Arms of Cairns of that Ilk.

Clan Cairns is a Scottish clan. The clan does not have a chief recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms, therefore the clan has no standing under Scots Law. Clan Cairns is considered an armigerous clan, meaning that it is considered to have had at one time a chief who possessed the chiefly arms, however no one at present is in possession of such arms. The arms of Cairns of that Ilk are blazoned as: Gules, three martlets Or.^[1]

The surname Cairns is derived from the Scottish Gaelic carn, meaning "cairn". It is a topographic name for someone who lived near a cairn.^[2] The lands of Cairns are located in the parish of Mid Calder, near Edinburgh.^[3] According to George Fraser Black, the first Cairns to be recorded is William de Carnys, who was recorded as witnessing a charter in 1349. William de Carnys and his son Duncan held the baronies of Easter and Wester Whitburn. Many Cairns are also recorded in the counties of Midlothian and West Lothian. Today many Cairns are still located around Edinburgh and Glasgow.^[1]

See also[link]

• Cairns (disambiguation)

References[link]

This Scottish clan-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (April 2011)

Cairns Queensland
View of Cairns from Lake Morris with the Yarrabah peninsula in the background
Cairns
Population:	150,920(2010)[1] (14th)
• Density:	250.9/km² (649.8/sq mi) [2]
Established:	1876
Coordinates:	16°55′32″S 145°46′31″E / 16.92556°S 145.77528°E / -16.92556; 145.77528Coordinates: 16°55′32″S 145°46′31″E / 16.92556°S 145.77528°E / -16.92556; 145.77528
Area:	488.1 km² (188.5 sq mi) [3]
Time zone:	AEST (UTC+10)
Location:	1707 km (1,061 mi) NW of Brisbane 2420 km (1,504 mi) NNW of Sydney
LGA:	Cairns Region
County:	Nares
State electorate:	Cairns, Barron River, Mulgrave
Federal Division:	Leichhardt
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 29.0 °C 84 °F 20.8 °C 69 °F 2,020.4 mm 79.5 in

Cairns ( /ˈkɛərnz/, locally [ˈkeːnz])^[4] is a regional city in Far North Queensland, Australia, founded 1876. The city was named after William Wellington Cairns, then-current Governor of Queensland. It was formed to serve miners heading for the Hodgkinson River goldfield, but experienced a decline when an easier route was discovered from Port Douglas. It later developed into a railhead and major port for exporting sugar cane, gold and other metals, minerals and agricultural products from surrounding coastal areas and the Atherton Tableland region. As of 2010, the population is approximately 150,920.^[1][5]

Cairns is located about 1,700 km (1,056 mi) from Brisbane, and about 2,420 km (1,504 mi) from Sydney by road. It is a popular travel destination for foreign tourists because of its tropical climate. It serves as a starting point for people wanting to visit the Great Barrier Reef and Far North Queensland.

Geography[link]

Cairns, view of the foreshore.

The Mulgrave River running through the Goldsbrough Valley to the south of Gordonvale.

Skyrail Rainforest Cableway over the rainforest.

Cairns is located on the east coast of Cape York Peninsula on a coastal strip between the Coral Sea and the Great Dividing Range. The northern part of the city is located on Trinity Bay and the city centre is located on Trinity Inlet. Some of the city's suburbs are located on flood plains. The Mulgrave River and Barron River flow within the greater Cairns area but not through the CBD. The city centre's foreshore is located on a mud flat.

Urban layout[link]

Cairns is a provincial city, with a linear urban layout that runs from the south, at Edmonton, to the north, at Ellis Beach. The city is approximately 52 km (32 mi) from north to south. Cairns has experienced recent urban sprawl, with suburbs occupying land previously used for sugar cane farming.

The Northern Beaches consist of a number of beach communities extending north along the coast. In general, each beach suburb is located at the end of a spur road extending from the Captain Cook Highway. From south to north, these are Machans Beach, Holloways Beach, Yorkeys Knob, Trinity Park, Trinity Beach, Kewarra Beach, Clifton Beach, Palm Cove, and Ellis Beach.

The suburb of Smithfield is located inland against the mountains of the Great Dividing Range, between Yorkeys Knob and Trinity Park. It serves as the main hub for the Northern Beaches, with a modern shopping arcade, called Smithfield Shopping Centre.

Located south of Smithfield and inland from the Northern Beaches along the edge of the Barron River flood plain are the suburbs of Caravonica, Kamerunga, Freshwater, and Stratford. This area is sometimes referred to as Freshwater Valley, though it is actually the lower part of Redlynch Valley; further up the valley are the suburbs of Redlynch, on the western side of Redlynch Valley, and Brinsmead on the eastern side. Stratford, Freshwater, and Brinsmead are separated from Cairns city by Mount Whitfield (elevation 365 m (1,198 ft)) and Whitfield Range. Crystal Cascades and Copperlode Dam are also located behind this range. (Kuranda, a town on the Barron River on the western side of the Macalister Range, forms part of the Cairns economic catchment but is located in the Tablelands local government area and is not part of the Cairns urban area.)

