CBX September 2010 by Cairns Backpacker Xpress

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Contact:

Shop 7, 84 Lake Street

Telephone: 07 4041 6981 Facsimile: 07 4041 6889

art@cbxmagazine.com.au

Hola mi amigo! You made it all the way to the top. Well done, now enjoy yourself. Travellers Story A fun chat with Ricci “Shacks” fr om the Woolshed about his travels, his r esidency in Australia and that tattoo on his bum! VOTE! Vote for the Backpack Awards Whatʼs On: A peek at some local events this month include the launch of Pro Tennis ʻDavis Cupʼ, aGreen island Swim and Carnival on Collins.

Music Extravaganza: ReggaeTown World Music Festival. What’s On Music, Movies and Art: Concerts, cinema and exhibitions The Great Barrier Reef 100% of travellers to North Queensland, come her e for the 8th wonder of the world, The Gr eat Barrier Reef. Reef Cruisin: A wonderful day trip to the r eef explained. MAPS We got regional maps, city maps, suburb maps and r eal up close maps! So you won’ t get lost and you will be able to find local businesses too. Party Party Party!: If we could party all night and sleep all day.... do it in Cair ns at these top night spots!

Eating Out: Meal Deals, Al a carte r estaurants, pub food, breakfast, pizza and cafes are all abundant in Cair ns.

Markets: Browse the local markets for atmospher e and gifts.

Adventure Capital of Australia: Mild, wild, adrenalin pumpin and downright scary things to do in Cair ns, notoriously known as the Adventure Capital of Australia.

Local Sightseeing Heading North to Cape Tribulation or South to Airlie.

Water Holes: Christina checks out some water holes and points you in the right direction both fresh and salt water.

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SEPTEMBER 2010

serene waterholes around the region

e m o c l e w al Cairns. Welcome to our city- Tropic e lived here most You始ve just arrived but I始v feel like I始m on holidays. of my life and everyday I orld Heritage Rainforest Not only can you enjoy W ef Marine Park, but all and The Great Barrier Re with a wide range of this month we are blessed t activities including cultural and entertainmen wn Festival, as well the now famous ReggaeTo d City entertainment. as a host of Esplanade an ite for all this month始s Check out the Tanks webs dics on the 17th, Work in highlights including The Me ns 22nd and The McMenami the on n itio hib Ex s res og Pr Friday the 24th. Enjoy

Jo le ne

Cair ns Enter tainment- Open 7 nights a w eek

Rent or Buy- Gr eat way to see A ustralia

Travellersstory Phae Barrett had a quick chat with the charismatic, Ricci (Shacks), the Woolshed’s very own promoting and marketing mascot. Hung-over (as always), “Well it was a Thursday Lunchtime!”, Ric gives us a little insight as to how he has gained residency here in Cairns, working in the Night Club Industry and doing what he loves. Which I think is drinking and partying! Ricci (Shacks) 25 From Wrexham, North Wales (this means I have a good singin voice!) When and Why did you come to Cair ns? It’s been 4 years now. I went to USA and did some travelling and then flew to Australia to join my brother for Christmas. He was working here at the Travellers Oasis and I only came for 2 weeks to visit him, and that was four years ago. It’ s taken me this long to work of f my bar tab LOL! I spent all my travelling money in the Woolshed and was so poor I had to shar e a bed with my brother in a hostel. How did you ear n money? I started Cheffin at Kani’s Restaurant (posh one on the esplanade) Then Simon at the Heritage Pub sponsored me to be the Head Chef. It was great… I got to help design the kitchen during the r efurb stage and then as Head Chef you get to yell at everyone and they say “Yes Chef” like on Gordon Ramsey! But seriously, it was a great team and a shame when it came to an end last year. On the flip-side, I got a job in Woolshed, working along-side the infamous “Hitler Mini-Me”, Chef Paul. How did you go from Cheffin to Marketing? The best thing about the Heritage was that Simon got me involved in the Marketing and Promotion side of things, which was excellent because you get to mingle with the punters more. I also went with him on promotional trips, and I really do have a passion for partying and having a good

time. Seriously. I’m not kidding. It’s true! So it was only a matter of time that Chef Paul threw me out of his kitchen when I began working at the Woolshed and I begged the manager to give me a go in marketing and promotions. Which is wonderful because they have picked up my sponsorship and I will soon have residency. How does this Sponsorship thing work then? Well, you need a ‘responsible’ company to sponsor you in. You have a contract with the company and work for them for a set amount of time (this is also called slavery in some parts of the world), which I think is a minimum of 2 years (you obviously get paid and stuff like a normal employee though). After a set amount of time and a tonne of form filling, you get a r esidency visa. Then after another 2 years you can go the Full Monty and get a passport, and citizenship form. Heck, I might even start using words like Bloody Oath Mate. Who knows! What about Blighty (aka England) It’s Wales actually Phae. Look, it’s hard to even talk about it coz I miss my mum and it makes me teary. However, I have booked a special trip this Christmas and despite it costing an arm and a leg, I can’ t wait to visit home. Will you be coming back? Bloody Oath Mate (see I’m alr eady getting more Orstraylee-an as we speak) I love it here. I love the tablelands and go up ther e at least once a month and I love the r eef, and I love to party 7 nights a week. And of course, I’m still enslaved to the W oolshed for another 2 years. After that I can go on the dole and be a beach bum, which is my true calling I think. What Have you lear ned from your Travels? I have learned how to cook crocodile, kangaroo and Morton Bay Bugs. And I have discovered a bit of a passion for

DJing too. I can dress up as Ginger Spice on Thursdays, and as a Mexican on Mondays. I know how to walk ar ound with a girl in a Wet T-shirt on Wednesdays, and I have learned to flirt with men while I have balloons stuffed down my top. I have also learned that when you drink a certain amount, and you are with your friend who is a tattooist, you get a tattoo on your arse that you may not have agr eed to if you had been a little more sober. In my case, “I have a small weiner” will be for ever displayed on my buttock. Ahem… on that note, Shacks, it has been truly legendary speaking with you. Was there anything else you wanted to add that people may want to know about you? Yes, I am very, very good looking. How can you be my friend? Facebook: Ricci Shacks Whelan or Woolshed.

1 E T O V Best Hostel? Best Tour Operator? Best Activity? Have your say with ck Awards 2010! TNT's Golden Backpa While in Cairns, go Online and Vote for the Business or Activity you have enjoyed during your stay.

Backpackers can vote online this year for their favourite tour company, favourite activity and the best hostel they stayed at in each state of Australia or in New Zealand. Every backpacker who votes is in with a chance of winning two return flights to any destination on the Virgin Blue domestic network. Voting in this year始s Golden Backpack Awards closes on Sept 24th, with the process conducted exclusively online and all votes verified by e-mail for the first time. This year, voters will be directed to a web page to enter their votes, then sent an e-mail which they will have to respond to before their votes are counted. Each e-mail address will only be accepted once. Backpacker businesses are also encouraged to link to it from their own websites. Run in association with TNT Magazine and Thumbrella, the Golden Backpacks are the only consumer-voted awards for Australia and New Zealand始s independent travel industry.

WHAT’SON sport Green Island Ocean Swim Whilst youʼre getting your sporting fix, why not jump in your ʻWickedʼ van and combine a day in Port Douglas with the Ellis Beach Surf Lifesaving Carnival on the 18th and 19th. Call 4055 3695 for more info. Or why not consider the slightly quirky event with Great Adventures: The Green Island Ocean Swim. Join the competition yourself or get your mates and snorkels together and be a spectator, at Cairnsʼ new outdoor take of the traditional swimming carnival. For costs to enter or be a spectator, as well as other information ring 4044 9944 or visit: www.green-island.com.au/oceanswim.htm 12

Festival Tennis

Missing a bit of sport action? Cairns is hosting the Davis Cup from the 17th – 19th of September at the Cairns Tennis Centre. Find the need to splurge on a ticket for the chance to see Australia Vs. Belgium! Rumoured to be playing is former World No. 1, Wimbledon and US Open champion, Lleyton Hewitt along with former top 32 players Xavier Malisse and the Rochus brothers. Tickets cost $34.90 (Fri 17th and Sun 19th) or $29.90 (Sat 18th) with the games starting at 11am (Fri and Sun) and 1pm (Sat). Book through www.ticketek.com

Tennis aside, at Cazalyʼs (located on Mulgrave Road), the Cairns AFL Semi-Final kicks off at 6pm on Saturday the 4th. The Preliminary Final is on the 11th and the Cairns AFL Grand Final on the Saturday the 18th same time, same place. Tickets cost $6 for the semis, $8 for the preliminary and $10 for the grand final and can be purchased on the gate. For more information phone 4042 3000.

