Cairns Travel Guide

Cairns is a large city on the eastern coast of Australia between the Coral Sea and the Great Dividing Range, in Queensland. The north of the city is on Trinity Bay, and the middle region is on Trinity Inlet. From north to south, Cairns is nearly 53 miles.

Cairns is a provincial city. Recent urban sprawl had increased its population; however, some suburbs are on flood plains. It is Australia’s fourteenth most populated city. According to 2016 data, its population is over 150,000. Also, a large Aboriginal community resides here, in the Yarrabah region.

Founded in 1876, this city is named for William Wellington Cairns, a governor of Queensland in 1875-1877. It was founded to serve miners in the Hodgkinson River goldfield.

Now, it is a popular tourist destination. Tourism is a major contributor to the city’s economy. Although it doesn’t fall among the top 10 domestic tourism destinations for Australians, it is very appealing to international tourists. As a matter of fact, it is the fourth most popular destination among international travelers in Australia, after Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. Both its tropical climate and the access to the Great Barrier Reef add to its appeal. The city is in the close distance not only to the Great Barrier Reef but also to the Wet Tropics of Queensland and the Atherton Tableland.

It is a major tourist destination for water sports, including whitewater rafting, kite surfing, skydiving, and snorkeling. Travelers from all around the world flock to Cairns in search of great scuba diving.

In the recent years, there was a noticeable growth in the Chinese interest in this tourist destination. There are occasional direct flights from Shanghai and Guangzhou to Cairns, and also, a lot of charter flights during the holiday seasons.

Cairns has a tropical climate, experiencing heavy rain from November through May. June through October is a relatively dry season, with rare light showers. Summers in Cairns are hot and humid, while winters are rather mild.

September 24, 2016 1:48 pm Published by Art Of Travel