Cairns

Cairns has been described as the ‘safest tropical destination in the world’, and is surrounded by some of Australia’s most fascinating natural habitats; the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef and Wet Tropics Rainforest. Cairns is unique as it is the only place on earth where two such spectacular natural attractions lay alongside each other. Cairns is the third most popular tourist destination in Australia after Sydney and Brisbane, and offers over 600 different tour opportunities. The city is a great base from which to explore and enjoy the adventurous side of Australia – hot-air ballooning over the Great Barrier Reef and trekking through the rainforest or outback are just some of the activities that can be organised from Cairns. The Cairns city Esplanade redevelopment is a 2km parkland area for relaxation, walks, barbeques and picnics that attracts thousands of visitors each year.

The city itself is modern and offers a wealth of activities for tourists including shops, casinos, botanic gardens and art galleries. The Kuranda Scenic Railway and the Skyrail Gondola travel between Cairns and Kuranda and are a great way to see Cairns' surrounding beauty as they provide breathtaking views across dense, lush rainforest, mountain gorges and magnificent waterfalls.