CAIRNS NORTHERN BEACHES
It's true, Cairns city wasn't blessed with a sandy beach, just tidal mudflats. The City Council has made up for this with the recent construction of a sparkling man made lagoon on the Cairns esplanade. But if you want a 'real' beach experience, you'll have to head a wee ways north, to the string of peaceful, leafy, beachside suburbs called -not surprisingly- the 'Northern Beaches'. C'mon in, the water's perfect!
THE BEACHFRONT COMMUNITIES MAKING UP THE 20 KILOMETRE STRETCH OF COASTLINE KNOWN AS THE 'NORTHERN BEACHES' ARE EACH QUITE UNIQUE IN ATMOSPHERE. USE THE LINKS IN THE SIDE COLUMN TO GO TO YOUR CHOSEN DESTINATION.
The Northern Beaches are pleasant, laid back little villages lined with palm trees and plenty of shaded, grassy areas for picnics and BBQs. The tourism boom in the Cairns region hasn't spoilt the authentic Tropical North Queensland charm of these communities, and although the areas are well served by public transport, with local bus company Sunbus running regular services to and from the centre of Cairns, the Northern Beaches are largely overlooked by the masses. In fact, you can still often find a stretch of beach completely to yourself, especially during the week, when many of the residents are at work.

The Northern Beaches have always been a popular getaway for Cairns locals, but in recent years the has area seen the development of a range of tourist accommodation and restaurants, particularly popular with families on vacation. The communities that make up the Cairns Northern Beaches are: Machan's Beach, Holloway's Beach, Yorkey's Knob, Trinity Beach, Kewarra Beach, Clifton Beach, Palm Cove and Ellis Beach.

Remember that although the ocean may look wickedly inviting, marine stingers often inhabit the waters of Tropical North Queensland during the summer months, typically from November to May. Some can give you a nasty sting; enough to ruin your day or your whole holiday. Some can make you very sick, and in rare cases, they can be fatal.
Swimmers at the Northern Beaches of Holloway's Beach, Yorkey's Knob, Trinity Beach, Kewarra Beach, Clifton Beach, Palm Cove and Ellis Beach can swim in stinger resistant enclosures during the summer 'stinger season'
But don't despair; the Cairns City Council installs stinger resistant nets at all of the main Cairns Beaches (except Machans Beach) during the 'stinger season'. Swim only in netted areas, and for more information about Marine Stingers, please visit our SAFE TRAVEL page.

Click on a destination on the map above, or choose from the links to the right to visit the various Northern Beaches. In the link 'Beaches south of Cairns' we have included information on Bramston Beach and Russell Heads.


Sunrise in Trinity Beach, one of Cairns Northern Beaches, in Far North Queensland.











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Calypso Corner, Clifton Beach
Meridien at Trinity offers family friendly apartments on Cairns Northern Beaches. Click for more information.


EMERGENCY SERVICES

In case of emergency only, dial 000. In all other cases, phone the local service :

Ambulance 131 233
Hospital (07) 4050 6333
Police (07) 4030 7000