The city centre of Cairns is adjacent to the suburbs of Cairns North, and Parramatta Park, Bungalow, Portsmith, and close to Westcourt, Manunda, Manoora, Edge Hill, Whitfield, Kanimbla, Mooroobool, Earlville, Woree and Bayview Heights. The small suburb of Aeroglen is pressed between Mount Whitfield and the airport, on the Captain Cook Highway between Cairns North and Stratford.

Southside Cairns, situated in a narrow area between Trinity Inlet to the east and Lamb Range to the west, includes the suburbs of White Rock, Mount Sheridan, Bentley Park and Edmonton. The townships of Goldsborough, Little Mulgrave, and Aloomba are near Gordonvale, located on the Mulgrave River. This area is serviced by the Bruce Highway. Several other small towns and communities within Cairns' jurisdiction are sparsely located along the Bruce highway, the furthest being Mirriwinni, 66 kilometres (41.0 mi) south of Cairns city; the largest of these townships is Babinda, about 60 kilometres (37.3 mi) from the city.

History[link]

Prior to British settlement, the Cairns area was inhabited by the Walubarra Yidinji people,^[6] who still recognise their indigenous property rights.^[7] The area is known in the local Yidiny language as Gimuy.^[6]

In 1770, James Cook first mapped the future site of Cairns, naming it Trinity Bay. Closer investigation by several official expeditions 100 years later established its potential for development into a port.

Cairns was founded in 1876, hastened by the need to export gold discovered on the tablelands to the west of the inlet. The site was predominantly mangrove swamps and sand ridges. The swamps were gradually cleared by labourers, and the sand ridges were filled in with dried mud, sawdust from local sawmills, and ballast from a quarry at Edge Hill. Debris collected from the construction of a railway to Herberton on the Atherton Tableland, a project which started in 1886, was also used. The railway opened up land that was later used for agriculture on the lowlands (sugar cane, corn, rice, bananas, pineapples), and for fruit and dairy production on the Tableland. The success of local agriculture helped Cairns to establish itself as a port, and the creation of a harbour board in 1906 helped to support its economic future.

During World War II, Cairns was used by the Allied Forces as a staging base for operations in the Pacific,^[8] with US Army Air Force and Royal Australian Air Force operational bases (now the airport), as well as a major military seaplane base in Trinity Inlet, and US Navy and Royal Australian Navy bases near the current wharf. Combat missions were flown out of Cairns in support of the Battle of the Coral Sea in 1942. Edmonton and White Rock south of Cairns were major military supply areas and US Paratroopers trained at Gordonvale and the Goldsborough Valley.

A Special Forces training base was established at the old "Fairview" homestead on Munro's Hill, Mooroobool. This base was officially known as the Z Experimental Station,^[9] but referred to informally as "The House on the Hill".

After World War II, Cairns gradually developed into a centre for tourism. The opening of the Cairns International Airport in 1984 helped establish the city as a desirable destination for international tourism.

Climate[link]

Cairns experiences a warm tropical climate, specifically a Tropical monsoon climate (Am) under the Köppen climate classification.^[10][11] A wet season with tropical monsoons runs from November to May, with a relatively dry season from June to October, though showers are frequent for most of this period.^[12] Cairns' mean annual rainfall is 2,015.9 millimetres (79.4 in).^[13] The township of Babinda at the southern end of the city is one of Australia's wettest towns, recording an annual rainfall of over 4,200 millimetres (165.4 in). It has hot, humid summers and milder temperatures in winter.^[12] Mean maximum temperatures vary from 25.7 °C (78.3 °F) in July to 31.4 °C (88.5 °F) in January. Monsoonal activity during the wet season occasionally causes major flooding of the Barron and Mulgrave Rivers, cutting off road and rail access to the city.

Tropical cyclones[link]

Like most of North and Far North Queensland, Cairns is prone to tropical cyclones, usually forming between November and May.

Notable cyclones that have affected the Cairns region include:

• Cyclone Yasi, 2011
• Cyclone Larry, 2006
• Cyclone Abigail, 2001
• Cyclone Steve, 2000
• Cyclone Rona, 1999
• Cyclone Justin, 1997

Governance[link]

'The Lagoon' on Cairns Esplanade at sunset.

Cairns is part of the Cairns Region local government area which is governed by a Regional Council. The Council consists of a directly elected mayor and 10 councillors, elected from 10 single-member divisions (or wards) using an optional preferential voting system. Elections are held every four years.

The Cairns Region consists of three former local government areas. The first was the original City of Cairns, consisting of the Cairns City region as listed above. The second, which was amalgamated in 1995, was the Shire of Mulgrave (comprising the other areas, namely the Northern Beaches, Redlynch Valley and Southside). The town of Gordonvale was once called Nelson. The third area is the Shire of Douglas, which amalgamated in 2008 during major statewide local government reforms.