Carnival On Collins The last of the Cairns Festival winds down on Sunday the 5th of September with the street party Carnival On Collins. Held along Collins street at the Botanic Gardens it includes hundreds of stalls selling plants, arts and crafts, local products (great for a souvenir), food, drink and has lots of entertainment and rides to last you until the ʻSunday Sessʼ drinking starts at the Cairns Courthouse Hotel. Here you have more entertainment from the country, rock band Shari and the Mice. Finally, at the Botanic Gardens, we have the Tanks Market Day. This is held on Sunday the 26th of September and is a place where locals artists, farmers and designers sell their products. From health and beauty to art and craft, local produce, clothing, souvenirs and many more. There are also local musicians and live acts to keep you entertained throughout the day. Markets start at 9am and finish at 2pm. 13

WHAT’SON REGGAETOWN WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL

2 Day Festival in Cairns – Sep 10th & 1 1th

With a new look, a new feel and new timing…Australiaʼs premier Island, World, Roots & Reggae Festival Reggaetown, set in lush tropical Far North Queensland a few kilometres north of Cairns, is back for 2010. For the first time, taking place over 2 days — Friday 10th & Saturday 11th of September — in our idyllic location at Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park. Fans from across Australia and the globe will make their way to Cairns, for yet another stellar Reggaetown line-up. In 2010 we are proud to present a special performance by the JOHN BUTLER TRIO. With their new album 'April Uprising' wooing crowds around the globe the trio will return from international touring to take part in the festival. Reggaetown will feature another Australian band who have gained incredible momentum on the international touring circuit, Ska, Jazz & Latin kings The Cat Empire. Alongside festival favourites Blue King Brown and Tiki Taane (Salmonella Dub) who with DJ Samobora (Shapeshifter) will be doing a DJ/ACCOUSTIC/MC set. Plus Dancehall/Reggae band Nea Combo Diffuzion, direct from New Caledonia! 14

Also gracing this killer line up are Katchafire, Walli Pazzi, Ladi 6, Ykson, Sista Itations, Zennith, Kingfisha, Mama Kin, Clairy Baby Browne and The Banginʼ Rackettes, Ancient Instinct, The Nicky Bomba ReggaeTown Allstars and many more acts still to be announced. Reggaetown World Music Festival has become an important and anticipated part of the regionʼs cultural landscape, as well as an iconic festival on Australiaʼs national calendar. Community spirit and participation has been a core attribute for the festival since its humble beginnings in 1995. Reggaetown has been listed alongside WOMADelaide and the Byron Bay Bluesfest as one of Australiaʼs premier festivals. In 2010, with the support of the community, government and media partners Triple J, the festival is set to be bigger than ever. Reggaetown not only showcases an eclectic mix of music, bands, DJs and sound systems, but also roving performers, kids activities, workshops in music and dance, plus cafes, garden bars and market stalls. Tickets will sell fast for this dynamic formula of soulful music, relaxing tropical surroundings and

delicious food! Reggaetown World Music Festival is an all ages licensed event. ID is required to enter bars. Under 18s require supervision. Under 13s only get FREE ENTRY when accompanied by an adult. TICKETS AVAILABLE PRE-SOLD PRICES (plus booking fee) • Friday concession $50, Friday Adult $60 • Saturday concession $75, Saturday Adult $85 • 2-day pass concession $110, 2-day pass adults $125 - All tix cost more at the door- these are pre-sold prices PURCHASE FROM • ONLINE @ www.reggaetown.com.au • In person from Brothers Cairns, Kuranda Video, Shiva Moon, Ticketlink & Tasty Records in Cairns • On the ph from Brothers Cairns 07 4053 1053 or Ticketlink 1300 855 835, with credit card details www.reggaetown.com.au www.myspace.com/reggaetownfestiv alaustralia Also visit: www.ozreggae.com + facebook.com

Energy Exhibition

WHAT’SONart

Been out to the Botanic Gardens yet? Now is your chance to explore the beautiful gardens and check out one of the latest exhibitions. The Energy Exhibition starting on September the 3rd is a chance to discover the exciting new work from young artists in many dif fering mediums from painting and installation to digital pieces. Itʼ s FREE and open to view from 10am to 4:30pm and runs for the whole month of September .

Work In Progress Later this month, the Tanks will also host the Work in Progress exhibition, which starts on the 22nd and is open 9:30am to 4:30pm. This displays many works from Indigenous people who have used art as a form of recovery and therapy, recovery itself, a work in progress. Again, this is a FREE exhibition and runs until midOctober.

Pistols and Pavlova

If youʼre around on the 10th September, why not check out the opening night of Nicolette Worthʼs exhibition Shoefiti at the Cell Art Space (109 Lake Street). It will be FREE to view through the month of September and showcases the combination of the much loved wardrobe item: sneakers, and themes of urban culture. For more details e-mail: info@cellartspace.com

Art lovers are confronted with an array of exhibitions this month! Throughout September the Cairns Regional Gallery is hosting a number of exhibitions from Due North and Pistols and Pavlova to Attire and the 64th Cairns Art Society Annual open Art Exhibition. Also, for the first few days this month, you can catch the last of Esplanart and the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, both in conjunction with the Cairns Festival. For more information about tickets and the exhibitions visit the website: www.cairnsregionalgallery.com.au

WHAT’SON CINEMA

This month at Birch Carroll and Coyle Cinemas sees the releases of a range of great new films. If youʼve left your love on the other side of the world during your backpacking adventure, you might like Going the Distance starring Drew Barrymore, which tells the story of a long distance relationship from East to West coast in America. If you prefer something a little quirkier , then The Kids are Alright may be more up your alley. Popular at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, it is about a Californian family with two mothers and two teenagers attempting to find their biological father. Dabangg is set in Uttar Pradesh in India, and is about a corrupt police officer. It stars Salman Khan, popular within Indian cinema in films such as V eer. The themes also touch on the corruption and loopholes in the law systems of Uttar Pradesh. If youʼre after some Aussie cinema, you canʼt miss Australian author John Marsdenʼs adaptation to film: Tomorrow, When the War Began. Aimed at predominantly teenagers, many adults enjoy the book and film, and if you want to see a bit more of Australia through the medium of film, then this is highly recommended. The long awaited Salt starring Angelina Jolie is also showing in cinemas this month. Jolie stars as a CIA agent accused of murder by a Russian spy and film follows her ef forts to try and prove her innocence. For those of you that prefer thrillers, there is The Disappearance of Alice Creed and for comedy buf fs, donʼt miss the new film starring Will Ferrell, The Other Guys, a hilarious story about two underdog detectives who need to step up and match the talents of NYCʼ s top cops. Donʼt forget Cheap Tuesdayʼs for penny conscious backpackers and $8 Monday Movie Nights for local and international students (must register first). To find out more, visit the website: www.eventcinemas.com.au

The Botanic Gardens also hosts Starry Night Cinema nights where classics are shown for FREE whilst locals and tourists alike chill on their blankets and deckchairs enjoying their BYO picnics and their old favourite films. This month, on the 23rd they are showing The Princess Bride at 7:30pm. Get there early at 6pm with your bottle of wine or beer for a few dusk pre-drinks with friends. www.endcredits.org.au/starry Another FREE movie night is at the Courthouse Hotel every Tuesday. Showing recent releases on the Big Screen, movies start at 7pm.

Other cinema experiences around Cairns in September include the Mission Beach Film Festival, a great way to include a visit to this beautiful beach and surrounding area. The festival also includes a photography competition and focuses on the issues on sustainability. The Festival runs from September the 17th - 19th and more details can be found on the website www.missionbeachfilmfestival.com.au 17

Cair ns Enter tainment- Open 7 nights a w eek

Ladi6

music

WHAT’SON Other gigs around town include internationally acclaimed Ladi6, a New Zealand soul/hip hop vocalist on the 12th at the V ertigo Bar and Lounge in the Reef Hotel Casino – starts 8pm and itʼ s FREE, for more info phone 4030 8888. The Medics, a local Cairns indie/rock band, play at the Tanks on the 17th at 7:30pm and the McMenamins, a brother and sister country folk duo from North Queensland also play at the Tanks on the 24th at the same time. Tickets for both Tanks gigs cost $15 and will be sold on the door.

Cairns Buskers Festival

If busking is your thing then you mustnʼt overlook the Cairns Buskers Festival (thatʼs right, we have a festival dedicated to it!). It starts on the 22nd and runs until the 26th with varying locations around the city including The Rydges Tradewinds, Esplanade Lagoon, City Place, Stockland Earlville Shopping Centre, The Cape York Hotel (18+ age restriction) and more! Performances include both local and international musicians comedians and circus acts and start at midday, 3:30pm, 7pm and 7:30pm. V isit www.cairnsstreetbuskersfestival.com for more information.

Speaking of festivals, the Reggaetown World Music Festival on the 10th and the 11th of September is going to go off! Hosting some of Australiaʼs most loved, famous and talented bands such as John Butler Trio, Cat Empire, Blue King Brown, Katchafire, and HEAPS more… it is not one to miss. Tickets start from $50, so work a few extra shifts so you ensure you get a ticket! Itʼ s held at the Tjapukai Theatre out at Smithfield with gates opening at 5:30pm on the Friday and 1pm on the Saturday. There are loads of activities and things to do in between listening to great music. This includes workshops, a great variety of food and drinks, cafes, bars, stalls and roving performers. Buses connect the City Place Bus Stop to Tjapukai (route 1X or 2A) and for more info and to book tickets go to www.reggaetown.com.au

music

WHAT’SON Cairns is a hub for music - locally , nationally and internationally. From DJʼs to small gigs to festivals… weʼve got it all this month!

