Throughout Australia numerous projects are underway to try and cool concrete jungle cities and cooking country towns as the outback and even islands erupt into flames . The truth of the matter is that it is really tinkering at the edges of the vast global warming/climate change monster that requires massive action on many , many fronts.
Across North Australia a variety of methods are being used to try and make areas more appealing to the eye and help the populace cope with the heat .
In the Northern Territory capital of Darwin there is a heat mitigation plan in which a shade structure , above , was erected at a cost said to be more than $2million , near the end of Cavenagh Street , in the depressed CBD. Looking like the ribs of an aircraft hangar, it will eventually be covered by a Rangoon Creeper , Quisqualis , hybrid which comes without thorns and masses of fragrant smelling flowers, watered by a built in fine spray system . An artist's impression follows .
The streetscape is being softened in parts with moveable concrete boxes filled with advanced plants . There is talk of constructing a pool in the CBD to further cool the city. Involving the NT Government , the Darwin City Council and Charles Darwin University , it is hoped other tests with new technology paints that reflect UV and various pavement materials will make Darwin a global leader in heat mitigation projects and research
Alice Springs , in the Dead Heart , is also being greened . Some landscaping is taking place along the Stuart Highway .
In Townsville , at times called Brownsville because of the lack of rain and water restrictions , there was a city council plan to hire celebrity gardener Jamie Durie to tart up the Queen City of the North . However, he ran into a spot of financial trouble and did not come north .
The city lamented not having a waterfront pool like Cairns and thought a wave pool like the one in Darwin would be a great city amenity .