At the time of the 1995 amalgamation, Cairns City had a population of approximately 40,000 and Mulgrave Shire had a population of approximately 60,000. Both local government authorities had chambers in the Cairns CBD. The old Cairns City Council chambers has been converted into a new city library. In a controversial decision,^[14] new Council chambers were constructed on previously contaminated land in the mainly industrial suburb of Portsmith.

Cairns has three representatives in the Queensland Parliament, from the electoral districts of Barron River, Cairns and Mulgrave. The city is represented in the Federal Parliament by representatives elected from the districts of Leichhardt and Kennedy.

Economy[link]

Cairns at night; the wharves. The casino's dome can be seen in the background.

The Lakes, Cairns

Cairns Pier

Cairns serves as the major commercial centre for the Far North Queensland and Cape York Peninsula Regions. It is a base for the regional offices of various government departments.

Tourism[link]

Tourism plays a major part in the Cairns economy. According to Tourism Australia, the Cairns region is the fourth-most popular destination for international tourists in Australia after Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.^[15] While the city does not rank amongst Australia's top 10 destinations for domestic tourism, it attracts a significant number of Australian holiday makers given its distance from major capitals.^[16] The city is in close proximity to the Great Barrier Reef, the Wet Tropics of Queensland, and the Atherton Tableland.

Cairns esplanade includes a swimming lagoon with adjoining barbecue areas. In May 2003, the then Cairns Mayor Kevin Byrne declared that topless sunbathing is permitted here, as the area is a gathering point for people from around the world who may wish to do so.^[17][18]

Commercial[link]

Several shopping centres of various sizes are located throughout Cairns. The largest of these are Cairns Central shopping centre, located in the central business district, and Stockland Cairns, located in the suburb of Earlville. In Westcourt, one of the city's oldest shopping centres has been refurbished, with the city's first DFO.^[19][20] To service the needs of suburbs further from the city centre, shopping complexes are also located at Mount Sheridan, Redlynch, Smithfield, and Clifton Beach.

In 2010, the state government opened the second stage of William McCormack Place, an AU$80 million office building credited as the first 6-star green star rated building in the city.^[21]

Media[link]

The Cairns Post is a daily newspaper published in the city; a weekly paper, The Cairns Sun, is also published. The Courier-Mail is a daily Queensland-wide newspaper published in Brisbane. The Australian newspaper also circulates widely.

Cairns is served by five television stations, three commercial television stations (WIN Television, Seven Queensland and Southern Cross Ten) which are regional affiliates of the three Australian commercial television networks (Nine, Seven and Ten), and public broadcasters the ABC (ABC1) and SBS (SBS ONE).^[22]

Ten extra digital-only channels from these networks are also available: ABC2, ABC3, ABC News 24, GEM, GO!, One HD, Eleven, SBS Two, 7Two and 7mate. SBS offers digital high-definition simulcasts of their main channel, SBS ONE on SBS HD. Austar Limited provides subscription satellite television services.

Of the three main commercial networks, Seven Queensland and WIN produce 30-minute local news bulletins each weeknight (both produced from local newsrooms, but broadcast from studios in Maroochydore with WIN also producing a state-wide late news bulletin for regional Queensland. Southern Cross Ten also provides short local news updates throughout the day.

Cairns radio stations include a number of public, commercial and community broadcasters. The ABC broadcasts ABC Radio National, ABC Local, ABC Classic FM and the Triple J youth network. Commercial radio stations include Zinc 102.7 FM, 4CA 846 AM, Hot FM, Sea FM and 104.3 4TAB sports radio, while the community radio stations are 4CCR-FM, 101.9 Coast FM, Orbit FM 88.0FM & 87.8FM and 4CIM 98.7FM.

Industry and agriculture[link]

The land around Cairns is still used for sugar cane farming, although this land is increasingly under pressure from new suburbs as the city grows. Within the Cairns City Council area, sugar mills operate in Gordonvale and Babinda.

The Barron Gorge Hydroelectric Power Station is located nearby on the lower Barron River, and provides green power for some of the city's needs.

Transport[link]

Cairns is an important transport hub in the Far North Queensland region. Located at the base of Cape York Peninsula, it provides important transport links between the Peninsula and Gulf of Carpentaria regions, and the areas to the south of the state. Cairns International Airport is essential to the viability of the area's tourism industry.

Roads[link]

The Bruce Highway in Cairns southern suburbs at morning peak hour.

The Bruce Highway runs for 1,700 km (1,056 mi) from Brisbane, and terminates in the Cairns CBD. From there the Captain Cook Highway (also referred to as the Cook Highway) commences, and runs for approximately 76 km (47 mi) northwest to Mossman.

