Cairns (Queensland)

Cairns is located on the east coast of Cape York Peninsula , in the coastal strip between the Coral Sea and the Atherton Plateau , whose average height is 700 meters above sea level. Between the plateau and the region of Cairns there is a mountain range, the height of the individual peaks of which reaches 1,500 meters, for example, the height of Mount Bartle Frere is 1,622 meters. This ridge plays an important role in the distribution of climatic zones of a given region. On the west side, the Tubblelands region (on the Atherton Plateau) is a subtropical climate , on the east side, Cairns is a tropical climate .

The length of the city from south to north is 35 kilometers. Cairns cross two rivers - Berron ( English Barron River ) and Malgrave ( English Mulgrave River ). They, like all the other rivers of the region, are short and full of rapids, originating on the Atherton Plateau . The Estuary of the Mulgrave River, which has now changed its course, turned out to be very convenient for the construction of a large port, which in many ways predetermined the successful development of the city ^[1] .

At a distance of 40 kilometers from Cairns in the Coral Sea begins the Great Barrier Reef .

Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the Australian aborigines of the Walubarra Yidinji tribes traditionally lived in the Mackay region ^[3] .

In 1770, James Cook , during his first round-the-world voyage, described the coast of Cairns and assigned its name to the bay - Trinity Bay ( English Trinity Bay ). Over the next 100 years, new sea expeditions explored this area in more detail and found a convenient place for the future port.

Cairns was founded in 1876 and named after William Cairns ( Eng. William Cairns ), who was then Governor of Queensland . The need to create a new coastal settlement was associated with the discovery of large gold deposits on the Atherton Plateau in the Palmer River and Hodgkinson River and tin areas on the Herbert River ( Herbert River ) ^[4] . It was necessary to build roads from deposits to the coast and the port for the export of minerals.

Initially, Cairns competed with Port Douglas ( Eng. Port Douglas ), a similar settlement, located 60 kilometers north ^[5] . The position of Cairns strengthened after the implementation of a number of successful agricultural projects. The valleys of the neighboring rivers, south and west of Cairns, began to be actively used for agriculture and animal husbandry. The population of the district gradually increased and by 1885 the district received the right to self-government ^[6] .

An important event that stimulated the development of the area was the construction in 1886 of a railway line on the Atherton Plateau to the city of Herberton ^[7] . This project brought many new jobs and stimulated the development of new territories. In the lowlands began to grow sugar cane , corn , rice , bananas , pineapples . Dairy farming and pasture farming developed on the plateau, and fruits were grown, including avocados , strawberries , citrus fruits and mangoes .

Cairns gradually grows and becomes a regional center. Mangrove swamps and sandy ridges are covered with rock from quarries, waste from the construction of the railway and sawdust from sawmills, the port is expanding. In 1903, the population of Cairns increased to 3,500 inhabitants and was officially assigned the status of a city ^[8] .

During World War II, Cairns was used by Allied forces as an intermediate point for moving troops to combat areas in the Pacific and New Guinea . After World War II , Cairns began to pay more attention to the development of the tourism business. In 1984, the Cairns International Airport was opened. In 1997, the Convention Center ( eng. Convention Center ) - a multifunctional complex that combines a concert hall and an indoor sports arena. Further development of the tourist infrastructure helped to create the image of an international tourist center in the city.

Currently, it is the tourism industry that brings the greatest revenue to the budget of the Cairns district. In second place is the "sugar" industry. All vacant land around the city is used to grow sugar cane , and there are several factories processing cane in the area.

The tourism industry plays an important role in the regional economy. By foreign visitors, Cairns is the fourth Australian region, after Sydney , Melbourne and Brisbane ^[9] . For foreign tourists in the area, the Great Barrier Reef , the Queensland Humid tropics and the Atherton Plateau , as well as the tropical climate and sandy beaches of the Coral Sea are of most interest.

The tourist infrastructure of the city includes a large number of hotels, holiday homes, beaches, cafes and restaurants. In the central part of the city along the seashore there is the Esplanade, a wide boulevard for hiking. It is interesting to note that it is in this place that the sea itself is not visible. Instead, you can only see the swamp with sparse vegetation and pelicans and herons walking along it.

