Far North Queensland Holidays

The Queensland Tropical North extends from Cape York in the north to the sugar fields of Tully and Ingham in the south and extends west to the Northern Territory border. This is a region that caters for both the adrenalin rush holiday maker as well as those who prefer their holidays in armchair comfort.

Cairns is the point of entry for visitors arriving by air and is one of the major jump-off centres for visitors to the Great Barrier Reef. Cairns is one of Australia's major dive centres with numerous dive and charter operators catering to visitors.

Some of the most popular Great Barrier Reef locations are off-shore from Cairns.

Far North Queensland - At A Glance

The Tropical North coastal areas offer rainforest adventures and eco tours, access to the Great Barrier Reef, sailing and cruising  sport fishing, scuba diving, jet boating, hot-air ballooning, white water rafting sea kayaking and canoeing.

Holiday activities in the Cape York and gulf savannah regions are usually supervised 4WD safari style tours lasting from a few days to a few weeks. These tours typically include aboriginal cultures and lifestyles, wildlife, fishing, goldrush relics, Lawn Hill National Park and off road adventures.  This region boasts some of the world's best fresh water and ocean fishing.

Far North Queensland - The Places

Cairns is the major centre of the Tropical North. It's a great town for reef dive trips, cruising and sailing centres and is the jumping off point for most tours and holiday activities in the area.

Tours are available to the fringe reefs around Fitzroy Island and Green Island as well as the outer reef. Cairns is at one end of the famous Kuranda Scenic Railway. 

Cairns to Ingham is the Cassowary Coast that lies south of Cairns and home to the sugar towns of Ingham and Innisfail. The rainfall at Tully. White-water rafting the Tully, Barron and North Johnstone rivers. Dunk & Hinchinbrook Islands in Rockingham Bay.

The Northern Beaches is an area of tropical, sandy beaches and tiny coves a few minutes north of Cairns. Choose from Trinity Beach, Palm Cove and Yorkeys Knob. Take your choice from several world class resort golf courses.

Port Douglas and the Daintree provides an opportunity to explore the World Heritage listed Greater Daintree and Cape Tribulation national parks. This is where the Barrier reef meets the  rainforest. Take one of the many available day trips, cruise the Daintree river, enjoy a mountain bike tour or involve yourself in an eco tour.

The Atherton Tablelands is a cool, volcanic plateau sitting above the coastal strip and is the home of rainforests, rich pastures, thriving agriculture, crater lakes and waterfalls. Join the locals at the Mareeba rodeo, visit the limestone caves at Chillagoe, the crater lakes at Yungaburra and cool off in the swimming holes at the Malanda and Milla Milla falls.

Kuranda Village is at end of the magnificent Kuranda Scenic Rail tour between operates Cairns - Kuranda - Cairns. This is one of the oldest railway lines in Queensland and traverses 34 kms of dense rainforests, waterfalls, spectacular views and testimony to the pioneering spirit. Take the train up to Kuranda and the cableway back down to Cairns. See the Barron Gorge, the Barron Falls, the worlds largest butterfly sanctuary, the Kuranda markets and aboriginal dance theatre.

Cape York Peninsula is 4WD country and most commonly visited as part of tours from Cairns lasting 7 days or more. This is an area of Aboriginal reserves and rock art, huge Gulf country cattle stations and several premier national parks. Bauxite mining at Weipa, pearlers at Thursday Island, prawn fishing in the Gulf of Carpentaria and the Torres Strait Islands. "Beware Crocodile" signs are for real.

Gulf Savannah region is all about aboriginal art, the Lawn Hill National Park, goldrush relics from a bygone era and the unique wildlife. Try you luck with the famous barramundi (in season). Visit the Undara lava tubes. The "Beware Crocodile" signs are still for real.

Try two unique train tours for a nostalgia trip. Take one of Australia's last frontier adventures with a trip on the "Savannahlander" between Cairns - Forsayth - Cairns through the remote heart of the savannah country. The second tour is the "Gulflander", also known as the "tin hare", a grand old railmotor which carries a limited number of passengers through the Gulf country on a Normanton - Croydon - Normanton tour.