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Barron Falls

Barron Falls

3.4
3.5/5
46 reviews

Barron Falls is located downstream from Kuranda, 3 km from the town center. You can walk to the lookout via a boardwalk. The gorge below the falls is also spectacular, making it one of the must-visit historical sites in the tropical rainforests of North Queensland. 1. Spectacular scenery The water of the Barron River comes from the edge of the Atherton Tablelands. The waterfall plunges down from steep cliffs, passing through dense tropical rainforest before entering Barron Gorge. Before the Barron River flows into Trinity Bay at the southern end of Machans Beach, it winds through the sugarcane fields of the flat coastal plain, which is exactly the northern end of Cairns Airport. The mist rising from the great waterfall can be seen from far away. At first, we thought it was white mist in the gorge, but when we walked to the viewing point with our umbrellas held against the water curtain, we were stunned by the scene before us and the tremendous roaring sound. A continuous flow of water was rushing downstream with thunderous force, creating a water curtain N m high, which then rose to form white mist. 2. Multiple ways to arrive Take the train to Kuranda. Before arriving at Kuranda, there is a special stop where you can photograph Barron Falls. The stop lasts approx. 10 minutes, and you can walk to a lookout to view the falls up close. After leaving Kuranda by cable car, get off at the Barron Falls station and walk a short distance to the lookout, where you can also see the falls. You can also hike along the boardwalk to the Barron Falls upper lookout for a panoramic view of the waterfall. 3. Take the thrilling scenic railway line You can reach Kuranda by self-driving along the road through the Kuranda Range. The entire itinerary is approx. 27 km. You can also view Barron Falls via the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, which is located at the foot of the Caravonica Range, near Smithfield. The cableway allows passengers in artistic, fully enclosed cable cars to overlook the rainforest canopy from above. Rising from the foot of Mount Macalister, the Skyrail offers unique views of Cairns, the northern beaches bushland, and the Coral Sea. When the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway passes over the Barron River Gorge, it is a wonderful opportunity for visitors to view and photograph the waterfall.

Kuranda · 16.7km from Cairns
Green Island
Selected for Best Things to Do in Green Island

Green Island

5.6
4.5/5
307 reviews

Green Island is located in the Great Barrier Reef area, about a 45-minute flight from Cairns. It is a small coral reef island with a large area of tropical rain forests. 1. Overview of attractions It only takes more than 1 hour to go around Green Island. After arriving at Green Island by boat, you can walk in the rainforest by yourself, and you can also choose to dive or take a glass-bottom boat to watch the colorful coral reefs. Paragliding, helicopter excursions and underwater walks are also popular. Generally, the tourists who come to Green Island are Chinese and Japanese tourists. The stay time is between half a day and a day. The accommodation on the island is slightly expensive and is generally not recommended. There are many seaside walks on the island, located in the northern part of Melanesian Sea World. You can also sign up for half-day or full-day tours offered by GreatAdventure. Generally, it starts from Cairns Reef Fleet Terminal in Cairns. There are three departure times to choose from. For details, please consult the official website. 2. Various activities You can do various activities on Green Island. You can try scuba diving. You don't have to worry about the basics. There will be a professional diving instructor to take you all the way. You can also try snorkeling. Take you to the coral reefs with beautiful underwater scenery, watch the colorful tropical fish shuttle among them, and the exciting underwater walk! Don't be nervous if you're a landlubber, the whole experience lasts about 55 minutes. On Green Island, you can also rent kayaks for excursions. 3. Marineland Melanesia Marineland Melanesia is a tropical aquarium on the island with a collection of fish, turtles, sting rays and heads (crocodiles and humpback whales). There is also a collection of Melanesian handicrafts. At 10:30 and 13:30, you can not only watch the crocodile feeding, but also have the opportunity to hug the newborn crocodile baby and have the opportunity to take a photo with the crocodile baby. For details, please consult the official website.