A need for future upgrades to the Bruce Highway to motorway standards through the southern suburbs to Gordonvale has been identified in regional planning strategies to cope with increasing congestion from rapid population growth. This will result in overpasses at all major intersections from Woree to Gordonvale. The motorway will divert from Bentley Park to Gordonvale, bypassing Edmonton to reduce the effects of road noise on residential areas.^[23]

The Kennedy Highway commences at Smithfield on the Barron River flood plain north of Cairns, and ascends the Macalister Range to the township of Kuranda. The highway then extends to the town of Mareeba on the Atherton Tableland, and continues to communities of Cape York Peninsula.

The Gillies Highway commences at the township of Gordonvale, and ascends the Gillies Range (part of the Great Dividing Range) to the town of Atherton on the Atherton Tableland, passing through the township of Yungaburra on the way.

The controversial private road, Quaid Road, was constructed in 1989 through what is now a Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, and links Wangetti, on the coast just north of Cairns, to Southedge, just south of Mount Molloy. The road is not open to the public and is not used for general traffic.

Coaches[link]

Cairns is served by long-distance coaches to Brisbane, and regional cities to the south. Coaches also operate west to Mount Isa via Townsville, and to Alice Springs and Darwin in the Northern Territory. The longest running locally owned Coach company is Tropic Wings Coach Tours, originally established in 1981 and operated under the name of "Blue Wings Coaches" changing to "Tropic Wings Coach Tours" in 1984. Tropic Wings Coach Tours was the first local company to service Kuranda on a regular basis and has continued to service North Queensland to this day.

Public transport[link]

A public transport network is operated throughout the city by Marlin Coast Sunbus. A transit mall is located in the CBD, through which all services operate. Services include most parts of the city, from Palm Cove in the north, to Gordonvale in the south. Bus services operated by 'Trans North'^[24] run to Kuranda and to the Atherton Tableland. A smaller minibus service, Jon's Kuranda Bus runs between Cairns and Kuranda. Cairns also has one major taxi company, cairns taxis, which services the Cairns region.

Rail[link]

Railway workers on the Cairns Railway with a view of Glacier Rock in the background, ca. 1891.^[25]

Cairns is the terminus for Queensland's North Coast railway line, which follows the eastern seaboard from Brisbane. Services are operated by Queensland Rail (QR). In April 2009, the high speed tilt train service from Brisbane to Cairns was suspended due to safety concerns but resumed service on 4 May.^[26] Freight trains also operate along the route, with a QR Freight handling facility located at Portsmith.

Pacific National Queensland (a division of Pacific National, owned by Asciano Limited) operates a rail siding at Woree. It runs private trains on the rail network owned by the Queensland State Government and managed by QR's Network Division.

The Kuranda Scenic Railway operates from Cairns. The tourist railway ascends the Macalister Range and is not used for commuter services. It passes through the suburbs of Stratford, Freshwater (stopping at Freshwater Station) and Redlynch before reaching Kuranda.

Freight services to Forsayth were discontinued in the mid-1990s. These were mixed freight and passenger services that served the semi-remote towns west of the Great Dividing Range. There is now a weekly passenger-only service, The Savannahlander, that leaves Cairns on Wednesday mornings. The Savannahlander is run by a private company, Cairns Kuranda Steam Trains.

Cairns is served by a narrow gauge cane railway (or cane train) network that hauls harvested sugar cane to the Mulgrave Mill located in Gordonvale. The pressure of urban sprawl on land previously cultivated by cane farmers has seen this network reduced over recent years.

The use of the existing heavy rail line for commuter services between Redlynch and Gordonvale is occasionally discussed; however this is not a favoured option under the FNQ 2010 Regional Plan, which recommends the use of buses.

Airport[link]

Cairns International Airport

Cairns Marina.

Cairns International Airport is located 7 km (4 mi) north of Cairns City between the CBD and the Northern Beaches. It is Australia's seventh busiest domestic airport and sixth busiest international airport. In 2005/2006 there were 3.76 million international and domestic passenger movements.^[27]

The airport has a domestic terminal, a separate international terminal, and a general aviation area. The airport handles international flights, and flights to major Australian cities, tourist destinations, and regional destinations throughout North Queensland. It is an important base for general aviation serving the Cape York Peninsula and Gulf of Carpentaria communities. The Cairns airport is also a base for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Sea port[link]

The Cairns Seaport, located on Trinity Inlet, is operated by the Cairns Port Authority.^[28] It serves as an important port for tourist operators providing daily reef trips. These consist of large catamarans capable of carrying over 300 passengers, as well as smaller operators that may take as few as 12 tourists. Cairns Port is also a port of call for cruise ships, such as Captain Cook Cruises, cruising the South Pacific Ocean. It also provides freight services to coastal townships on Cape York Peninsula, the Torres Strait and the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Yearly cargo through the port totals 1.13 million tonnes. Almost 90% of the trade is bulk cargoes^[27] – including petroleum, sugar, molasses, fertiliser and LP gas. A large number of fishing trawlers are also located at the port. There is also a marina that houses private yachts and boats used for tourist operations.

