General News
10 June, 2026
Tourism is lifeblood of city
TOURISM in Cairns evolved from steamer and rail visits in the 19th century to becoming the backbone of the regional economy.
In the post-war years, Cairns’ popularity as a tourism destination grew as it capitalised on its dual natural assets – the Reef and rainforest.
In 1961, one of the region’s first iconic tourism experiences – the Green Island Jetty – opened.
In the 1980s, the city’s first high-rise buildings, apartments and hotel complexes dominated the skyline.
Major infrastructure projects, such as the Cairns International Airport upgrade and Esplanade redevelopment, changed the city’s image from backwater to a world-class destination.
The opening of the Cairns Convention Centre in 1996 and Skyrail Rainforest Cableway in 1995 cemented the growing reputation of Cairns as a tourist destination.
Tour operators became household names and help contribute billions to the economy, offering experiences from Indigenous cultural tours, myriad Reef trips, adrenaline adventures, to journeys over and through the rainforest
Opening of Skyrail in 1995
ATTRACTING both protest, as well as fanfare in equal measures, the opening of Skyrail in 1995 was a much-anticipated event.
From the moment the first gondola made its way up the mountain, it has provided unique access to the rainforest for visitors and tourists to Far North Queensland from around the globe.
Starting off with 47 gondolas and now expanded to 114, it is a significant local employer of engineers, ticket sellers and interpreters and Indigenous rangers.
Kuranda Rail
THE Cairns-Kuranda-Herberton railway line connected the business and local community from the Cairns port to the rich agricultural area of the Atherton Tablelands, the tin mines of Herberton and pastoral districts beyond.
These major industries brought people from all over the world to settle in occupations and created wealth for towns across the region.
Nowadays, it has become a major tourist recreating a timeless experience with its historical carriages and is enjoyed by visitors for its scenic and engineering beauty.
Hayles Green Island Ferry
WHO remembers stepping onto the Hayles Green Island Ferry in the 1980s?
Located near the Cairns Yacht Club and overshadowed by the newly-constructed Hilton Hotel, Hayles boats were the big cats of the sea.
