Little known printing ideas to grow your promotional campaign

Top Print Consultant Distribution stategies to take your campaign to the next level.

Most modern firms use printing for boost their rapport and increase sales. promotion promotion be a central strategy of effective business advertising: for advertising and to communicate withserve them, advise them of your products and increase your relationship with them.

 

Insider Printing Broker Distribution ideas to drive your promotional campaign to increased profits.

Leading progressive firms uses flyers, brochures and business cards to grow credibility and increase profit. Printed promotional material must be a central strategy of effective business marketing: for advertising and to keep them, advise them of your services and increase your relationship with them.

Here are some ideas to getting the best value from your printing for your promotional campaign. When you need more resources about printers please contact Cairns Printing advisor Charlie Ranger for expert tips and great deals on business printing.

Grow your business with promotional printing.
Speak to your client's wants and needs in your copywriting

Always speak to you customer: make sure your text and image speaks to your prospects: both in graphics and text: address their wants, needs and expectations: what do they desperately need or desire? If you tap into these you receive better conversions.

If you target what your readers desires and needs, you can focus your goods to produce terrific outcomesand satisfaction, and enjoy better sales results.

Choose a bold and appealing headline for your printing

Use an attractive headline: which draws the reader in with picutres, font, and text. If you make your reader interested to learn more, you are well on the way to delivering your sales pitch. Make sure the title talks about any benefits of the product, and answers their needs.

Make the printed word and image about THEM!

Make sure you Address Your reader's needs:. Show you know what they want and that you has the skills, products and services to meet them. Then they will desire to be your customer.

you have probably heard the expression "People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care". Indicate you care and understand and they will be much more likely to use you.

Storytelling move your printed advertising to the next level

Choose stories which engage your audience. Stories offer genuine attraction and are much more genuine than a "Sales" format. If the story causes them want to find out more, they are also to discover everything about you and your company. This creates confidence and trust and shows your reader that you can get your outcomes in real business situations.
Add a strong call to action at the end of your advertising print publication

Ensure you give them a reason, and instructions to take action, like to call you, invest in your product, watch your webinar, sign up for a newsletter or something that grows their relationship with your services. This needs to offer them a real bonus: frame the call to action in these terms, and mention the negative consequences of not taking immediate action to create both attraction to do it and concern about not doing it.

 

Printing Advisor: Print Broker assist you with all your Printing and Promotional needs.

Contact Cairns Printing Broker today to start getting more customers for your business using strategic printing.

Cairns Printing tips: promote your business with postcards

Printed Postcards to promote your Cairns Business

Printed Postcards are a fantastic and memorable way to promote your Cairns business.  Think of all the mail your business gets each day... Postcards stand out much more than an envelope: its a chance to brand your business and create a positive message in the eyes of your customers.

Benefits of postcards over email and other printed promotional products

• Your customers can see and touch them (they are tangible)
• Can't be deleted to spam like email
• Gets seen immediately because not in an envelope
• Can be fun and catchy

Tips for using postcards effectively

• Use a powerful headline
• Create curiosity and desire for your product: draw your reader in with an appealing offer and image of the product or something your audience needs
• Use colour and bold images to stand out from other mail
• Use oversized postcards to really make an impact

Standout Postcard Printing and Designs for Cairns Businesses

Postcard printing is a great way to stand out to your customers: the right designs can ensure you make an impact and thus boost your business enormous. Attractive images and striking lettering help get your reader’s attention, but they will probably remember the image long after they have forgotten your slogan.

Choice of font is crucial, as this helps convey your brand image and the mood of your message: but the main factor is readability.
Promotional postcard printing for your business is a great way to do direct mail marketing to your prospects: everyone loves to get a postcard. The best ways to use postcards in advertising is to make the customer feel special and promote an event, a new service or a special offer.

Printed Postcards are also very useful when used as appointment reminders. This is very popular with professions like doctors, dentists, vets and hair dressers where appointments are required.
Postcard Printing Tips for Success for your business.  Compared with printed letterhead in an envelope, postcards are fast and simple to prepare and stand out from other printed material.

Printing postcards in full colour helps them stand out from other mail, and can help elicit curiosity in the reader. Beware trying to skimp on the card and postcard printing quality: your postcard will say a lot about your business and you want your clients to perceive your company as attractive and high-quality.  This can be further reinforced using other printed material and more tangible items such as promotional magnets.

Even though it costs a little more for printing and postage, a larger size business postcard, such as 6 1/8 by 11 1/2 inches, will give room for a detailed message and dramatic graphics. Using color on one side and printing in black and white on the other will help in cost reduction to stay within a budget.

Standout Postcard Printing

Contact Cairns Print Broker for more Cairns Printing tips including promotional postcards.

 

Top 10 things to do around Cairns

Most popular things to do around Cairns..for adrenaline junkies

Cairns is popular among families, as a luxury destination for a romantic holidays and as a party destination, but where it really shines is as an adventure holiday destination.

If you are feeling adventurous, here are the top 10 things to do around Cairns that will give you a thrill.

1. Scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef. The Reef is home to some of the world’s best dive sites and you can choose from an assortment of tours suitable for any experience level. And if you’ve never dived you can even earn your certification in as little as five days.
2. Skydiving over Mission Beach is undoubtedly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. And it’s perfectly safe even if you’ve never skydived before since there are tandem dives available where you are diving with an experienced skydiver.
3. If you want to enjoy the thrill of skydiving without having to go up in a plane, you can go bungee jumping from the 50 m Cairns Bungy Tower, the only bungee site in Australia. You can enjoy sixteen different styles of bungee jumps from the traditional swan dive to heart-stopping BMX bike jumps that will get your blood pumping.
4. White-water rafting is one of the most popular things to do around Cairns with three major rafting rivers – the Tully, Russell and Barron – close to the city. And you don’t have to worry despite the presence of class 5 rapids on the rivers, since you will be accompanied by experienced rafters. You can even enjoy some great scenery while you’re rafting as the rivers are near some of Australia’s most pristine rainforests.
5. Hang gliding from Rex Lookout is another great adventure you can experience around Cairns. Located halfway between Cairns and Port Douglas, Rex Lookout is also a great place for sightseeing, since it boasts of some spectacular views of the Coral Sea.
6. A hot air balloon ride from the town of Tareeba located on the Atherton Tableland plateau. These rides usually begin just before sunrise so you can get a great view of the sun rising above the rolling green fields of the Tableland.  An awesome thing to do around Cairns on mothers day or birthday!
   
7. While you’re at the Atherton Tableland, you might also want to avail of the various water sports at nearby Lake Tinaroo. Visitors to the lake can go waterskiing, sailing and swimming.
8. Mountain biking along the mountains surrounding Cairns is also popular among tourists. There are a number of biking tracks available, including the popular Smithfield Biking Path located in the Windsor Castle Park.
9. Kuranda Village, the “village in the rainforest” is a great place to go quad biking so that you can explore the Wet Tropics of Queensland that has been declared a World Heritage Site. If you’re not into ATV biking, you can ride the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway that also includes stops at two midforest-stations that allow visitors to enjoy guided tours along rainforest boardwalks.
10. Jungle surfing lets you experience the world-renowned Daintree rainforest from a unique perspective – several meters above the ground, gliding along ziplines with stops at tree platforms where you can immerse yourself in the landscape. You can even flip yourself upside down between the last two platforms. Jungle surfing is one of the most unique things you can do around Cairns.    