DJ Sammy J

September starts off with a local: DJ Sammy J, and her funky tunes on the 3rd (and every Friday) at 5pm at the Cairns Courthouse Hotel. Why not pop in for a cold beer and join the FREE entertainment with your mates. The same night, up at the Kuranda Amphitheatre for ʻFolk Nightʼ at 7pm, is the CD launch ʻMore to Lifeʼ for the 3 piece blues and folk band Shells. The night includes performances from Lara Biggs, Trish Molloy and the Kuranda Mantaka dance troupe. Tickets cost $15, for more information visit: www.kurandaamphitheatre.com. Both will be a great night out so better start choosing… Another Aussie favourite and national treasure is Powderfinger. With seven albums (most of them platinum) and fans around the globe, if you miss THIS you are missing a great Aussie experience. You must be quick! Tickets are selling fast, however there are still sitting seats and standing tickets for their added show on the 29th at the Cairns Convention Centre. Tickets cost from $95.30 and to book call 1300 855 835. For more budget friendly options you can ʻdo it yourself ʼ with karaoke at Shenanigans Hotel on September the 2nd, or bring an instrument and join in the Open Mic Jam every Sunday at 8pm at the Green Ant Cantina. Also at the Green Ant is DJ Seville every Thursday at 8:30pm, one of the only places in Cairns to host a funk/soul night. Whilst chilling to the great music why not take advantage of the $19 Roo Burger, Chips and Beer deal or every Monday come in for the 2 for 1 Meals for International Backpackers. If thatʼ s not enough, they have DJʼs and live music every Friday and Saturday nights!

The Great Bar rier Reef

Certifi ea I’ ve lo ng ed to be co m e tim ng lo a ite qu r Fo y d fin all y, I ha ve go t m an r ve di a ub sc n. ed ifi rt ce wa te r di ve ce rt ifi ca tio en op ed iz gn co re lly tr uly in te rn at io na en ta lly de m an di ng , bu t it all m d an y all ic ys ph ty et wh en It wa s pr ye d it all so m uc h th at jo en d an d ve r lo I g! in am az I fe lt so m et hi ng sim ila ng ni or m xt ne e th d, in g ca m e to an en rn ed m e th at af te r be wa dy bo No ! ty xie an n e to se pa ra tio r a fe w da ys I’ d fe el th fo a se at t ou d an er un de rw at fiv e- da y g on lan d is. I di d th e in be d an bl w ho of k sh oc ed ; tw o da ys of th eo ry ud cl in h ic wh se ur co e op en wa te r di ve re e da ys of liv in g on th th d an , ol po e th in g an d le ar ni ng ie r re ef on a gr ea t bi rr ba t ea gr e th at t bo at ou az in g do es n’ t it? ca ta m ar an . So un ds am

I really lucked out by choosing to go for my open water dive certificate with Deep Sea Divers Den. I purely chose it because I love sleeping under the stars out at sea, and I thought a night dive would be awesome, considering more sharks come out at night; and a course that incorporated this was hands down the winner. Little did I know what I was really in for! Deep Sea Divers Den is a highly recognized five and a half star PADI dive course company and most importantly my dive instructor, Oli, was ace at his job! He was very safety conscious and unlike some other dive instructors or masters, he gave us a lot of bottom time (duration underwater). DAY 1: I was required to do my dive medical to see if I was physically capable of diving. The entire class passed their dive medical and then the theory kicked off. We all needed to purchase a thick text book, which gave me the impression of no fun, at least for a few days. But I was wrong! Everything important in text was explained in a dive video that we watched in class. At the end of every chapter Oli went over the text book questions and elaborately explained the answers so we could all completely understand. The most important thing to remember is to never hold your breath! Next was pool school. We had to tread water for 10 minutes and swim 200 metres. It felt like forever. After proving we could swim, we were introduced to the diving gear: - BCD (Buoyancy Control Device, jacket) - Tank (air supply) - Regulator First Stage (reduces cylinder pressure to intermediate pressure) -Second stage/Regulators (sourse of air)- Computer (depth gauge and timer, calculates a safe ascent rate to avoid getting decompression sickness)- Wet suit (avoids loosing body heat, helps buoyancy, feels sausage like)- Weights, snorkel and mask. We were taught how to assemble and arrange all of the dive equipment. When we had all our gear together, we put it on, did buddy checks, deflated our BCDs, sunk into the water and practiced breathing. Oli demonstrated how to get water out of our masks. He did this by filling his mask with water, tilting his head up to the surface, pressing his fingers against the top of his mask and blowing air out of his nose. One by one, underwater he came around and filled our masks so we all had a go at getting the water out. Next we learnt how to continue breathing out little bubbles after taking our regulators out from our mouth, dropping it, finding it and then putting it back in. After that I learnt how to signal underwater that I was out of air. Followed by asking my dive buddy if they could share their air, and all the directions after the ʻokayʼ. A lot for something so simple! This was a bit scary, at the time.

ed! But like everything else, it was fun! My last dive lesson for the day was decending (going down) and ascending(going up) with my buddy at arms length by deflating and inflating my BCD respectively. DAY 2: we went straight into setting up our dive gear. Put on our dive attire and then learnt how to step into the water. It was really simple. Later on we took turns tugging our buddies to the other end of the pool, etc. My favourite part was practicing our buoyancy, watching each other hover under water like genies. Lastly in the pool we learnt an emergency ascent, for when you run out of air and need to get to the surface fast. Pool school was over and then we watched more of the dive video. There was one more quiz and then we sat our final exam! I was a little nervous but all was good. Super relieved and pleased that I passed. Next day we were sent out to sea.

That night I picked up a digital camera from Wet Rez. Located on the esplanade opposite McDonalds and the Lagoon. They are $35 a day, which is a lot cheaper than what most of the dive boats charge per dive! I始m so glad I got the digital underwater camera because I was able to take as many photos and videos as I liked. The flash captured the colour of the coral better than our naked eyes could see it! The deeper the depth of water the more significant loss of colour and contrast is visible when you are scuba diving. Due to the water absorbing the wavelengths of sunlight you lose the colours red and orange, so everything appears to be more of a blue-green colour. Using flash paints in any of the missing colours when close to the subject. Gotta have one! There isn始t a better way to show the amazing experience of being underwater than visually expressing it. Camera, check. Then it was research time.. Reef Teach is a very unique, entertaining and inspiring marine life class that goes for only two hours. 6:30 to 8:30 every night from Tuesday to Saturday. Located upstairs

the Mainstreet Arcade, between Grafton and Lake street. It costs $15 for adults and it includes a few freebies. DAY 3: Eagar and excited we all boarded onto SeaQuest, a two story boat. When we were done with our dive gear we all shifted upstairs onto the sun deck and were split into two groups for our underwater at Clipper Norman Reef. I saw a huge turtle meters below me when I hopped in to do some snorkeling. The visibility was fantastic and I was so pleased that it didn始t take long at all for me to see something delightful and exciting. All the students headed back to the boat to get ready for some scuba diving with our dive instructor. Before we stepped into the sea to head under to 12 metres, Oli told us what we were required to demonstrate everything we had learnt in the pool. Underwater revision so to speak. Back on board, I soaked up some sun and the boat started moving to another part of the reef to give us more variety and again we went for another dive! When we got back to the boat, our boat SeaQuest joined sides with the three level liveaboard catamaran, OceanQuest! we all transfered onto the boat for the next two nights. It was incredible fun! Day 4: Everyone on the boat had the option of doing a 6:30 morning snorkel. The shallow reef at sunrise was glorious! I had a really rad dive at Tropos Norman Reef. The coral surroundings were enticing and huge. We spotted and avoided a Titan Triger fish. The type of fish that can be very aggressive in reproduction season, so we avoided swimming directly above it. I also came across a giant clam, leopard skin sea cucumber and a great barrier aneome fish. I felt so amazed at the end of the dive and to top it off it was our last dive as open water students! We got together on the top deck, filled out our dive log books and high fived for being certified. Day 5: Use your imagination!

Muchas gracias to all the staf f and fellow divers that made my experience enjoyable.

The Great Bar rier Reef

The number 1 way to see the reef!

View From Above If there is one thing about the destination of Cairns, the scenery stands out as simply magnificent. Whatʼs more, the sheer size of the Rainforests sweeping down to the Coral Sea, when viewed from above, will take your breath away. In fact, there is no better way to ʻvisitʼ the Great Barrier Reef than to actually view it from the sky. This is why you will notice the postcards of the area

are nearly always featured from above. If you were ever going to take a ride of you life, then by all means, Cairns is a first class area to try a helicopter ride. The thrill of the ride alone is an adventure, however, the views will give you picturesque memories forever. Heli Charters are available for a quick tour around the city area (10 minutes), to complete visits to the outer barrier reef. A 20 minute rainforest tour, takes

you up the Barron River to the spectacular falls then returns you along the coastline, or you can have your helicopter lift you over the reefs and join Osprey V for lunch and diving or snorkelling. This is by far a ʻcompleteʼ way to really see why The Great Barrier Reef is recognized as the eighth wonder of the world - from above and from under the water. Highly recommended.

CONTENTS

The Great Bar rier Reef

Lear n to Dive Wor ldwide

A short dive course will not only give you the chance discover the Great Barrier Reef during your holiday, but will give you a licence to Dive around the World Forever…

Thereʼs the Learn To Dive course, which is a qualifying course that will give you certification as a recreational scuba diver. On completion of the course (which takes an average of 5 days total) you are given a license that is usually valid for life and is recognized around the world. The course usually includes a few days completing pool dives and knowledge development sessions and finish with making four open water dives on The Great Barrier Reef. There are also “Referral Learn To Dive” programs, which give you a chance to get your open water license in two parts theory at home and practice here on the Great barrier Reef!. Once you have all the beginner stuff out of the way, Advanced Open Water courses are the important first step in continuing your dive education. It is designed to give the newly certified or not so experienced diver added confidence and enjoyment in their diving through additional skills and training.

