Cairns History Facts and Timeline

(Cairns, Far North Queensland - QLD, Australia)



Cairns is both a busy city and a leading Australian tourist centre based in northern Queensland. Almost 150,000 people reside in the city, many of whom work in the tourist trade and service industry. Most holidaying tourists come for adventure, since this location serves as a perfect springboard for trips to the Great Barrier Reef, but visitors can easily spot many different aspects of its history.

The modern history of Cairns dates back to 1770, when it was first mapped by famed British explorer, Captain James Cook. However, the indigenous Walubarra Yidinji people had inhabited the area for several millennia before this, and they still claim certain land rights. Although an oral history exists, a specific date of their earliest inhabitation of this coastal stretch is difficult.

Early Settlements

Even though James Cook had seen the potential of Cairns in 1770, when he named it Trinity Bay, it wasn't until some 100 years later that these plans finally came to fruition. The city was founded in 1876 in order to serve gold miners working on the Hodgkinson River. It took its name from the Governor of Queensland at that time, British colonial administrator Sir William Wellington Cairns, and the settlement soon grew into a major transport and export hub.


The Kuranda Scenic Railway

The late 19th century saw the city's port and railway connections become firmly established. One such railway was the Cairns to Kuranda Railway, built between the years of 1882 and 1891. This railway line still operates to this day as the Kuranda Scenic Railway, testament to the quality of engineering that was performed at this time.

The railway links Cairns with a rainforest village, Kuranda, providing visitors with fantastic views of waterfalls and the breathtaking Barron Gorge along the way. Travellers who make the trip should spare a thought for the many workers who perished during the construction of its bridges, which number a total of 37, as well as the 15 individual tunnels.

World War II

Cairns was an important Allied base during WWII, staging joint missions operated by both the US Army Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force. Many of the aircraft taking part in one of the war's most famous naval battles, the 1942 Battle of the Coral Sea, actually departed from here. Visitors can learn more about local war history by visiting the Cairns Museum on Shields Street. Other exhibits at the museum detail the area's Aboriginal beginnings, as well as the arrival of the first Europeans.

The Modern City

Cairns began to establish itself as an international tourist destination in the mid-1980s, when the Cairns International Airport opened on the site of the WWII airbase. While the airport is popular with Japanese tourists, most visitors arrive overland as part of the 'Big Loop' - a popular road trip with gap year visitors on a working adventure holiday.

Cairns is not expensive, with a plethora of accommodation catering to all budgets. As such, this modern city is considered to be the 'Australian backpacker capital'.