insideSEPTEMBER 2010

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Hola mi amigo! You made it all the way to the top. Well done, now enjoy yourself.

Travellers Story A fun chat with Ricci “Shacks” fr om theWoolshed about his travels, his residency in Australia and thattattoo on his bum!

VOTE!Vote for the Backpack Awards

Whatʼs On: A peek at some local events this month include thelaunch of Pro Tennis ʻDavis Cupʼ, aGreen island Swim andCarnival on Collins.

Music Extravaganza: ReggaeTown World Music Festival.

What’s On Music, Movies and Art: Concerts, cinema andexhibitions

The Great Barrier Reef100% of travellers to North Queensland, come her e for the 8thwonder of the world, The Great Barrier Reef.

Reef Cruisin: A wonderful day trip to the r eef explained.

MAPS We got regional maps, city maps, suburb maps and r ealup close maps! So you won’ t get lost and you will be able to findlocal businesses too.

Party Party Party!: If we could party all night and sleep allday.... do it in Cairns at these top night spots!

Eating Out: Meal Deals, Al a carte restaurants, pub food,breakfast, pizza and cafes are all abundant in Cairns.

Markets: Browse the local markets for atmosphere and gifts.

Adventure Capital of Australia: Mild, wild, adrenalin pumpinand downright scary things to do in Cair ns, notoriously known asthe Adventure Capital of Australia.

Local SightseeingHeading North to Cape Tribulation or South to Airlie.

Water Holes: Christina checks out some water holes and pointsyou in the right direction both fresh and salt water.

Contact:Shop 7, 84 Lake Street

Telephone: 07 4041 6981 Facsimile: 07 4041 6889 art@cbxmagazine.com.au

© Cairns Backpacker Xpress Pty Ltd 2010

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Jolene

Welcome to our city- Tropical Cairns.

Youʼve just arrived but Iʼve lived here most

of my life and everyday I feel like Iʼm on holidays.

Not only can you enjoy World Heritage Rainforest

and The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, but all

this month we are blessed with a wide range of

cultural and entertainment activities including

the now famous ReggaeTown Festival, as well

as a host of Esplanade and City entertainment.

Check out the Tanks website for all this monthʼs

highlights including The Medics on the 17th, Work in

Progress Exhibition on the 22nd and The McMenamins

Friday the 24th. Enjoy

welcome

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TravellersstoryPhae Barrett had a quick chat with thecharismatic, Ricci (Shacks), theWoolshed’s very own promoting andmarketing mascot. Hung-over (as always),“Well it was a Thursday Lunchtime!”, Ricgives us a little insight as to how he hasgained residency here in Cairns, working inthe Night Club Industry and doing what heloves. Which I think is drinking andpartying!Ricci (Shacks) 25From Wrexham, North Wales (thismeans I have a good singin voice!)

When and Why did you come to Cair ns?It’s been 4 years now. I went to USA anddid some travelling and then flew toAustralia to join my brother for Christmas.He was working here at the TravellersOasis and I only came for 2 weeks to visithim, and that was four years ago. It’ staken me this long to work of f my bar tabLOL! I spent all my travelling money in theWoolshed and was so poor I had to shar ea bed with my brother in a hostel. How did you earn money?I started Cheffin at Kani’s Restaurant (poshone on the esplanade) Then Simon at theHeritage Pub sponsored me to be theHead Chef. It was great… I got to helpdesign the kitchen during the refurb stageand then as Head Chef you get to yell ateveryone and they say “Yes Chef” like onGordon Ramsey! But seriously, it was agreat team and a shame when it came toan end last year. On the flip-side, I got ajob in Woolshed, working along-side theinfamous “Hitler Mini-Me”, Chef Paul.How did you go from Cheffin toMarketing?The best thing about the Heritage was thatSimon got me involved in the Marketingand Promotion side of things, which wasexcellent because you get to mingle withthe punters more. I also went with him onpromotional trips, and I really do have apassion for partying and having a good

time. Seriously. I’m not kidding. It’s true!So it was only a matter of time that ChefPaul threw me out of his kitchen when Ibegan working at the Woolshed and Ibegged the manager to give me a go inmarketing and promotions. Which iswonderful because they have picked upmy sponsorship and I will soon haveresidency. How does this Sponsorship thing workthen?Well, you need a ‘responsible’ company tosponsor you in. You have a contract withthe company and work for them for a setamount of time (this is also called slaveryin some parts of the world), which I think isa minimum of 2 years (you obviously getpaid and stuff like a normal employeethough). After a set amount of time and atonne of form filling, you get a r esidencyvisa. Then after another 2 years you cango the Full Monty and get a passport, andcitizenship form. Heck, I might even startusing words like Bloody Oath Mate. Whoknows!What about Blighty (aka England) It’s Wales actually Phae. Look, it’s hard toeven talk about it coz I miss my mum andit makes me teary. However, I have bookeda special trip this Christmas and despite itcosting an arm and a leg, I can’ t wait tovisit home.Will you be coming back?Bloody Oath Mate (see I’m already gettingmore Orstraylee-an as we speak) I love ithere. I love the tablelands and go up ther eat least once a month and I love the r eef,and I love to party 7 nights a week. And ofcourse, I’m still enslaved to the Woolshedfor another 2 years. After that I can go onthe dole and be a beach bum, which is mytrue calling I think.What Have you learned from yourTravels?I have learned how to cook crocodile,kangaroo and Morton Bay Bugs. And Ihave discovered a bit of a passion for

