Diving Into The Tanks Arts Centre: Cairns’ Creative Hub Earning Its Star On The Map

To the everyday live music lover, going to a gig in a concrete fuel tank might not be the first venue that comes to mind. But for Cairns locals, it’s just another great Saturday night.

The Tanks Arts Centre, sandwiched amongst the magnificent Cairns Botanic Gardens, is a creative hub like no other. The redeveloped fuel tanks, first constructed for the Royal Australian Navy in WWII to store crude oil, now host a wide variety of concerts, exhibitions, performances, and visual art installations.

Installation of a new roof for Tank 4

Strolling through the venue’s cavernous spaces, it’s easy to see how such an unlikely renovation has become the perfect epicentre for live music and the arts in Cairns. The towering ceilings, sweeping circular walls and concrete surfaces set the scene for a remarkably unique atmosphere, as well as some pretty spectacular acoustics.

With a mammoth resume to boast, the Tanks have hosted the likes of Jimmy Barnes, Missy Higgins, Colin Hay, Tkay Maidza, Archie Roach, Midnight Oil, Angus & Julia Stone… the list goes on and on. And while 2022 has already welcomed acts such as Hockey Dad and Shag Rock, the rest of the year is set to see San Cisco, Sneaky Sound System, Ball Park Music and more take to the stage.

Kain Shepherd, Communications & Ticketing Manager of Cultural Services at Cairns Regional Council, has a real soft spot for The Tanks: “What struck was just the fact that there was this thriving scene of music in the middle of a jungle… I hadn’t really experienced anything like that. I come from Melbourne where I used to go and see a lot of pub bands and things in the ‘90s, and then coming here - this just topped it all.”

Tank 5 comes alive

But The Tanks are not just home to a wide array of live music. Across the three spaces, Tank 3 accommodates a variety of theatre performances, community events and exhibitions, Tank 4 has been utilised as a visual art gallery, and the deliciously air-conditioned Tank 5 welcomes all things from concerts to comedy shows. So what happened to Tanks 1 and 2, you may ask? While the first tanks were built from steel to house diesel fuel, their rusted, oven-like interiors proved to be unsuitable over their concrete counterparts and were scrapped when renovations went underway.

Weaving through the winding, tree-lined pathways of the centre, not a detail has been overlooked in the construction of this creative haven. A signature focal point of the centre’s walkways includes the whimsical recycled metal sculptures that adorn each corner, as well as the iconic entry archway.

The Tanks Arts Centre main entryway  

However, what really sets the Tanks apart from so many renowned venues in cities across the country is the celebration of nature woven into every facet of the centre’s design. From the metal Monsteras threaded through the Tanks' gates to the creeping vines scaling the concrete walls, the atmosphere of the Tanks is already buzzing with life before a band hits the stage. Even the original wooden log support beams, half-dipped black from the enduring crude oil stains, make it feel like the rainforest has been welcomed indoors as patrons weave through the ‘trees’ beneath branches of candles.

But possibly the most powerful point of all, The Tanks Arts Centre has transformed a site that once provided fuel to a war into a sanctuary for music, art, nature and community. Now name a more beautiful metamorphosis than that.