CAIRNS
Tropical North Queensland is a vast region which covers an area of over half a million hectares beginning in the south from Mission Beach, north to Cape York Peninsula and west across the Tropical Tablelands and Gulf Savannah to the Northern Territory border.
This region is made up of reefs and islands, through to beach and coastal wetlands to mountains, tablelands and Gulf Savannah grassland. The major centre is Cairns, a tropical town with irresistible markets and shopping arcades. North of Cairns are the beaches such as Palm Cove, Trinity Beach, Kewarra Beach and Ellis Beach where palm trees hang lazily over the sandy beaches.
Further north is the resort town of Port Douglas and continuing on you find the spectacular Mossman Gorge, World Heritage listed Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation. North of Cape Tribulation is the area Cape York and the Gulf Savannah renowned for its rugged coastline and wild and sparsely populated wilderness.
West of Cairns is Kuranda and the beautiful Atherton Tropical Tablelands and travelling further west you come to the Gulf Savannah with its rich history of gold rushes, bushrangers and wandering Aboriginal tribes.
Cairns looks a picture, framed by the spectacular twin backdrops of rainforest mountain ranges and the sparkling Coral Sea. Cairns is a modern, sophisticated city, and is an ideal base to explore the wider Tropical North Queensland region with front door access to World Heritage listed Reef, Rainforest and Outback.
The Cairns International Airport is located only several minutes drive north of the city centre. The city itself is where much of the accommodation is situated close to international standard, restaurants, boutique shopping, modern art galleries and evening entertainment. All the attributes of a world class modern city are to be found in Cairns: International air access, rail systems, high-standard accommodation facilities, an art gallery, botanic gardens, university, a casino and a convention centre.
Almost a century of architecture is reflected in the city streets - a comfortable blend of traditional Queenslander style and modern designs. A focal point for the city is the Cairns Esplanade. Almost two kilometres of landscaped parkland fringes a busy thoroughfare and restaurant strip on one side, and a natural harbour inlet on the other. Each year, thousands of visitors flock to the Esplanade to relax on the grass, eat at sidewalk cafes, meet new people, to walk under the trees, and to watch the many bird species which come to feed on the tidal zone.