One man clears 260km of rainforest track behind Cairns after cyclone Yasi

Check out this great story on ABC Far North blogs:   Pat Shears is clearing rainforest tracks covered in fallen trees and overgrown weeds behind Cairns and Townsville.  This is a massive job and tough work.  Just one  of many unsung heroes getting the Cassowary coast region back in shape after cyclone Yasi.  Cutting through trees even 30cm thick is tough work but some of these are up to 1 metre.  Wow!
Read more about what's happening in Cairns at Cairns News
Read the full blog post at http://blogs.abc.net.au/queensland/2011/06/one-man-cleans-260kms-of-cyclone-damaged-rainforest.html
Excerpt and video below

Cassowary Coast Recovery

One man cleans 260km's of cyclone damaged rainforest

23 June 2011 , 1:31 PM by Philip Staley

Cairns region Rainforest recovery Pat Shears (right) doesn't mind a stroll through the rainforests of Far North Queensland. Especially with a chainsaw.

Since Cyclone Yasi hit Mr Shears, a former Cape York Ranger and now a conservation volunteer for the Australian Wildlife Conservancy has trekked, by his estimations nearly 260km's clearing fallen trees and and clearing weeds from hiking trails in the mountains behind Cairns and Townsville.

His current project is to clear the beautiful bird watching and tourist trail, the 'Ho Chi Minh' trail near Julaten, FNQ. That's about 40km's of trails and for just one bloke to be carving through fallen tree's with a diametre of about 1 metre, that's some hard work. And Pat does it as a volunteer.

Click on the link below to hear Pat's remarkable story and how he lead's ABC Recovery Reporter Phil Staley through the bush about 15km west of Port Douglas.

Free Local Business Directory Listings for Cairns businesses - Press Release

Cairns Businesses need a proactive  online strategy to survive.

Cairns, Australia.  17 June 2011

Cairns Business Directory can help you reach your customers online.  Cairns businesses are facing difficult times, and need all the help they can get to reach more customers locally and globally.
Increasingly consumers are shopping online, starting with browsing, researching and comparing their purchases, and seeking feedback from friends, review sites and comparison shopping sites.  If your business expects to retain existing customers and attract new prospects, you need to be engaging them online by being visible in search engines and social media. 
Today, around 80% of people search online before looking in the phone book.  This means businesses should budget around 4 times as much money into online marketing as they do for their Yellow Pages entry.  Sadly, few businesses do this: as a result many can't be found online, even when searching for their business name and location.  In the coming digital age, this is business suicide.  These businesses need an online marketing strategy, with local online directory listings as a first step, followed by their own website (which can actually be found on Google) and a wider web presence including social media such as Facebook.  The alternative is business suicide.
Local business directories are a quick and easy step to getting an online presence.  The best known of these are national directories like Truelocal.com, and these are important, but you shouldn't neglect smaller but targetted local business directories like the Cairns Business Directory - inCairns.co.

Cairns Business Directory - inCairns.co

Cairns Business Directory lets you make free listings for your business: not only can this come up in search results with your business details, but if you have a website it can improve the ranking of your site.  You can also make paid listings which offer greater benefits.  Listing your business can help new customers find you on the front page of Google when they search for your services. 
If your business doesn't have a website yet (or you have a website but it’s not coming up on the front page of Google), Cairns Business Directory can quickly create a site featuring your business for a very affordable price.
They specialise in comprehensive online marketing services to make sure your customers can find you in all the right places: Search Engines, Google Local, Facebook and other social media. 
The online media revolution is already here: position your business as a market leader with the right online strategy, starting with your free Cairns Business Directory listing at http://incairns.co or complete online solutions at http://seo.incairns.net.au.

Cairns Business Directory is part of the Cairns Information Network (incairns.net.au)

 

 

Cairns businesses need to move online and embrace Social Media Marketing

Cairns businesses are facing a range of challenges in 2011, but there are some great opportunities out there for those which succeed in promoting themselves in the emerging new media and social networking landscape.  Cairns has had a very tough 2 years and now enters a critical period as we try to get out of the post-GFC/Queensland Floods lull and move forward to a stronger 2011.  A proactive and strategic approach to online marking and social media can help Cairns businesses to succeed.

Cairns geographic limitations and future international and social media online business opportunities

Cairns has long been a city governed by geography and weather.  These impact our access to resources, industries, jobs and opportunities, yet also bring visitors from around the world to enjoy this truly beautiful part of the world.  Cairns weather is absolutely magic at this time of year (June) but can be oppressive in the wet season, meaning we that both our tourist driven economy (with strong flow-on to other business sectors) and also our lifestyles are highly seasonal.

Cairns is remote from most of Australia (much more so than most Australians realise) but is actually very central within Asia/Oceania.  As the world economic centre of balance shifts toward Asia, Cairns has the potential to become a major international centre in targetted industries.  Some obvious examples where we have already seen great success are tourism, education, environmental resource management and fisheries.  As the world hurtles toward an information, online and sustainable future its vital that Cairns industry, government and small businesses get on board.

Cairns arguably has the most to benefit of all Australian cities from an NBN type information network.  Our remoteness, international population (both tourists and those who come and stay), and "on the edge of Asia" positions Cairns uniquely to become an international leader in the online world, or to be left seriously behind if we aren't up to speed with the march of technology elsewhere. 

A small business in Cairns faces a limited target market, which is often seasonal, is currently economically depressed (but on the repair :-)  ).  It faces huge threats from online retailing, a soaring Australian dollar, interest rates, and a booming economy around the rest of the nation.  It seems like a no-win situation where we are destined to become major losers in the emerging Australian two speed economy.

Online business and social media marketing solutions essential for Cairns businesses

There is a solution though: small business owners can use their skills and resources, industry contacts and buying networks as a basis for building national or international online businesses.  There are a thousand and one models for this, and as many tools available to help you succeed.  In the last year or two though one overwhelming message has emerged: the future of the internet is social. And this is great news for small business: by their nature social media platforms are very flat: meaning you can have a facebook page or twitter account that can compare with those of the world's leading companies.  Even if you don't have a bricks and mortar shop, you can successfully run an online business and boost its reach and credibility with effective social media marketing.

Social media is big news for small businesses

Social media has become the cornerstone for most people's online lives.  Gone are the days of surfing the net: now more and more people are spening more and more time on social media sites, like

• Facebook: the largest social network with over 500 Million users: 1/2 of whom log on EVERY DAY
• Youtube: 2 billion youtube videos are viewed every day, Youtube search is the 3rd largest search Engine
• Twitter: over 100 million accounts with 300,000 more added every day.

And thousands of other social media platforms: we just don't know what will be the "new" facebook or twitter in  2012 or 2013.  Both these platforms have their strengths and limitations and the entire online business model is under constant review.

Remember AOL?  Mosaic?  Yahoo as THE site on the net?  (Or maybe you aren't that old? that was the 90s)  Things are changing very fast.

Cairns Social Media and online marketing

You'd be amazed how much is going on already on social media: check out some Cairns Social media buzz.

Only one thing is certain.  Cairns Businesses need to embrace social media if they want to stay visible and relevant to their customers.

For more help with Cairns Social media and online marketing contact inCairns.net

Check out this great video on SocialNomics: the economics of social media and how they influence the real economy and our lives more generally.  The book of the same name is a great read too.

