We were the proud winners of two awards at the recent 2025 HIA Cairns Housing and Kitchen & Bathroom Awards, taking home the 'Specialised Housing' award and our young gun apprentice, Rhianna McDonald, taking home 'Apprentice of the Year' award. Rhi will be going up against other winners at the National Master Builder Awards in November. We'll be crossing our fingers and toes she takes the prize home!!
Front page of The Cairns Post (Wednesday, 4th of December), reads an exciting time for travel tourism in Cairns. “Flying High - Plane as Day” is the headline, sharing the good news of 270,000 people expected to travel through our city airport over the next three weeks.
International passenger numbers in Cairns have exceeded pre-pandemic levels for the first time consistently, with 2025 positioned as a bumper year by the Cairns Airport CEO, Richard Barker.
Some of the new and returning flights from this year, include:
Jetstar’s first ever direct flight from Cairns to the Sunshine Coast
the seasonal return of Cathay Pacific’s international flight routes
the commencement this year of Singapore Airlines and AirAsia Indonesia flights
Jetstar’s first direct flight to Christchurch
With Cairns’ first short-term airport accommodation project, SkyHaven, set to offer more accommodation options for travellers by early 2027, the future is looking very bright for Cairns and the Far North.
An artist’s impression of SkyHaven - 186 units of high-quality, purpose-built short-term accommodation at Cairns Airport.
The MiHaven Women's Racing Team is a new Women’s Development Racing Team in Cairns, dedicated to transforming novice cycling enthusiasts into competitive athletes.
MiHaven’s Co-Director, James Mort with the MiHaven Women’s Racing Team
This new initiative offers an exciting opportunity to champion female participation and excellence in the sport of cycling. MiHaven is the team’s principal and naming rights sponsor, with Kuranda Pet Resort and Trinity Cycle Works also on board as co-sponsors.
"At MiHaven, we’re deeply committed to building stronger communities, and that extends beyond housing to initiatives. This team embodies the values of empowerment, perseverance, and inclusion, which are core to everything we do. We’re thrilled to support these incredible women as they break barriers in cycling and inspire others to take on new challenges.", says MiHaven co-owner and director Mr. James Mort. “By supporting this team, we’re investing in a vision where women in our community feel encouraged to chase their goals and redefine what’s possible in cycling and beyond. It’s an honour to be part of this journey".
(Pictured L-R Prue, Bianca, Lauren, Leah, Gabby and Petra)
The team’s foundation is as diverse as it is dynamic, currently comprising women aged 30 to 50, including nurses, certified fitness instructors, marketing professionals, and an engineer, with the aim to expand their team and scope from U17 riders through to senior riders still wishing to compete. The team has already marked an impressive milestone with their first outing, by competing in the prestigious Tour of Margaret River in Western Australia earlier this month, a three-day team racing event, where they placed 6th out of 11 teams—a remarkable achievement for their debut year as a newly formed team.
MiHaven Women’s Racing Team at the prestigious Tour of Margaret River in WA.
The riders have picked out 18 different events for different riders to participate in, including a Townsville Stage Race, the Balmoral Women’s Tour, title sponsor’s MiHaven Tablelands Tour and track cycling events.
To learn more about the MiHaven Women’s Racing Team and follow their exploits, visit their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MiHavenWomensRacingTeam or Instagram account.
Exciting News: Our SDA Apartments Win the 'Specialised Housing' Award!
We are absolutely thrilled to share some fantastic news with our community! Last weekend, at the HIA North Queensland awards held in Townsville, our 1- and 2-bedroom SDA apartments located at 189 Swallow Street in Mooroobool were honoured with the prestigious 'Specialised Housing' Award. This recognition is not just a testament to our commitment to quality and innovation in housing but also a significant milestone for our team.
What This Award Means
Winning the 'Specialised Housing' Award is an incredible achievement that highlights the unique features and benefits of our apartments. These homes are designed with accessibility and comfort in mind, catering specifically to the needs of individuals with disabilities. We take pride in creating spaces that enhance the quality of life for our residents, and this award reinforces our dedication to that mission.
