Getting to know the city of Cairns:
The city of Cairns is located on the east coast of Far North Queensland in Australia. Cairns is the 5th most populous city of Queensland and 14th populous city in Australia. This city lies on the coastal strip between the Coral Sea and the Great Dividing Range. The northern area of this city is located on Trinity Bay, while the city centre lies on Trinity Inlet. Rivers, Mulgrave and Barron flow through greater Cairns.
Cairns enjoys a tropical monsoon climate. Wet season in this city ranges from November to May, while the dry season falls between the months of June and October. During the wet season, one can witness heavy downpour in the city, while mild showers greet Cairns during the dry period. Tropical cyclones are a common phenomena in the city of Cairns. Their occurrence is more prevalent from November to May. Massive cyclones that have hit this city till date include Cyclone Justine, Cyclone Rona, Cyclone Steve, Cyclone Abigail, Cyclone Larry and Cyclone Yasi.
Most of the land in and around the city of Cairns is used for the purpose of sugarcane farming. However, of late a great deal of encroachment has taken place on the said land. This is mainly because of the rising population in the city. One can find a sugar mill at Gordonvale. The Barron Gorge Hydroelectric Power Station, which is situated close to the Barron River, makes available green power, which ultimately takes care of most of the city’s power needs.
Cairns is a part of the Cairns Region local government, which is otherwise governed by a Regional Council. This Council comprises of an elected mayor coupled with 10 counselors. Election takes place every 4 years and is based on the preferential voting system. The Cairns Region comprises of three former local government areas, namely City of Cairns, Shire of Mulgrave and Shire of Douglas.
Cairns is seen as a vital transport hub in Queensland. Public Transport is operative all over the city of Cairns, thanks to Marlin Coast Sunbus. “Cairns taxis” is a major taxi company based in the city of Cairns, which offers taxi service in the Cairns region. Cairns International Airport was unveiled in the city of Cairns way back in the year 1984. This Airport comprises of a domestic terminal, an independent international terminal and of course a general aviation area. The city of Cairns puts forth a desirable road network. Popular highways in this region include the Bruce Highway, Captain Cook Highway and the Kennedy Highway. This city additionally houses long distance coaches. Cairns also runs a reliable rail service from the Cairns railway station. The Cairns Seaport is an important port in Cairns, which is managed by the Cairns Port Authority. This port is used for providing both passengers as well as freight services.
Important Pillars of the city of Cairns:
A wide range of primary and secondary schools operate in the city of Cairns. Few schools are run by the public, while others are managed by private bodies. In the city of Cairns, there are 20 state primary schools and 16 state secondary schools. Each of these schools is operated by the Department of Education, Queensland State Government. Roman Catholic school system is also active in this city. These schools are run by Catholic Education, Cairns. Smithfield is home to the Cairns Campus of James Cook University. Similarly, CQUniversity Australia has also established a study centre in Cairns. Apart from this, there is one TAFE college and a School of the Air base, both of which are located in Manunda.
As far as the area of health care is concerned, The Cairns Hospital is known to be a major provider of health care facilities in this region.
The somewhat smaller Cairns Private Hospital is located in its close proximity. The Royal Doctor Flying Services is based in Cairns, the role of which is to operate clinics as well as offer emergency evacuation services.
Association football is a popular sport of Cairns. Far North Queensland Heat is the team that represents Cairns in the above game. Well known sporting grounds in the city include the Barlow Park, Cazaly’s Stadium, the Cairns Hockey Centre and the Cairns Convention Centre. Cairns also has a National Basketball League team, Cairns Taipans.
Cairns is one of the most sought after international destinations for both watersports and scuba diving. Other commonly practiced recreational activities in this city include whitewater rafting, skydiving, kite surfing and snorkeling.
Things to do in Cairns:
Great Barrier Reef: Once in Cairns, you should avoid giving this largest coral reef a miss. This place has turned into a tourist hotspot as a result of its biodiversity, warm clean waters and tourist boats, known as “live aboards”. The Great Barrier Reef has been declared as one of the seven natural wonders of the world by CNN.
Cairns Tropical Zoo: If you are desirous of having a rendezvous with wildlife, mammals, reptiles and birds, native to the city of Cairns, then the Cairns Tropical Zoo is the place for you. One can sign up to the presentation program offered at this zoo, which includes activities such as Kangaroo Feeding, Pelican Feeding, Free Flight Bird Show, Koalas and Wombats and Snakes and Crocodiles.
Australian Butterfly Sanctuary: You can now familiarize yourself with over 2000 independent butterfly species by heading to the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary. Situated in the heart of Kuranda, a short walk from Skyrail and the Kuranda Scenic Railway Station is definite to lead you to this place in no time.
Palm Cove: By paying a visit to Palm Cove, you will be in a position to spend some quality time filled with elements of relaxation by the sea. The name of this beach comes from the palm trees that rightly line the beach. The Daintree Rainforest is located very close to Palm Cove.