Cairns
We flew from the outback to Cairns and went from desert to beach in 90 minutes. Cairns (pronounced care'ns), (16°57′S, 145°45′E) is a regional city and Local Government Area located in Queensland, Australia.
Originally settled in 1876, and named after William Wellington Cairns (the then Governor of Queensland) to serve miners heading for the Hodgkinson River gold field, the settlement declined when an easier route was discovered from Port Douglas. However, Cairns' future was secured as it developed into a railhead and major port for the exportation of sugar cane, gold, precious metals and agricultural industries from the surrounding coastal and Tableland regions. The city is rapidly expanding, with a population of 128,284 (as of June, 2005),[3] and is reliant on the sugar and tourism industries.
The City of Cairns lies about 1,720 kilometers (1,070 miles) from Brisbane and about 2,500 kilometers (1,600 miles) from Sydney by road.
Cairns is surrounded on three sides by rain forest and on the fourth by the Coral Sea, and it's the jumping off point to the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics World Heritage Rainforest.
It is in northern Queensland, the place that dubs itself the Sunshine State. So perhaps the Cairns Web site that declares "Welcome to Paradise" isn't too far off base.
Cairns International Hotel
The Cairns International Hotel symbolizes all the unique attractions of Far North Queensland: the tropical heart of Australia. Built to complement the lush, dramatic location in which it is set, the Cairns International Hotel combines colonial architecture with modern five star luxury, in a manner rarely seen elsewhere.
From the moment you walk in the doors a casual charm descends upon you. The magnificent and memorable lobby takes advantage of the area's own natural resources.
Space is one of the most striking features of the Hotel, with ten meter high ceilings in the foyer, oversized rooms, and an extensive three-quarter acre tropical pool garden complex, complete with an outdoor restaurant and gazebo, where events can be staged for up to three hundred people.
Weather
And we had to return to California in December when it was raining and 50 degrees!!!
The Geography
Cairns is located on the east coast of Cape York Peninsula on a coastal strip between the Coral Sea and the Great Dividing Range. The northern part of the city is located on Trinity Bay and the city center is located on Trinity Inlet. Some of the city's suburbs are located on flood plains. The Mulgrave River and Barron River flow within the greater Cairns area but not through the CBD. The city center's foreshore is located on a mud flat.
Kuranda Scenic Railway
There's not a postcard around that can capture the beauty you'll witness on board the Kuranda Scenic Railway. The Kuranda Scenic Railway is a name for the railway line that runs from Cairns, Queensland, Australia to the nearby town of Kuranda.
The tourist railway snakes its way up the Kuranda Range and is no longer used for regular commuter services. It passes through the suburbs of Stratford, Freshwater (stopping at Freshwater Station) and Redlynch before reaching Kuranda. For one and a half fabulous hours, we traveled on board historical carriages through some of the lushest rain forest, pass deep gorges, rugged mountains and the spectacular waterfalls.
It's a view that was originally captured 100 years ago by teams of railway men armed only with picks and shovels. Today, that 34km track still winds its way through 15 hand made tunnels up to Kuranda Station - a Station which looks more like a beautiful botanical garden.
Great Barrier Reef
We flew from Cairns to an anchored ship 30 miles on the reef. From there we went swimming and diving and Sue got a taste of a jellyfish bite, ouch!!The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is the world's largest coral reef system, composed of roughly 3,000 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for 2,600 kilometers (1,616 mi) over an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometers (132,974 sq mi). The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland in northeast Australia.
Next Destination, Sydney And Home
We flew from Cairns to Sydney to pick up our luggage and make the trip home. Cairns has a great airport.
The flight home was uneventful except for passing over the Great Barrier Reef which seemed to stretch half way across the Pacific Ocean! It was an amazing sight!
