Far North Queensland

Regional delivery — Queensland Budget 2025-26

7
Tracked initiatives
7,414
Health workforce (FTE)
561
Social homes in progress

Highlights

  • New Cairns Hospital with at least 174 new beds
  • New Barron River Bridge at Kuranda
  • Edmonton police facility upgrade ($40M)
  • 168 social homes in construction or under contract
  • Micro public transport trial in Dimbulah, Ravenshoe and Babinda

Health & social services

Health workforce

7,414 FTE staff across Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service (6,100 FTE) and Torres Strait and Cape Hospital and Health Service (1,314 FTE)

Social housing

561 homes in construction or under contract

Capital works & projects

26 projects from the Regional Delivery Plan.

Health8 projects
Cairns Hospital Expansion Refurbishment Works$181 million
Cooktown Multipurpose Health Service Facility$200 million
Cairns Health and Innovation Centre (Stage 1)$60 million
Cairns Adolescent Mental Health Inpatient Services$19 million
Moa St Pauls Public Health Community Centre rectification$10.7 million
Cairns Hospital E Block Pharmacy and Cancer Care refurbishment$3 million
QAS Cairns Operation Centre redevelopment$29 million
Atherton Hospital Ward refurbishment$12.9 million
Education1 project
School Savvy Program$1.4 million
Transport4 projects
Barron River Bridge
Cairns Western Arterial Road
Gilbert River Bridge business case
Kuranda Range Road Upgrade
Safety5 projects
Youth Justice Schools - Cairns
Cairns Watchhouse upgrade
Edmonton police facility upgrade
Bamaga Fire and Emergency Services Complex$4.9 million
Cairns fire communications centre replacement$8.5 million
Infrastructure1 project
Napranum Council Depot Upgrades and Refurbishment$310,000
Community6 projects
Smithfield Mountain Bike Trail Network Expansion$15.5 million
Games On! Manunda Sports Precinct$6 million
Jeff Pezzutti Park upgrades$1.5 million
Yarrabah multipurpose facility business case
Community Bus Service (Dimbulah, Ravenshoe, Babinda)
Cooktown Oval Lights Replacement$350,000
Environment1 project
Reef Joint Field Management Program$19.2 million

Source: Regional Delivery Plan. Not all projects have published amounts.

Region-specific budget initiatives

Major Hospital Infrastructure (Hospital Rescue Plan)$5.592B totalNewCapitalAnnounced

Three new hospitals at Toowoomba, Coomera and Bundaberg, plus expansions at ten existing hospitals, delivering more than 2,600 new beds across Queensland. The $18.526 billion Hospital Rescue Plan responds to growing demand from Queensland's increasing and ageing population. It also includes 186 public beds at Mater Hospital Springfield with an emergency department and intensive care unit.

Capital, total program cost. Year profile not separately disclosed in BP4 (amounts held centrally).

Queensland Ambulance Service Capital$70MNewCapitalAnnounced

New and upgraded ambulance stations to improve emergency response times in growing communities. The Queensland Ambulance Service receives $250 million over four years in base capital funding — the first multi-year capital uplift since 2008-09. This funds new and upgraded ambulance stations, Triple Zero Operations Centres, and fleet and equipment.

2025-26: $70.0M2026-27: $70.0M2027-28: $70.0M2028-29: $40.0M

Capital, total over 4 years from 2025-26

Timely Investment Infrastructure Maintenance (Health)$675MNewCapitalAnnounced

Addresses maintenance backlogs in hospitals so facilities remain safe and functional. The $2.647 billion over five years (plus $200 million per year ongoing) funds maintenance, replacement and refurbishment of Queensland Health's existing assets. This responds to findings in the Queensland Audit Office Health 2024 report and the Sangster Review.

2024-25: $671.9M2025-26: $675.0M2026-27: $550.0M2027-28: $550.0M2028-29: $200.0M

Capital, over 5 years from 2024-25 plus $200M per annum ongoing

Crime Prevention Schools$10MNewAnnounced

Specialist schools for disengaged young people, providing education and support to keep them away from crime. The $50 million over four years funds Crime Prevention Schools that re-engage youth demonstrating high-risk behaviours.

2024-25: $10.0M2025-26: $10.0M2026-27: $10.0M2027-28: $10.0M2028-29: $10.0M

General Government operating, total over 5 years from 2024-25 plus $10M per annum ongoing

Regional Reset Program$12.5MNewAnnounced

Intensive programs in regional areas to intervene early with young people at risk of offending. The $50 million Regional Reset program over four years targets communities where youth crime is concentrated, providing structured activities and mentoring.

2024-25: $12.5M2025-26: $12.5M2026-27: $12.5M2027-28: $12.5M

General Government operating, $12.5M per annum over 4 years from 2024-25

POLAIR Airborne Law Enforcement$17.1MExpandedAnnounced

Police helicopters serving Cairns, Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay for aerial law enforcement and emergency response. The $57.2 million over four years extends POLAIR capability in Cairns for nine years and the Sunshine Coast (with expansion to Moreton Bay) for three years.

2025-26: $17.1M2026-27: $16.5M2027-28: $15.3M2028-29: $8.3M

General Government operating, $57.2M over 4 years within forward estimates ($101.3M over 9 years total)

Games On! Grassroots Infrastructure Program$20MNewAnnounced

Local sporting clubs across Queensland get upgraded facilities like lighting, changerooms and playing surfaces. The $250 million Games On! Grassroots Infrastructure Program funds upgrades across more than 130 clubs and schools, from the $42 million Stage 1 Rockhampton Sports Precinct to smaller grants for cricket clubs, surf lifesaving clubs and netball associations.

2024-25: $9.0M2025-26: $20.0M2026-27: $65.0M2027-28: $65.8M2028-29: $16.5M

General Government operating, 2025-26 budget year within total program. The $250M total includes expense ($225.8M) and capital components spread across multiple departments. The yearProfile covers only the primary expense allocation ($176.3M across 5 years); the remaining $73.7M comprises capital and cross-departmental components not separately profiled in BP4.

Statewide measures

Most budget measures are allocated statewide rather than to individual regions. The full budget overview lists all 87 tracked initiatives, many of which deliver services in Far North Queensland. The Regional Delivery Plan (linked below) details specific capital works and programs for this region.

Source document

Regional Delivery Plan — Far North Queensland (PDF)

Last updated: 2026-05-26. Factual information from published budget documents.