Read more about Cairns, Australia Cairns Social media and online marketing contact inCairns.net

Cairns Property "Cheapest in Queensland" - Real Estate agents

Cairns Real estate prices are at a 10 year low, representing bargain buying for first home byers and investors.  With 4 bedroom homes from as little as $170,000 in centrally located Manunda, REIQ (Real Estate Institute of Queensland) Cairns chairman Rick Szelpuk predicts a surge of investor interest in the region, as much of Coastal Queensland is currently highly priced and rising.  Cairns represents excellent buying value and a high quality of life matched by few other Australian cities.

Cairns Real Estate prices softened by tourism woes

Cairns has long had a boom/bust type real estate market, frequently riding on the strength or weakness of tourism and the myriad factors which affect it.  Currently the high Australian dollar means Australian and international visitors are choosing cheaper destinations: reports from those who come though are great: Cairns was ranked as the top tourist destination in Queensland in a recent Tripadvisor survey, beating other popular destinations Like the Gold Coast, Noosa and Port Douglas.   Read more at top tourist destination in Queensland? Cairns:

Read more about Cairns accommodation, Cairns Real Estate and other Cairns News at inCairns.net

Read more Coverage of Cairns Real Estate prices at the Cairns Post: http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2011/05/18/164585_local-news.html

Excerpt below:

Cairns Post Real Estate: Opportunity knocks for Far North investors, first-home buyers

Cait Bester

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

© The Cairns Post

Good timing: A range of property bargains is currently available in Cairns for first home buyers and investors.

 

THE dream of owning a home is more in reach in Cairns than any time in the past decade, with four-bedroom homes on the market for as little as $170,000.

Agents believe the Far North's range of property bargains will attract first home buyers and investors and spark a recovery in house prices.

While the market is proving to be extremely tough for people selling their homes, high numbers of potential buyers have attended open homes in recent weeks.

Low rental vacancy rates are also contributing to a surge in buyer interest, with some mortgage repayments costing around the same as the cost of renting.

Bargains currently on the market are:

4-bed, 1 bath at Manunda for $170K

3-bed, 1 bath at Mooroobool for $180K

3-bed, 2 bath at Edmonton for $259K

A four-year-old home with three bedrooms and two bathrooms at Forest Gardens is for sale at $299,000 negotiable.

Remax Cairns owner Tony Williamson said Cairns was currently among the cheapest regional cities in Queensland.

"The prices we are seeing in today's market are outstanding, we're selling a house for $170,000, these sort of prices haven't been seen since 2001," he said.

"First home buyers really should be considering the Cairns market, with a deposit, their mortgage repayments are less than what they are paying for rent.

"For a long time Cairns was known as an expensive place to purchase a property but once investors identify Cairns as a great opportunity they will be back as they know Cairns will recover and it will push our demand down therefore it will help push our economy back up."

Houses in other regional centres such as Mackay, Townsville and Bundaberg are far more expensive than similar properties on the market in Cairns.

The average price for a four-bedroom home in Mackay is between $500K and $800K, while in Townsville $400K and $650K.

A similar house in Cairns can be found for between $250K and $380K.

"With many of Queensland's regional towns still booming our property market prices are unheard of - it's certain to say that Cairns property market is the cheapest in Queensland and maybe nationally," Mr Williamson said.

REIQ Cairns chairman Rick Szelpuk said there was an element of correction in today's market compared to that of five years ago.

"To say there has been an adjustment to the market`s prices, there would be some truth in that, however, the perceived GFC and with lack of confidence of what has been going on in Cairns, such as natural disasters and businesses closing their doors, has seen a slow recovery in the market," he said.

"In saying that this is an outstanding market for first home buyers and investors and I have no doubt that both will be back in the very near future."

Cairns Businesses facing tough times

Cairns Businesses are pulling out the stops to keep their doors open, but in many cases it hasn't been enojugh with many small businesses being forced to close.  The last 2 years have been very difficult for Cairns, with the compounded effects of the GFC, the high Australian Dollar and the dampening effects of Cyclone Yasi and the Queensland floods: Cairns was largely spared severe physical damage from these natural disasters, but the impact on tourist numbers couldn't have come at a worse time.

Cairns Businesses need help from Cairns, Queensland and Australian government

Cairns needs to urgently address economic diversification, with promising options such as increased public sector employment and communications technology within reach with the right efforts by local and state bodies.  Cairns would greatly benefit from the stability which comes from becoming a base for government departments as part of governmental decentralisation. 

Likewise, proposals to roll out a pilot of the National Broadband network in Cairns offers huge benefits: Cairns is geographically remote from the rest of Australia but close to Asia: with the right information and communications technology, it could become an important centre for eduction, business and foreign relations.  Further, Cairns offers a fantastic lifestyle but jobs in high end white collar industries are limited.  With decent broadband infrastructure, Cairns would be an appealing work-life balance destination for online workers currently suffering the cold in Sydney and Melbourne.  Lets ensure our city is on the cutting edge with IT and we will attract the brightest minds, creating sustainable growth.

We can't forget the Cairns tourism industry: this will remain the lifeblood of Cairns and we need to support it: recent measures by Queensland Tourism and local organisations have done a great job but it needs to be continued.  Cairns Accommodation and tour businesses have faced very poor visitor numbers for the last 2 years, and need a good tourist year this year to ensure they can remain afloat: difficult in the face of a rising Australian Dollar.

Read more Cairns News and Cairns Business updates at inCairns.net

Good coverage on Cairns Business sector difficulties at the Cairns Post: http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2011/05/17/164401_local-news.html (Excerpt below)

Cairns businesses struggle to stay afloat

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

© The Cairns Post

 

BUSINESS owners are being forced to go it alone and work longer hours in a desperate bid to stay afloat, with more than 400 of the Far North's smaller businesses closing their doors in just a two-year period. How can we help local businesses?

Business leaders say figures released yesterday highlight the urgent need for reform to reignite the region's economy.

They have called for a freeze on payroll tax to stimulate spending in the region, a cut to red tape, and economic diversity.

Shifting hundreds of public servants to Cairns by decentralising government departments was also identified as a priority to bring stable jobs and workers with spending power to the region.

New figures show 189 businesses with one to four employees in the Leichhardt electorate and 221 in the Kennedy electorate folded between between 2007 and 2009.

But the figures are likely to be even worse when closures in 2010 and 2011 are factored in.

Dying economy: Cairns Chamber of Commerce president Anthony Mirotsos stands outside of empty shops on Abbott Street. Picture: MARC MCCORMACK

Read more Cairns Business stories and the rest of this story at: http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2011/05/17/164401_local-news.html

Cairns sport: 2018 Commonwealth games bid for Gold Coast

Cairns Sport fans will be in for a treat if Queensland's bid to host the 2018 Commonwealth games comes off: Cairns Convention centre could host the Preliminary rounds of the men and women's basketball competition.

This comes as a further boost to Cairns Sport after the tropical city hosted the 2010 Davis Cup.  Our lovely dry season climate makes Cairns an attractive venue for international sports competitions, especially during the cooler months which may have unpleasant weather in Southern States. 

Read more Cairns Sport  and Cairns news on inCairns.net

Read more about Cairns Role in the Commonwealth Games Bid at the Cairns Post: http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2011/05/14/163945_local-news.html

Excerpt below:<iframe width="425" height="350" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&amp;source=s_q&amp;hl=en&amp;geocode=&amp;q=cairns+queensland&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;hq=&amp;hnear=Cairns+Queensland,+Australia&amp;ll=-16.923399,145.773851&amp;spn=35.512252,42.978516&amp;z=4&amp;output=embed"></iframe><br /><small>View Larger Map</small>

Cairns to host 2018 Commonwealth Games' basketball if bid won

Nick Dalton

Saturday, May 14, 2011

© The Cairns Post

 

CAIRNS will co-host preliminary basketball games as part of the 2018 Commonwealth Games if the Gold Coast wins the bid to hold the $500 million event.

