THE Cairns Yacht Club received yet another 11th-hour possible reprieve from demolition when Cairns Regional Council voted to push for negotiations with Cairns Ports for a facelift of the building.

The decision came as the president of the National Trust of Queensland Dr John Jackson yesterday urged the council to continue fighting demolition and add the site, which is set to be cleared in September for a highrise development, to its heritage list.

"Cultural tourism is booming in other places and if Cairns continues to erode its own character, tourists will go elsewhere," Dr Jackson said.

The council did not take a vote to put the clubhouse on its heritage register, as previously planned, but instead passed a motion to try to negotiate with Cairns Ports to look at the "adaptive re-use of the existing structure".

Cr Alan Blake voted against the motion moved by Cr Di Forsyth.

After the meeting, Cr Forsyth said the council’s aim was to retain the building on its site, which is owned by Cairns Ports, even if meant parts of the club would change as part of the new Cityport Precinct.

A council report showed a listing would not impact on any development of the site and would only recognise the club’s local heritage values.

A pre-meeting discussion had opted for the council to back down on the listing in anticipation of further meetings with Cairns Ports.

Cr Forsyth said it could be possible for the club to have a "facelift" while retaining its dance floor, bar area and balcony with "modifications".

"All we’re trying to do is influence them (Cairns Ports) into seeing this is viable – it is a proposition to enhance their plans," Cr Forsyth said.

"It’s the councillors’ view that this is the way we should proceed to protect this particularly iconic building precinct for our future heritage.Then down the track we need to look at the heritage listings and how that might work."

Yesterday, Cairns Ports chief executive officer Neil Quinn said he wanted to assess the National Trust’s comments and the council’s decision before making a comment

"However, we welcome (the) council's request to meet with us to address any issues that they may wish to raise," Mr Quinn said.

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