Cairns Overview

The tropical city of Cairns in Northern Queensland, Australia was named after Governor William Wellington Cairns. The city forms a gateway to tropical Queensland and lies in close proximity of the Great Barrier Reef and the wet Tropical Rainforests of the Daintree that are regarded as World Heritage sites.

Geography of Cairns - Cairns, the tropical city of North Queensland lies between the Coral Sea and the Great Dividing Range on the east shoreline of Cape York Peninsula. The highest Mountain Range of Australia- Mt Bartle Frere also lies within the boundary of the city. Apart from the soaring hills of the Great Dividing Range, there are a large number of beaches, freshwater lakes, bays, estuaries, mangrove swamps, mudflats, tidal wetlands, the tropical Atherton Tablelands, the hinterland and the gorges of the Gulf Savannah and et cetera.

History of Cairns: Cairns in Australia has been the abode of Aboriginal tribes since yore. Ther northern part of the city was discovered by Captain James Cook in 1770, the first European to reach the city. Later Cairns came under the domination of the white settlers and developed subsequently with the gold rush. Finally in 31st March 1903, Cairns was proclaimed as town and announced as a city on October 12, 1923.

Apart from being a major commercial area, Cairns is also the site of various governments regional offices. It is the fourth most popular tourist destination of Australia because of its wonderful location and tropical climate or weather. Tourism plays a significant role in Cairns' economy. There are plenty of touring and accommodation options in this region.The Cairns city is governed by the Cairns City Council. Cairns has a population of 1.25 million and of this 94% is of European origin, 4% Asian, 1.5% of Aboriginal descent. The official Language of Cairns is English, local dialects in typical Aussie accent is also spoken.