Increased access to International flights has resulted in incredible development in Northern Queensland. Cairns is relatively unique in that the city centre does not appear to have developed very much over the years, although there are some new developments down by the water due to the quality of the beach.
Most of the development has taken place inland which gives it quite a lovely feel as hotels and apartments are built within forest areas. The greenery adds a brilliant touch of natural colour.
The reasonable travelling distances allows visitors to experience the diversity of the landscape without being rushed for time. You can visit ancient forest systems to the longest lava tubes on earth at Undara (Valley of the Volcanoes), located deep in the heart of savannahland. The Skyrail at Kuranda is the world's longest gondola cableway and winner of many tourism awards, where you can fly over the Kuranda Range at treetop height and see the birdlife in their natural habitats over a million year old rainforest.
The region is great for activities. The famous A.J. Hackett bunjy team are situated here and you can watch as adrenalin-seekers jump off the 50m high tower in the rainforest. Or how about a rafting trip down the awesome Tully River, or a visit to an oceanarium to hand feed the sharks and fishes?
Cairns enjoys unrivalled access to the fantastic Great Barrier Reef. But also consider Palm Cove, a quaint little resort sitting directly on the beach. It is more suitable for adults who want to come and relax to enjoy the sun, sea, sand and seafood.
At a slower pace, try the shopping centres such as The Pier Marketplace ~ a real happening scene with authentic hand-crafted items and many other Australiana treats. Stocklands Earlville and Cairns Central are shopping malls and house many major retailers with excellent selections of merchandise to satisfy everyone. Among the souvenirs you may wish to take home are an aboriginal didgeridoo, the oldest wind instrument in the world, or perhaps some opal jewellery.
The Cairns City Esplanade has recently undergone a major re-development which includes a swimming lagoon, waterfront boardwalks, BBQ areas and a children's water park playground.