Premier Anna Bligh has announced the Cairns Convention Centre and the Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre, would host the preliminary rounds of the men’s and women’s basketball competition.

The semi-finals and finals would be played on the Gold Coast.

“Both venues have extensive experience in hosting professionalbasketball competitions and other large sporting events,” she said.

Cairns Basketball and Taipans president Denis Donaghy said it was a feather in the cap for Cairns.

“Representatives of the bid team were up here a few months ago to inspect the facilities at Cairns Basketball and the centre court at the Cairns Convention Centre,” he said.

“All of our (four) courts are airconditioned and built to Olympic standards, including the backboards and the air-thrust playing surface.”

Mr Donaghy said the bid team also was obviously impressed with the training facilities at Manunda as well as the convention centre stadium.

He said he was not sure how many teams would come to Cairns.

“I think the success of the Crocs in Townsville and the Taipans here and the crowds they have been attracting probably got us the nod,” he said.

“Certainly the people of Cairns who have come along to support the Taipans has brought us to the attention of the Games bid people.”

Queensland Tourism promoting Cairns and Great Barrier Reef to Chinese visitors

Chinese tourists enjoy Cairns & Great Barrier Reef

Cairns & Queensland Tourism did not benefit nearly as much as expected from the Oprah Winfrey Australia extravaganza (though it doubtless did help Australian tourism more broadly.  The reality is Cairns tourist industry has historically benefitted most from asian (mostly Japanese) tourism and in the 21st century this trend is set to continue and accelerate, with the rise of the Chinese and Indian middle classes and their desire to see the wonders of  Australia like the Great Barrier Reef & Cairns, Queensland.

This is all great news for Queensland Tourism and Cairns Accommodation, tour operators and the thousands of affiliated businesses which rely on toursim in Cairns.

Read more about Cairns news, Cairns travel, Cairns accommodation and the Great Barrier Reef

Read more coverage of the Chinese tourism push at the Australian newspaper http://www.theaustralian.com.au/travel/news/chinas-stars-lure-tourists-to-que...

Excerpt below:

China's canto-pop stars to lure tourists to Queensland

by Kate Midena, from news.com.au

Tourism Queensland hope Chinese pop duo, Twins, can help boost the state. Picture: AP Source: AP

FORGET Oprah and Prince William - Chinese pop stars 'Twins' are the new faces of Queensland's latest celebrity tourism pitch.

Officials hope the canto-pop duo, featuring Charlene Choi and Gillian Chung, will lure some of their five million-strong Chinese fans to Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef. 

The move comes after Cairns tourism identities and billionaire James Packer derided the Oprah Down Under extravaganza as missing Australia's fastest growing tourism market - middle-class Chinese visitors.

They urged officials to find Asian faces and celebrities more familiar to the popular consumer heartland in China to promote Australia.

The Minister for Tourism, Manufacturing and Small Business, Jan Jarratt, agrees, claiming that China presents "great potential" for Queensland’s tourism industry.

"China is Queensland’s fastest growing inbound market, and it is forecast that by 2014 over 255,000 Chinese will visit the state as part of their Australian adventures" she said.

"Already China is Queensland’s fourth largest international market, with the state welcoming 172,000 Chinese visitors in the year ending September 2010. Chinese visitors are also spending more on their visits...in the year ending September 2010 [they] spent $336 million, an increase of 25 percent on the previous year."

Tourism Queensland has already taken steps to increase the Chinese tourist potential, organising a "Queensland on Tour" trade mission in March to "increase visitor numbers and let China know Queensland has bounced back from the summer’s bad weather."

 

Read the full story about Cairns, Queensland, Chinese tourism at the Australian newspaper http://www.theaustralian.com.au/travel/news/chinas-stars-lure-tourists-to-que...

Cairns and FNQ to get new cyclone Shelters: generous gift from UAE

Cairns is likely to be one of the recipients of a new community Cyclone Shelter.  The shelter network was promised by Peter Beattie after b in 2005, but it took Cyclone Yasi in early 2011 and the generosity of the United Arab Emirates before anything really looked like happening.  The UAE have pledged $30M for ten shelters: the Queensland Government looks set to match the kind donation.

 

Image: Cyclone Yasi bears down on Cairns in early 2011

Cairns Cyclone shelter gift internet news:

Cairns Cyclone Shelter gift from UAE coverage at Cairns News

Read about the FNQ Cyclone shelter donation from the Emirates at the Australian: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/in-depth/cyclone-yasi/the-emirates-will-donat...

Excerpt below:

The Emirates will donate $30 million for ten cyclone shelters in north Queensland, after devastating cyclone Yasi

TEN cyclone shelters will be built in north Queensland after a $30 million donation from the Emirati state of Abu Dhabi.

United Arab Emirates Minister of State Reem Al-Hashimy announced the donation while visiting Brisbane on Monday.

It was immediately matched by Premier Anna Bligh, who said the $60 million would be used for multi-purpose shelters along the north Queensland coast.

She said the exact locations had yet to be finalised, but would likely include Cairns, Townsville, the Cassowary Coast, Proserpine/Airlie Beach, Mackay, Rockhampton and Weipa.

Ms Bligh said the gesture was an extremely generous and unsolicited gift.

"This is what friends do for each other," she told reporters.

The premier said work would begin by the year's end, with shelters being completed in the next 18 months to two years.

The lack of category five cyclone shelters became an issue when Cyclone Yasi hit the state in January.

Cairns Airport Challenge Cairns: NQ to host gruelling fitness test

Cairns Airport Challenge Cairns is an exciting fitness event to be held in North Queensland on 5 June 2011.  Participants will undertake a triatholon type course with a swim in the ocean, a ride along the Cairns- Port Douglas Coast road and a run along the Cairns Esplanade: Truly a showcase of Cairns' natural features.  They are after volunteers to assist with organisation and administration and various duties on the day: See below for contact details

Read more about Cairns News and Cairns Airport at Cairns Info network: incairns.net.au

Read More about Cairns Airport Challenge Cairns at http://www.usmevents.com.au/Triathlon___Multi_Sport/Challenge_Cairns/Event_Gu...

 

Cairns Airport Challenge Cairns (3.8km Swim, 180km Ride, 42.2km Run) Set in one of the world's most iconic tropical locations, Challenge Cairns will take place on 5 June 2011. It will feature a course memorable for the 3.8km swim in the warm crystal clear waters off Yorkeys Knob, the 180km bike leg that travels up arguably the most scenic coastal roads in Australia towards Port Douglas and a 42.2km run that includes the Cairns boardwalk before finishing in the heart of the city of Cairns.

Media release - Take on your own challenge - Volunteer with Cairns Airport Challenge Cairns!

Organizers of the Cairns Airport Festival Adventure, USM EVENTS, is putting out a call to enlist the services of any groups, clubs and individuals to become volunteers at this years’ inaugural event by donating a small part of their time.

Volunteers are always a crucial part to the success of an event. This is your opportunity to be involved in the inaugural Cairns Airport Adventure Festival and Cairns Airport Challenge Cairns. We are looking for individuals and volunteer groups, with great fundraising opportunities for your club. Don't miss out on being part of the festival that has the whole of North Queensland talking. Is your club or group interested in Volunteering as an opportunity to raise funds?