The Royal Australian Navy has a base in Cairns (HMAS Cairns).^[29] The base has a complement of 900 personnel, and supports fourteen warships, including the four Armidale class patrol boats of Ardent Division, four of the six Balikpapan class landing craft, and all six ships of the Royal Australian Navy Hydrographic Service.^[29]

The Trinity Wharf has recently been the subject of a major redevelopment to improve the area for tourist and cruise ship operations. The freight wharves are located to the south of Trinity Wharf further up Trinity Inlet.

Sister cities[link]

^[30]

• Lae, Papua New Guinea (Morobe Province) since 1984
• Minami, Japan (Tokushima Prefecture) since 1969
• Oyama, Japan (Tochigi Prefecture) since 15 June 2006
• Riga, Latvia since 1990
• Scottsdale, Arizona (USA) since 1987
• Sidney, British Columbia (Canada) since 1984
• Zhanjiang, People's Republic of China (Guangdong province) since 2005

A selection of memorabilia and artefacts relating to Cairns Sister Cities is displayed at Cairns City Library.

Education[link]

Cairns has numerous primary and secondary schools. Separate systems of private and public schools operate in Queensland. There are 20 state primary schools and 16 state high schools operated by the Queensland state government Department of Education within the Cairns City Council area, including 6 schools in the predominantly rural areas south of Gordonvale.

Roman Catholic schools are operated by Catholic Education Cairns. The Roman Catholic system encompasses nineteen primary schools, six secondary colleges and one P-12 college.^[31] There are almost 6,000 primary students and 3,250 secondary students enrolled in the Roman Catholic school system.^[32]

The Cairns Campus of James Cook University is located at Smithfield. The city is also home to a TAFE college, and a School of the Air base, both located in the inner suburb of Manunda.

Health[link]

The Cairns Base Hospital from the air facing south.

The Cairns Base Hospital is situated on the Cairns Esplanade and is the major hospital for the Cape York Peninsula Region. The smaller Cairns Private Hospital is located nearby.

Cairns is a base for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, which operates clinics and provides emergency evacuations in remote communities throughout the region.

Sport and recreation[link]

Notable sporting grounds include Barlow Park, Parramatta Park, Cazaly's Stadium, the Cairns Convention Centre (basketball), and the Cairns Hockey Centre.

Cairns has a National Basketball League (NBL) team, the Cairns Taipans whose home court is the Convention Centre, known as The Snakepit during Taipans home games. The Skill360 Australia Northern Pride Queensland Cup rugby league team played their first season in 2008, and act as a feeder team to the North Queensland Cowboys who play in the National Rugby League. The Cairns region has a large association football (soccer) community with a local competition which spans from Port Douglas to Innisfail and west to Dimbulah. Notable association football (soccer) players from the region include Socceroos Frank Farina, Steve Corica, Shane Stefanutto and Michael Thwaite. Cairns also hosts growing bases for Rugby union, and a local league of Australian rules football.^[33]

Cairns is represented by Brothers Cairns, Cairns Kangaroos and Southern Suburbs in the Cairns District Rugby League. There is a baseball league at Trinity Beach.^[34] The Cairns Showground is used for sports as well, as the Cairns Show and funfairs.^[35]

Cairns is a major international destination for water sports and scuba diving due to its close proximity to the Great Barrier Reef. Other recreational activities popular with tourists include whitewater rafting, skydiving, kitesurfing and snorkelling.

Notable residents (past and present)[link]

• Courtenay Dempsey, AFL footballer, Essendon Football Club
• Jarrod Harbrow, AFL footballer, Gold Coast Football Club
• Justin Hodges, International rugby league player
• Isabel Lucas, Actress
• Ryan McGoldrick, rugby league player, Castleford Tigers
• Shakaya, Cairns-based R&B duo
• Rhys Wakefield, actor
• Nate Myles, International rugby league player
• Terence Cooper, Film actor, artist
• Wilma Reading, Singer
• Xavier Herbert, Writer ^[36]

Photo Gallery[link]

• 

  Army duck tours at Kuranda, Cairns

• 

  Army ducks at Kuranda, Cairns

• 

  Barron water falls, Kuranda, Cairns

• 

  A colourful tour bus at Kuranda, Cairns

• 

  Cairns Lagoon

• 

  Daintree river, Daintree National Park, outskirt of Cairns

• 

  Glass bottom boats and a Semi submarine at Green Island, Great Barrier Reef, outer Cairns

• 

  A Great Barrier Reef ferry, Green Island, outer Cairns

• 

  Kuranda birdworld, Kuranda, Cairns

• 

  Kuranda scenic railway, Kuranda, Cairns

• 

  Mossman river and Gorge, Daintree National Park, outskirts of Cairns

• 

  Moved termite mounts, Mareeba, Queensland, outskirts of Cairns

• 

  Queensland rescue Helicopter, Green Island, Great Barrier Reef, outskirts of Cairns

• 

  Marine stingers sign, Trinity beach, Cairns

• 

  Coffee bean Harvester, Mareeba, Queensland, outskirts of Cairns

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Cairns, Queensland

• Cairns City Council Website
• University of Queensland: Queensland Places: Cairns
• Cairns travel guide from Wikitravel

