Our Destination
Cairns & Great Barrier Reef has sub-regions, each with their own distinct character suited to business events and incentives.
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Cairns
Cairns is the only business events destination in Australia where you can be at your hotel within 10 minutes of leaving the airport. The city has a convention precinct in the heart of Cairns, meaning conference venues, accommodation, shopping, dining and nightlife are all within easy walking distance.
Meeting Venues and Accommodation
With the award-winning Cairns Convention Centre at the helm, this modern waterfront city can cater for large conventions or intimate meetings and incentives for smaller groups. Inner-city hotels have conferencing facilities and there are more than 8000 accommodation rooms available in the city.Offsite venues
Unique offsite venues offer indoor and outdoor locations in the heart of the city including the Esplanade Lagoon, landscaped parklands, a waterfront brewery and an aquarium. Islands are a 40-minute boat ride from the city and multiple offsite venues are within a 30-minute drive away.Activities
The Reef Fleet Terminal is just a five-minute walk from most city hotels, making Cairns the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef with half-day, full-day and extended trips to the Reef and its islands. More than 600 tours depart daily from the city giving easy access to the Wet Tropics rainforest, Indigenous culture, food trails, beaches and accessible outback. -
Port Douglas
The spectacular Great Barrier Reef Drive takes you an hour north of Cairns to Port Douglas. This intimate beachside village is an event planner’s paradise with five-star resorts and luxurious rainforest retreats at your fingertips.
Meeting Venues and Accommodation
Port Douglas offers a variety of meeting possibilities from the resort-side in lush tropical surroundings or under the rainforest canopy. With 4000 rooms and a stunning array of international resorts and apartments incorporating conference facilities, Port Douglas has options to suit any size group from intimate meetings to large conferences.Further north, Cape Tribulation is ideal for event planners looking to cater for a truly green event or an exclusive executive retreat. Secluded lodges provide the perfect venue for smaller conferences and memorable incentive programs.
Offsite venues
Take your gala dinner to stunning Four Mile Beach for an enchanted evening under the stars or let yourself be whisked away to a secret location for a magical event set under the rainforest canopy. Closer to town, the Sugar Wharf and Rex Smeal Park offers relaxed, yet sophisticated offsite venue options for an unforgettable waterfront function.Activities
With the Great Barrier Reef at your doorstep, there are plenty of activities to choose from. A quick high-speed catamaran ride or a leisurely sail to a secluded island is the perfect way to end a busy conference program. Head north, immerse yourself in the ancient secrets of the Daintree rainforest and discover Indigenous culture. -
Palm Cove
Palm Cove is a luxurious stretch of beachfront paradise perfect for small to medium-sized groups from 40 to 150 delegates. Just a 30-minute drive north of Cairns city, this intimate beach has resorts, restaurants, and shopping all within walking distance of each other.
Meeting Venues and Accommodation
Beachside resorts offer conference facilities and there are approximately 1500 rooms in three to five-star resorts and luxury self-contained apartments, all close to the beach.Offsite venues
Dinner on the beach, an Indigenous welcome ceremony, or a spectacular cane fire before an evening of bush entertainment are among the options at offsite venues.Activities
Palm Cove presents event planners with an intimate oasis of luxury – meet with colleagues poolside, break for lunch by the beach, and experience one of several day spas when your work is done. Iconic tourist attractions are located nearby and Port Douglas is just a 40-minute drive away. -
Tropical Islands
Ideal for residential meetings or day activities, the islands of Cairns & Great Barrier Reef are perfect for those looking for a more exclusive experience or an escape away from the mainland.
Green Island
A 40-minute transfer from Cairns, Green Island is the perfect location for small meetings or conferences, spectacular beachfront dinners, or a full day of team-building activities right on the Great Barrier Reef.Fitzroy Island
Just 45 minutes from Cairns and boasting reef and rainforest in one location, Fitzroy Island suits small to medium groups for residential conferences, day meetings, offsite events, touring, or team building. The Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre and the Great Barrier Reef’s first ocean-based coral nursery are located hereLizard Island
Surrounded by 24 powdery white beaches, catering to a maximum of 80 guests and accessed via a 60-minute scenic flight from Cairns, Lizard Island is the ultimate incentive destination. Dive the world-famous Cod Hole, hike through 1000 hectares of National Park or indulge in a luxurious spa treatment – your delegates can do it all in luxurious and exclusive surroundings.
