Cairns Australia is as varied in natural treasures as the cosmopolitan mix of cultures and peoples that call this area home. Followed by the Dutch navigators and ultimately Captain James Cook, who claimed the coast for Britain and paved the way for European settlement to commence. First to arrive were the Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders… Gold rushes and foreign wars brought immigrants from around the planet to enrich the north with their skills, traditions and cultures.

The majestic coral structures that make up the Great Barrier Reef extend over 1, 500 kilometres, and are home to the greatest variety of flora and fauna species discovered in any one region in the world.

The scope of the reef is magnificent, encompassing some 21, 900 individual reefs and an area of 348, 000 square kilometres larger than the combined total area of Ireland and the United Kingdom! The Great Barrier Reef, nowadays a national marine park, offers superb recreational activities including snorkelling, diving, swimming, semi-submersibles, coral observing and fishing, and offers a special surroundings for scientific research.

The rainforests of the Wet Tropics, a’living museum’ of flora and fauna, were placed on the World Heritage List in 1988 and cover an area of virtually 900, 000 hectares of rainforest and tropical vegetation. Here, pockets of primitive plants have remained undisturbed for hundreds of thousands of years, and uncommon, even previously unidentified species of birds, bugs and mammals have emerged to delight biologists and nature lovers.

The warmth of the tropical weather conditions has fostered a vigorous outdoor lifestyle, reflected in the architectural styles of open verandahs and balconies and extending to the most traditional of Australian cuisine- the barbecue. Dining is a high point of any holiday, and the cosmopolitan local restaurants, cafes and eateries offer an eclectic fare of Australian and international cuisine, the highlight of most menus featuring the region’s mouth-watering fresh seafoods and unusual tropical fruits.

Accommodation in the region is diverse too, ranging from luxury resorts and 5 star hotels to award winning budget style apartments and backpacker lodges.

There are so many unique points of interest and activities to view when you visit us…

Cruise to the reef or islands, take a 4WD safari to the outback, trek into the rainforest or see it from the rainforest cableway above its green canopy on your way to or from Kuranda. Day touring in this region is so easy- there are above 600 trips to pick from, and our tourism market and infrastructure is developed to make certain you, the visitor, will have a truly memorable getaway.

Cairns, the Gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, is a 1700 km drive from Queenslands State Capital- Brisbane. It is possible to drive to Cairns from Brisbane on Highway This requires at minimum two days but is best driven over the course of a week or so to absorb all of the sights along the way.

Cairns has an International and Domestic airport that is situated a ten minute drive from the city.

All flights are met by taxis and a taxi journey costs around twenty to the city. An airport shuttle bus also operates and is . 50/person.

Cairns is a 2 hour flight from Brisbane and a 3 hour direct flight from Sydney.