Jewels in the crown

Whether it’s the cosmopolitan charms of Townsville and Cairns, the island resorts of the Whitsundays
or the village-like appeal of Palm Cove and Port Douglas, Queensland’s Tropical North offers
much for conferences and corporate meetings. Access from around Australia is easy
with major airports located at Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays, Townsville and Cairns.

Link to >> conference venues in Cairns, Queensland.

Cairns is great reason for visiting far north Queensland. It’s a modern tropical city that has embraced its tourism fortunes and is especially popular with the convention market.

Captain James Cook sailed into what is now known as Trinity Bay in 1770, a short time before the Endeavour was beached at Cooktown for repairs. Close to a century later it was the gold boom of the 1870s that spurred the development of Cairns.

The Great Barrier Reef can be easily accessed from Cairns – there are three main islands off the Cairns coast. Lizard Island is a secluded picturesque island retreat. Fitzroy Island lies 45 minutes away by boat, and offers activities such as scuba diving, reef tours, hiking and watersports. The most upmarket of the islands is Green Island, a small coral cay located on its own national park.

Driving north of Cairns is a delight with a number of beachside communities, including the tourist enclave of Palm Cove. The road continues on, closely hugging the coastline until Port Douglas comes into view. About 67 kilometres north of Cairns, Port Douglas was once an isolated village but has, in recent years, become an upmarket resort town comparable with Noosa on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Luxury resorts, upmarket restaurants and the type of shopping generally only seen on the Gold Coast makes Port Douglas something of a curiosity in far north Queensland.

Townsville is the next major centre heading south from Cairns towards Brisbane. Situated in what is called the “dry tropics”, Townsville is a vibrant, colourful city with its own casino and university. It was founded in 1861 and was originally known as Castletown. Intended to be the main port for north Queensland, its timing couldn’t have been better with the discovery of gold at nearly Ravenswood and the gradual expansion of the pastoral industry.

Magnetic Island, located just eight kilometres off the coast, is Townsville’s playground. Measuring little more than 5000 hectares, it is largely national park although there is a number of small settlements on the eastern side. Walking trails bring visitors to such scenic locations as Alma Bay, Picnic Bay and Horseshoe Bay Lagoon. Magnetic Island is a nature lover’s paradise.

The magnificent Whitsundays group, south of Townsville and located off the coast of Airlie Beach, comprise 74 tropical islands. It is a region with a heavy concentration of island resorts. At the top of the range is Hayman Island, home-away-from-home over the years to many celebrities, movie stars and rock idols. Hamilton Island is unique in having a range of accommodation, from high-rise hotel-style to serviced apartments and condominiums. Club Med Lindeman Island is a branch of the popular French resort company, while other choices include Daydream Island Resort, Hook Island, Long Island Resort and Palm Bay Hideaway.