Cairns

In the far northern reaches of Queensland, Cairns is a tropical city that welcomes a steady stream of national and international visitors, many of them gay. The Great Barrier Reef is the main attraction, of course, but other draws include the Daintree Rainforest, the Atherton Tablelands, Cape Tribulation, and a long list of other natural wonders. Among the many activities available are ballooning, white-water rafting, snorkeling, and visits to the rainforest town of Kuranda by cable car or a cute little train.

Cairns has a gaming casino at the Pullman Reef Hotel (35-41 Wharf St), with bars, restaurants, a sports arena and entertainment.

Each year after the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, Cairns enjoys an influx of gay travelers heading north to this tropical heaven for more revelry or a bit of rest and relaxation.

Getting here

You’ll probably change planes in Sydney or Melbourne to get to Cairns Airport, as it’s mostly a regional airport. Buses and taxis make the 10-minute trip to the downtown area.

Getting around

For getting around Cairns, do as the locals do and rent a bicycle. Taxis are good for short trips around town. Sun Lovers Helicopters give scenic tours of the area, from the air, for between $300-400 per person.

Currency and money

The local currency is the Australian dollar. You shouldn’t have trouble finding ATMs in most urban areas.

Local Media

DNA is a national glossy magazine with some very impressive photography.

Culture is the bi-monthly LGBT magazine, with online download pdf issues. BoyzOut is the website of a local social group for gay men of all ages, with BBQs, movie nights, and picnics among the events they sponsor.

QNews gay and lesbian magazine for Queensland, including the Northern Rivers NSW area, is published every two weeks.

CairnsRainbow is another LGBT website.

For those who like to sun in the buff, Cairns Sunboys nude social group based in Cairns has regular meetings of men who like to be naked with other men.

A good general websites for Cairns info is Destination Queensland, covering all of Queensland, including Brisbane. Gay Cairns Accommodations has listings of all the best places to stay, bookings, and other area information for gay visitors.

Accommodations

Boyz On The Beach (1 Coogee Close, near Kewarra Beach; 61-7-4055-6462), gay-owned-and-operated, men-only, three-room bed and breakfast, 20 minutes from Cairns city.

Skinny Dips Resort and Spa (18 James St; 61-7-4051-4644), Cairns' only resort catering exclusively to gay and lesbian travelers. Twenty-one well-equipped air-conditioned rooms overlooking a sparkling pool, jacuzzi, and poolside cafe. Also fitness room, sauna and guest lounge with free internet access. The outdoor-indoor restaurant and bar, open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, is open to non-guests from 11am. The Sanctuary Spa Centre offers a range of massage and pamperings, by men for men.

Turtle Cove Beach Resort (100 Captain Cook Hwy; 61 2 9318 2361), north up the coast from Cairns, between Wangetti Beach and Oak Beach, is Australia's premier gay and lesbian resort-style hotel, for adults 18 and over. It has a private beach, bordered by lush tropical rain-forest national parklands, overlooking the spectacular Coral Sea. They also have a swimming pool, restaurant, and several types of room options. Parties with top DJs take place here from time to time.

Pink Flamingo Resort (115 Davidson St, Port Douglas), adults-only resort, ten villas, two garden studios, private garden, pool, and bar.

Clubs and restaurants

There are over 180 restaurants and cafes in this small city, known for a good variety of local fresh fruits and vegetables, seafoods & meat, and a diverse choice of cuisines.

For more unusual dining options there are dinner cruises with gourmet tropical feasts, and live entertainment, from Ocean Spirit Cruises (Oceanspirit.com.au); or Cairns Night Zoo Aussi-style barbeques followed by clear night star gazing and nocturnal visits with kangaroos, possums and koala bears.

Head Office (42 McLeod St), cruise club, men-only, 18 and over; wide ranges of sexual activities, playrooms, public or private sex space, sling room, cubicles, and refreshments. Lounge rooms feature movies, internet access, complimentary coffee and tea.

Heritage (Spence & Lake), restaurant, bar, pub & club, monthly OUT! gay parties, Saturday SXY club nights mixing all sexual orientations and genders.

Vibe (39-49 Lake St), the former Saphires, is mostly straight these days, with male revues for female audiences from time to time.

The Cairns Civic Theatre (Florence and Sheridan Streets) presents local theater productions, national and international shows and plays; comedy, dance, drama, and circus acts.

Cairns is great for souvenir shopping, aboriginal artifacts, opals, and tropical clothing. Cairns Central, the night markets, and the downtown area are good hunting grounds. See our map listings for locations and web links for each of the above.