Queensland portal

Wade Belak
Belak pictured warming up during his time with the Nashville Predators.
Born	(1976-07-03)July 3, 1976 Saskatoon, SK, CAN
Died	August 31, 2011(2011-08-31) (aged 35) Toronto, ON, CAN
Height	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight	222 lb (101 kg; 15 st 12 lb)
Position	Defence/forward
Shot	Right
Played for	Colorado Avalanche Calgary Flames Toronto Maple Leafs Coventry Blaze Florida Panthers Nashville Predators
NHL Draft	12th overall, 1994 Quebec Nordiques
Playing career	1996–2011

Wade Belak (July 3, 1976 – August 31, 2011) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward and defenceman. He was drafted 12th overall by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft. He played for the Colorado Avalanche, Calgary Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers and the Nashville Predators in the National Hockey League (NHL). He died on August 31, 2011.

Playing career[link]

Saskatoon Blades[link]

Belak made his WHL debut with the Saskatoon Blades as a 16 year old during the 1992-93 season, getting no points in seven games, along with 23 PIM. In seven playoff games, Belak had no points. He made the Blades as a full-time player in 1993-94, scoring four goals and 17 points in 69 games, while recording a team high 226 PIM. In 16 playoff games, Belak had two goals, four points and 43 PIM. After the season, Belak was drafted in the first round, 12th overall by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft.^{[citation needed]}

In 1994-95, Belak appeared in all 72 games, scoring four goals and 18 points, while finished fourth in the league with 290 PIM. In the playoffs, Belak had no points in nine games, while recording 36 PIM. He returned to the Blades for the 1995-96 season, scoring three goals and 18 points in 63 games, while getting a team high 207 PIM. In four playoff games, Belak had no points and nine penalty minutes.^{[citation needed]}

Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche[link]

Belak made his professional debut during the 1994-95 AHL playoffs, when the Quebec Nordiques assigned Belak to the Cornwall Aces. In 11 playoff games, Belak had a goal and three points, while getting 40 PIM. During the 1995 off-season, the Nordiques relocated to Denver, Colorado, and became the Colorado Avalanche. In the 1995-96 season, Belak appeared in five regular season games with the Aces, getting no points, followed by two playoff games, where he also had no points.^{[citation needed]}

Belak spent most of the 1996-97 season with the Hershey Bears, where in 65 games, Belak had a goal and eight points, as well as a team high 320 PIM. In 16 playoff games, Belak had an assist and 61 PIM. He made his NHL debut during the 1996-97 season with the Colorado Avalanche on December 21, 1996, getting no points in a 6-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Overall, Belak appeared in five games with Colorado, going pointless with 11 PIM. Belak began the 1997-98 with the Avalanche, and on October 22, 1997, Belak had a goal and assist against Olaf Kolzig of the Washington Capitals to record his first NHL points in a 4-3 win. Belak had an injury plagued season, appearing in eight games with Colorado, getting two points and 27 PIM, while in 11 games with Hershey, Belak had no points and 30 PIM.^{[citation needed]}

He began the 1998-99 in Colorado, and in 22 games with the Avalanche, Belak had no points and 71 PIM. He also appeared in 17 games with Hershey, getting an assist and 49 PIM. On February 28, 1999, the Avalanche traded Belak, Rene Corbet, Robyn Regehr, and the Avalanche's second round draft pick at the 2000 NHL Entry Draft to the Calgary Flames for Theoren Fleury and Chris Dingman.^{[citation needed]}

Calgary Flames[link]

Belak began his Calgary Flames career with the teams AHL affiliate, the Saint John Flames in the 1998-99 season, appearing in 12 games with Saint John, getting two assists and 43 PIM. He made his Calgary debut on March 27, 1999, as Belak had no points in a 2-1 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes. Belak earned his first point as a Flame on April 1, 1999, getting an assist in a 4-1 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes. Overall, Belak had an assist in nine games with Calgary. At the conclusion of the regular season, Belak was sent back to Saint John for the playoffs, where he had an assist in six games, along with 23 PIM.^{[citation needed]}

Belak spent the entire 1999-2000 in the NHL, where he appeared in 40 games with Calgary, recording two assists and a team high 122 PIM. He suffered a shoulder injury on February 10, 2000 against the Colorado Avalanche that made him miss six weeks of action. He began the 2000-01 season with the Flames, where in 23 games, Belak had no points and 79 PIM. On February 16, 2001, the Toronto Maple Leafs claimed Belak off waivers.^{[citation needed]}

Toronto Maple Leafs[link]

Belak made his Toronto Maple Leafs debut on February 17, 2001, getting no points in a 5-5 tie against the Colorado Avalanche. He scored his first goal and point as a Maple Leaf on February 25, 2001, scoring against Jocelyn Thibault in a 6-4 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. It was Belak's first goal since October 22, 1997, when he was a member of the Colorado Avalanche. He finished the season appearing in 16 games with Toronto, scoring a goal and two points, as well as 31 PIM.

