Cairns History Walking Tour

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. Discuss the historic meeting place for traditional owners and colonial settlers.

   10 min

2. Discuss the Shields Street traditional aboriginal shields street art by Paul Bong as well as the gold rush and establishment of the colony. The history of the Public Curators building, now the Cairns Regional Gallery, is explored.

   10 min

3. The history of the reef and rainforest as World Heritage Sites is discussed. The history of early settlers, including pirates, is discussed.

   10 min

4. The history of early government in Cairns is discussed in front of Mulgrave Shire building, the original local government headquarters for the colony.

   10 min

5. The war memorial next to the Casino is visited and the role of the wars in Cairns life, especially World War 2, is explored.

   10 min

6. From this position, the historic Bolands Centre as the first department store in Cairns is discussed. The Adelaide Steamship Company and the Central Hotel are also discussed from this vantage point.

   10 min

7. The Chinatown exhibit infront of the bookstore is visited to discuss the important role of the Chinese in Cairns history and the history of Grafton Street as the heart of Chinatown.

   5 min

8. Return to location of start of tour in front of Cairns Museum. Discuss the role of the School of Arts in the founding colony. Discuss the history of Hides hotel and the role of historic hotels in early colony life. Discuss the Trocadero Dance Hall across the road from Hides and role in World War 2 life for soldiers.

   5 min

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 66 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Know before you go

How it compares in Cairns & the Tropical North

• Its from-price is 78% below the median of the 255 experiences we list in Cairns & the Tropical North.
• It is shorter than most of them.
• By number of reviews it ranks 82 of 255.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Cairns & the Tropical North

Cairns is the gateway to Far North Queensland, with the Great Barrier Reef offshore, Daintree rainforest to the north and the Atherton Tablelands inland.

Cairns sits on Trinity Bay between the sea and a wall of forested ranges. The Esplanade has a public saltwater swimming lagoon and a long boardwalk beside mudflats where wading birds feed, and the Botanic Gardens hold tropical plants and a rainforest boardwalk. The city is the departure point for boats to the Great Barrier Reef, including the coral cay of Green Island and the rocky Fitzroy Island, and for flights over the reef.

Top-ranked sights in Cairns & the Tropical North: Great Barrier Reef, Barron Gorge National Park, Green Island.

See all 255 experiences in Cairns & the Tropical North