This is a great way for groups to earn money, learn skills, participate in exciting events, contribute to the community and be part of a diverse team.

Volunteers support in a variety of activities such as on course, parking, door ticketing, water and recovery stations.

We bring together marshals for each event from a number of different clubs such as scouts, sports clubs, schools and community organizations. Volunteers on the roads need to be over 18 years old and we do require you to supply enough adults to supervise any of the younger marshals.

A generous donation to your club is offered in return for your organizing skills and sourcing volunteers.

We greatly appreciate any support that you give and will do our best to ensure that you enjoy your time with us. We fully brief you about the event and support you on the day. The work takes place in a festival-like atmosphere, where you can be a part of the action and watch athletes and entertainers perform.

So be part of the Cairns Airport Adventure Festival in an official capacity. Whether you’re a local supporting your community, an avid triathlete, a veteran volunteer, a student gaining experience, or simply a lover of sport, no matter your motivation, it promises to be a stimulating and rewarding experience.

You can apply now to join the Cairns Airport Adventure Festival Volunteer Team today.

If you are interested in volunteering at Challenge Cairns, please email volunteer@usmevents.com.au or phone 1300 835 411 to speak with our volunteer coordinators now!

New hardware business to open in Cairns

Cairns businesses are expected to benefit from a major new consturction project and hardware retail project due in early 2012.  The Masters Hardware Business, owned by Woolworths, may have significant impact on existing Cairns Hardware businesses, particularly smaller local and independant companies which are already struggling due to the prolong GFC and now high Aussie dollar and the resultant impact on the Cairns tourism and construction industries

Read more Cairns Business news from Cairns Australia.

New Hardware Store in Cairns, Queensland

ReadNew coverage of this and other Cairns Business news from the Cairns post

  

New Cairns hardware store to help business sector recover

Nick Dalton

Thursday, May 5, 2011

© The Cairns Post

 

A NEW $20 million hardware store employing up to 150 people is due to open in Cairns in the first half of next year.

It will be one of the Woolworths chain’s 150 Masters stores rolled out nationally to rival Bunnings and other chains such as
Mitre 10.

Yesterday’s announcement follows the Catholic Diocese’s decision to build a $30 million college at Mt Peter, as well as construction starting on a $50 million expansion of Mt Sheridan Plaza and plans for a shopping centre at Gordonvale. 

It was welcomed by the Queensland Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Far Northern spokesman Brett Moller, who said it would help the region “climb out of the economic trough and return confidence to the business sector”.

The centre will be built at Portsmith, just a block away from Bunnings, and create 100 jobs during construction.

Company spokesman Simon Berger said the company was in the process of selecting a builder and hoped work would start in the next few months.

Mr Berger said there would be 130 to 150 full- and part-time staff employed within two months of opening and they would be trained extensively.

“They will receive a minimum of 100 hours training,” he said.

He said the store environment would differentiate Masters from its competitors.

“It will not look like a shed,” Mr Berger said.

He said Masters would target women, who made most of the decisions about improvements around the home.

“This will be a shopping experience, not just for tradies loading up with tools.”

Woolworths and US hardware chain Lowe’s are partners in Masters, which is aggressively targeting the $42 billion hardware sector.

The first store is expected to open in Melbourne in September-October.

Not just a tradies hub: An artist's impression of a Masters store.

Cairns accommodation among world's best hotels - Cairns Resort News

Cairns Resorts and hotels have ranked in Expedia best hotels in the world listing.  A record number of Australian holiday accommodation also ranked in the top 100 hotels.

Travel News - Cairns Hotels among world's best

Read more Cairns Accommodation news at Cairns Resorts 

 

 

 

 

Cairns Hotels among best in the world - Travel news.  Read the full story at http://www.theaustralian.com.au/travel/news/worlds-best-hotels-that-wont-cost-a-fortune-according-to-expedia/story-e6frg8ro-1226051024333 Excerpt below:

 

World's best hotels that won't cost a fortune, according to Expedia

 The Roydon Beachfront Apartments in Cairns was named Australia's best hotel. Picture: supplied Source: Supplied

 

 

A RECORD number of Australian hotels have made Expedia's list of the world's best accommodation that won't hurt the hip pocket.

 

Thirteen Aussie hotels were voted among the world’s top 500 in Expedia’s 2011 Insiders’ Select list, which ranks hotels according to customer ratings, value and service.

 

Scroll down for full list of world's top value-for-money hotels

The Roydon Beachfront Apartments in Cairns was named Australia’s best and came in at number 16 on the list.

Three other Cairns hotels also made the cut – the Amaroo at Trinity, the Paradise Palms Resort and Country Club and the Sea Change Beachfront Apartments.

Other Aussie hotels that featured in the list were the Radisson on Flagstaff Gardens in Melbourne, Fraser Suites Sydney and the Rendezvous Hotel Adelaide.

 

Cairns tops Queensland Tourist destinations according to travellers

Global travel site, TripAdvisor, ranked Cairns as Queenslands top holiday spot ahead of Surfers Paradise in its Travellers Choice Destination Awards for 2011.

Sydney ranked #2 in the world which is awesome, a great outcome for Cairns and Australia more generally.  Only Sydney made it into the world wide top 10, but Australia dominated the South Pacific region, with Sydney coming in at No.1, Melbourne, Perth, Byron Bay and Cairns taking out numbers 3 t0 6 respectively.  Cape Town, South Africa took out the number 1 spot with international super-destinations like Machu Picchu, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, New York, Rome & London in the worldwide top 10.

Tourism Essential for Cairns, Queensland and Australia

“Tourism is vital to the Australian economy so it's encouraging to see Sydney at number two in the global table, outshining significant tourism hotspots such as Paris, New York and London,” said TripAdvisor's Emma O'Boyle.  We would add that this is an impressive result for Cairns as an iconic tourist destination within Queensland and Australia.  Hopefully Queensland Tourism continues their strong support for the Cairns travel industry.

 

2011 Travelers' Choice World Destinations:

1. Cape Town, South Africa

2. Sydney, Australia

3. Machu Picchu, Peru

4. Paris, France

5. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

6. New York City, United States

7. Rome, Italy

8. London, United Kingdom

9. Barcelona, Spain

10. Hong Kong, China

Top 10 South Pacific destinations:

1. Sydney, Australia

2. Queenstown, New Zealand

3. Melbourne, Australia

4. Perth, Australia

5. Byron Bay, Australia

6. Cairns, Australia

7. Auckland, New Zealand

8. Milford Sound, New Zealand

9. Papeete, French Polynesia

10. Christchurch, New Zealand

 

Read about Cairns winning Queensland Travel award at Cairns Post:http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/sydney-named-worlds-secondbest-destination-20110504-1e7i3.html

Excerpt Below

TripAdvisor rates Cairns as Queensland's No. 1 spot for holidays

GET out of the way Surfers Paradise, the world's travellers rate Cairns as Queensland's top holiday destination.

“Cairns is the perfect city for merry revellers, passionate divers and adrenalin junkies, offering booming nightlife and heart-pounding adventure amid a vibrant, tropical setting,” TripAdvisor spokeswoman Emma O’Boyle said.

“This friendly Queensland city of 130,000 is a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, Daintree National Park, Cape Tribulation, Cooktown and the rest of Cape York Peninsula.”

She described Port Douglas as the “culinary gem” of Queensland.

