With its balmy year-round climate and front door access to World Heritage listed reef, rainforest and Outback, Cairns is the obvious destination for a mid-winter break. This modern cosmopolitan city combines a sophisticated shopping and dining scene with a laid-back lifestyle and the perfect position for visiting North Queensland’s famous tourist attractions - the Great Barrier Reef, Atherton Tableland, Mosman Gorge and the rainforest regions of Cape Tribulation and Cape York. Stretching north of the city are the idyllic Cairns Beaches, a 26km sweep of white sand and azure sea with the whole range of accommodation, eating places and activities for that very relaxing beachside holiday.

Festival time
The city of Cairns will play host to an eclectic and exciting Festival program over 22 days from Friday 2nd to Saturday 24th September. The events span music, visual and performing arts, culture and sport – highlights include the three day world music festival Up Tempo, Dreamscape 2005 at Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park, the City Life Festival Cairns Golf Classic, family entertainment at Carnival on Collins, and international acts Acrobatic Troupe of Imperial China and Singapore Dance Theatre.

The Great Barrier Reef
The easiest way to experience the wonders of the largest coral reef in the world is to take a day trip to the outer reef for snorkelling, glass-bottomed boat viewing and scubadiving. If you’ve never tried scubadiving, then this is also the perfect place to learn. Green Island, Orpheus Island and Lizard Island have luxury accommodation, and numerous operators offer live-aboard packages for sailing and diving.

Kuranda – “village in the rainforest”
There are three ways to visit Kuranda – the historic Kuranda Scenic Railway, the multi-award winning Skyrail Rainforest Cableway or the scenic Kuranda Range Road with its photo-perfect views. Kuranda is famous for its colourful craft markets, the Butterfly Sanctuary (Australia’s biggest), and Aboriginal culture, legends and lifestyle at Rainforestation (home to the Pamagirri Dance Troupe).

Tropical tucker
Cairns is receiving international acclaim for a unique style of cuisine created from an abundance of top quality local produce and reflecting its multicultural heritage. Savour the local seafood, beef, dairy products, exotic and tropical fruit, coffee and gourmet condiments at one of many award winning restaurants where the menus are designed to showcase this unique infusion of East-meets-West-meets-Tropics.

Spot a croc
Get close to crocodiles and other wetland wildlife at Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures. Cruise the still waters of Hartley’s Lagoon and experience the domain of the saltwater crocodile in its natural habitat. Help the keeper to feed turtles, fish and water birds while learning about the significance of wetland ecosystems. Learn about snakes, cassowaries and koalas, do a spot of bird-watching and check out the live “croc attack” show.

Cairns Esplanade
Focal point, meeting place, recreational area….the Cairns Esplanade is now even more – a world-class facility incorporating an outdoor amphitheatre, a large swimming lagoon (open for free public use between 6am and 10pm daily), grassy picnic areas, walking tracks, public barbeques, children’s playground, shops and restaurants, an environmental interpretation centre and a Great Barrier Reef departure terminal. The Esplanade Markets with their colourful tents and crazy street characters swing into action every Saturday between 8am and 4pm.

Adventure capital of Australia
Adrenalin junkies need look no further than the playground that surrounds Cairns. Bungy jumping, white water rafting, jetboat rides, kayaking, skydiving, gliding and hot air ballooning – check out the tour operators offering great packages for any combination of these thrilling activities. For hardcore adventure seekers, the Tropical Rage Pass and the Cairns Adventure Package are guaranteed to deliver “the most fun and adventure you can have in five days”!

Australia’s cleanest beach
Award winning Palm Cove – cleanest and friendliest beach in Far North Queensland, and one of Cairns’ premier beachside resorts with year round swimming in the tranquil warm water of the Coral Sea. This is the perfect beach holiday – stay in resort or villa accommodation, browse the specialty shops in the village, go fishing or sailing, play golf or tennis, and dine under the stars at beachfront cafes and restaurants.

Don’t forget to pack the golf clubs…
You’ve come to the right place for golf – the greens around Cairns are among the most beautiful and built to the highest standards in the world. There are championship Par 72 courses at Cairns Golf Course, Paradise Palms and the Sheraton Mirage Country Club at Port Douglas. More laid back 18 hole courses are the scenic beachside courses of the Half Moon Bay Golf Club at Yorkeys Knob and the Novatel at Palm Cove, where you can have a relaxing dip in the ocean after the game.

Lake Placid Recreational Park
For some down time, here’s a beautiful place to go just fifteen minutes drive from Cairns. Lake Placid has lawn areas to snooze on and gardens to admire. There are canoes and paddleboats for hire and a fish feeding area where you can feed the perch, barramundi and sooty grunters. Also BBQ facilities and a great little cafe and bar there where they do up delicious Devonshire teas.