32 32

Further training The Rescue Diver course is where the diver moves beyond recreational diving. By expanding their knowledge of the "science" aspects of diving and rescue/emergency techniques, the diver is now equipped to appreciate and understand the importance of training relevant to diver safety and incident management. On to the “serious stuff” a Divemaster course is the first level of the "Professional" ratings. On successful completion of this program you will be qualified to supervise recreational diving activities, either boat or land based. It also allows you to act as an Instructional Assistant, and is the minimum rating required for employment in the diving industry. And for those of you who love dicing so much you decide to make a career of it: The Instructor Development Course is a two-week program combining a mixture of training in the pool and classroom academic modules presented by yourself, the course director & fellow candidates. So whether you want to take up a new hobby, or carve out an entire career, these courses are designed to take you there. SSI is a worldwide certification program that have a global network of dive operators for all diving activities. For more information: www.ssidiving.com. To book a diving course or enquire about SSI International Scuba Schools, call 02 49664877

The Great Bar rier Reef

Day cr uise with Down Under Dive

Friendly faces greeted us, although we were the last to board after running down the wharf because we were late for our day cruise. I was introduced individually to all the charismatic crewmembers that were on deck, and then sorted with flippers and a mask. Everything was smooth and well organized, down to the g neat racks where you stashed your divin inside went then We gear. eling or snork for our dive briefing whilst the boat started and headed out to sea. Mitsy, the dive instructor easily engaged all of our attention by including a bit of seamanly satire in his dive briefing. Time zoomed by and before we knew it we were at the brink of the reef, probably because Mitsy was making us laugh by warning us not to worry if a woman is overboard; of the people we shouldn’t punch on the boat is and for us to not hand signal something wrong underwater and then point at another diver as the problem - also we were on one of the fastest day trip vessels, Osprey V. Before we got into our dive gear we slip, slop, slapped on some sunscreen and sat in the sun on the front d of the boat. I had three dives. The secon dive was incredible, pretty close to my favourite dive so far! We saw a green turtle swimming against the current

beside a high wall of different coral, a huge school of spotted sweet lip fish, clams and a lot of bi-colour parrotfish. It was so rad! I really regret not hiring an underwater camera for the day, especially because the visibility was unreal. The crew happily helped with our dive equipment while we were hopping out and while we were out of the water. Following our second dive was a hearty lunch buffet of steaks, sausages, fish, prawns, salami, pasta, salads and complementary wine. The variety was good! After lunch we relaxed on the boat in for forty minutes, said hello to the capta to red prepa got then and in the cockpit jump back in for another guided dive. Getting a guided dive is the best way to find all the fascinating creatures of the sea. The dive masters generally have a lot more experience on the reef and obviously know where the good spots are. Mitsy, our friendly dive instructor accumulated 600 dives at the Great Barrier Reef, so we swam along with him! He lead us to the ‘castle’ (a castle shaped bombie) getting us there a lot faster by cutting corners. We passed around sea cucumbers, touched the smooth and soft edges of the insides of large clams and held crazy coloured

nudibranchs/sea slugs. The guided dives were only an extra $10 and were definitely worth it. Once our dives were over, my beautiful buddy and I went snorkeling. It was really refreshing to swim around freely without all the gear strapped to us. The reef is a never-ending splendor, beside the beautifully coloured and contoured coral, we spotted a Potato Cod Fish (a large stretched looking spotted fish) and many species of angelfish. Lastly we took turns trying to hold our breath in attempt of getting deeper and closer to a beautiful purple clam. We swam back to the boat and then snacked on some crackers and cheese while we filled in our dive logbooks. Referring to the reef teach marine life charts was a handy way of learning and remembering what kind of ray or fish we saw in our dives. I had fun hanging about the boat and talking to some of the crew. When the cruise was over, out of courtesy I volunteered to help out and clean the boat a little bit, because I had such a beautiful day. Overall the whole day was lovely, relaxing and fun. Osprey V is an unbelievably speedy vessel! It reached the reef quicker than all the other boats which meant we had more time in the water!

TAX Advice

Backpackers Tax Tips

HOW TO MAXIMISE YOUR TAX REFUND! Doing your tax return online can seem very easy, but unfortunately most online returns miss important information that can greatly increase your refund. This is because they ar e national or overseas companies with very little local knowledge or expertise with working holiday taxpayers. TAX RESIDENCY Even though you may be a non-r esident, probably the most critical area is to try to be taxed as a "resident for tax purposes". Most Australians don't pay any tax until after they reach $15,000, and then the rate is just 15% until income of $35,000. Compar e this to your non-resident flat 30% tax, criminal! However your tax residency status can be changed, and regardless of what your Tax File Number currently records. The criteria to be a tax resident is framed in legal jar gon and is quite complex. However, to dumb it down, the key factors are; 1. You have been in based in the one geographic location over 6 months, or 2. You arrived recently, but your intention is the one geographic location for the next 6 months, or 3. Your intention changed during the year, or since arrival, and 1 or 2 then applied. Your address should also appear permanent, rather than just temporary accommodation.

MEDICARE If a tax resident, you may be clocked for the Medicare Levy of 1.5% if your income is over $18,800. This is so even if you ar e not entitled to Medicare benefits. To get an exemption, an application must be sent to a separate government department for an exemption certificate, along with certified copies of all your passport pages. A complete pain, but worthwhile.

REMOTE ZONE OFFSET Interstate Tax Agents often forget the zone offset, or don't calculate it pr operly. Cairns residents get $57 pro-rata over a 6 month period. If you lived in a mor e remote area, the offset can be as much as $1,173 ! Even if you lived in Cairns for 6 months during which you had a 2 week holiday in say, Cooktown, your zone offset would increase to $143.

SPOUSE OFFSETS Another possible offset is if you are supporting a low or nil income partner and living her e in a defacto relationship, you can claim a spouse offset, worth up to a possible $2,243 . The definition is a couple living in a genuine domestic relationship. A Spouse offset will also dramatically increase your zone offset above.

TAX DEDUCTIONS Deductions reduce your taxable income and increase your refund. There are too many to

discuss here, but the basic principal is any cost incurred in relation to your income ear ning activity, or tax affairs, that is not of a personal nature. Receipts are only required if these exceed $300 in total, and some items ar e allowed a reasonable estimation. Common deductions for Working Holiday returns; - tax agent fees; paid within that financial year - work equipment or tools; even if pur chased in a prior year or overseas - telephone; if on call, or working in the field - clothing & laundry; if a uniform with logo, or protective in nature - travel; between different sites during work - safety; steel capped boots, hats or sunglasses if working outside It is important that you get a full analysis of your situation to take advantage of the lar ge number of tax offsets and deductions, many more not mentioned above. Local tax agents can assess these for you quite quickly, and give advice about future tax matters, usually at less cost than many online tax pr eparation companies.

Information provided by the Express Tax Office from BC Accountants. These and tax estimates & returns are also online in 5 languages at www.eto.net.au.

PULL OUT

CITYMAP

Jucy this way

3 Shiva Moon

Shiva Moon

2 Van Rental

3 Waxing

5 Medical Centre

4 Pharmacy

Juice bar

71 Cars & Campers

71 12 Happy Herbs

13 Quality cafe

6 Live Music/Restaurant

7 Pasta

9 15

14 12

14 Quality cafe

15 Thai Restaurant

34 Fashion & Great Coffee

17 Cairns Tattoo

22 DIVE GEAR 17

30 27

2 28 23 Extreme Stuff 25 n

50 21 25 T-Fashion

16 FASHION & Swimwear

48 iShop Apple

50 Hair fashion

21 Beauty

Cultural Entertainment

Funky Fashion

27 Sushi

28 Bottleshop

30 Great Kebabs

18 Everything Music

33 Massage

32 Quality cafe

36 Pool Tables

38 City Location Accommodation 35 28 32 n

36 18

38 37

41 34

40 PIZZA

66 Self Drive Campervans

37 Study English

Fashion Swimwear

33 41 Skateboarding

42 Tattoo Nation

Entertainment Venue

43 Lawyers

44 Adult Entertainment

45 Tattooist

$ 45

67 Tax

47 Ugg Boots Specialists

$ Money Exchange

Cair ns Enter tainment- Open 7 nights a week 48

Party hed The WoolsET SHIELDS STRE

ous world fam re it’s the les, crazy s make su b rn ta ai on C in ng ith ci out kicks off w tying, dan one night . Sunday its wild par If you have wned for and games skydive s a no lf re on iti se D E et ur p yo com WOOLSH ican u can win trageous part in Mex on were yo re and ou ro & take competiti atmosphe re E b m AT a D so is D a R lf KE us BLIN Get yourse BACKPAC the hilario h CAIRNS. R & MRS SKYDIVE ays throug e, Also M d to ng on le ks M al an ch rly th best ea ING om cairns Mondays, fr HILLI EAT t C on se s te lo ay la d so d ic se k Mon st is ee m ou w e e ac th LIVE d not to b d early in teractive scream an in the moo nce an in u ie T yo er IR t p H ge S ex Tays tonic to US WET d Wednesd st the right ays FAMO of cash an dinner, ju . Wednesd 00 worth TY $5 R to PA acts over up a in AL OR t is E w M s gh ie ni ith d y w la er t ev trea u lucky because O for a real one of yo you’re in DEAL or N ION sees TV show IGHT and e N th COMPITIT S IE of f D rd to be in of s LA oa sp ay b S e sd D th ur E H prizes. Th grabs from E WOOLS Y, R&R es up for TT BUNG which is TH orth of priz J HACKE w A NO MEAL 0 , E 00 S R $3 m U d any CO amazing ER DIVE CAIRNS an DEAL. An KY DIVE PEN WAT S O 8pm to M C e O D or C FR ef as ES in b won, such spice. Be G, SKYDIV EAL!!! IN er FT ng A gi N R OR O M ATER e gorgeous e, MEAL th m d WHITE W ga an H y st S d ie N IPS funn ed by tod CHAMPIO west and more, host RACING H lay the ne S p an FI m to LD hu ce GO an ning e original re the win get your ch host to th ng!), whe ci ys la ra p h s fis ld MP Saturday hed, at right, go UNGY JU the wools id read th CKETT B get laid in (yes you d an AJ HA t n’ es ca lv u se f yo ts them quoted, “i jockey ge acking net once lonely pla re of backp ”! id la As in The t the very co ge s e world. to nt th g se ut in re ho rep ver go and throug OLSHED ia O you’re ne al W tr E us A TH ith a e 1994, evening w ous across Open sinc ing it fam start your ak ck m ki r, d lle an reve l early on spirit and meal dea t the $10 t price. es Check ou b e th ge meal at quality hu

