VENUE FOR CONVENTION

Who can resist visiting tropical North Queensland, one of the world’s most remarkable locations. The Cairns region is located within the magnificent wet tropical rainforest of the Daintree National Park in the north to the quaint sugar village of Miriwinni in the south to the Coral Seas Coastline abutting the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park to the east.

People from every corner of the Globe visit Cairns each year to experience the diversity of it stunning attractions, its spectacular scenery, its warm balmy weather, and the vibrance of this modern cosmopolitan city with a typical tropical feel.

Nowhere in the world do you find two World Heritage sites located side by side: the Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef.  The Cairns Region is where the reef meets the rainforest.

This is your opportunity to explore these natural wonders of the world, to see the brilliantly coloured marine life, to spot a humpback whale gracefully sailing up from the Atlantic Ocean, to marvel at the endangered sea turtles, or just enjoy the sapphire blue waters and a relaxing drink along Cairn’s famous Esplanade. For those more adventurous enjoy a sky dive over the beautiful mission beach or if you are looking for something more slow paced, how about a sunset river cruise.  Take in the natural wonders of the rain forest whilst browsing the unique local arts and locally produced goods at the Kuranda market, the original village in a rainforest!

This whole region is a haven for scientists who are still unravelling the mystery of evolution, whose secrets are locked in these world heritage listed rainforests. It’s also home to the one of the oldest intact surviving Indigenous communities in the world: the Kuku Yalanji.

You don’t just visit the Cairns Region, you experience it….. we look forward to welcoming you to the AHPA Conference in 2011.

STAY ON AND EXPERIENCE WHAT NORTH QUEENSLAND HAS TO OFFER:

THE GREAT BARRIER REEF

Consider the Great Barrier Reef, one of the natural wonders of the world, situated along the coast of Queensland.  Enjoy the only existing collective of organisms visible from the Earth’s orbit, declared a World Heritage site in 1981. Roughly 2,000 kilometers long the Great Barrier Reef covers approximately 300,000 square kilometers, being the largest of any of the World Heritage areas.  The Great Barrier Reef is home to more than 2,800 reefs, and more than 600 islands.  Making up just under 1/5 of the world’s reef area, and being the most preserved, the Great Barrier Reef is a great place to explore many species of coral, fish and various marine habitants.  The exuberant colours and the abundance of life will have visitors in awe and wonder of the reefs biodiversity.  Many tours are available including the QuickSilver Underwater Adventures program, and for those who don’t like to get wet, the Sea Walker tour at Green Island.

KURANDA

Anyone who wishes to experience Queensland cannot skip this awe inspiring destination, Kuranda, a small village in the heart of the Daintree Rainforest, calmly settled alongside the Barron River, and the rushing Barron Falls.  Kuranda was settled by Europeans in 1885, the rail line to Cairns was built in 1891 and is still in use today as a major tourist attraction.  Kuranda maintains a cooler climate than Cairns, with lower humidity levels than the tropical coast, making it a great place for visitors to escape the heat and see this spectacular village in the rainforest.

BEACHES

North Queensland is home to some of Australia’s brightest and most popular beaches.

Machans Beach is the closest beach to the city of Cairns, situated only 10 minutes drive from the CBD.  Machans Beach is a relatively small beach, however is perfect for peaceful walks in the evening, beach games, and general relaxation with the tranquil sounds of the ocean in the background.

Palm Cove - The paradise of Palm Cove (recently awarded as Australia's Cleanest Beach) has everything you need- from small beachfront cafes to 5 star a la carte dining.  Palm Cove is Cairns premier beach, with a quaint shopping centre, stunning golf course, selection of endless swimming pools, tennis courts, squash, sailing, fishing, sauna and gym.  Depending on whether your looking for an action packed or a leisurely laid-back vacation, Palm Cove has something to suit everyone’s tastes. 

Holloway’s Beach is a few more minutes north; it is a great beach for fishing and long walks on the sand, with a refreshing restaurant and cafe where you can grab a delicious bite to eat.

Yorkeys Knob is separated from the Holloway’s Beach by a large sandbar but is still only 15 minutes drive from Cairns.  A great beach for the courageous to walk hundreds of metres out to sea when the tide is low, and is a significant water sports area, providing great conditions for jet skis, wind surfers and kite surfers.

THE TABLELANDS

The Tablelands is a beautiful one hour drive west from Cairns and has World Heritage Rainforests, Waterfalls, National Parks, Crater Lakes and Volcanic formations.  It is also a wildlife paradise with birds and rare endangered mammals such as the platypus, tree kangaroo and the cassowary.  There are also historic villages such as Yungaburra village that offer services such as accommodation, dining or shopping facilities or escape to one of the rainforest cabins surrounded by crater lakes and waterfalls.

DAINTREE WILDERNESS

The Daintree Wilderness is the second largest World Heritage listed site in Queensland, and is an exciting and vibrant destination, where visitors can experience lush flora and fauna, spot a bright Kingfisher, walk amongst Butterflies of every shade and colour, and see the crystal blue streams leading to the ocean.  The best way to experience the Daintree Rainforest is to take one of the many guided tours offered by specialist operators like SkyRail

PORT DOUGLAS

Port Douglas is all about indulging the senses, the perfect place to escape the distractions of work, and only a one hour drive from Cairns.  Port Douglas maintains a tropical climate all throughout the year, with sun drenched beaches, crystal blue reefs, and sensual green rainforests.  This small tropical getaway provides the perfect surroundings for all types of recreational and relaxing adventures, whether it is horse riding, rainforest walks, fishing, scuba diving, or visiting one of the many spas and massage therapists.
There will be a tourist desk at the conference that will be able to assist delegates to arrange tours.

OTHER TOURIST SITES:

Cairns Regional Gallery is a stylish heritage building situated in the heart of Cairns.  The Gallery showcases exciting visual arts of North Queensland’s most prestigious local artists, as well as key Australian and international art collections.  The Gallery covers artworks and collections of historical and contemporary contexts including those of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, providing visitors with a thoroughly enjoyable and educational experience.

The Tanks Arts Centre is situated in the Cairns Botanical Gardens district, and is innovatively designed from three World War II naval oil storage tanks.  The Centre is set against a flourishing backdrop of the rainforest, which provides visitors with the perfect setting to experience cultural events and activities for all ages.

Cairns Botanic Gardens are renowned for having one of the best exhibitions in Australia of tropical plants including specimens from Northern Australian rainforests as well as notable species from Southeast Asia

Markets

Rusty’s Market is now an established Cairns tourist icon & certainly worth a visit and is held every week from Friday to Sunday. An enormous three day event with over 180 stall holders. It has become renowned for its atmosphere, colourful stall holders, sumptuous displays of exotic fruit, vegetables, exotic flowers, bric-a-brac, delicatessens, specialty products & an excellent selection of food & beverage stalls.

Esplanade Markets is held every Saturday, between 8.00am – 5.00pm, the Cairns Esplanade offers a variety of local stalls selling contemporary jewellery, woodcraft, leather work, pottery, airbrush tattoos, clothes, skincare, much needed relaxing massage stalls, and so much more.  You will also find a variety of local entertainment from buskers and street performers in and around the market.

Farmgate Markets – Cairns local food market operates from 7:30am to 2:00pm every Saturday at the Cairns Pier and focuses on locally produced and manufactured food from within a radius of not more than 200 kilometers of Cairns. With around 30 stallholders you will find fruits, vegetables, breads, dairy, cheese, meat, seafood and an array of processed foods.  Presentation is the key factor of these markets and all foods display the grower/producer, the area and how many food kilometres it has travelled to market.