“Tuck into succulent five-star meals in Port Douglas, the culinary gem of Queensland, or suck down a killer cocktail at a casually swanky lounge,” Ms O’Boyle said.

Deep Sea Divers Den day trips were rated the No. 1 attraction in the Far North.

Divers Den marketing manager John Brown said they were “absolutely delighted” to be ranked first in attractions.

“Cairns has come through a very tough period and this sort of positive news is what we need,” he said.

Cairns Travel bargains for locals

Cairns travel just got better for locals, with special deals announced in a bid to overcome the tourism downturn associated with the high Australian Dollar, which just passed US$1.10.

Cairns Residents get freebies & Discounts on Queensland Travel

Check out your Cairns region travel discounts and freebies now:  support your local economy and have a great time doing it

Read about the best time to visit Cairns at Cairns Resorts

Check out the full article on Cairns Travel discounts at the Cairns Post (and the link for the freebies!)

http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2011/05/02/161651_local-news.html
Excerpt below:

Special holiday deals for Cairns region residents

THE tourism industry will today launch a first-of-its-kind campaign urging local residents to holiday in their own back yard and rediscover the region's attractions.

Special deals, discounts, giveaways and promotions will be rolled out during May at attractions from Cape Tribulation to Cardwell and out to the Tableland in a bid to attract local visitors, support jobs and boost the economy.

The campaign is a response to the expected downturn in visitors in coming months, caused by record highs in the Australian dollar and the earthquake and tsunami disaster in Japan.

Tourism Tropical North Queensland has launched a website featuring more than 100 special deals and offers available to local residents.

Paradise found: Jessica Taylor and Jerry Abraham enjoy the unique surrounds of Paronella Park yesterday. Picture: TOM LEE

"Around 20 per cent of visitors to any given attraction come with local family or friends so it’s a timely reminder for our industry to reflect on the fact that the local market is incredibly important for us."

Jungle Surfing Canopy Tours managing director Sheena Walshaw said her company was involved in the campaign to encourage more Far Northern residents to visit Daintree.

The campaign will lobby Cairns Regional Council to extend its recent trial of making the Daintree Ferry free, hailed as a success.

"The region is driven by tourism, not only businesses in tourism but those that are supported by the industry in a broader sense," she said.

"With the rising cost of fuel and surcharges on flights, there are benefits to holidaying at home, and there is just a good feeling about exploring your local area."

 

Cairns Post reports Royals may visit Australia

Cairns News: The Royal honeymoon didn't happen but Will & Kate hope to come to Australia later in the year

Read about the Lizard Island Resort Royal honeymoon speculation at Cairns Resorts on Cairns Travel and news site in Cairns.net

View of the beach at Lizard Island Resort where Royal watchers speculated they might spend their honeymoon

Read the full article on Royals visiting Australia at the Cairns Post http://tools.cairns.com.au/feeds/feed-story.php?news_id=46531371  Excerpt below

Cairns Post: THE newly married Duke and Duchess of Cambridge plan to visit Australia later this year.

The royal newlyweds are looking to fit in a short trip around their journey to New Zealand for the Rugby World Cup, to be held from September 9 to October 23.

London's Daily Express says details of the journey have not been finalised.

Buckingham Palace and St James's Palace have discussed sending the pair to Perth in Western Australia to coincide with the Queen's visit for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), scheduled for October 28-30.

Cairns Resort News: New GM for Rydges Hotels & Resorts Cairns

Cairns Resort & Hotel Chain Rydges have a new General area Manager: Rdyges is a major Cairns Hotel & Resort Chain in FNQ.  Congrats to Matthew Hurley on his appointment.

Read More Cairns Resort & Cairns Hotel news at Cairns information network, Cairns Resorts

Read the full article about Rydges Cairns Resort & Hotel management at:

http://www.etravelblackboard.com/article/118081/new-area-gm-appointed-for-ryd...

New area manager for Rydges Hotels & Resorts in Cairns, NQ

	Matthew Hurley

The General Manager of Rydges Tradewinds Cairns, Matthew Hurley has been appointed Area General Manager for all three Rydges hotels & Resorts in Cairns. 

Mr Hurley is delighted to take on the increased responsibility of overseeing all three Rydges hotels in Cairns while retaining his position as General Manager for Rydges Tradewinds Cairns – a position he has held since the beginning of March 2009.

In Cairns, Rydges Hotels and Resorts operates Rydges Esplanade Resort (240 rooms), Rydges Tradewinds Cairns (233 rooms and 12 suites) and Rydges Plaza Cairns (101 rooms).  That is a total of 586 rooms in addition to extensive conference facilities and food and beverage operations.

“This is an exciting and challenging time for Rydges in Cairns. I am really looking forward to working with the young an enthusiastic team of managers that we have in this region.”

Keep reading the full article at http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mission-to-get-coast-on-its-feet-in-...

Royal wedding a success, but where is the honeymoon

The world watched with joy and wonder as the royal wedding between Prince William and Princess Kate unfolded in all its royal splendour, but the big question now is where are they going on honeymoon.  Cairns resort news reports on rumours that Will and Kate want to dive the Great Barrier Reef on their honeymoon, with Lizard Island Resort near Cairns the prime candidate for a royal honeymoon vacation. 

The exclusive resort has hosted plenty of celebrities, including royalty before so is ideally suited to being able supply the needed exclusivity and discretion.

Royal honeymoon rumours from Cairns Resort news

Read more about the rumours of the Royal honeymoon being at Lizard Island Resort near Cairns at Cairns Resorts

Read this story about speculation on the Royal honeymoon location at http://www.anhourago.us/show.aspx?l=8366427&d=503

Excerpt below  

Eyes on honeymoon after British royal wedding joy

The intense speculation over the couple's every move underlines the pressure they will face as the future British king and queen living in the full glare of the media spotlight.

Uncomfortable parallels have been drawn between Middleton and William's hugely popular mother Princess Diana, who was hounded by paparazzi right up to her death in a Paris car crash in 1997 aged just 36.

Her death, and divorce from Prince Charles the year before, marked a low point for the royal family, which has also been embroiled in scandal and seen by many as out of touch with the British public, particularly during austere economic times.

But Middleton's background -- she is the first commoner to marry a prince close to the British throne in over 350 years -- and William's personable style have helped reverse the monarchy's rating in recent opinion polls, at least for now.

Not that the wedding was high on everyone's agenda.

"The royal family have too many rights in a country where other people are having their state rights withdrawn. We are funding a wedding of two people I've never met and I don't care about at all," said London charity worker Jessamy Barker, 29.

Middleton has been given the title Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Cambridge, after the queen made her grandson William the Duke of Cambridge to mark the marriage.

 

• 

Cairns Taipans vs New Zealand Breakers grand final

The Grand final between Cairns Taipans and New Zealand Breakers is just getting going... Cairns sport fans have been waiting for this moment for a long time and the Taipans are in it to win!  Check out some of the recent coverage: many Cairns Taipans fans will be glued to the TV tonight (now!)

Cairns Taipans Coach: Aaron Fearne "Bring it on"

Read some of the recent coverage below.  Read more Cairns Taipans news at Cairns Sport

Taipans want to win it for Cairns

Read the full article on the Cairns Taipans vs New Zealand http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-sport/taipans-want-to-win-it-for-cairns-...

AAP

Cairns coach Aaron Fearne is relishing the prospect off taking on the New Zealand Breakers and an expectant nation in Friday's NBL grand final decider in Auckland, declaring "bring it on".