Many special amusement parks and attractions have been built around Cairns, and various excursions and recreational tours are offered. For example, there are “wine tours” that include visits to wineries and tastings of various wines, and for lovers of “thrills” a tour of the crocodile farm ( English Hartley's Crocodile Adventures ) is offered. You can visit Paronella Park ( eng. Paronella Park ) - the castle, in the Spanish style, built in the center of the rainforest. The city has its own zoo - Cairns Tropical Zoo ( Eng. Cairns Tropical Zoo ) and the Botanical Garden ( Eng. Flecker Botanical Gardens ). In November 2012, Cairns was the "capital" of a total solar eclipse , which was visited by many tourists.

Dangerous fauna

The fauna of Cairns is rich and diverse. Many of its representatives are dangerous to humans. In the forest you can find poisonous snakes , spiders , anopheles mosquitoes and crocodiles . Sea crocodiles , sharks , and poisonous sea ​​snakes inhabit the coastal waters. Also off the coast of northeastern Queensland , in the period from November to May, the probability of encountering poisonous jellyfish sharply increases. Special signs, which are located along the coast, warn about this. It is recommended to swim only on beaches enclosed by nets. There are various types of poisonous jellyfish, including the Sea Wasp, whose death from a burn occurs within three minutes, the Cornerots , Medusa Irukandji , and the Portuguese ship .

Attractions

• Artificial Lagoon ( born Swimming Lagoon ) - built near the central business district of Cairns. Here you can sunbathe and swim safely in a large artificial pool, the depth of which ranges from 0.8 to 1.6 meters.
• Beaches are located north of downtown. There are about 10 of them. They begin within the city, such as Halloweuse Beach ( Eng. Holloways Beach ) or Trinity Beach ( Eng. Trinity Beach ) and end with the most northerly and “wild” beach of Ellis Beach ( Ellis Beach ). The beaches have a wide sandy coastal strip, swimming places are fenced with a net, there is a rescue service. The beaches are usually open from 9 am to 6 pm ^[10] .
• The Great Barrier Reef is a ridge of coral reefs and islands in the Coral Sea , the most attractive place in the world for diving enthusiasts. Located less than an hour from the city. Sea and air excursions and special diving tours are available for tourists.
• Daintree-Rainforest ( born Daintree Rainforest ) - a rainforest located near the city of Cairns, is part of the humid tropics of Queensland . In the forest, the National Park ( English Daintree National Park ) was created, remaining as a UNESCO World Heritage Site .
• The Atherton Plateau is a plateau starting 50 kilometers west of Cairns. Famous for its beautiful landscapes, lakes, craters of extinct volcanoes, unique flora and fauna.
• Kuranda ( Eng. Kuranda ) is a small town 30 kilometers north of Cairns. During the special tour “Kuranda-Tour”, tourists are waited by a trip on an old train along the ancient mountain road (“Kuranda-Scenic”), which leads through tunnels and ravines, past waterfalls and rain forests. In Kuranda, you can go to souvenir shops, restaurants or visit the greenhouse of tropical butterflies. After that, tourists are offered to descend to the sea on a 7-kilometer cable car , laid over impassable tropical forests. At the bottom, you can visit the Tjapukai Aboriginal village ( English Tjapukai ), where not only you can see how the indigenous Australians sing and dance, or how they get fire by friction, but also learn to throw spears and boomerangs. From Cairns to Kuranda, you can also get on your own by road by car or bus.

Water

Due to the absence of large reservoirs throughout Queensland , there are periods in different parts of the state when there is a shortage of fresh water. Several short but deep rivers and 2,200 mm of precipitation per year allowed Cairns to avoid these problems until recently. With the growth of the district’s population, the water consumption increased. There was a need to create an artificial reservoir.

In 1976, on the small mountain river Freshwater Creek ( Eng. Freshwater Creek ) the Kupperloud Dam ( Eng. Copperlode Dam ) was built. The formed lake was called “Morris” ( English Lake Morris ), it is located 12 kilometers west of the central business district of Cairns and contains 37.1 million m³ of water ^[11] .

Energy

In 1963, the Berron-Goj hydroelectric power station ( born Barron Gorge ) was built on the Barron River. The power plant is located 20 kilometers from the city, equipped with two turbines, electric power - 60 MW ^[12] .

Transportation

Cairns is an important transportation hub in northern Queensland . The main highways , the railway pass through it, the international airport and the seaport are located near the city.

Motor transport

For residents of Cairns, motor transport is the main mode of transport. The Bruce Highway ( born Bruce Highway ) begins in Brisbane , for 1700 kilometers it runs along the coast of Queensland and ends in Cairns. Further to the northeast to Mosmen there is the Captain Cook Highway. Currently, due to an increase in the number of residents in the area, many highways are congested, for example, the Bruce highway in the southern suburbs. The Cairns Regional Council is exploring options for upgrading overpasses ^[13] .

