RDAQ Award Winners onstage at the 2026 Gala Ball

Last week I had the opportunity to again capture the RDAQ annual conference in Cairns. The event, held at the Pullman Cairns International, is the state’s premier medical event bringing together over 300 rural general practitioners, registrars, and medical students. It features networking, clinical upskilling, and discussions on healthcare challenges facing regional, rural, and remote Australia. The conference culminates in its Gala Ball – a glamorous evening allowing delegates to unwind, catch up and celebrate the presentation of major rural health awards. Here’s some of the pics from the wonderful night.

The refurbished facade of the Mulgrave Gallery, formerly the Mulgrave Shire Council offices

I recently did the architecture photography of the refurbished and restored Mulgrave Gallery in Cairns, for Total Project Architects’ project portfolio and awards submission.   Housed in the former Mulgrave Shire Council Chambers (1912), the gallery is an engaging new art space on the Cairns Esplanade with unique architectural features, including historical vaults, high ceilings and restored verandahs.  The interiors of the gallery provide an interesting backdrop to diverse exhibitions and displays that showcase the North Queensland communities and culture.

Mayfield offers exceptional care and early education for children throughout Australia.  I was approached to capture all the action of a day at one of their Cairns centres in both images and video.  The shoot was all about showcasing their play-based learning approach and the care their educators take to foster learning.  It was great fun and challenge capturing the kids at play, in their learning environments and their interaction with each other and the educators.

The ballroom decked out for the Class of 2024 Redlynch State College Senior Formal

In late June, Redlynch State College put on their 2024 Senior Formal at the Pullman Cairns International.  I was there to do the event photography – capturing all the glamour of the students’ arrivals, as well as for portraits of the young couples and groups dressed to the nines.

Conference welcome reception at the Cairns Aquarium

Earlier this month I was the conference photographer for the Australian Road Safety Council annual conference held here in Cairns. The conference brings together road safety stakeholders and decision-makers from Australasia and international jurisdictions to facilitate collaboration and share information.  Along with conference sessions, trade exhibit and gala awards dinner at the Cairns Convention Centre, the delegates were treated to an insight into the wet tropics and Great Barrier Reef with a welcome reception at the Cairns Aquarium.

Crowds enjoying a day out along the Esplanade Dining Precinct on its opening day

In late June, the new $28 million Esplanade Dining Precinct was unveiled to the public.  Fast-tracked as a post-COVID recovery project, the new layout features a contemporary awning spanning the length of the project, allowing better weather coverage for extended dining areas. A new one-way roadway, promenade and extended footpaths enable the precinct to be easily converted to a pedestrian-only space for events and festivals.  Tropical landscaping and other features including grassed mounds, pebble seating and a vertical garden have been added to create an inviting environment for diners and families.

I worked with the Cairns Regional Council and the principal contractor, Field Construct, to capture the precinct’s new design and also the adjacent Florence Street Link (a pedestrian link between major cultural and tourism attractions such as Munro Martin Parklands and the Cairns Aquarium).  Landscape architecture images of the Cairns Esplanade Dining Precinct were captured both on completion and on it’s opening day, when the public came out in force to explore the new precinct.

The business engaged me to create some environmental portraits of their key staff, in line with the style of portraits taken at their other facilities in Bundaberg and Darwin.  The blue light coral tanks at the facility proved to be an interesting backdrop, but with the challenge of balancing the blue LED lighting with professional strobes.  Other photos included some editorial photography of their Cairns staff handling the collected corals and preparing them for delivery to their clients.

Checking coral species growing in a blue light holding tank

The interior of an executive ocean room overlooking the esplanade lagoon

The Oaks Cairns Hotel is a new 76-room development overlooking the Esplanade Lagoon and in the heart of the CBD.  Along with boutique style accommodation, the renovated building now features 5 storeys and will host a rooftop Oak and Vine restaurant.  Although the hotel is not slated for opening until mid September, I was in there last week to do the hotel photography for some of the new completed rooms.  Three room types were captured: executive ocean, deluxe and hotel internal, in addition to the lagoon views from the rooftop bar.  Here’s a couple of pics from the shoot.

The D.A.T.S. building is a new secondary school ‘inovation precinct’ that incorporates multiple science labs, design and material workshops, visual arts studios, STEM spaces and food technology kitchens.  The Learning Precinct Building features agile learning spaces – ie. flexible classrooms that assist teachers to differentiate lessons and accommodate the different learning styles and needs of their students.

Capturing the architectural photography over the best part of a day, allowed sufficient time to get in and shoot the exciting new learning spaces in the best light, including some twilight shots.

The new Welcome Centre administration building – Block A