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Gilligans

est party venue boasting Gilligan's is the Cairns larg of punters through the thousands upon thousands the Locals as well with r ula Pop ek. doors every we -stop party stamina non as Travellers, Gilligan's has nt to lounge in the wa all week long. Whether you get messy with 'Jelly ', vie mo in e 'Div a for l poo ntry proud with 'Babe Wrestling' or do your cou ss dresser within on 'Flirt Nation' or summon the cro ely have something for Night', Gilliganʼs will definit als are available every you. FREE backpacker me 9pm. From Thursday to night of the week from 6 – pool is home to some the Sunday the back deck by bands and DJʼs. We of Cairns most popular live ir Summer Lovin the recommend you check out Fox – the only ttʼs cke Ha AJ with Sunday Sesh crazy! itʼs ia, tral flying fox in a bar in Aus e done it all; hav y the k thin you And just when heat up with lly rea hts Friday and Saturday Nig erade balls, squ ma , ties par ce dan dress ups and by some of you to t ugh bro fire shows and live acts top Hill The including the worldʼs favourite gigs B Rn nd, Sou of y istr Hoods, Bliss and Eso, Min goes on. list the and et mp Tru my Superclub, Tim is something different, Every weekend at Gilliganʼs all upcoming events! check their Facebook for

GRAFTON STREET

BE TREATED LIK E A LOCAL – AT FUNKY MELBOU STYLE LOUNGE RNE BAR...VIBE ! From the street Vib e looks like a tre ndy small cocktai however once yo l bar, u walk through the venue you will be amazed at how big Vibe is, with many rooms to enjoy yo favourite cocktai ur l or beer, whilst su rrounded by amaz artwork. ing Vibe is highly rec ommended with good quality afford food. They spec able ialise in gourmet Wagu beef burge chicken burgers, rs, sate and duck & baco n burgers. They have a range of also seafood on the me nu such as Grille Atlantic Salmon d with steamed ric e and garden sa or the famous NZ lad for $15, beer battered wh iting fillets with ch salad for $12.50 ips and (Thursdays hous e special is fish an for $7.50). Betw d chips een 4pm – 7pm every night you ca a glass of complim n enjoy entary glass of wi ne or pot of beer your burger, plus with a free serve of ch ips, for only $12.5 mention the Back 0. Just packer Xpress Me al Deal when ord Whether you are ering. looking for some where to have a dinner, or to party quiet the night away on the dance floor, Vib caters to everyon e e. Most importa ntly, enjoy the frie service, sit at the nd ly bar and chat durin g the day, or enjoy atmosphere at co the cktail hour. Feel like part of the Cairns family. Ple ase ask staff for weekly specials. our Come in and rec eive your backpa voucher booklet cker with heaps of dis counts. vibebar@optusne t.com.au

Party Places e a week, sets th d Dj's 7 nights an em st sy g a hip mini intimate lightin s. It's actually surro with its plush ge bar in Cairn un lo st be without e th ps is certainly swing your hi mood for what , big enough to sy co el ix it up, and I fe m to rs all enough ls and travele ca Lo n! io ss dance club; sm e se d grind ge bar or danc er to a pump an is the only loun ge un Lo inviting a strang e s Th ate that der the Famou categorically st It's located un would have to e t of the week. gh ni y er ev sy backpackers ar that is bu e two bars), so th n ee club in Cairns tw be al stairs unge we (there's intern While at The Lo Woolshed Bar a The Lounge. at up t ee m ve a chat and lcome to s cocktails, ha ou lic more than we de r ei th ng and few of em mesmerisi u induge in a e lighting syst th d fin recommend yo so al out! ll You wi irns... check it all night long. bar open in Ca st la e dance up it up th ys e, alwa the right balanc the music just ET. SHIELDS STRE

The Loungeunds,

, across The Pier Bastrenviable location in Cairns, overlooking the water ssibly) ts, belong to (po

the Coral Sea.

mo ats and yach The Pier has the and incoming bo n that the the lapping water d itʼs for this reaso of w vie l tifu au wn do -to-earth an is This be lity ita sp ous ho the to set. It has fam venue. However, as the sun starts on Cairnsʼ classiest so as ts ris t. d tou r inside and ou fill with locals an t in modern déco sun deck starts to d Best and is decked ou er, off on d Indy Australia an foo ll gri Bartercard Miss ing pizzeria and char lud inc rly es on ula ag ck reg major prize pa etitions are held contestants with us Professional comp rio se st nights me mo so en ted place to be se which have attrac and the Pier is the Model Australia, ht, nig ay nd Su or held on a Friday offer. These are PLANADE ES E TH , ER PI E of the week. TH

wery Blue Sky Bre rivia with a twist ednesday Night-T

ist.” Cairnsʼ yW ht Trivia with a Tw Blue Sky Brewer r “Wednesday nig ou n joi sday night that d ne an n ed W a Buff withi . Itʼs a modern fun of ht Unleash the Trivi nig ee e interactiv Registration is Fr full audio visual of grey matter! ns rtio po original and only and ed us t their un y Brewery food backpackers tes including Blue Sk s ize Pr t ea sees locals and 34Gr ht. 7.30pm. oughout the nig t questions from ndom prizes thr ra of s ap from 7pm and firs he d gear, an rs, Rebel sports beverage vouche 42 Lake St.

Party on an iconic double decker Bus - hour travelling Ultimate 5 rty take you on a Crawl style pa bus will Famous Pub urtesy of The open top VIP guest, co al Party Tour. ch you are a hi w to Cairnsʼ Origin es ea nu m l at your ve e, with a free s at 5 different unsurpassabl is party, with stop ey on t to mention m no r ur 4th venue, . The value fo yo rty at Pa a e zz at Pi hours ltim U oup photo, games. Itʼs 6 e souvenir gr with the party s ize pr of first venue, fre itʼs th 0 wor r just $25, win over $120 rty bus, and fo the chance to the Ultimate Pa on 32 to book a m 03 he 41 ay 40 m d Cairns. Call: in t of madness an ou t gh ni be your best guaranteed to hostel . s, or ask your bu e th place on

Ant CantinCaairns' Indie scene with an eclectic mix of music.out The Green ina ming is the leader of al musicians jam Cant night or loc The Green Ant ic ss on a Friday nday is open m ing Drum 'n' Ba inn sp 's DJ ur music fix. Su it's yo t ge to Whether ce ing pla br t is the e us a tune. So ls, the Green An e down and giv acoustic origina is invited to com ne yo an d A STREET an yone ow! 183 BUND night where ever and enjoy the sh o tw or nd frie t and a your instrumen

CLUB SPOTLIGHT THIS MONTH A must see Cairns Landmark! Like nothing else in town! The newest edition to Grafton St in the Heart of Cairns is The Attic. Think antique, retro, chic and then turn it into a funky lounge bar; a world of classy risqu茅 comfort; vintage like you have never seen before. The Attic boasts an ambitious selection of cocktails & service accompanied by an exotic blend of sounds from around the globe with a warm uplifting atmosphere that始ll leave all your senses just tingling. Within this exclusive environment you始ll be surrounded by vintage and antique abstract art decor & featured lighting to enhance the feel of this state of the art venue. The Attic is a cut above the rest so you will need to dress to the nines and impress the best of the best; we can't have our furniture looking better than our clientele.

Cair ns Enter tainment- Open 7 nights a w eek

Cair ns Enter tainment- Open 7 nights a week

WAXING while Travelling The Wax Pot and Tanning Studio is a relaxed beauty salon located in the heart of the City, and also at Earlville. It of fers the visitor and locals alike, a unique salon experience by offering a wide range of treatments and services in an upbeat, funky atmosphere. It is a place where people meet and catch up with friends whilst attending to all their beauty needs. To set the scene for you, imagine painted concrete floors, corrugated iron, distressed timber work, bold colours, funky music and crazy, vibrant staff to pull it all together; and you have 驶The Wax Pot始. One of our most popular treatments we offer are our Henna Tattoo始s. You can choose from a wide range of Henna Designs or alternatively, design your own. The Tattoo last on average, two weeks and is applied by piping a Henna mix onto the skin in your chosen design. This product is all natural, made on site by our dedicated staff.

