Key Industries
Cairns & Great Barrier Reef attracts thousands of thought leaders, innovators and high achievers who influence and inspire colleagues across a range of diverse industries. The diversity of the surrounding natural environment frequently attracts the attention of a range of various professions.
Agriculture
Tropical fruits, sugar, coffee, fishing, grass-fed beef, free-range pork and dairy have long been part of the agriculture industry in Tropical North Queensland, while new exotic crops include cacao and vanilla. Food processing is also innovating with banana flour the newest food product in a region producing smoked meats, charcuterie, and award-winning spirits.
Tourism
Tourism management and training in environmentally sensitive areas is an area of expertise in Cairns & Great Barrier Reef. Innovative programs like the Savannah Guides and the Master Reef Guides provide focused training for guide interpretation in our World Heritage areas. Tour operators also assist in managing the environment they work in with scientific monitoring and by assisting in research.
Marine Services
Cairns has a thriving marine precinct, including three shipyards as well as HMAS Cairns naval base and Defence contractors. In addition to servicing the needs of defence, Cairns is home to a large and diverse marine sector that includes a world-renowned tourism reef fleet, commercial fishing and shipping and plays host to superyachts and cruise ships.
Renewable Energy
Cairns & Great Barrier Reef have abundant renewable energy resources such as solar, wind and biomass. As a result of this resource the region has over 100 businesses operating in the renewable energy sector. The renewable energy industry includes household, commercial and industrial, and utility-scale project expertise.
Education and Training
From primary to tertiary, Cairns & Great Barrier Reef is perfectly positioned for education. The region boasts world-class facilities including James Cook University, ranked in the world’s top 4% of tertiary institutions, Central Queensland University, Great Barrier Reef International Marine College and TAFE North. Apprenticeships, traineeships, industry-based training and courses for domestic and international students cover a wide range of topics and areas of expertise.
Aviation
Aviation is an emerging sector for the region due to its strategic location in Asia Pacific and excellent infrastructure. Several international and national companies have major service centres in Cairns including Jet Aviation, who are an official Bombardier service centre and have the largest avionics workshop in the southern hemisphere, and UK owned Cobham Aviation Services. Cairns Aviation Skills Centre and CQUniversity Aviation Campus are both located at Cairns Airport, delivering vocational and Bachelor Qualifications.
Tropical Health and Life Sciences
Cairns & Great Barrier Reef is the ideal location for tropical forest science, biopharmaceuticals, tropical health, tropical foods, and natural resource management. James Cook University, home of the Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, the Australian Tropical Forest Institute and the Australian Tropical Herbarium, conducts internationally acclaimed research encompassing public health, bimolecular, clinical, and translational health systems. Research is conducted across several James Cook University centres exploring key areas including tropical infectious diseases, health security and biosecurity, chronic disorders with high prevalence in the tropics, genetic diseases and health services in regional and remote communities.
Hot tip 🤫 Pack your swimmers and take the scenic route. This dreamy natural spa pool just one hour from #MissionBeach is the kind of spot you won’t find on a billboard but it’s well worth the detour. 📍 Cardwell Spa Pool | Djiru Country
🎥 @alixmacrae
#exploreTNQ #explorecairnsGBR #thisisqueensland #seeaustralia @queensland @australia @cassowarycoastaustralia
ID Couple relaxing in a turquoise creek surrounded by rainforest. **The spa pool is a naturally fed, seasonal creek so water levels do fluctuate throughout the year.
Apr 17
A very good morning from #PalmCove, how`s your day looking?
📍 Want this to be your morning view? 🌴
📸 @phlipvids
#exploreTNQ #explorecairnsGBR #thisisqueensland #seeaustralia @queensland @australia @visitpalmcove
ID Palm trees arch over a sandy beach at sunrise in Palm Cove. The ocean is calm, the sun is low on the horizon, and a small island is visible in the distance.
Apr 16
No special effects required here in #TropicalNorthQueensland — just the pure, raw power of the #BarronFalls. From a gentle flow to a thundering roar, it is no secret this waterfall delivers a seasonal show no matter the time of year.
🎥 @_kln_
#exploreTNQ #explorecairnsGBR #thisisqueensland #seeaustralia @queensland @australia @visitmareebashire @athertontablelands
ID Side-by-side footage of Barron Falls during the dry and wet seasons. In the dry season, the waterfall is a narrow, rocky trickle. In the wet season, water thunders down the cliff in powerful torrents surrounded by mist and green rainforest.
Apr 16
A day in the life of a Master Reef Guide 🐢🌊 on the #GreatBarrierReef. Not your average 9 to 5… career change, anyone?
📸 @tahn_miller and @masterreefguides
#exploreTNQ #explorecairnsGBR #thisisqueensland #seeaustralia @queensland @australia
ID A Master Reef Guide swims through jellyfish blooms and coral gardens on the Great Barrier Reef. Wearing a yellow shirt and snorkel gear, they glide past marine life and reef restoration projects in crystal-clear water under the tropical sun.
Apr 15
Came for the scenery, stayed for the party. In #TropicalNorthQueensland, the backdrop might be world heritage-worthy but the real show? That’s on the streets, the stages and even the sand 🏝️.
#exploreTNQ #explorecairnsGBR #thisisqueensland #seeaustralia @queensland @australia @portdouglasdaintree #cairnsfestival #portdouglascarnivale @savannahintheround #tasteportdouglas #shineongimuy @cairnsfashionweek @pdcarnivale @cairnsfests
ID This video opens with a woman standing on a hotel balcony with the title ‘Stay’, before transitioning to festival scenes with ‘Play’ flashing on screen. It cuts to a street parade with dancers, food shots from Taste Port Douglas, and crowds dancing at Savannah in the Round. The video ends with traditional Indigenous dancing at Shine on Gimuy.
Apr 14
Not all treasures come with signposts. Hidden deep in Wooroonooran National Park, #WankarooFalls is the kind of place you may only visit once but will never forget.
It’s a 14km rugged rainforest trail with creek crossings and a final steep descent - but the payoff? A dramatic dual-stream waterfall and a deep pool that’s made for a dip. To discover more about the region`s many waterfalls, head to https://bit.ly/3Yu3wqp
📸 @evjocks
#exploreTNQ #explorecairnsGBR #thisisqueensland #seeaustralia @queensland @australia @athertontablelands @cassowarycoastaustralia
ID A misty rainforest scene at Wankaroo Falls in Tropical North Queensland. The waterfall cascades into a calm pool surrounded by thick, green foliage and towering trees, with soft light filtering through the canopy.
Apr 13
ASMR? More like ATSR (Aquatic Turtle Stress Relief)...You’re welcome 😌.
🎥 @puresnorkelling
#exploreTNQ #explorecairnsGBR #thisisqueensland #seeaustralia @queensland @australia
ID An underwater close-up of a sea turtle gently blowing bubbles in clear blue water. The scene is calm and quiet, with soft bubbling sounds creating a soothing, ASMR-style moment.
Apr 12
Hello #MissionBeach 👋 Where rainforest meets the #greatbarrierreef… and the beaches stretch on forever. 🌴☀️
#exploreTNQ #explorecairnsGBR #thisisqueensland #seeaustralia @queensland @australia @cassowarycoastaustralia
ID A tropical beach scene that shifts from daylight to sunrise. Palm trees line the shore, with soft waves and golden sand. The final images show the sky glowing pink and orange as the sun rises.
Apr 10
