CAIRNS
was pegged out over the site of a sea-slug fishing camp when gold was found to the north in 1876, though it was the Atherton Tablelands' tin and timber resources that established the town and kept it ahead of its nearby rival, Port Douglas. The harbour is the focus of the north's fish and prawn concerns, and tourism began modestly when
marlin fishing
became popular after World War II. But with the "discovery" of the
reef
in the 1970s and the appeal of the local climate, tourism snowballed, and high-profile development has now replaced what everyone originally came to Cairns to enjoy: a beautiful, unspoiled, lazy
tropical atmosphere
.
Arrival And Information : Downtown Cairns
is the grid of streets behind the Esplanade, overlooking the harbour and Trinity Bay.
Buses
arrive at the end of the Esplanade at
Trinity Wharf Transit Centre
, while the
train station
is 750m away under the
Cairns Central
development between Bunda Street and McLeod Street (the bus terminal may also eventually move here from Trinity Wharf). If you're staying in a hostel, you'll usually be picked up at the Transit Centre, and possibly from the train and airport if you give advance notice. The
airport
is about 7km north, along the Cook Highway. A
taxi
from the airport into Cairns costs $11; a
shuttle bus
($5.50) connects with most flights and delivers to all central accommodation. Sunbus, the
local bus
service, is based at the
Transit Mall
on City Place (Lake St), and serves several beaches north as far as Ellis Beach; passes are available for a day, week or month and you can get free
timetables
from the driver. You may also be able to
rent bikes
at your accommodation. If you're after a secondhand car, or want to sell one, head for the Esplanade, scene of an informal trade amongst backpackers; backpackers' cars are also advertised on the
notice board
in an arcade beside the museum at City Place. More Cairns information...
CAIRNS ESPLANADE / CAIRNS Overlooking the picturesque city harbour. Located on the Cairns Esplanade overlooking the picturesque harbour in the centre of the city.
Call toll free..
US and Canada: 1-800-780-5733
Europe: 00-800-11-20-11-40
Use discount code: 89865
