A Unique Public Facility in Cairns
A British traveler recently visited Queensland and was amazed by the Cairns Esplanade Lagoon. This public facility is completely free for anyone to use, which surprised the visitor as such amenities are not common in his home country.
Australians are used to having access to outdoor facilities like playgrounds, parks, basketball courts, and even some public pools that are maintained by local councils and available at no cost. When a young British traveler stumbled upon the Cairns Esplanade Lagoon, he was taken aback by how well-maintained it was and the fact that it was free to use.
Joe Leggett, who had never been to Australia before, shared his experience in a video. He and his travel group arrived in Cairns in the evening and went for a quick walk. As they passed the lagoon, Joe was curious about which hotel the pool belonged to. It was then that he learned that the large swimming pool was actually free for everyone to use.
This revelation left Joe stunned. He remarked that such a facility would be unheard of in the UK, where swimming pools in leisure centers usually require payment. He also mentioned that if such pools were free in the UK, people might take advantage of them too much.
In his video, Joe highlighted how lucky Australians are to have access to this kind of facility. He found it hard to imagine taking a quick walk and then jumping into a pool. In contrast, school kids in Australia often go for a swim after school.
The free swimming facility wasn’t the only thing that impressed Joe. He was also surprised to find nearby public barbecue stations that were free to use. He explained that people could bring their own food and enjoy a barbecue there.
Joe’s final comment was, “Oh, I want to move here!” His video, shared on both Instagram and TikTok, quickly gained a lot of attention. However, many comments from Australians pointed out the reason why the free pool in Cairns exists.
Some replies noted that in northern areas, people can’t swim in the ocean due to dangers like crocodiles, jellyfish, and sharks. Others mentioned that the hot climate makes it necessary to have public pools. Despite these reasons, several Aussies emphasized that it’s still a privilege to have such facilities.
One person commented that having these amenities funded by taxes is rare elsewhere. Another agreed that Australians should appreciate the community infrastructure like pools, BBQs, toilets, playgrounds, and parks.
Many Brits responded to the discussion, noting that similar dangerous areas exist in the UK and Asia but don’t have the same level of public facilities. One British citizen said that Australian public amenities are far superior to what they get in the UK.
Several Aussies also pointed out that the free pool in Cairns isn’t an isolated case. They mentioned other locations like Streets Beach in Southbank, Airlie Beach Lagoon, Settlement Cove Lagoon in Redcliffe, Orion Lagoon in Springfield, and the main pool on Hamilton Island.
Other Queensland spots named included east coast beaches with free ocean pools for lap swimming or avoiding waves. Joe’s excitement over the free BBQ surprised many Aussies, who admitted they often take such resources for granted.
One Aussie asked, “Your parks don’t have free BBQs?” while another said, “BBQs in parks are just normal – I didn’t realize other people didn’t have that.” Another added, “Everyone has the right to a dip and a Barbie!”
Ultimately, many Aussies saw Joe’s video as a reminder of how much they take for granted. One person said, “I forget how good we have it sometimes,” while others believed that small things like this might make overseas visitors want to move to Australia permanently.
