Tropical Northern Queensland
Tropical northern Queensland is uniquely different to the rest of Australia, and possibly the world. The United Nation’s World Heritage Convention agrees. Both the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics rainforests are included on the World Heritage List for their natural values. Nowhere else in the world do two World Heritage regions exist side by side. More than two million visitors come each year from around the world and Australia to holiday and experience these natural attractions, and as a result Cairns has one of Australia’s busiest international airports.
As well as its spectacular environment, tropical northern Queensland offers many other attractions. The coastal cities of Cairns and Townsville are experiencing rapid growth and have modern shopping, sporting, cultural and leisure facilities combined with a relaxed, tropical lifestyle. The weather is warm all year, with wet and dry seasons. Townsville is in the dry tropics while Cairns is in the wet tropics – see links for temperatures. With a rich history including gold rush days in the nineteenth century and pearling in the Torres Strait through to the development of sugar cane, fishing, cattle and mining industries, the region has a vibrant mix of cultures not usually found outside of capital cities. These include Indigenous, European, Pacific Islander and Asian communities.
Along with the attractions of both cities, there are plenty of interesting regions to explore from either Cairns or Townsville, including the cooler Atherton Tablelands with its ancient crater lakes and picturesque small towns, many national parks, the Whitsunday Islands, Mission Beach, Port Douglas resort area, the wild and rugged Cape York Peninsula, or experience the Australian outback with inland heritage towns such as Charters Towers.