Austral Construction was previously involved with works for the Navy and Sugar Wharf and as a major subcontractor on previous Ports North projects such as the Marina Wave Barrier and Reef Fleet Marina Finger Wharves.

The supply of steel piles worth $3.5 million for the wharf works was also recently awarded to J Steel Australasia, and production is underway.