Cairns Activities

Children are always transfixed by Australia's wildlife, and facilities throughout Cairns cater for this in a major way. Zoos, wildlife centres and explosive crocodile shows are located throughout the city centre and further into the suburbs. Tours of these facilities and more are advertised through the hundreds of travel agents operating in Cairns, and it often pays to shop around for the best package.

Cairns Tropical Zoo
Australian wildlife is the main attraction here, with numerous shows staged throughout the day. Children have the opportunity to cuddle with a koala or hand-feed a kangaroo. Saltwater crocodiles are also on the roster, with daily scheduled feedings. This is a good opportunity to catch sight of some of Australia's most elusive (though captivating) species in a safe environment. A three-hour night-time tour begins every evening at 19:00 and includes a nocturnal safari tour, refreshments and live music. Phone: +61 7 4055 3669; website: www.cairnstropicalzoo.com

Cairns Wildlife Dome
The Sofitel Reef Casino has added this attraction to cater for Cairns’ less intrepid visitors who would still like a chance to interact with the wildlife. Goliath, an enormous saltwater crocodile, is the all-star attraction, though you'll find a variety of other species inside including koalas, snakes, kookaburras and lizards. Children who are anxious to see some of Australia's famous animals don’t even have to set foot outside of the hotel to get a dose of the local fauna. Phone: +61 7 4031 7250; website: www.cairnsdome.com.

Hartley's Crocodile Adventures
This is Australia's longest-running crocodile show—and one of the best. The 15:00 Crocodile Attack Show gets the best turnout, with guests filing in to witness saltwater crocodiles executing their ‘death roll’ manoeuvres as part of a 45-minute production. The rainforest environment sets this facility apart, highlighted with optional boat tours of a five-acre lagoon surrounded by indigenous trees. Croc-feeding typically takes place in the morning, while children are also impressed by the snake show and koala-feeding time. Phone: +61 7 4055 3576; website: www.crocodileadventures.com.

While the focus on Cairns is on activities, the city is actually home to a number of cultural attractions. Art institutes, galleries and museums showcase the work of local artists, and there are also a number of heritage buildings open for tours in the city centre. Meanwhile, if you're searching for the cultural lifeblood of Cairns, look no further than the Esplanade, where a wealth of shops, attractions and restaurants bring locals and tourists together in perpetual commerce.

Aboriginal Walks
Further along the coastline in the city of Port Douglas, visitors have the opportunity to sign onto a variety of tours that explore the surrounding rainforest from a specifically Aboriginal perspective. Tours are led by native guides who expound on the relationship between this terrain and the Kuku-Yalani tribe that has long-inhabited it. Walks typically lead to sites of important cultural relevance for the aborigines, and some incorporate views of cave-paintings into the itinerary. These walks can often be booked in Cairns and include transportation to Port Douglas.

Cairns Museum
The historical museum is situated downtown at the corner of Lake and Shields streets. Permanent exhibits explore the inner workings of the Tjapukai aborigines, as well as the impact Western colonisation had on their way of life. Several fascinating photographs and artefacts capture the tenor of life in Australia during the previous two centuries. There is also a collection of exhibits related to the presence of Chinese immigrants in Cairns during the 19th century gold rush.

Cairns Regional Gallery
Cairns Regional Gallery is located in the city centre, housed in a lovely heritage building on the corner of Shields and Abbott streets. Hosting as many as 30 shows per year, this is the only museum in Queensland's tropical north that focuses on visual art. While the gallery showcases a variety of artists from Australia and abroad, there's a special focus on work generated locally and by Aboriginal artists. Phone: +61 7 4046 4800; website: www.cairnsregionalgallery.com.au.

Royal Flying Doctors Visitors Centre 
Australia's isolated interior is a dangerous place to fall ill, as expansive, rugged terrain often separates would-be patients from prospective doctors. The Royal Flying Doctors Visitors Centre advocates a 'mantle of safety' for Australia's citizenry and provides free, airborne healthcare to those living in ultra-remote regions. One of Australia's 15 bases is located here in Cairns, and it is open to the public six days a week. Tours include a film, an informative seminar on the facilities humble beginnings, and an on-site tour of one of the planes. Phone: +61 7 4053 5687.

Tanks Arts Centre
Located in Cairns Botanic Cultural Precinct along Collins avenue, this centre for the arts is used by a variety of travelling exhibits throughout the year. The Tanks Market Day is held on the last Sunday of each month from April through July and again from September through December. These monthly events feature a number of workshops and entertainment. Market Day also features a number of street performers and local artisans selling handicrafts as well as frequent jazz performances. Website: www.tanksartscentre.com.

The Esplanade
Visiting the Cairns Esplanade is a cultural experience in itself. This long pedestrian avenue holds a myriad of shops, restaurants and hotels. Choose a spot at one of the open-air cafés and prepare to see Cairns at its most candid. Tourists scramble from one attraction to the next; vendors vie for the attention of passersby; and joggers head to and from the pier. The view is best early in the morning before the masses arrive. The Esplanade also hosts a skate park, a swimming lagoon and an artificial (but inviting) beach.