Belak played in 63 games with Toronto during the 2001-02 season, scoring a goal and four points, while recording 142 PIM, which was second to Tie Domi on the team. Belak made his playoff debut on April 18, 2002, getting no points in a 3-1 win over the New York Islanders. He scored his first playoff goal and point on April 28, 2002, scoring against Chris Osgood in a 5-3 loss to the New York Islanders. Belak appeared in 16 playoff games for Toronto, getting one goal and 18 PIM. He had his most productive season during 2002-03, as Belak had three goals and nine points in 55 games, as well as a team high 196 PIM. In the playoffs, Belak appeared in two games, getting no points and four penalty minutes.^{[citation needed]}

Belak had an injury plagued 2003-04 season, as he suffered an abdomen injury on November 20, 2003 against the Edmonton Oilers and a knee injury on January 6, 2004 against the Nashville Predators. He appeared in 39 games, getting a goal and two points, along with 110 PIM. In four playoff games, Belak had no points and 14 PIM.^{[citation needed]}

During the 2004-05 NHL lockout, Belak signed with the Coventry Blaze of the EIHL. In 42 games with the Blaze, Belak had seven goals and 17 points and 178 PIM. In the playoffs, Belak had a goal and two points in eight games. After the season, Belak was named to the EIHL Second All-Star Team. Belak returned to the Maple Leafs for the 2005-06 season, as in 55 games, he had three assists and 109 PIM, second highest on the team. In 2006-07, Belak appeared in 65 games with Toronto, getting three assists and 110 PIM, again finishing with the second highest penalty minute total on the Leafs.^{[citation needed]}

Belak began the 2007-08 with the Maple Leafs, and on December 4, 2007, Belak ended his 143 game scoreless drought, as he scored against Chris Mason of the Nashville Predators in a 3-1 Maple Leafs win.^[1] He played in 30 games with Toronto, scoring the lone goal, while getting 66 PIM. On February 26, 2008, the Maple Leafs traded Belak to the Florida Panthers for the Panthers fifth round draft pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

Florida Panthers[link]

Belak finished the 2007-08 with the Florida Panthers, playing in 17 games, getting no points and 12 PIM. His first game as a Panther was on February 27, 2008 against his former team, the Toronto Maple Leafs. He began the 2008-09 season with Florida, where in 15 games, he had no points 25 PIM. On November 27, 2008, the Panthers traded Belak to the Nashville Predators for Nick Tarnasky.^{[citation needed]}

Nashville Predators[link]

Belak made his Predators debut during the 2008-09 season, as on November 28, 2008, he suited up against the Atlanta Thrashers, earning no points. He recorded his first point as a Predator on December 4, 2008, getting an assist in a 3-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche. Belak finished the season appearing in 38 games with Nashville, recording two assists, and 54 PIM. In 2009-10, Belak returned to the Predators, getting two assists in 39 games, as well as 58 PIM.^{[citation needed]}

Belak played his last season in the NHL in 2010-11, going pointless in 15 games with the Predators. On February 25, 2011, the Predators placed Belak on waivers, however, he went unclaimed. The club then assigned Belak to the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL, however, on March 8, 2011, Belak retired and remained with the Predators in an organizational role.^[2]

Personal life[link]

Belak was born in St. Paul's Hospital in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, to Lorraine and Lionel Aadland.^{[dead link][3]} His mother, Lorraine, married Barry Belak when Wade was four years old and they took his surname.^[4] When he was six years old, his family moved to Battleford where he attended St Vital's Catholic School, Battleford Junior High, and North Battleford Comprehensive High School. By age 14, he was aiming to become a certified lifeguard.^{[dead link][5]} His younger brother, Graham, played in several lower-tier leagues and was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche, 53rd overall, in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, although he never played in the NHL.

On July 20, 2002, Belak married Jennifer Jordan Russell in Banff, Alberta. The couple had two daughters, one born in 2004 and one in 2006, both born in Toronto.^{[dead link][5]}

Death[link]

At approximately 1:33 p.m. on August 31, 2011, Belak was found dead in a condo at the One King Street West hotel in Toronto.^[6][7] Police have not confirmed a cause of death, but Toronto Police treated it as a suicide.^[8][9] He was 35 years old, and had been preparing to take part in the upcoming season of Battle of the Blades. His death was the third in a string of NHL players found dead in a four-month span, following Derek Boogaard and Rick Rypien.^[9] His mother stated that he had been suffering from depression.^[8] Michael Landsberg reported that he had been in talks with Belak a week before his death about their mutual depression, and that Belak admitted having been on "happy pills" for the past four to five years.^[10] Landsberg stated that Belak was agreeable to appearing in a documentary on celebrity depression that Landsberg was working on, and going public about his condition.^[10]

On September 2, 2011, P. J. Stock suggested that Belak's death might not be suicide. "Let's just call it an accidental death right now. But he did die of strangulation" said Stock.^[11] Belak's family members also believe his death was accidental.^[12]

Belak's funeral was held in Nashville, with friends, family and former teammates in attendance.^[13]

Career statistics[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Wade Belak's official website
• Wade Belak's NHL player profile
• Wade Belak's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database

Eric Cairns (born June 27, 1974 in Oakville, Ontario) is a retired ice hockey defenceman and current pro scout for the New York Islanders. His last season (2006) was with the Pittsburgh Penguins of the NHL. Eric is still being featured in NHL EA Sports yearly hockey game, he was featured in NHL 10 despite being retired for a number of years.

