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Cairns Attractions and Things to See
Cairns, is a regional
city in the Far North Queensland province of Australia, created
to serve the miners that were going to the Hodgkinson River
goldfield, although it would shortly experience a decline in
travelers and miners when an easier route would be created from
Port Douglas. The city would eventually develop into a major
port for exporting gold, metals, minerals, sugar cane and other
agricultural products from the surrounding coastal region and
Atherton Tableland; and railhead. It is the best jumping off
point for the Great Barrier Reef and Far North Queensland, and
has become a favorite spot for tourists because of its tropical
climate. It sits on the east coast of Cape York peninsula, on a
coastal strip of land that lies between the Great Dividing Range
and the Coral Sea, with the Barron and Mulgrave Rivers flowing
through the greater Cairns area. The city has an interesting and
exciting history, that includes the Walubarra Yidinji people
that still have their indigenous property rights, and known in
the local Yidiny language as Gimuy; and it would be James Cook
that first mapped the city in 1770 and called it Trinity Bay.
Tourism has become an important commodity in the city and its
economy, becoming the fourth most popular destination in the
country for international tourists, although it isn't one of the
country's top domestic location, since it is located far enough
away from other major cities for the local populace. Being close
to the Great Barrier Reef has helped it blossom, as divers and
snorkelers come here to explore the exquisite and beautiful
reefs, with all the colorful fish and coral, as well as the
close proximity of the Atherton Tableland and the Wet Tropics of
Queensland. Some of the most exciting and interesting adventures
to try here include outstanding whitewater rafting, rainforest
coach tours, cruises to the Great Barrier Reef and scenic flight
around the region. There are numerous parks and attractions in
the city, that has magnificent natural surroundings that include
the Kuranda Skyrail Rainforest Cableway that runs almost five
miles over the World Heritage rainforest, the Rainforestation
Nature Park and the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park. The
Cairns esplanade has a spectacular swimming lagoon with barbecue
pits located around the area, and in 2003, it would become a
topless bathing suit sunbathing area that has attracted many
people from around the world. A wonderful boardwalk offers
cyclists and pedestrians the opportunity to wander along the
foreshore from the lagoon and back, enjoying magnificent views.
There are numerous shopping centers of different sizes in the
city, with the biggest of them being the Cairns Central that is
found in the central business district and Stockland Cairns that
is found in the suburb of Earlville; while Westcourt houses the
city's oldest shopping centers that have already been renovated.
Cairns has excellent transportation facilities that include
rental cars, motor coaches, a public transport network, one taxi
service and the railroads. These are great for exploring the
various parks in the region, and the Kuranda Scenic Railway that
operates out of the city and visits the Macalister Range and
other exciting sights along its path of travel. The Cairns
International Airport is where most foreign visitors arrive;
having welcomed almost 4 million international and domestic
travelers in the 2005/2006 period. Their seaport has grown to
handle the increase of tourists that wish to visit the reefs,
and it is now a port of call for cruise ships, and the Royal
Australian Navy. The city has some of the finest restaurants in
the country, with an excellent and varied quality of cuisine
that is brought in daily from the great surrounding farms and
the closeness of the ocean, with its fresh daily seafood and
world renown chefs. Probably the most difficult part of their
outstanding cuisine scene is the plethora of great restaurants
that offer a large variety of foods and dining environments.