Cairns - City of Australia

Cairns is a regional city and Local Government Area located in Queensland, Australia. Originally settled in 1876, and named after William Wellington Cairns (the then Governor of Queensland) to serve miners heading for the Hodgkinson River goldfield, the settlement declined when an easier route was discovered from Port Douglas. However, Cairns' future was secured as it developed into a railhead and major port for the exportation of sugar cane, gold, precious metals and agricultural industries from the surrounding coastal and Tableland regions. Tourism is the largest income producer for the region, followed closely by the sugar industry.

A major landmark on the Cairns esplanade is a swimming lagoon, with adjoining Barbecue areas, and giant fish sculptures. In May 2003, the then Cairns Mayor Kevin Byrne declared that topless sunbaking is permitted here as the area is a gathering point for people from around the world who may wish to do so. A boardwalk allows pedestrians and cyclists to move along the foreshore from the Lagoon in a sustainable manner.

Cairns is located on the east coast of Cape York Peninsula on a coastal strip between the Coral Sea and the Great Dividing Range. The northern part of the city is located on Trinity Bay and the city centre is located on Trinity inlet. Some of the city's suburbs are located on flood plains. The Mulgrave River and Barron River flow within the city's boundary but not through the city itself. The city centre's foreshore is located on a mud flat.

Cairns is a provincial city and has a linear urban layout that runs from the south, at Aloomba, to the north, at Ellis Beach. The city is approximately 52 km (32 mi) from north to south. Cairns has experienced recent urban sprawl, with suburbs occupying land previously used for sugar cane farming.

Cairns is situated on the Indigenous Australian people's tribal lands of the Irukandji.

The future site of Cairns was first sighted by Captain James Cook in 1770. Closer investigation by several official expeditions 100 years later recognised its potential for development into a port. Hastened by the need to export gold discovered on the tablelands to the west of the inlet Cairns was founded in 1876. The land on which the settlement was hewn initially consisted of mangrove swamps which were gradually cleared by labourers and sand ridges which were slowly filled in with ballast from a quarry at Edge Hill, dried mud, sawdust from several local sawmills and debris collected from the construction of a railway to Herberton on the Atherton Tablelands, a project which started in 1886. The railway opened up land that was later used for agriculture on the lowlands (sugar cane, corn, rice, bananas, pineapples) and fruit and dairy on the Tablelands. The success of local agriculture helped Cairns come into its own as a port and the creation of a harbour board in 1906 meant its economic future was assured.

During World War II, Cairns was used by the Allied Forces as a staging base for operations in the Pacific.

After World War II, Cairns slowly reinvented itself as a centre for tourism. The opening of the Cairns International Airport in 1984 and the building of the Cairns Convention Centre established the city's overseas reputation as a desirable destination for the holiday and business conference markets.

Tourism plays a major part in the Cairns economy. According to Tourism Australia, Cairns is the fourth most popular destination for international tourists in Australia after Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. While the city does not rank amongst Australia's top 10 destinations for domestic tourism, it attracts a number of Australian holiday makers given its distance from major capitals. The city's proximity to the Great Barrier Reef, the Wet Tropics of Queensland, and the Atherton Tablelands makes it a popular destination. The city contains hundreds of hotels, resorts, motels and backpackers hostels.

Activities in the region include golf, white water rafting, cruises to Great Barrier Reef and coach tours to the Daintree Rainforest, Atherton Tablelands and Paronella Park. There are also scenic flights, day trips to Kuranda, crocodile farms, and a food and wine tour visiting tropical fruit wineries.

Cairns has numerous primary and secondary schools. Separate systems of private and public schools operate in Queensland. There are 20 state primary schools and 16 state high schools operated by the Queensland state government Department of Education within the Cairns City Council area, including 6 schools in the predominantly rural areas south of Gordonvale. There is one combined primary and secondary school in Bentley Park.

Catholic schools are operated by Catholic Education Cairns. The Catholic system encompasses nineteen primary schools, six secondary colleges and one P-12 college. There are almost 6,000 primary students and 3,250 secondary students enrolled in the Catholic school system.

The Cairns Campus of James Cook University is located at Smithfield. The city is also home to a TAFE college, and a School of the Air base, both located in the inner suburb of Manunda.

The land around Cairns is still used for sugar cane farming, although this land is increasingly under pressure from new suburbs as the city grows. Within the Cairns City Council area, sugar mills operate in Gordonvale and Babinda.

The Barron Gorge Hydroelectric Power Station is located nearby in Kuranda and provides green power for some of the city's needs.

Population : 122,731 [1] (14th)
Density : 246.5/km² (638.4/sq mi) [2]
Area : 488.1 km² (188.5 sq mi) [3]
Time zone : AEST (UTC+10)
Location : 1707 km (1,061 mi) NW of Brisbane
2420 km (1,504 mi) NNW of Sydney
LGA : Cairns Regional Council
County : Nares
Federal Division: Leichhardt