Playing career[link]

Drafted in the third round of the 1992 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Rangers. He began his second year of professional hockey with the Charlotte Checkers in the ECHL where he played 14 games before the Rangers promoted him to the Binghamton Rangers of the AHL.^[1] A year later was playing in the NHL with the New York Rangers, where he spent several seasons before being placed on waivers. The Rangers' crosstown rivals, the New York Islanders, claimed Cairns on December 22, 1998. He played six seasons with the team before they declined to renew his contract. After the 2004–05 NHL lockout the Florida Panthers signed him as a free agent. Cairns was then traded to the Penguins mid-season. He missed most of the 2006–2007 season with post-concussion syndrome and various other injuries.

Cairns, an enforcer, received less playing time in his last year of play as the enforcer role is less prominent in the post-lockout NHL. Since entering the league in the 1996–1997 season with the Rangers, Cairns accumulated 1,117 penalty minutes, 10 goals, and 32 assists.

Islanders-Rangers rivalry[link]

During his tenure with the Islanders, Cairns was actively involved in the team's rivalry with the Rangers, particularly feuding with Theo Fleury, Sandy McCarthy, Matthew Barnaby and Dale Purinton. In a game on November 8, 2001, McCarthy challenged Cairns to a fight; initially, Cairns declined, but he later chased McCarthy down the ice into the Islanders' zone. During this time, McCarthy scored on a rebound. As McCarthy celebrated, Cairns gave him a jab to the jaw, which led to a fight between Cairns and Steve McKenna. Afterward, with Cairns in the penalty box, Fleury mocked him by flapping his arms like a chicken to suggest that Cairns was afraid to fight McCarthy, who flexed his biceps and looked at Cairns.^[2] In the next game between the two teams, on December 21, Cairns and McCarthy fought at the beginning of the first period following an early Islanders goal. Cairns won the fight, and McCarthy said of him after the game, "I never said he wasn't a tough guy."^[3]

In another incident on February 19, 2004, Dale Purinton sucker-punched Cairns in the face and continued to punch him after he was down on the ice. The rest of the game included a number of fights.^[4] Cairns called Purinton "gutless" and suggested that he violated the "code" of hockey enforcers by delivering the sucker punch.^[5] A week later, on February 26, the Islanders and Rangers again faced off. Cairns and Purinton came together, and Cairns began to throw punches, but Purinton dropped to the ice and turtled. Cairns let Purinton get up and challenged him, but Purinton refused to fight. Barry Melrose criticized Purinton for declining the chance to fight Cairns in a fair match.

London Racers incident[link]

During the lockout, Cairns played on the London Racers. On March 23, 2005, he was involved in a notorious fight with Wade Belak (playing for Coventry Blaze), during which, he punched the referee. The incident began shortly after a whistle when Belak & Cairns made contact behind the net. Cairns was called for a penalty and immediately lost it and tried to get his revenge on Belak and the other officials. The referee was holding him when Cairns threw a punch with his left hand to free himself. He skated around the rink for about a minute, unable to lose his teammates who were following right next to him to make sure he did not escalate the incident anymore. Finally, he raced to the Coventry bench where he threw a punch which finally dragged Belak back onto the ice for a "proper" fight. He was suspended for the remainder of the season, although the NHL allowed him to return the following year.

Pittsburgh Penguins[link]

Cairns was acquired from Florida Panthers in January 2006 to strength the Pen's defence and protect Sidney Crosby. Amazingly, Cairns started with a goal against the New York Islanders. Spent 124 minutes in the penalty box.

Post playing career[link]

Cairns is now a professional scout for the Islanders.^[6]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Eric Cairns's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database
• Eric Cairns's biography at Legends of Hockey
• Eric Cairns's NHL player profile
• Eric Cairns' Profile at Hockeyfights.com
• Eric Cairns' Player bio @ Forecaster.ca

Richard Frank "Rip" Wade was a baseball player for the Washington Senators in 1923 when he was 25 years of age. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He was 5' 11 in height and weighed 174 lb. He made his major league debut on April 19, 1923. His final game was on October 4, 1923. He was born in Duluth, Minnesota on January 12, 1898 and he died on June 15, 1957 in Duluth.

External links[link]

• http://www.baseball-reference.com/w/waderi01.shtml Rip Wade's Statistics

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