Dive into Australia and Asia Pacific's most popular dive site and comprehensive underwater directory.

Cairns

Cairns is the capital of Tropical North Queensland, a hot spot for access to the Great Barrier Reef and the primary gateway to Northern Australia. Nestled between densely forested mountains, azure waters of the Coral Sea and patchwork cane fields bordering the city streets it is a city of varying contrasts.

A focal point for the city is the Cairns Esplanade. Almost two kilometres of landscaped parkland fringes a busy thoroughfare and restaurant strip on one side, and a natural harbour inlet on the other.

All the attributes of a world class modern city are to be found in Cairns: International air access, rail systems, high-standard accommodation facilities, an art gallery, botanic gardens, university, a casino and a convention centre.
Almost a century of architecture is reflected in the city streets - a comfortable blend of traditional Queenslander style and modern designs. Modern buildings grace the cityscape with a mixture of architectural designs including the Reef Hotel Casino, Cairns International Hotel and the Cairns Convention Centre.

In the Directory

• Accommodation [1]
• Charters and Day Trips [4]
• Dive Shops [1]
• Liveaboards [3]

Photos

Copperlode Dam - Photo courtesy of Tourism QLD

Sailing of Cairns Harbour - Photo courtesy of Tourism QLD

Street sccene - Photo courtesy of Tourism QLD

Underwater Recommendations

Stretching from Cairns to Cape York at the northern tip of mainland Australia, the northern region of the Reef offers a fantastic range of diving holidays in the cleanest waters of the world with visibility often exceeding 100 metres. There's spectacular marine life, isolated atolls, amazing drop offs, exciting shark feeding stations and intact shipwrecks.

Getting There

The Cairns International Airport is located only several minutes drive north of the city centre.
Major road access to the north, south and west. Good railway connections from the South.