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Cairns, at the heart of Tropical North Queensland, is the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and World Heritage rainforests. It is a vibrant and multicultural city, known for its adventure activities, Coral Sea and lush rainforests.
With its strong regional economy worth more than A$16 billion, the region is connected not only other parts of Australia but has an international reach. Tropical North Queensland is a popular destination for tourists, with beautiful places such as Cape Tribulation and the Daintree, Atherton Tablelands and Port Douglas.
The curfew-free Cairns International Airport has links to export markets to Japan, Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. There are also 9 international trade ports, including the Port of Cairns, which is one of the country’s busiest cruise destinations. Cairns also has two universities, James Cook University and CQUniversity, offering world-class study and research opportunities. There are also specialised training centres, such as the Cairns Aviation Skills Centre and the Great Barrier Reef International Marine College.
The National Cities Performance Framework for Cairns provides information about housing, infrastructure and liveability.
SunBus operates public transport services for Cairns and there are private bus lines operating services in Far North Queensland. However, it is advisable to buy a car to get around, depending on where you are living. Cairns is well connected with the world with an international airport, international cruise ship terminal, and passenger train services departing five times a week between Brisbane and Cairns.
The Cairns Regional Council has information on multicultural communities and services. Centacare FNQ is an organisation in the area that assists with settlement, counselling and migrant support.
Innisfail is the other urban centre in Far North Queensland, which is under the Cassowary Coast Regional Council.