THE TROPICAL city of Cairns is at the centre of one of the most diverse and exciting regions in the country.
You can pull in a black marlin or meet a crocodile! Head east and you’ll find the Great Barrier Reef. Go west to see rainforests in the mountains and the beautiful Atherton Tablelands.
Cairns is a city on the move, but there are still places where you can relax. Sip coffee at a pavement cafe, walk along the esplanade, swim in the beautiful saltwater lagoon there, stroll through botanical gardens and wander round the weekend markets. Enjoy the city’s mixture of architecture and the wonderful shops, arcades and galleries. The city centre has extended trading hours seven days a week and has a mix of fashion, food, gifts and crafts. Visit the beachside specialty shops.
Deciding on somewhere to stay is easy. Cairns Coconut Caravan Resort, the winner of Year 2000, 2002/2003 and 2005 Australian Tourism Awards for camping and caravan parks, plus multiple Queensland awards, caters for people of all ages looking for a resort-style holiday.
Just going into reception is an experience. You walk across a footbridge spanning a goldfish pond, into a tropical paradise. After booking in, you’re given an escorted buggy tour of the resort so you get your bearings straight away. That’s fun. The buggy is known as “the frogmobile” because it is airbrushed with a huge tree frog and rainforest scene!
It’s a fitting introduction, for the resort has acres of palm trees, a rainforest area and lush tropical award-winning gardens. Within the grounds and free for all guests are two resort style pools, waterslide, children’s wading pool, deck chairs, barbecues, picnic tables and chairs, day/night tennis court, 18-hole mini-golf, volleyball, badminton, basketball court, table tennis, large Kidz Adventureland encompassed by a bikemania track, television and video room. Very popular with guests is the huge outdoor movie screen. Try out the pool table, climbing spider and aqua aerobics.
Then there’s the world’s largest jumping pillow, a huge air-filled “pillow” which is popular with big kids and little kids alike! It really is a complete holiday resort.
Styles of accommodation include condos, deluxe villas, large and spacious with separate queen size bedroom, Austar TV, full cooking facilities, spa bath and undercover carport; holiday units with separate queen size bedroom and undercover carport; tropical en suite cabins with queen bed, bunk beds and pull-out mattress, en suite cabins and cabins for travellers on a budget. There are also family villas, beautifully decorated and featuring queen size bed, second bedroom with two sets of bunk beds, bathroom, separate toilet, cooking facilities, two colour TVs and patio.
Caravanners and campers are catered for in spacious, landscaped powered and unpowered sites, or try an en suite site with your own private shower, toilet and vanity. A campers kitchen provides two refrigerators, cooking facilities and table and chairs. A free courtesy coach runs three times a day to the city centre, there are three large laundries within the resort along with a kiosk and outdoor dining cafe.
At reception, you can choose from many day tours available with tour companies that collect from the front door of the resort.
Cairns is the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, Green Island, World Heritage rainforests, Kuranda and Sky Rail, Atherton Tablelands, Port Douglas, Daintree, Cape Tribulation, Cape York and Cooktown - so there’s no end of things to see and do!
