Barron Falls
A tall waterfall in Barron Gorge National Park near Kuranda, seen from lookouts. It is at its strongest in the wet season, between December and March.
Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef
Tropical gateway for trips to snorkel or dive on the reef, along with the ancient Daintree Rainforest.
Attractive locations
Cairns Aquarium
An aquarium in the centre of Cairns that shows the marine life of the Great Barrier Reef and the surrounding rainforest, from corals and sharks to freshwater species.
Fitzroy Island
A small tropical island off the coast of Cairns, reached by ferry. It has beaches, coral for snorkelling, walking tracks to a lighthouse and a turtle rehabilitation centre.
Great Barrier Reef
The world's largest coral reef system, stretching for more than 2,000 km along the Queensland coast. Day boats from Cairns visit outer reefs for snorkelling and diving, and the reef is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Daintree Rainforest
An ancient tropical rainforest north of Cairns that meets the beach near Cape Tribulation. Visitors come for boardwalks, river cruises that look for crocodiles, and wildlife such as the cassowary.
Kuranda Scenic Railway
A historic train line climbing from Cairns through rainforest, past gorges and waterfalls, to the village of Kuranda. It is often paired with the Skyrail cableway for the return trip.
Green Island
A small coral cay on the Great Barrier Reef, a short boat ride from Cairns, ringed by white sand with rainforest in the middle. Snorkelling and glass-bottom boat trips are the main draws.
Airports
Cairns International Airport CNS
It is about 6 km in a straight line from Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef.
Scams and safe taxis
Taxi and scam advice for this country is on the Australia page
Weather by month
Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.
- Jan25.0 °C352 mm
- Feb24.9 °C392 mm
- Mar24.0 °C392 mm
- Apr22.5 °C191 mm
- May20.7 °C103 mm
- Jun19.3 °C63 mm
- Jul18.7 °C53 mm
- Aug19.3 °C31 mm
- Sep21.2 °C31 mm
- Oct23.1 °C62 mm
- Nov24.4 °C86 mm
- Dec25.4 °C179 mm
Driest months: Jul, Aug, Sep. Wettest months: Jan, Feb, Mar.
Costs
Prices here are about 90% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.
Who can help
Emergency
Triple Zero 000 for police, fire and ambulance (112 also works from a mobile phone).
local government
Triple Zero (000) emergency number
Helps with: Call Triple Zero (000) for a life-threatening emergency that needs police, ambulance or fire. The NSW Government page also gives TTY 106 for callers using a text phone.
Who qualifies: Anyone in Australia facing a life-threatening emergency, including visitors.
Phone: 000
ngo
Australian Red Cross
Helps with: Australia's national Red Cross society. It offers help before, during and after emergencies and disasters, and runs support programs for migrants, refugees and people seeking asylum.
Who qualifies: People in Australia affected by emergencies or disasters, and migrants and refugees needing support.
Phone: 1800 733 276
Email: contactus@redcross.org.au
Address: GPO Box 9949, Melbourne VIC 3001
un agency
International Organization for Migration (IOM) Australia
Helps with: The UN migration agency. Its Canberra office works on migration policy across the Indo-Pacific and partners with governments and UN bodies. It is a partnerships and advocacy office.
Who qualifies: Governments and partner organisations working on migration. It is not a help service for tourists or individual migrants.
Phone: +612 6267 6600
Address: 4th floor, Bright Consulting Building, 161 London Circuit, Canberra ACT 2601
embassy
Foreign embassies and consulates in Australia (DFAT Protocol)
Helps with: For a lost passport or serious trouble, contact your own country's embassy. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade lists foreign embassies alphabetically, each linking to its own page, plus a consulates list.
Who qualifies: Citizens of each country, through their own embassy or consulate.