Green Island · 28km from Cairns

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Experiences you can't miss in Cairns

Featured Culture & history in Cairns

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Australia Kuranda Cable Car + Scenic Railway Half-Day Tour [Depart After Wake-Up with Transfers Included]
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5.0/5
· 1 review· 28 booked
Duration: 4.8 hrs
English
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FromCAD 224.47
Cairns Paronella Park 1-day tour with Chinese/English guide, city pickup available, can be combined with airport transfer
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5.0/5
· 3 reviews· 60 booked
Duration: 5.7 hrs
English
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5% off
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FromCAD 220.46CAD 232.07
[Limited-Time Special for Kids] Cairns Great Barrier Reef Sunlover Day Tour with Optional Helicopter Ride
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4.9/5
· 14 reviews· 256 booked
Duration: 7.7 hrs
English
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89 travellers saved
FromCAD 298.74
Tomb of the Pharaohs - Ticket
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Duration: 24 hrs
English
Free cancellation
FromCAD 57.23
Cairns: Immersive Small Group Indigenous Cultural Experience
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Duration: 3 hrs
English
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FromCAD 146.12
Cairns Audio Tour: Historic Landmarks
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Duration: 1.5 hrs
English
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20% off
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FromCAD 6.28CAD 7.85
Skip the Line: Cairns Museum Single Admission Ticket
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4.9/5
· 8 reviews
Duration: 24 hrs
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FromCAD 14.96
Cairns: Wildlife Habitat, Mossman Gorge, and Daintree Tour
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5.0/5
· 7 reviews
Duration: 1 day
Free cancellation
FromCAD 250.23

Featured Food & drink in Cairns

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Australia: Cairns hotspot! Must-try Great Barrier Reef snorkeling experience (includes buffet lunch)
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FromCAD 354.67
Kuranda Deluxe with Kuranda Scenic Railway
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Duration: 24 hrs
English
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FromCAD 223.77
Australia Cairns Spirit of Cairns dinner cruise 2.5 hr night tour + seafood buffet diner
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5% off
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FromCAD 137.74CAD 144.99
Classic Kuranda Experience - Full-Day Tour
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Duration: 24 hrs
English
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FromCAD 297.72
Cairns Great Barrier Reef Fishing Tour in Australia [Includes Full Fishing Gear + Lunch + Afternoon Tea]
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FromCAD 408.12
Cairns: Port Douglas, Winery, and Mossman Gorge Tour
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4.9/5
· 20 reviews
Duration: 9–9.5 hrs
Free cancellation
FromCAD 130.74

Featured Outdoor & sports in Cairns

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Cairns Kuranda Rainforest Day Tour English Package Bus Cable Car Rainforest Park Free Choice
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4.9/5
· 170 reviews· 1.6k booked
Duration: 5.5 hrs
English
Free cancellation
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98.8% of travelers recommend
5% off
Limited-time sale
FromCAD 192.04CAD 202.15
Cairns Big Cat / Little Cat Green Island Great Barrier Reef 1-day cruise [short journey / snorkeling / glass-bottom boat]
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4.8/5
· 4 reviews· 132 booked
Duration: 7.7 hrs
English
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FromCAD 98.30
Cairns Big Cat Green Island Great Barrier Reef Cruise Half-Day Tour - Optional Morning/Afternoon Snorkeling & Glass Bottom Boat
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5.0/5
· 2 reviews· 85 booked
Duration: 2.7 hrs
English
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FromCAD 115.18
Cairns Reef Magic Great Barrier Reef 1-day tour with meals | helicopter/diving/snorkeling
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4.6/5
· 54 reviews· 1.2k booked
Duration: 6.5 hrs
English
Free cancellation
90.7% of travelers recommend
FromCAD 281.00
Cairns Barron River Rafting half-day tour [hot tea & coffee | optional hotel transfers | adventure game]
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5.0/5
· 5 reviews· 78 booked
Duration: 3 hrs
English
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FromCAD 115.82
Cairns helicopter sightseeing Great Barrier Reef Nautilus Aviation
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4.7/5
· 7 reviews· 167 booked
Duration: 30 mins
English
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FromCAD 461.35
Limited-time offer Raging Thunder - Tully River Rafting in Cairns instructor + equipment + dinner transfer/self-drive
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4.4/5
· 7 reviews· 215 booked
Duration: 5.2 hrs
English
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FromCAD 139.62
Cairns Skydiving Adventure in Australia [Optional Photo/Video + Transfers Included]
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5.0/5
· 1 review
Duration: 4 hrs
English
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FromCAD 374.82

