Cairns History
After visiting and exploring this vibrant City it is hard to imagine a time when it all never existed. The City of Cairns was originally discovered in 1876 by William Wellington Cairns who was the then Governor of Queensland at the time. Cairns City was originally established for miners who were working at the Hodgekinson River goldfields.
After an easier track was discovered from Port Douglas, Cairns became an established rail port exporting sugar cane, gold, precious metals and other agricultural based products. It wasn't until the early 1980's that Cairns received its face lift with a new International Airport.
From an agriculturally based region Cairns City transformed into an exciting tourist hub. Travellers from around the world soon began to discover the unique natural attractions Cairns had to offer such as the Great Barrier Reef and the Green Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation. This spawned an influx of hotel, apartment, motel and luxury resorts developments, restaurants, shops and other ancillary tourist attractions.
As more people caught on to this unspoilt historical gem, more infrastructure and tours began to spread creating the Tropical Mecca that Cairns is today enjoyed by families, couples, business travellers, researchers and groups of all shapes and sizes in all sorts of accommodation.
Today Cairns takes advantage of its beautifully natural surroundings while existing in a sustainable manner to protect the fragile resources and eco-systems that make Cairns and the surrounding places so unique to other destinations in Australia and the rest of the World. This compact cosmopolitan City balances development with ecological sensitivity and perfectly blends the conveniences of a world class destination City with the isolation and nature of a tropical retreat.
As more and more people discover this amazing part of Australia they will either pledge to return someday or they will recommend others come to witness the majestic beauty that Mother Nature has blessed this region. With stunning Rainforest Mountains, the Atherton Tablelands and their Volcanic Crater Lakes to the natural swimming holes and the amazing Great Barrier Reef that the astronauts see from as far away as outer space.
The Bio-diversity here is something that other regions in the world just cannot re-create and scientists from all over the world flock to Cairns to continue to research and find more of the hidden secrets for answers to the past and possible answers to the world's future.
