Cairns Overview

Located in Queensland on Australia's northeast coast, Cairns is a thriving tourist mecca at the confluence of two UNESCO World Heritage sites: the Wet Tropics Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. This city owes the bulk of its infrastructure to the thunderous success of the tourist industry in the past two decades.

Cairns is backed by Daintree National Forest, one of the oldest-living rainforests on the planet. The flora here is of particular interest to paleontologists and botanists, as many of Daintree's plant species have long been extinct throughout the rest of the world. This truly pristine, old-growth forest is an excellent place to stage hiking excursions and get acquainted with northern Australia's wildlife.

Radiating from the shoreline of Cairns, the world-famous Great Barrier Reef is a haven for avid scuba divers, standing as a sort of rite of passage for this ever-growing international sport. Hundreds of dive operators are stationed throughout Cairns and the surrounding area, offering lessons to beginners and facilitating multi-leg exploratory dives for veteran divers.

Visitors who don't relish the idea of bushwalking and deep-sea diving have plenty to do within Cairns city limits. The city is full of facilities that perfected the art of entertaining tourists some time ago. In fact, there are a number of water parks and indoor wildlife domes that contain all of the exciting sites and sounds of Cairns' wild side within walking distance of accommodation, restaurants and clubs.

The club scene gains momentum after the sun sets, and Cairns lights up with dozens of places to dine in style, drink with friends and dance until sunrise. Australian restaurants serve international cuisines alongside exotic local dishes featuring intriguing Australian meats like kangaroo and crocodile. The bustling Esplanade hosts hundreds of market stalls and eateries, providing quick bites for evening shoppers.

Accommodation is well catered for in Cairns, with a number of upscale, five-star establishments alongside budget offerings—all of which are well-located within walking distance of the Esplanade and pier. Sofitel offers some of the finest accommodation in town with luxury rooms, an adjoining casino and the recently-opened Rainforest Dome, where visitors come face to face with local wildlife without ever setting foot outside.

The bustling holiday spot of Cairns keeps visitors engaged for their entire trip. This is one of Australia's gems, with as many secluded and pristine natural attractions as there are touristy facilities to connect these sites with their visitors. What's more, the easy-going Australian lifestyle is undeniably contagious, and many visitors find it difficult to pull themselves away from this idyllic destination.

Tens of thousands of years before European colonists flooded the continent of Australia, the region around Cairns was home to the Aboriginal Irukandji. The Dreamtime oral traditions passed down by the Irukandji address the creative forces that formed this land during a series of Ice ages that swept through after the aborigines were well-established.

Malayan traders had already taken an interest in Australia by the 1500s. They sent vessels to the northern shores of present-day Queensland and gathered sea slugs which they traded heavily with China. Portuguese explorers had also added the continent to their maritime charts by the 1600s.

British explorers approached the future site of Cairns in 1770, when Captain James Cook navigated the Bark Endeavour along this coastline. Threading his crew of explorers through the Great Barrier Reef was a treacherous feat which many explorers had failed at before Cook succeeded. Not only did Cook sight the land, but he also went ashore and spent six weeks exploring the region—ultimately claiming the land for the British Crown.

The first British penal colony began in New South Wales in the late 18th century, though there was virtually no European presence in Cairns at this time. One hundred years later, a series of expeditions opened up the region that would become modern-day Cairns, noting in particular its potential as an important port city.

A genuine interest in colonising this region was offset by a laundry list of hazardous conditions, ranging from impenetrable forests and impassable reefs to the perennial threat of cyclones and dangerous animals like the leviathan saltwater crocodile. However, all of these dangers fell out of perspective for colonists when gold was discovered along Australia's northern shores.

Suddenly, settlers from the well-established colonies arrived in droves with the hopes of striking it rich in Queensland. The frontier outpost of Cairns (named after Queensland's governor) was established in 1876 to accommodate these prospectors. As long as the shining possibility of immeasurable wealth hung over Cairns, settlers continued pouring in and developing infrastructure.

However, the gold rush eventually lost its lustre, and the timbre industry saved Cairns from becoming obsolete. A railway running from the port to the Atherton Tablelands sealed Cairns position on national maps. In the mid-20th century, Cairns played a pivotal role in supplying Allied forces stationed in the Pacific during WWII.

Today, Cairns is immensely popular with domestic and international tourists who come to explore the hidden treasures of the Great Barrier Reef or walk ancient paths through the pristine Wet Tropics Rainforest. Cairns takes good care of its visitors, with ample accommodation and a strong dose of Australian hospitality.

Cairns enjoys a balmy tropical climate that is marked by perennial wet and dry seasons. The monsoon season begins in November and carries on until May. During this time, heavy rains take great strides in raising the average annual rainfall, such that this region often ranks the highest in the nation for annual precipitation. Average temperatures exceed 31°C during this time.

The dry season from June to October sees drastically less rainfall. Temperatures fall into the mid-20s (°C ) - even lower in Kuranda - and cloudy skies clear, making this a desirable time of year to visit. Midnight lows dip well below 20°C, so visitors planning to camp or spend much time out after dark will want to pack warm clothing. The dry season also sees the arrival of box jellyfish, which make swimming in the ocean a dangerous affair. Some public beaches are hemmed in by nets that protect swimmers during this season.

This entire region of Australia is subject to seasonal cyclones during the rainy season. While these seldom come ashore, they certainly influence weather patterns while passing through. Local weather reporters stay well ahead of cyclone activity and tourists are seldom at risk.