Food around town

FOOD

In Cairns, you will never go hungry. From hostels meals, to al la car te seafood, this tropical city is teaming with restaurants and pubs serving quality food. And with the many ‘meal deals” available, each venue has realised they need to keep the quality up if they are to satisfy the backpackers. Look at These! PJ’s New $10 Meal Deal PJ OʼBrienʼs have launched a brand new $10 meal deal which includes a Beer, wine or spirit. The menu is great and PJʼ s street-side dining area is right in the middle of the City Centre where Shield and Lake Streets meet. Itʼ s a meeting hub frequented by divers, rafters and skydivers and a great sports venue too (big screen TV). Backpackers luv the place, and the new menu is a real winner! BULL BAR The Steaks are Flaming Wonderful, accompanied by some of the best seafood on offer. On Tues & Wed before 7pm. you can try your luck at scoring a free meal if you order the ONE KILO steak and finish your plate within 20 minutes. Great Atmosphere for backpackers and located right in town on Lake Street, just past the pedestrian centre. Blue Sky “we love beer so much we put it in our food!” Want some real food with your microbrew beer? Blue Sky restaurant has new chefs and a fresh new menu and its CHEAP! Light Lunch meals from $12.50 that arenʼt mass produced. All your favourites, fish and chips battered in our

very own Cairns gold beer batter, Beef potted pie marinated in our True blue Stout and gourmet Pizzas with, you guessed it, beer infused pizzas bases made with our very own Blue Sky Pilsner. Eating Beer never tasted so good! Our Beer Buddies snack menu runs all day for quick bites on the go, or stay and enjoy a Tully taster beer sampler paddle! Try 9 different internationally awarded boutique beers brewed onsite while you finish your succulent rib eye fillet on the bone and watch your favourite sports on one of the 5 huge screens. 34-42 Lake St Spectacular Ochre Local seafood and native ingredients have top billing at this elegant spot that specializes in bush dining. Try the Australian antipasto platter of emu pâté, crocodile wontons, and smoked salmon for starters, followed by kangaroo sirloin with quandong-chili glaze. Some dishes have a Pacific Rim flavor , like the tea-smoked duck with mango or the twice-cooked pork. Red Ochre's signature dessert, wattle seed Pavlova with Davidson plum sorbet, makes a fine finish; or you can linger and sip a glass of Australian wine while nestled into a violet velvet booth.

FOOD

Green Ant The Green Ant Cantina is Cairns' longest running Mexican restaurant. Since 2001, its cult-like following keep coming back for more! Authentic, fresh Mexican meals as well as fantastic steaks, salads and the best kangaroo burger in town! The venue has a tropical beer garden and is covered in amazing artwork by local artists, so go and check out the Green Ant for great food and great fun! The Green ant is located in the heart of a traditional backpacker Haven, surrounded by old queenslanders and although very much IN town, it feels outta town!. Bunda Street (over the rail tracks just behind Cairns Central).

Gilligan’s for Dinner!! Where else can you relax by the pool, indulge yourself in live music and enjoy our backpacker meals... Sample our NEW MEAL DEAL menu for $12! Join us for our Cancun Sundaze with our FREE BBQ from 3pm and live music on the deck ! Gilligan’s: 57-89 Grafton Street

Woolshed Famous Meal Deal Renowned backpacker Chargrill and Saloon Bar, the Wooly holds bragging rights for maintaining an incomparable level of consistency in food quality. Prime cuts of meats, pizza, pasta, Indian, Thai curries and vegetarian options are on offer at 6pm every night of the week. Just ask any staf f at your hostel desk for your meal deal voucher and their stamp of approval for the famous meal deal that every backpacker comes to Cairns to eat. At the one and only Woolshed (City Mall) La Porchetta Cairnsʼs number one pre-movie eatery, la Porchetta is a superb café-style, Italian Pizza and Pasta Parlour, and located right next to the movie theatre on Grafton Street. Perfect for the ʻfirst dateʼ meal and even more perfect for large groups, La Porchetta prides itself on using fresh ingredients and boasts a huge menu. You can receive 25%

off your bill with Cairns Backpacker Xpress (thereʼs a voucher in the Map Section of this magazine), however the prices are already cheap so you will find this an easy choice for a good quality meal at a budget price. Fasta Pasta This is Cairnsʼ Locals favourite pasta restaurant. Simple, Real Italian food served quickly - this is the ONL Y restaurant I go to if I am on a tight schedule as their service is second to none and always reliable. Specials are always pleasing, prices are just right and the ambience is casual and fresh. They also do take-away. Simply choose your dish and pick up 10-20 minutes later located centrally on the corner of Shields and Sheridan Street. Call 4041 0388. VIBE Restraurant and Bar Vibe is a funky Melbourne style bar , with art filled walls and lots of lounges and comfortable areas to relax and enjoy your glass of New Zealand or Australian premium wine and beer. Vibe is highly recommended with good quality affordable food. They specialise in gourmet Wagu beef burgers, sate chicken burgers, and duck & bacon burgers. They also have a range of seafood on the menu such as Grilled Atlantic Salmon with steamed rice and garden salad for $15, or the famous NZ beer battered whiting fillets with chips and salad for $12.50 (Thursdays house special is fish and chips for $7.50). Between 4pm – 7pm every night you can enjoy a glass of complimentary glass of wine or pot of beer with your burger, plus a free serve of chips, for only $12.50. Just mention the Backpacker Xpress Meal Deal when ordering. Vibe is open 7 days a week, the dance floor commences at 9pm each night, and they are open till 5am Fri and Sat nights (free entry). So if you are looking for a place to enjoy a cocktail, a delicious dinner , or a place to kick your night off, Vibe is the place to be. 39-Lake Street Cairns PH 40 521 494

markets

Cairns, Port Douglas, Yungaburra- They all have...

Local attractions- Markets 64

Every week there are markets in and within reach of the Cairns city. Here are a number of them, where you can find them and what you’re in for. The Pier shopping centre on the marina holds the environmentally friendly Farmgate every Saturday from 7:30am to 2:00pm. Sourced from local farmers Farmgate Market offers locally grown and made seasonal organic & non-organic fruits, vegetables, herbs, breads, cakes, wines, liqueurs, coffees, teas, chocolates, dried fruits, bio-dynamic dairy nuts, muffins, honey, native conserves & pickles, potted orchids & chillis, sulphur free seafood, organic beef, dips & spreads, spring water, coconut and sugar cane juice. Cairns City Markets in the city centre between the sound shell and the bus terminal. Open every week day 9:00 to 4:30pm. Selling mostly beaded, bones and shell jewelry perfect for gifts and souvenirs. Cairns’ most popular and successful market Rusty's Market is beneath Gilligans backpacker Hotel & Resort (between Sheridan and Grafton street). Stalls are covered in lush fruits and

vegetables, organic and locally grown produce, asian cuisine, flowers, delicatessen and bric-a-brac. Open: Friday – 5am to 6pm;Saturday – 6am to 3pm; Sunday – 6am to 2pm A forty-five minute scenic drive amongst the beautiful rocks and beaches out of Cairns on a Sunday leads you to the Port Douglas Markets. Every Sunday 8am to 2pm the market place is held between the Dickson Inlet and Wharf Street on Anzac park. The Port Douglas markets is an excellent place to pick up a painting by a local artist, some organic food, jewellery and other products. Kuranda Markets are a popular attraction for locals and visitors tucked in the trees beyond a bendy half hour drive. Sculpture, pottery, hand made clothing, flora styled crafts, hand painted plates, art work, oils, gemstones, organic coffee, locally grown coffee, home made tropical fruit ice cream, aboriginal artifacts, toys and handcrafts are only a number of the things you will find. There are two markets in Kuranda - the Kuranda Heritage Markets and the Original Rainforest Markets (est 1978). Both markets are open 7 days a week from 9.30am to 3.30pm. The Original

Rainforest Markets host predominently handmade or handcrafted goods and most artisans are available to discuss their wares with shoppers. The Original Rainforest Markets are located adjacent to the Honey House - the first tourist attraction in Kuranda and celebrating 51 years of operation this year. The Honey House offers free honey tasting and a live bee display. In the market complex there is also a gemstone museum and replica dinosaurs; as well as specialty shops such as Leatherman, Boongar Aboriginal Art and Craft; Ezy Rider Harley merchandise stockists; fantastic food; jewlers creating in their workshops; hemp clothing designer and lots of other interesting stalls. Kuranda Homemade Icecream is actually located in the Original Marker complex. Yungabarra Markets is an hour and eight minute drive out of Cairns passing Gordanvale. This market has been running for twenty two years and has over 250 stalls including local made wines, clothing, flowers, home made crafts and more than you could imagine. Running hours are 7:30 am to 12:30 pm.

Mild to Wild- Things to do around Cair ns

to th rill se ek ing Ca irn s is a Dis ne yla nd wh en it co me s sur d no t an d ad re na lin ad ve nt ure , all in ec o- ro un ds an a tra shy ro lle r co ast er in sig ht . Where else can you raft the rapids amid glorious rainforest? Our Tully River has some hard core rapids and is a wet and wild adventure that will have your heart racing and some serious laughs in between!

Have you ever taken a BMX bike of f the roof of a purpose built bungy tower, glimpsing the coral sea on the horizon as you go? Here in Cairns our Bungy site has devised 16 dif ferent ways to bungy including the minjin swing and traditional swan dive, plummeting 164 feet with elastic strapped to your legs! How about taking the controls of a helicopter under the instruction of a professional pilot? Quad biking around dirt tracks in the Kuranda Rainforest, or horse riding over creeks

and through the forest? Or take the ultimate adrenalin rush when you freefall from an airplane, and then sweep to the ground under the safety of your parachute? Our own cable ski park is owned and operated by professional wake-boarders and you can try knee-boarding to get you started, or fly over the professional ramps if you are more experienced. Cairns also offers mountain biking, go-karting, hand gliding, absailing, kite surfing, and sea kayaking! Often referred to as an Eco-tourism haven, Cairns is one place you can get together with nature and test your nerves doing activities in a unique environment that will become lasting memories of your holiday in Australia.