Tjapukai Aboriginal Park
This is one of Australia's most acclaimed Aboriginal attractions. Though it's located far from the Red Centre (where most Aboriginal groups reside), the majority share of this facility is owned by aborigines themselves. Attractions include a laser-lightshow that details the Tjapukai Dreamtime creation story along with several exhibitions on the arts, rites and practices of this Aboriginal group. A different roster of events is held after dark, highlighted by an extravagant, interactive dance routine that is equal parts authentic and extravagant. An evening buffet accompanies this production.

Visitors to Cairns benefit from a broad variety of tourist facilities and shopping outlets; no matter what shoppers are looking for, it's likely to be within city limits. Aboriginal handicrafts are the most popular souvenirs, though this represents only a small niche in a thriving network of retailers.

Boomerangs are popular with tourists, and this Aboriginal artefact makes for a good souvenir as it's compact enough to return home with tourists. Didgeridoos are another popular Aboriginal item. These musical instruments can be picked up in a variety of sizes and to varying degrees of quality. Many of Cairns cultural centres also offer didgeridoo lessons for beginners—allowing serious musicians to try out a well-made instrument before committing to a purchase.

The Esplanade holds the most popular tourist market, operating seven days a week. This is the heart of Cairns city proper, with a boardwalk running parallel to a long string of public facilities and tourist attractions. Vendors operating stalls here sell myriad assortments of Australian memorabilia, from small-scale trinkets to lavish items. A perfect place to begin a shopping escapade, the Esplanade is seldom quiet.

A weekend craft market operates near the Marlin Marina inside the Pier Marketplace Mall. Beyond Cairns city centre, many outlying towns like Kuranda and Yungaburra have monthly or biweekly markets that can be incorporated into daytrips or weekend excursions.

Diners are also well-accommodated here. While Cairns is a truly international city, the constant influx of visitors hungry for authentic Australian ‘bush tucker’ has fostered a prosperous Australian cuisine scene. The Esplanade is the easiest place to find a bite to eat, with a long waterfront full of cafés, pizzerias and food stalls selling light fare.

The more upmarket, gourmet establishments are set back a few blocks from the Esplanade, away from the constant commotion of the tourist district. A number of world-class chefs operate here in restaurants that have garnered the respect of locals.

Australian cuisine (or ‘bush tucker’) has gained great international respect in the past few years. A variety of indigenous seeds and fresh produce contribute to the truly unique flavours featured in local dishes. Be sure to sample an exotic meat or two—particularly crocodile, snake or kangaroo. Any of the Aboriginal cultural centres also host regular banquets featuring long-established indigenous fare.

Of course, international cuisine is also widely available. Chinese, Greek, Indian, Korean and Malaysian restaurants have an established presence in Cairns. Overall, Australia's culinary market has benefited from a strong community of Italian immigrants, such that Italian standards like espresso and pizza have completely permeated the local dining culture.

There is also a thriving pub and club scene in Cairns. A number of establishments throughout the tourist district cater specifically for young, budget travellers, offering regular drink specials and themed parties. There is even an offshore party held on Fitzroy Island. Evening ferries offer roundtrip service, with the last boat returning at 01:00.

Cairns is best-suited for outdoor enthusiasts, with more outdoor activities available than the average tourist can possibly fit into a typical holiday. Two UNESCO-protected natural environments are located here—one underwater and the other on land. Hiking into the rainforest is a wonderful way to leave the burdens of metropolitan life behind, and it doesn't take long to find some seclusion. Meanwhile, the inner-reef is more crowded, though for good reason. Cairns has one of the best diving environments in the world, and divers come from around the globe to log a few days along the world-famous Great Barrier Reef.

Bushwalking
Treks and safaris into the surrounding rainforests are a fantastic way to get a feel for the area's flora and fauna. Tour operators lead regular walks through neighbouring forests, where tourists can count on coming across a variety of wildlife including many of the quintessential marsupials that beckon visitors here in the fist place. An alternative to bushwalking is a night safari, where guides lead hikers into platypus habitats and spotlight various nocturnal species. Oftentimes, bushwalking can be fairly strenuous and it isn't well-suited for visitors who aren’t in reasonable shape. For a more leisurely hike, consider the walking paths at Flecker Botanic Gardens.

Diving
There is no doubt that scuba diving is the premier activity in and around Cairns. Hundreds of tour operators offer mixed packages that cater for every skill set. If you're a novice diver with little or no practice, instructors can get you PADI certified in just two days, after which you'll be ready to explore the Great Barrier Reef. There are a number of available packages that send divers into remote stretches of the outer reef where the variety of wildlife and coral formations is stunning. Expert divers will think they've landed in paradise.

White-water Rafting
Several tour operators offer white-water rafting packages around Cairns, particularly in the Atherton Tablelands where the best rivers are located. Veterans of the sport head south for Tully River where the most challenging rapids are located. Less challenging tours of the Barron River are also available, and this area is particularly well-suited for half-day tours. Tours of the North Johnston River are the most involved. These typically begin with transfer by helicopter to the staging grounds, and the trip lasts two days before depositing rafters in the sea at Innisfail. Tour operators generally include transportation from Cairns to the rafting site as part of their package.