Cairns is a city of some 130,000 residents with a population growth rate averaging around 3.5% and peaking periodically at around 4.5%.

It is the fastest growing provincial city north of the Brisbane\Gold Coast\Sunshine Coast corner of Queensland.

The population of Tropical North Queensland (TNQ) as a whole is around 215,000 people.

Queensland Map

Since the opening of Cairns International Airport in 1984, the city can justifiably be regarded as Australia's gateway to its neighbours in South East Asia, and through them to the rest of the world.

There are currently around 56 international flights per week into Cairns involving Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Air New Zealand, Air Niugini, Continental Micronesia, Cathay Pacific, Garuda Indonesia and Flight West Airlines.

Tourism is the premier industry in TNQ. The region contains all of the attractions that lure adventurers and tourists to Tropical North Queensland - the Great Barrier Reef, the World Heritage listed Daintree Rainforest, the Cape York Wilderness, internationally renown Port Douglas, palm-fringed

beaches, the outback, waterfalls, white water rapids, coastal rivers, pioneering history, aboriginal cave art and culture, crocodile habitats, game fishing, estuary fishing, birdwatching etc.

Reef leisure activities

Of the 1.5 million visitors per year to the region, about half of them are from overseas with the balance from within Australia. Whilst in the region, visitors spend around $1200 million pa and record the highest individual daily expenditure (averaging $185 a day) in Queensland.

Conference delegates and special event visitors are becoming a more significant component of visitor numbers. Cairns' $70 million Convention Centre can accommodate up to 1800 sqm of exhibition space, 5500 seats for NBL (basketball) matches, 5000 seats for concerts or up to 6000 seats for performances "in the round".

Cairns Seaport has enjoyed a significant increase in visitations by international cruise liners, including the Oriana - the largest vessel ever to dock in Cairns. Around 30 liners per year are currently berthing at Trinity Wharf, in the heart of the CBD.

Whilst tourism has become the major industry for the region, there is a solid economic base built on a diverse range of primary industries, notably sugar, beef cattle, dairy, fisheries, mining and horticulture.

According to the latest figures available, the gross value of agricultural production in Tropical North Queensland is more than $600 million at farm gate prices.

The fisheries industry is a major contributor to the economy of the region. The Queensland Department of Primary Industries values the annual catch of prawns, barramundi, reef fish, Moreton Bay bugs, crabs, lobster and

mackerel at more than $120 million. An additional $12.6 million is attributed to the catch of tuna fish.

The aquaculture industry is valued at around $18 million a year, with the region producing more than 90% of the State's farmed barramundi and 75% of the State's farmed tiger prawns.

The value of mining to the Tropical North Queensland region is estimated at around $362 million, most of which is made up of bauxite, gold bullion, limestone and dolomite. In a move which could produce substantial economic benefits for Tropical North Queensland, international firm Chevron has established its regional headquarters in Cairns. Chevron Niugini has substantial oil and gas fields in Papua New Guinea and is in the process of negotiating the establishment of a 2500 kilometre gas pipeline from the Southern Highlands of PNG to Gladstone in Central Queensland.

Cairns serves as a regional hub for many organizations and authorities. Freeport Indonesia has successfully used Cairns as a supply base for its gold-copper mine in Irian Jaya for 21 years. Cairns also hosts consulates for Papua New Guinea, Japan, Austria, Italy and Sweden.

Daintree Rainforest

Cairns is a cosmopolitan city which in 20-30 years has been transformed from a remote provincial town into a progressive regional centre with national and international recognition.

In addition to the many resorts, hotels, golf courses and other tourism-related infrastructure, it has several large regional shopping centres, a university campus, casino, convention centre and a large naval base.