Westbound, on the Atherton Plateau , are the Kennedy Motorway ( Eng. Kennedy ) and the Gordonvale Highway ( Eng. Gordonvale ). Moving along them you can get to the settlements located in the central and northern parts of the Cape York Peninsula and to the cities of the neighboring state - the Northern Territory .

In Cairns, you can use the services of intercity bus service. There are bus services to Brisbane and regional centers in the south. There are also flights west to Mount Isa through Townsville and on to Alice Springs and Darwin ( Northern Territory ).

Public transport of the city includes a bus service between all the main districts of the city, the coastal zone and neighboring cities. Taxi services are available around the clock.

Rail

In Cairns, the North Coast railway line ends, which starts in Brisbane and runs north along the coast of Queensland . All the way, in time, takes 32 hours. From Brisbane to Townsville, the train travels at a maximum speed of 160 km / h. The last part of the journey, between Townsville and Cairns, the train rides on diesel for 7 hours with a maximum speed of less than 80 km / h, although the car is only 4 hours away.

From Cairns to the town of Kuranda ( Eng. Kuranda ) is the railway for tourists - Kuranda Scenic Railway ( English Kuranda Scenic Railway ). The paths are laid on the neighboring mountains and allow you to admire the views of the city, tropical forests, mountain waterfalls.

Port

Cairns Seaport is located in a small Trinity-Inlet Bay ( English Trinity Inlet ) in Trinity Bay , the largest bay of the Coral Sea . Port of Cairns combines sea cargo port and moorings for private boats and yachts ( eng. Cairns Marina ). The port is the most important component of the tourist business of the city. Sea excursions to the Great Barrier Reef on pleasure boats that can accommodate up to 300 passengers and small private boats depart daily from the port. Large cruise ships sailing in the South Pacific also enter the port. Port Douglas and other neighboring coastal areas and large islands have regular ferry connections.

Every year, 1.13 million tons of various cargoes pass through the cargo port of Cairns. Almost 90% of them are dry or liquid, including oil , sugar , molasses , fertilizers , liquefied petroleum gas . The port also has a large number of fishing trawlers .

In Cairns is the base of the Navy of Australia . On the basis of 900 soldiers and 14 warships, including four patrol boats of the "Armidale" type , four of the six amphibious assault ships of the "Balikpapan" type and all six ships of the military hydrographic service ( English Royal Australian Navy Hydrographic Service ) ^[14] .

Airport

Cairns International Airport is important for the local tourism business. Located on the northern outskirts of the city, it is the country's sixth airport in terms of passenger traffic ^[15] . The busiest domestic flights (in descending order) are Brisbane , Sydney , Melbourne . The busiest international flights are Narita International Airport, Chubu International Airport . The airport is also the base for the Flying Doctor Service ( Eng. Flying Doctor Service ) and rescue helicopters are based here.

Cairns, according to the Köppen classification , is located in a hot tropical climate zone ^[16] . The rainy season with tropical monsoons lasts from December to April, and a relatively dry season from May to November, although there is quite a lot of rain in these months. On average, for the year, about 2200 mm of precipitation falls in Cairns.

Tropical rainfall often causes flooding of the two rivers of Cairns - Berron and Mulgrave. Flooding rivers can block the railroad and the highway leading to the city and thereby cut off Cairns from the outside world.

Cairns, like most other areas of northern Queensland, is located on the path of tropical cyclones , which are usually formed from November to May. One of the last strong tropical cyclones was the Cyclone Larry cyclone. The strongest blow of the elements fell on the southern districts of Cairns at 7 am on March 20, 2006 ^[17] . Gusts reached a speed of 300 km / h. Hurricane was assigned the fifth, highest category. In Cairns and its suburbs every fourth structure suffered.

• Cairns City Council - Cairns City Council (Eng.)
• SunWater Storage Levels - water level in Queensland reservoirs.
• Australian climate zones - Australian climate zones (English)
• Cairns Airport - Cairns Airport (Eng.)
• Cairns Esplanade - Cairns Attractions (eng.)
• Cairns Info - Tourist Information (English)
• Paronella Park - Paronella Park (English)
• Hartley's Crocodile Adventures - Crocodile Farm (eng.)
• Skyrail - cable car, photo and video (eng.)
• Cairns Ports - Cairns Ports