Visit the Cairns Sustainable travel website here for more information.
Cairns is the heart of Tropical North Queensland, a vibrant city that blends a laid-back tropical sensibility with a buzzing multicultural lifestyle. Hit the morning markets, have a drink in a hip bar, swim in the sparkling Esplanade Lagoon or escape the heat in one of the city’s shady parks and gardens. Cairns is where two greatest natural treasures meet, the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest, so there’s a new adventure to be had every day.
Cairns has a tropical climate, with generally warm summers and mild dry winters. The majority of Cairns’s rainfall occurs during summer between January and March.
The tropics have uniform temperatures throughout the year. Dress is informal and relaxed and smart casual clothes are acceptable almost universally with possibly a light jacket for evening wear.
Book a trip before or after the Conference from Reef Unlimited and use our special discount ACPDM24 to get 10% off the normal price!
For further information on how to get around Cairns, including accessible options view our Travel and Transport Tips.
Book your tour now!
Tick some items off your Cairns bucket list
First priority: ‘Seas’ the day with a visit to the Great Barrier Reef, the World Heritage-listed wonder sitting on Cairns’ doorstep. You’ll find a marina full of tour boats to take you out to the nearby islands and outer reef, so whether you’ve only got a morning to see the Great Barrier Reef at speed, or more nights to languish on a liveaboard, you’ll find a
reef tour to suit. Please note to visit the reef you will need to allow at least half a day.
There’s nothing quite like enjoying the local produce of a destination and nothing is better than fresh Queensland seafood. If you’re looking for a seafood smorgasbord, check out this list of the best
seafood restaurants in Cairns to treat your taste buds.
If you thought the colours of the landscape up here were bright and bold, wait until you see the region’s local produce at Rusty’s Markets. Rusty’s has been operating for more than 30 years, packing over 180 stalls into one city block with everything from sarongs to Vietnamese coffee, fruit and veggies, to crocodile-leather bracelets.
The Cairns Lagoon offers 4800 square metres of saltwater swimming space fronting the Coral Sea. With safe swimming conditions right in the heart of the CBD, this free-swimming hole is the perfect place to unwind after a busy day at the Conference and is open until 9pm every night. Make an event out of it by packing something to throw on the (free) BBQs or enjoying a picnic meal.
Immerse yourself in traditional Aboriginal culture with a visit to
Rainforestation in Kuranda. Join the Pamagirri Aboriginal Experience to learn from 40,000 years-worth of rich Indigenous customs, from bush remedies to ancient rituals - and even test your skills in spear throwing and boomerang.
Journey north-west of Cairns and into the mountains to find
Kuranda. From village markets to wildlife encounters, there's
so much to do here on a day visit.
Make your way up the ridge via the famed steam train on the
Kuranda Scenic Railway. Built in 1891, it navigates 15 tunnels, 93 curves and difficult bridges across dense rainforest, waterfalls and steep ravines in just under two hours.
On the way down, jump aboard the
Skyrail Rainforest Cableway; a blueprint for eco-construction due to its focus on minimising the impact on the World Heritage-listed rainforest.
