Local Activities

Bring your family along to the conference and make it an unforgettable vacation together. Of course, there’s the Great Barrier Reef to explore and many other ocean adventures, but below, we have listed some other fun activities for the family.

What to expect in Cairns

Weather:

  • Average July temperatures: high 26°C, low 17°C, rain 5 days/month
  • Cairns in July offers some of the best travel conditions of the year. Low humidity and rainfall make this a perfect time to explore everything this paradise has to offer.

Swimming:

  • Ocean temperatures – between 22 and 25°C in July
  • You can swim comfortably in July, as jellyfish season typically runs from November to May. In July, there should be no problems with jellyfish in the ocean.

Activities
in Cairns

Coastal Highway north of Cairns

Cairns Aquarium: If you love reptiles, amphibians, insects and other sea creatures, this is the place to come. Touch tanks, glass displays and oceanariums make this a unique place to visit with the family.
Hartley’s Crocodile Adventure Park: At this animal-filled nature park, you will see some of the amazing wildlife near Cairns.

Cairns Koalas and Creatures: Located right in Cairns, they will take you on a journey through Australia’s diverse landscapes.
The Cairns Lagoon: A popular destination for families looking to relax and splash about. With manmade dunes and water area covering more than 4800 square meters, this is a great swimming spot for the whole family.
Cairns Night Market: Great early evening activity to roam through and find untold treasures. When the family is hungry, there is an array of international cuisine to choose from.
Muddy’s Playground: Splash playground and parkland.
Rainforest River Tubing from Cairns: Navigate small rapids and view the scenery as you drift through the rainforest.


For more information, go to: tropicalnorthqueensland.org

There are many beautiful places to visit outside of Cairns, including Port Douglas, the Atherton Tablelands, and the Daintree Rainforest. But for this section, we’ll focus on Kuranda.

Mountain view taken near Kuranda

Outdoor Cafe and “guest” in Kuranda

Kuranda: This is a charming town in the mountains just outside Cairns.

You can take the Scenic Train, which departs from platform two at the Cairns railway station.
Or you can soar over the rainforest and take the Skyrail. Why not go up one way and come back the other?

Kuranda Butterfly Sanctuary: a favorite with the little ones. Over 2,000 butterflies and moths in the largest sanctuary in the southern hemisphere.

Bird World: Also located in Kuranda, this attraction is great for the whole family. This habitat has almost 60 species of birds from all around the world. Participate in safe hand feeding and photo opportunities.

Koala Gardens: Yet another favorite stop. Enjoy the opportunity to get up close to one of Australia’s iconic animals.

Wish to do a little shopping in Cairns? Here are a few suggestions:

Rusty’s Market – flea and street market
Night Market – flea and street market
DFO Cairns – factory outlets
Doongal Aboriginal Art Gallery
Stockland Cairns Shopping Centre – mall
Oceana Walk Arcade – shopping mall
Orchid Plaza – shopping mall
Australian Gallery – art

Michael Seebeck Gallery – art
Opal Art Global – flea and street market
The Pier Cairns – shopping mall
Cairns Central Shopping Centre – specialty and gift shops
Gallo Dairyland  – specialty and gift shops
Bones and Jones – specialty and gift shops
Australian Leather Company – specialty and gift shops

Games and Entertainment centres for indoor fun with the family.

Laserfun
Inflatable Kingdom
Pikapic Photo Booth Studio
Cairns Riddle Room

Iplay Cairns
Timezone
Cairns Museum
Defy Gravity Cairns


There’s plenty more to do, but these are a few options to make your trip a vacation to remember.

Golden Drop Winery in Biboohra, maker of mango wine