AJ Hackett Bungy Jum Ruby

Gravity challenge

Jolene

Christina Ruby

hugging Pelita

C r in oco he di re le

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illing experience of Sharing the spine thr mate was wicked! bungy jumping with a

KETT C A H J A THANKSa great rush for

e tried it out first!” ternoon in Cairns. Exotic escapade, an af e to get to the trees on the other es Did you know saltwater crocodil up to can survive many month, even a year without eating? They can r soak up the suns rays for theie saltenergy. A four metre estuarin on water crocodile, a spotted pythof the and a cuddly koala are a few animals we encountered in our forest afternoon in cairns. In the Rain I Dome, of course! Jolene and to ventured up the Casino elevator the beautiful man made jungle habitat. The zoo was filled with sizes. birds of different colours and top One of which flew close to the of my head. There were nas and kookaburras, cockatoos, igua fresh water crocodiles too. The layout of trees, vines, rocks and forting water fountains created a com illusion of a natural habitat. rent Following the veranda to diffes of heights gave us different viewals. I the jungly dome and its anim of an sat on a bench taking photos when it iguana and got so frightened started to lurch towards me. I laughed at myself not long g afterwards for quickly scurryin so away. Pelita, the cute koala was a small inquisitive crawling through

Ruby, it with a friend of mine, For my first jump I did g vin Ha . nce erie exp g inin and it was a really enterta le. rab mo me re de the day mo mates there with me ma ane ins s wa h hig ters me fifty Leaping off the platform te to any normal human and the complete opposi jump so t the only one in on the beingʼs instinct. I wasnʼ felt I e. like a piece of cak it surprisingly seemed excited! both high-spirited and re we we and invincible the en wh actually kicked in The feeling of fear only , began er, tow the of top at the guys handling the ropes or id ano er. Ruby being par tying up our legs togeth sure re we y the if ed s up ask either just stirring the guy re tight we s leg our und aro e that the towel and rop into the have our torso dipped enough. We wanted to ve our abo ds han our put to us water so they directed before st che our on d down head and our chin presse of us two the e tim s wa it we hit the water. When s platform, peering our toe scuffled to the end of the n at the dow ds hea ked sto our over the edge and facing there ind us counted to three, water. When the man beh to push ng goi t snʼ wa he d lize rea was a pause when we her ! Ruby wrapped both of us over. Then we jumped annoying an ed eam scr h bot arms around me and we s jawfalling with someone wa amount. The feeling of sa wa It r! ulia pec so s wa k dropping and the pull bac we ter wa the r our dip into different level of fun! Afte live bait hanging off the like und aro ing irm squ were heads was unbearable. our to od blo rope. The rush of . He J hael and his rescue raft Thank goodness for Mic dle pad his of d we grabbed a hol paddled out to us and t. boa his ed onto so we could be loosen r bungy se of achievement afte The adrenalin and sen ther ano for nt us pretty impatie jumping left the both of r, we hai our of out ter wa king the jump! Smiling and sha was ich wh ly, jumped individual went again! Except, we er tow the off hop to f sel g my more frightening! Pushin ped off to get it lea ckly qui I but der on my own was har on my ed swinging to and fro over and done with. I lov be rescued. It to h rus a in t snʼ wa I own. This time round water pretty bar lady gave us was so good. Erica, the eaming. The scr the from ats thro which helped heal our chable and good-natured employees were approa re to be in. asu making the scene a ple

spac side and crawling towards new who unfamiliar faces. The people came worked in the wildlife dome hug into her space to check on and her. She was so adorable and affectionate. We sat through afilled ‘Reptile Rap’ by Karina who us to us in on the facts and allowedand pat the fresh water crocodile she spotted python. After her show ted generously let me hold the spots got python, Darth Vadar. My palm an sweaty from fear but it was such zing! exotic experience. It was ama dome The humidity of the rainforestng cold left us quenching for somethi ured and refreshing. Thus, we vent some down to the esplanade to have m lemon and lime sorbet ice crea mery from the New Zealand ice-crea fix! in the night markets. Perfect k Jolene wanted to pick up a boo an from the Cairns city library on so we Australian artist Brett Whitely walked to the library. It was a pleasant change into a quiet and there calm atmosphere. When we gotbooks she rounded up a great pile of and we just relaxed writing and ing. reading in the silent air condition

t AJH The crew a

Jump

s ett Cairn yourself! AJ Hack e worlds the plunge fos rfro m 1pmh ay t nd l Su features pose built So to visit if 6pm is the time r u p ck ba t d s lai fir u want a ower, yote t local e p liv ith m W u n. oo J af rn Bungy e ping h jum e t in music and a fre y not nestled wh s, kid e th y castle for t n e w t t th s a lunch at eir rainfore s from purchase u could Aussie BBQ. Yo minute wer and to e . th b y clim Cairns Cit even p or two. Before y Itʼs the only bung planet that e th operation on ferent jump offers sixteen dif ditional tra styles from the off the ing rid to swan dive e. So roof on a BMX bik st time fir a wether youʼre to just y pp ha d jumper an or a get off the edge eker se seasoned thrill p style jum e iqu un thereʼs a vered. co u that will have yo y ng bu a Watch out for gle jun in inj m a jumper or take uld co u yo or er swing

try a jum lf off into throwing yourse the time ke ta e, open spac erful scenic to see the wond can you e els view. Where worldʼs e th of w see a vie rrier famous Great Ba Reef? s: AJ Operating hour is open s Hackett Cairn for ar ye a ys 364 da d se lo (c n io at er op m fro y) Da Christmas pm 00 5: – m 10:00a

High Energy Activities

! i k S e l b Ca n Anyone can do it. Everyo

Only a 15 minutes drive from Cairns is the cable ski facility where you can try kneeboarding, wakeboarding or waterskiing. Operated by professionals you get a good introduction at the beginning what makes the whole start easier. Also, if you have experience the staff can always provide you with more knowledge on how you can achieve a better technique for gliding over the rails or for the different turns and jumps. It was my first time on a kneeboard and wakeboard this week and I have to say, If I can do it, everyone

wakeboard. So if you have some can do it! :-) surfing, kite surfing or For beginners, it takes a few snowboarding experience; better laps on the kneeboard to get to and easier for you. The cable know how fast it goes and how machine is not too fast so it's you have to handle the board perfect to try some 180's, 360's under you to guide it in the or other tricks. One thing: after direction you want. After a your first hour of cable skiing be couple laps I switched to a prepared for aching arm wakeboard. First attempt: I muscles! Take the next failed! Second Attempt: opportunity and go for a ride on Yeeeaaaah, I was wakeboarding! the water at Cable Ski Cairns, So cool, the feeling to glide on you will have lots of fun! The the water and to lie into the turns park is open 7 days a week from is just amazing. My friend who 10AM until 6PM. CBX went with me can do kite surfing and for him it wasnʼt a problem to go from the start on the

S Y A D S R U H T R E K iing BACKSEPSSAIOC r and 2 hours of sk ne in D Q B B es ud cl N, in

hours of Skiing for ht which gives you 2 nig er ck pa ck ba ial ec sp BBQ dinner Thursday nights is the cker Special night a pa ck Ba on us Pl 0. Just $39.0 Free of Charge the price of one hour. u will be picked up Yo p. ea ch e ar ks e drin at 9.00 PM. Book is included and th 6.30 PM and ends at ts ar st It ) rn tu from your hostel (re Ski Cairns directly: ception or call Cable now at your hostel re

NIGHT TIME

Tel: (07) 4038 1304.

e is doing it!

HOW TO GE T T H E R (Read this, be Eed cause you ne

directions) Cable Ski is up the Cap located just 10 minut es tain Cook H ighway. Buses arrive ou ts id e Tj leaves you apukai whi ch w car park to ith a walk through th e find the ca ble ski park Alternativel . y bus which you can catch a Sun is means you a “hail and ride”. Th is ca at the cable n ask to be dropped off ski slip road across the , and walk grass. CABLE SK I PICK UP Gather 4/5 fr Cable Ski w iends or more, and ill How easy is come and pick you up ! th to arrange a at! Just call 4038 1304 time.

Tell the bus driver, and he’ll stop right outside!!! 72

B I R T E CAP

Cape Tribulation: ancient forests, curious and fascinating wildlife, cool watering holes sprinkled with waterfalls, all sitting pretty on a stretch of pristine, white sand beaches and blue/green ocean that houses The Great Barrier Reef. This is what travellers dream of, and is where those lovely picture books of Australia get those wonderful images that entice you to ʻparadiseʼ .

The Daintree has some spectacular attractions and excellent accommodation choices making this World Heritage Listed Rainforest far more accessible than its competitor - The Amazon. For this reason, backpackers have always included a trip to Cape Tribulation in their Cairns itinerary staying at popular backpacker resorts. Self-drivers love the trip up to Cape Trib (approx 2 ½ hours) with the impressive coastal road throwing a photographers dream of endless landscape shots (transfers are also available with PKʼs). Eco-tourism is high on the agenda in Cape Tribulation, and it has won many awards for sustainable tourism to protect the ancient rainforest that has more than 3000 plant species and is home to about a third of Australiaʼs mammal species. As 13 of these species are found nowhere else in the world, you should try one of the many

wildlife spotting adventures on offer in the region. Getting high in the Rainforest is also popular… with Jungle Surfing Canopy Tours. 6 high platforms and 5 flying fox runs – THIS is the most exciting way to see the Rainforest from a distinctly different view! Another way of seeing the WILD side of the Daintree is to jump on an Ocean Safari adventure where you can be whisked to the Reef super fast. Beach Horse Riding, Fruit Tasting, 4 WD Driving, Night time Wildlife Spotting Walks, and Sea Kayaking are also popular pastimes, and itʼs a great beach location with miles and miles of sandy coves. Cape Trib is a quiet and relaxing environment, but you can still party with the Paradise Parties at PKʼs Jungle Village.