Looking Ahead: A Step Towards National Recognition
The excitement doesn’t stop here! With this award under our belt, we are now finalists for the 2025 HIA Australian Specialised Housing award, which will take place in Melbourne next year. Being recognised on a national level is an incredible honour, and we are eager to showcase our work on such a prominent stage.
A Heartfelt Thank You
We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported us on this journey—our dedicated team, partners, and of course, our wonderful participants.
We’re excited about what the future holds…bring on Melbourne in 2025!
View our award-winning property, below!
It was a happy day in the offices of MiHaven when we learnt that our Argentinian-born architect, Patricio Llordella, is now eligible for registration with the Board of Architects of Queensland.
Patricio Llordella (left) pictured with MiHaven’s Project Manager, Chris Chastre.
Previously a qualified architect and university professor in Argentina, Patricio embarked on a significant personal journey four and a half years ago when he began working at MiHaven, despite having limited English proficiency.
Since then, he has become an integral part of the team, currently leading the architectural division where he designs MiHaven’s award-winning homes, including fifty Specialist Disability Accommodation dwellings. Most notably, he is overseeing the $60 million SkyHaven short-term accommodation project at Cairns Airport.
One of Patricio’s designs - an artist’s impression of the new SkyHaven short-term accommodation project located at Cairns Airport.
Over the years, Patricio has dedicated his spare time, including lunch breaks, to studying for recognition as an architect in Australia. Once this becomes official, Patricio will become the first Argentinian architect to be registered in Queensland.
We congratulate you, Patricio!
Travel Weekly is a daily digital newsletter that delivers breaking news about all aspects of the travel industry. Great to see their coverage of our SkyHaven project with the headline, “Ground has been broken on MiHaven’s $60 million SkyHaven project, the first short-term accommodation facility at Cairns Airport”, sent out to their 40 000 subscribers.
Read the full article, by clicking on the image below
Travel Weekly’s coverage of SkyHaven
Cairns-based magazine, City Life Magazine has featured the SkyHaven project in their latest Spring 2024 edition.
Property media company, The Urban Developer has published a story about our SkyHaven project.
Interesting to note, in last month’s ediiton they spoke with Sentinel Property Group chief, Warren Ebert, who identified Cairns as one of several regional hotspots he said were, “ripe for investment and development”.
MiHaven's Specialist Disability Accommodation development showcases cutting-edge design and construction tailored for accessibility and comfort. The two-storey apartments feature a wireless 4G nurse call system, NDIS-approved elevator, and QFES-approved fire sprinklers, ensuring top-tier safety and support. The exterior stonework, crafted from locally sourced materials, adds a stylish aesthetic while maintaining functionality. Despite challenging conditions like high-water tables and P-class soil, the team implemented innovative solutions, such as mass concrete piers and a non-return valve system, to ensure the building's stability and longevity. This project sets a new benchmark for inclusive, high-quality disability accommodation, blending style with superior support and care facilities.
SkyHaven project headlines the Cairns Post
Take a tour of SkyHaven - a new short-term accommodation project at the Cairns Airport built by MiHaven.
In a recent interview on 4CA's Talkback with host John Mackenzie, James Mort from MiHaven provided his insights on the upcoming construction of Queensland's largest social and affordable housing project in Cairns.
The recent TNQ Housing Summit facilitated by Regional Development Australia (RDA) in Cairns has highlighted the many challenges facing the region’s building industry. MiHaven’s co-director, Sarah Mort discussed some of these issues with ABC Far North’s Charlie McKillop, emphasising the impact it’s having on international student accommodation.
Our nominator said the following about MiHaven:
MiHaven have diversified their construction business to encapsulate care, training and housing. They have successfully established a social enterprise business, creating positive change in the community, long term employment outcomes and establishing a sustainable businesses model. Their community contribution, sustainability endeavours and training for the future is inspiring. I could nominate them for multiple categories of which they are so deserving for. Innovation Excellence is just one!