While the Breakers have their whole country hoping they can become the first New Zealand team to win a major Australian sporting competition, Fearne stressed Cairns will be playing for their community rather than their country.

The Taipans mentor has heard people saying Cairns are representing Australia, but doesn't buy into that concept heading into the sold-out game three decider.

 

Cairns Taipans Plot Revenge In NBL Grand Final Series

Read full article about Cairns Taipans Grand Final: http://www.nbl.com.au/taipans1/news/article/2011/april/cairns-taipans-plot-re...

By: Murray Wenzel - The Cairns Post

THE Cairns Taipans were outenthused, outgunned and outplayed by the New Zealand Breakers yesterday.

But coach Aaron Fearne has promised they will fight to square the National Basketball League grand final series at one-all when the teams meet for game two in Cairns on Sunday.

The Taipans were taught a lesson yesterday in Auckland, losing 85-67 after being down by as much as 31 points in the third quarter.

But Fearne has pledged the Taipans will wipe the drubbing aside and fight like never before to keep their title chances alive in three days time.

"We’ll fight hard to protect our home court and we want the fans to continue to show that passion that has been so good all year," he said yesterday.

William and Kate to honeymoon at Lizard Island Resort near Cairns

Rumours are floating around that Prince William and Kate Middleton will honeymoon at Lizard Island Resort Near Cairns

 

Check out this translated report from Italian site infobae http://www.infobae.com/notas/577385-La-luna-de-miel-del-principe-y-la-princes...

The honeymoon of Prince and Princess William and Kate chose the Great Barrier Reef of Australia, one of the top ten locations worldwide to the newly-married couples

The honeymoon of Prince and Princess
Aerial view of Lizard Island

The white sands Isla Lizard dela in the South Pacific, waiting for the British royal family. The young couple spend their wedding night in the Belgian suite at Buckingham Palace after the wedding next Saturday.

 Immediately, the fate of the royal couple will be the city of Cairns, northern Australia, where air travel an hour leads to Lizard Island.

Prince William had already revealed his preference for the pristine beaches of this corner of the Pacific in the past. "I always visit Great Barrier Reef," said dela CoronaBritánica heir during a brief visit to Cairns. We will return, perhaps parala Lunade Honey, "he said on that occasion, according to The Mirror.

 William has only two weeks of break in his work as a rescue helicopter pilot, which appears to be sufficient for the new couple. That's why there was speculation the possibility to request an extension of recess or choose to have a second honeymoon in another part of the year.

Paradise multicolor

Lizard Island has 24 beaches in one of the most photographed resorts in Australia. A few meters inside the sea, is the Code Hode, one of the most famous diving sites in the world where it is possible to contemplate a great variety of marine turtles, sharks, rays and others.

The coastal reefs of the island is an invitation to practicarn snorkelingm, since there is no need oxygen tanks to enjoy the Deep Sea and colors. In one of these places you can see a clam garden over 100 years.

Cairns Beaches accomodation and travel

Cairns Beaches are one of the highlights of FNQ, but can be tricky to get to.  Once you do find them, you may wish you were staying there, as there is some beautiful holiday accomodation on the beachfront.  Do some research before you book your holiday so you don't have any regrets.

Cairns Beaches car hire, accomodation and tips

Note: Cairns Beaches are a fair way north of the city and public transport is limited.  If you are a visitor and want to stay see the best of the Cairns Beaches, its best to Hire a car in Cairns to explore the beaches and travel to and from your holiday accomodation.  There are excellent Cairns Beach Resorts, apartments and hotels at most of the Northern beaches and heaps more hotels and resorts in Port Douglas.

For more information on Cairns Beaches accomodation and features visit this guide by the Cairns.com.au/Cairns Post crew is helpful for locals and visitors alike.  Even long term locals often don't explore the best Cairns Beaches.

An Excerpt follows: but visit the link for the whole article http://tools.cairns.com.au/cairns-attractions/cairns-beach-attractions.php

Cairns Beaches accomodation, features and travel

The jewels in the crown of the Cairns coast are the great beaches to the north and south of Cairns city. With a spectacular backdrop of rainforest‑clad mountains, the Cairns region’s beaches are a picturesque destination.

 

Whether you want to pitch your tent where you can watch the sun rise over the Coral Sea, sip champagne from a spa on the water’s edge or take a dip at a deserted beach, there’s a stretch of sand perfect for you.

 

cairns northern beaches

 

The Cairns Northern Beaches stretch for 26km from residential Machans and Holloways beaches just north of the Barron River to secluded Ellis Beach.

 

machans beach & holloways beach

 

Machans Beach is the closest beach to Cairns city but due to its proximity of the Cairns International Airport flight path and the Barron River estuary, Machans has remained a mainly residential beach.

 

There are a number of cafes and restaurants at Machans Beach and some holiday rentals are available. Booking in advance is advised.

 

Holloways Beach is also a mainly residential area but there is a small shopping centre, cafes and restaurants and a popular ‘beach bar’.

 

There are a number of small B&B type accommodation places and holiday rental homes. Again, booking in advance is advised.

 

yorkeys knob beach

 

Yorkeys Knob is home to a marina, golf course and Yorkeys Knob Boating Club and has a range of accommodation options close to the beach.

 

There is also a large residential community with short-term rentals available but booking is definitely advised.

 

trinity beach

 

Trinity Beach has become a well-known self-drive destination, particularly with families, and has a range of holiday apartments near or on the beach, a hotel, restaurants and sporting facilities.

 

Back from beach is a large residential community with a shopping centre, primary school, various sporting grounds and even a skate park. Public transport to and from the city as well as to the large shopping centre at Smithfield is easily accessible.

 

kewarra beach & clifton beach

 

Kewarra and Clifton beaches are ideal for visitors seeking a quieter pace with a resort at Kewarra and apartments at Clifton.

 

Kewarra Beach is also a residential area with a large number of homes and a major private primary school. There is a small shopping centre and buses run into the city, to the other beaches and also to the large shopping centre at Smithfield.

 

Clifton Beach is another residential area with major apartment development popping up recently, a shopping centre and a number of restaurants.

 

Between Kewarra and Clifton beaches is the Paradise Palms Country Club and Golf Course with its large clubhouse, swimming pool and gated community. The facility is undergoing development which will see holiday accommodation and apartments added to the site.

 

palm cove

 

One of Cairns’s major attractions is the luxury resort beach of Palm Cove. With major five-star resorts, holiday accommodation and a golf course, this is some of the most expensive real estate in the Cairns region.

 

Palm Cove is becoming known as the spa centre of Australia with many of the luxury beachfront resorts including spas on their premises.

 

Award-winning restaurants and boutique shops line the village’s esplanade which is shaded by ancient melaleucas and palm trees. Apartments and a beachside caravan park ensure a range of accommodation options.

 

A number of reef trips can be picked up from the Palm Cove jetty and if you have money to burn, you can hire the Double Island resort just off the coast for about $10,000 per night.

 

ellis beach & buchans point

 

The next beach along, about five minutes’ drive north of Palm Cove, is Ellis Beach which is popular for its wide, sandy beach, the Ellis Beach Bar and Grill and its surf lifesaving club. The club celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2007, coinciding with 100 years of Surf Life Saving in Australia.

 

There is little accommodation available apart from the caravan park, but this offers camping, caravan sites and beach cabins. The Ellis Beach Bar & Grill is home to live music on the weekends and great deals during the week.