Some History: In 1770 Captain Cook was sailing the Endeavour up the east coast, and making a chart of the coastline. He struck a reef about 40 kilometres north east of Cape Tribulation, now called the Endeavour Reef, and he named the point he had charted earlier in the day “Cape Tribulation because here began all our troubles.” There are great views of Cape Tribulation and the fringing reef as you descend into the Cape Tribulation Valley from the Noah range. This road follows the Aboriginal walking trails. There were once 200–300 Kuku Yalanji people living in the region, who had an abundant food supply from the rainforest and the reef. The Mason family was the part of the first group of Europeans to settle at Cape Tribulation in 1931 and they progressively tried to earn a living from fruit and vegetables, timber cutting and cattle. Produce for the Cairns market was transported by boat to Cairns on a weekly basis. It was not until 1962 that a real road reached Cape Tribulation, and it initially ended at the southern end of Coconut Beach, meaning that to get to Cape Trib, cars had to drive along the beach!

Discovering Cape Tribulation

It’s a Jungle out There! Mt Sorrow looms over the Cape Tribulation valley at 850m high, and is responsible for Cape Tribulation having one of the few tropical climates in Australia, with high temperatures, high humidity and high rainfall occurring throughout the year. This climate provides the right conditions for rare tropical fruit trees which are normally only found near the Equator, which is why two commercial fruit orchards are located here. Don't miss the opportunity to sample some rare tropical fruits from farms, cafés and roadside stalls in the area. Cape Tribulation became famous amongst young travellers and backpackers in the early 1980s, on the trail from Goa, Katmandu and Bali and is now one of the most recognizable tourist icons of the world. There are many things to do at Cape Tribulation, including diving and snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef; exploring the rainforest with guided walking tours, on horse back or independently. To appreciate the wonderful view of the coastline and see where the rainforest meets the reef, paddle the coast in a sea kayak, and to learn more about the area visit The Bat House and eyeball a bat. If you just want to relax and enjoy the surroundings you can wander the deserted beaches which stretch for miles, meditate in the rainforest, or book a massage or spa therapy, and join yoga on the beach in the early morning. Cape Tribulation has a range of dif ferent types of accommodation to suit every visitor , all in superb natural settings — four star , three star and budget resorts, backpacker hostels, bed and breakfasts, holiday houses, and camping grounds. There is a small cluster of shops at Cape Tribulation which includes a pharmacy, two small supermarkets, an interpretive centre,a cinema and four restaurants within walking distance.

“Rainforest wilderness like nowhere e lse i n t he W orld- w ith all the amenities tucked neatly in the jungle- A ccommodation, convenience s tore, A TM, p arty bar, tours and loads more. Give it a go!!” 76

Lance (publisher)

it's not just a bus ticket! Greyhound Travel Base Packages make holidays a breeze Travellers can now jump from one beautiful city to another thanks to Greyhound Australia’s new Travel Base Packages, which include hop on, hop off luxury coach travel and accommodation in selected hostels along the way. Greyhound Australia’s Chief Executive Officer Robert Thomas said these unique packages were the result of a partnership between Greyhound and Base Hostels stemming from discussions at the Australian Tourism Exchange expo in June 2010. “Greyhound Australia is proud to be working with Base Hostels to present four new exciting travel and accommodation packages to travellers,” Mr Thomas said. “Base Hostels are located throughout Australia and New Zealand and are specially designed for the modern day travellers. They boast state of the art facilities, superior comfort and friendly services.” “The Travel Base Packages are great value for money for backpackers travelling on a shoestring budget with prices starting from as low as $660.” “Passengers can choose from the Sydney to Cairns and Melbourne to Cairns packages and take in some of the most picturesque and scenic views along the coastlines, with the added option of starting their holiday from any of those cities. “The package also includes 10 nights accommodation in any one of the Base Hostels located along the East Coast including Brisbane Central, Magnetic Island and many more..”

“Our 3,000 and 10,000km packages give travellers more flexibility and the opportunity to travel anywhere on the Greyhound Australia network within 365 days. And when the Kilometre Pass is combined with Base accommodation option, it creates an ultimate flexible travelling pass.” “In addition they can exchange kilometres for any of the 250+ Greyhound Adventures tours and experiences available.” “The activity options such as camping on Fraser Island, sailing on the Great Barrier Reef or surf camps in Byron Bay will

definitely deliver unforgettable holiday moments.” Mr Thomas said as well as being an economical choice, travelling on Greyhound’s luxury coaches was ideal for those looking for greener travel options. “Greyhound is one of the most environmentally efficient travel operators in Australia,” he said. “One Greyhound coach produces five times fewer CO2 emissions per passenger per kilometre than a jet aircraft and is equivalent to 16 fewer cars on the road.”

Heading South...

When you’re headi ng down South ...

AIRLIE BEACH Despite being a small and slightly bohemian café precinct on the beach, Airlie is equivalent to the massive Bondi Beach in popularity – especially for backpackers. Itʼs tight-knit, fun loving and carefree community marries with itʼs stunning beach – the gateway to The Whitsundays – and has become the “Must Stay” spot when travelling South from Cairns or North up the East Coast of Australia. Whichever way you are going, Airlie will no doubt become part of your itinerary and you will take some magic memories from there. People relax in Airlie… itʼs got the “Manjana feel”, and as a result, people are themselves in Airlie, which consequently means you will meet some great people! Thereʼs plenty of partying, yet in a laid-back style, if you can possible imagine how those two contradictories nestle together! Diving is fantastic, with the Whitsundays within 3 hours sailing from the Airlie, lots of activities and really cool and welcoming bars too. The appeal of Airlie is no doubt the fact that it is the epitome of a beach town , and embraces everyone who visits, sometimes enamouring stop-over tourists so much that they stay for many weeks! With the sand streaming through your toes, youʼll love everything about Airlie. Plus you may get to stay at Magnums, the worldʼs best backpackers! Sometimes we wonder whether people flock to Airlie to see Airlie – or to stay at Magnums! Itʼs located right over the road from the main meeting hub – The Lagoon, - and has a famous “Party Boardwalk” as well as itʼ s entertainment-stacked Bar. Dorms, private rooms and even tent sites are all available and from eighteen bucks too.

Heading South

or f n io t c e ir d t r ig h e h t in u o y t W e p o in

Natural wonders

t & c e f r e the p ools Beaches p k c o r Freshwater rockpools and creeks: Crystal Cascades

33 minutes by car. Head north of sheridan street to Freshwater, then Redlynch until you reach the large brown Crystal Cascades sign. Stunning water holes and refreshing icy cold water cascading down huge, smoth boulders into shallow pools. When you reach crystal cascades, instead of following the footpath on the right, you can venture to the left and find a dirt track to Fairy Falls. A small secluded fresh water waterfall and pool.

Stoney Creek

24 minutes by car, via Captain Cook highway, take your first exist at the last roundabout across from Tjapukai onto Brinsmead Kamerunga road. Follow the road through caravonica till you meet a right turn down Stoney creek road.

Lake Placid

24 minutes by car from the city. This rainforest lake is the home of a multitude of birds and wildlife. Feed ducks, swim in the lake and hire a canoe. With live music at Jungle Jackʼs Boathouse on specific times of the week.

Sandy Beaches: Stretched over 26km of beautiful coastline, Cairns has seven stretches of beaches to choose from. Itʼ s easy to get to the northern beaches via bus or car. Simply follow captain cook highway up north and keep an eye

82 82

out for the road signs directing you to the beach you desire.

Machans Beach is the

first beach out of Cairns city. Followed by Holloways beach, Yorkeyʼs Knob, Trinity Beach, Kewarra Beach, Clifton Beach and Palm Cove. If you decide to continue driving you will find yourself cruising along one of the most scenic drives in Far North Queensland heading to Ellis Beach, Pretty beach and Port Douglas.

Machans Beach

15 minutes away, just a few kilometers out of Cairns, Kewarra is easily the closest beach to the city, However, it is the most eroded beach out of the seven.

Holloways Beach

18 minutes from Cairns with coconut palm trees overhanging the beachfront. With BBQ facilities and the closest beachfront accommodation in Cairns.

Yorkeyʼs Knob

23 minutes from the city with beachfront parks, a beautiful marina and boat ramp. BBQ facilities and amentities.

Trinity Beach

26 minutes away from the city, Trinity Beach is one of the most popular beaches. Including bars and variety of restaurants along the esplanade.

Including free BBQ facilities, amenities, and water sports equipment for hire.

Kewarra Beach

28 minutes from the city, Kewarra is more of a private and idyllic beach with picnic tables with very little room for tourism development.

Clifton Beach

30 minutes from the city and one minute from Cairns Tropical Zoo. Untouched by tourist development it retains a very laid-back atmosphere.

Palm Cove

35 minutes from the city, this popular destination has small beachfront cafes, 3 of the top 200 restaurants in Australia, nearby shopping centre and a camping ground a short stroll away from the jetty. Sugarworldʼs man made water park of slippery water slides is located in Edmonton, 23 minutes south of Cairns. Admission price for adults is $12.00