Featured Day tours in Cairns

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Cairns Magic Reef Great Barrier Reef 1-day tour with snorkeling, lunch, glass-bottom boat, and semi-submarine
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4.7/5
· 19 reviews· 387 booked
Duration: 10 hrs
English
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FromCAD 281.21
Cairns Green Island Great Barrier Reef Big Cat half-day tour snorkeling/glass bottom boat
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4.5/5
· 16 reviews· 384 booked
Duration: 3.7 hrs
English
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95 travellers saved
FromCAD 98.81
Cairns Great Barrier Reef + Fitzroy Island 1-day tour
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4.8/5
· 4 reviews· 186 booked
Duration: 6.7 hrs
English
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FromCAD 133.18
[Price match refund + CNY 1 airport pick-up] Cairns Sunlover Reef Cruises Great Barrier Reef 1-day tour
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4.8/5
· 96 reviews· 1.4k booked
Duration: 7 hrs
English
Free cancellation
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95.8% of travelers recommend
FromCAD 298.74

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Cairns Cruises

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Cairns Today's weatherIntermittent clouds 23-33℃
Cairns weather for the next 2 days11/16: 23-33℃, 11/17: 24-34℃

Free things to do in Cairns

What travellers say about Cairns

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m34***4910 October 2019
4.0
The Tully River is a river section in Australia suitable for rafting. We depart from the city and Northern Beaches hotels at 6:30 in the morning, arrive at Raging Thunder for registration, and drive for about 1.5 hours to reach Tully. The full-day rafting time is 5 hours, with an Australian barbecue lunch on the riverbank in the middle.

Raging Thunder - Tully River Rafting

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Miranda-zm28 June 2023
5.0
Cairns DAY1⃣️ The little kangaroos in Kuranda Rainforest are so cute There are also beautiful big fluttering moths🦋 There is a burger restaurant that is really delicious but I forgot what it is called🍔

Kuranda Koala Gardens

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Bbybells31 May 2023
5.0
It’s a really lovely walk along the esplanade & the promenade - lots of beautiful views and wildlife.

Cairns Esplanade Lagoon

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旅あんつ31 October 2022
5.0
A free tour was held in the morning, which was fun and very educational! The bird tour is only held on Tuesdays, and it lasted about 2 hours. We had a lot of fun🦜✨✨ It seems that some people have participated in this tour multiple times, and there were some regulars😳

Cairns Botanic Gardens

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🎀彡🐾15 June 2020
5.0
The Barron Falls in Kuranda Rainforest is definitely the most spectacular scenery in this forest. The waterfall falls down from the peak step by step, stirring up layers of water. When there is abundant rain, the water volume is also very large and very spectacular, but in the dry season, there is also a waterfall like a white ribbon hanging in the mountains, which is extremely beautiful.

Barron Falls

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tambourmajor22 February 2020
5.0
The most famous starting point for Cairns snorkeling and helicopter activities. The pier is relatively large and is home to several cruise ships, including the Magic Great Barrier Reef, Silver Shuttle, and Sunshine Lovers. There are also many western restaurants with a good atmosphere and famous seafood on the beach, as well as bars. It is very lively until the evening, and you can hear the calls of seagulls and various seabirds. The morning sunshine makes people full of energy and yearning.

Esplanade

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小吥咯咯8 July 2022
5.0
The museums of these weapons and equipment are also quite interesting.

The Australian Armour & Artillery Museum

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Anonymous user7 February 2024
4.0
Green Island is the closest to the pier. It only takes a little over an hour to get there. It is very good for people who are prone to seasickness. You can also go to the island. The beach is white and the water is clear. The seawater is blue and beautiful. It is very suitable for playing in the sand and swimming. The snorkeling area is very large. The coral reefs and fish on the seabed can be seen in the clear water. It is just too hot and too sunny. It is a pity that the boat arrived at the hottest time and returned in the afternoon. If it is in the evening, it should be cool and comfortable on the beach.

Green Island

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Frequently asked questions

You can give Australia: Cairns hotspot! Must-try Great Barrier Reef snorkeling experience (includes buffet lunch) and Kuranda Deluxe with Kuranda Scenic Railway a try. Before you go, please check their opening hours and menus online. Reservations are recommended, especially during peak hours.

When choosing a tour, start with how much time you have and the kind of experience you're looking for. Trending options right now include Cairns Magic Reef Great Barrier Reef 1-day tour with snorkeling, lunch, glass-bottom boat, and semi-submarine, Cairns Green Island Great Barrier Reef Big Cat half-day tour snorkeling/glass bottom boat, and Cairns Great Barrier Reef + Fitzroy Island 1-day tour. Check the real-time availability and itinerary before you book.

As of 15 November 2026, the reference price for day tours and activities in Cairns is around CAD 98.81 – CAD 298.74. Rates vary by duration, group size, transport, tickets, meals, and any special admission requirements. Before you book, please confirm the billing currency and whether the price is quoted per person or per group.

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