 

At the southern end of Ellis Beach is Buchans Point, a popular (unofficial) “clothes optional” beach. As you travel north along the Cook Highway, you’ll see the carpark on the beach side of the road between Palm Cove and Ellis Beach. It is then just a short walk south to the beautiful sandy beach backed by cliffs and the highway.

 

It’s a small, protected beach popular with locals, interstate visitors, The Cairns Sunboys (a nude social group for gay men) and the Barrier Reef Sun Club.

 

Although Buchans Beach has been recognised as a nude beach since the 1950s, remember that nude sunbathing is illegal in Queensland; a recent move to legalise it was blocked by the State Government.

 

north to port douglas

 

From Ellis Beach, the Captain Cook Highway winds along a breathtaking coastal range north towards Port Douglas and Mossman.

 

There are a number of great beaches along the way, some completely empty and some with residential homes.

 

Thala Beach, about half way to Port Douglas, is home to the Thala Beach Resort, an up-market hotel with pristine beaches and a well-respected restaurant.

 

Pebble Beach is unique with its coating of volcanic pebbles. The beach is now a protected area and visitors are not allowed to remove the distinctive pebbles.

 

Wangetti Beach is home to a number of residents and Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures. Apart from the crocodiles, the beach is a nice stop-off for a picnic but there are few facilities available.

 

four mile beach at port douglas

 

Port Douglas’ Four Mile Beach boasts a spectacular stretch of sand and fronts the Sheraton Mirage Resort, its golf course and a large public reserve.

 

The village of Port, as it is known, is a popular tourist resort with a number of top hotels, resorts and longer-term accommodation.

 

It’s been home to a couple of big budget Hollywood films, the latest a WWII production from Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, as well as visiting celebrities like former US president Bill Clinton, singer Pink and Australian pop royalty, Kylie Minogue.

 

To the north of Port Douglas are the pretty beachside suburbs of Newell and Wonga Beach offering accommodation options ranging from caravan parks to luxurious private homes.

Cairns Resorts: Resorts in Cairns | Luxury Resort Accommodation & Romantic Suites in Cairns, Australia

via cityofcairns.com

Cairns: Gateway to the Great Barrier Reef

Why is Cairns the Gateway to the Great Barrier Reef?

Cairns has long been known as the "Gateway to the Great Barrier Reef", due to the extensive reefs a short boat trip from Cairns and the surrounding coast.  The Great Barrier reef is an enormous, fascinating ecosystem running for thousands of km along the Queensland Coast.

When the reef is so long, what makes Cairns stand out as the best place to access it: its a combination of physical proximity to the city, excellent boats and dive trips, superb accomodation and food, but most of all, Cairns International Airport means that you can easily visit Cairns from anywhere in the world, and visit the reef the day you arrive.

Magic day and worlds largest flower in Cairns

Another magic day in Cairns today, so what better activity than going to see the world's largest, and worst smelling flower, the Titan Arum at the Cairns Botanic Gardens in Edge Hill. These fascinating and gargantuan plants were dismissed as mythical when first described until the first example finally flowered at Kew botanic gardens in the UK.

Check out my photos below (and a guest spot from David Attenborough)

See the full gallery on posterous

And check out the life cycle below: from University of Wisconsin Botany

Amorphophallus titanum (Becc.) Becc. ex Arcang.

Titan Arum, Corpse Flower, Bunga Bangkai

Data Archive of Blooming: 1889-2008

Facts about the Titan Arum

 Latin name: Amorphophallus titanum

 Other names: Titan Arum, Corpse flower, Bunga Bangkai

 Native habitat: equatorial rainforests of central Sumatra in Indonesia

 Family: Titan Arum is a member of the Family Araceae, the Aroids or Arum plants.

 First discovered: Italian botanist Odoardo Beccari discovered the Titan Arum in Sumatra in 1878. He sent seeds to England's Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, where the first bloom of this species in cultivation occurred in 1889.

 First bloom in the U.S.: The Titan Arum bloomed for the first time in the United States at the New York Botanical Gardens in June of1937, where it became a sensation.

 Biology of the Titan Arum: The Titan Arum grows from a large corm that can weigh over 200 pounds; the blooming stalk can reach 10 feet and open to a diameter of three to four feet. Thousands of flowers are hidden inside at the base of the spadix, the fleshy central column. The large, frilly-edged, leafy "skirt" enclosing the spadix is the spathe, which when open resembles an upturned, fluted bell with a maroon interior. Only when the spathe is completely unfurled are the flowers mature. This entire, giant flowering structure is called an inflorescence.

 Male and female flowers are separate, with the female flowers receptive first, the male flowers releasing pollen the next day. In nature, this timing ensures cross-pollination with another Titan Arum flower; however, solitary cultivated blooms occasionally manage to self-pollinate.

 The spathe unfurls about 3-4 weeks after the bud tip first appears. The huge inflorescence opens abruptly - within hours - and typically stays open for only a few days. Collapse of the spadix takes place after three to five days. If flowers are successfully pollinated, the surrounding spathe eventually falls off, exposing the maturing seeds. When ripe, the cherry-sized fruits turn a bright orange-red, a color attractive to birds, which pick the berries off, digest the flesh and excrete the "pit" or seed. In this way, the plant is dispersed in nature.

 The fully open inflorescence emits a repulsive, "rotting-fish-with-burnt-sugar" scent. The odor, strongest at night, is to attract pollinators, which in Titan's Sumatran home are mainly carrion beetles and flesh flies. Most fly- and beetle-pollinated "carrion" flowers are similarly colored and perfumed.

 For most of its life, the plant regularly produces a single, umbrella-like leaf that is itself quite "titanic." In the wild, this leaf can reach 20 feet tall and 15 feet across. In cultivation the leaf usually grows 12 feet high, with the petiole as thick as a person's thigh before branching into a single, compound leaf.

The petiole is composed of honeycomb aerenchymatous core (mechanical function) surrender by compact unlignified tissue. It seems that the vascular bundles in mature petiole of Amorphophallus titanumhas the longest and widest metaxylem tracheids in plant kingdom! Only the end wall of these metaxylem tracheids have lignified secondary thickening. Mechanical stability of the petiole depends on the turgor pressure in the core and unlignified tissue. An individual leaf lives for over a year. The corm then enters a short dormant period before producing another leaf or - if you're very, very, lucky - a Bunga Bangkai.

 

 Mimicry of the petiole: The surface of Amorphophallus titanum petiole is covered with Lichen (Lichen thalli) looking patches, resembling a stiff tree trunk (mimicry) in order to prevent collision by animals.

 Smell and Heat during bloom: The Titan Arum smells and heats up during its bloom.

 Why do the Titans do this? The wonderful smell that these corpse flowers are famous for is composed primarily of fairly heavy, sulfur-based compounds that do not become airborne easily. The plant heats itself up in order to volatilize its "perfume," enabling the smell to go further, attract more flies, and increase the chance of pollination. To heat up, the plant "burns" stored carbohydrates, short-circuiting its basic respiratory process in order to maximize the production of heat. Many members of the Arum family perform metabolic burns like this, albeit on a smaller scale. Unfortunately, the enormous amount of energy the plant expends in attracting flies limits the amount of time it can bloom, which explains why these plants typically bloom for only a few days, and why they don't bloom every year.

 During bloom, the tip of the spadix (the central spike) is about human body temperature. The rest of the spadix is cooler (though still warmer than the surrounding air), but the surrounding spathe is cool. Oddly enough, the spadix below the tip is not a uniform temperature. One edge may be warmer than the rest of the spadix.