DJing too. I can dress up as Ginger Spiceon Thursdays, and as a Mexican onMondays. I know how to walk ar ound witha girl in a Wet T-shirt on Wednesdays, andI have learned to flirt with men while I haveballoons stuffed down my top. I have alsolearned that when you drink a certainamount, and you are with your friend whois a tattooist, you get a tattoo on your arsethat you may not have agreed to if you hadbeen a little more sober. In my case, “Ihave a small weiner” will be for everdisplayed on my buttock.Ahem… on that note, Shacks, it hasbeen truly legendary speaking with you.Was there anything else you wanted toadd that people may want to knowabout you?Yes, I am very, very good looking.How can you be my friend? Facebook:Ricci Shacks Whelan or Woolshed.

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Backpackers can vote online this year for their favourite tourcompany, favourite activity and the best hostel they stayed at ineach state of Australia or in New Zealand. Every backpackerwho votes is in with a chance of winning two return flights to anydestination on the Virgin Blue domestic network. Voting in this yearʼs Golden Backpack Awards closes on Sept24th, with the process conducted exclusively online and all votesverified by e-mail for the first time. This year, voters will be directed to a web page to enter theirvotes, then sent an e-mail which they will have to respond to before their votes arecounted. Each e-mail address will only be accepted once.Backpacker businesses are also encouraged to link to it fromtheir own websites.Run in association with TNT Magazine and Thumbrella, theGolden Backpacks are the only consumer-voted awards forAustralia and New Zealandʼs independent travel industry.

VOTE 1Best Hostel?

Best Tour Operator? Best Activity?

Have your say with

TNT's Golden Backpack Awards 2010!

While in Cairns, go Online and Vote for the Business or Activity

you have enjoyed during your stay.

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WHAT’SON

Green Island Ocean Swim

Whilst youʼre getting your sporting fix, whynot jump in your ʻWickedʼ van and combinea day in Port Douglas with the Ellis BeachSurf Lifesaving Carnival on the 18th and19th. Call 4055 3695 for more info. Or whynot consider the slightly quirky event withGreat Adventures: The Green Island OceanSwim. Join the competition yourself or getyour mates and snorkels together and be aspectator, at Cairnsʼ new outdoor take ofthe traditional swimming carnival. For coststo enter or be a spectator, as well as otherinformation ring 4044 9944 or visit: www.green-island.com.au/oceanswim.htm

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Missing a bit of sport action? Cairns ishosting the Davis Cup from the 17th –19th of September at the Cairns TennisCentre. Find the need to splurge on aticket for the chance to see Australia Vs.Belgium! Rumoured to be playing isformer World No. 1, Wimbledon and USOpen champion, Lleyton Hewitt alongwith former top 32 players Xavier Malisseand the Rochus brothers. Tickets cost$34.90 (Fri 17th and Sun 19th) or $29.90(Sat 18th) with the games starting at11am (Fri and Sun) and 1pm (Sat). Bookthrough www.ticketek.com

Tennis

Tennis aside, at Cazalyʼs(located on Mulgrave Road), theCairns AFL Semi-Final kicks off

at 6pm on Saturday the 4th. ThePreliminary Final is on the 11th

and the Cairns AFL Grand Finalon the Saturday the 18th sametime, same place. Tickets cost

$6 for the semis, $8 for thepreliminary and $10 for the

grand final and can bepurchased on the gate. For

more information phone 40423000.

Carnival On Collins

The last of the Cairns Festival winds downon Sunday the 5th of September with thestreet party Carnival On Collins. Held alongCollins street at the Botanic Gardens itincludes hundreds of stalls selling plants,arts and crafts, local products (great for asouvenir), food, drink and has lots ofentertainment and rides to last you until theʻSunday Sessʼ drinking starts at the CairnsCourthouse Hotel. Here you have moreentertainment from the country, rock bandShari and the Mice.

Finally, at the Botanic Gardens, we havethe Tanks Market Day. This is held onSunday the 26th of September and is aplace where locals artists, farmers anddesigners sell their products. From healthand beauty to art and craft, local produce,clothing, souvenirs and many more. Thereare also local musicians and live acts tokeep you entertained throughout the day.Markets start at 9am and finish at 2pm.

Festival

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With a new look, a new feel and newtiming…Australiaʼs premier Island,World, Roots & Reggae FestivalReggaetown, set in lush tropical FarNorth Queensland a few kilometresnorth of Cairns, is back for 2010. Forthe first time, taking place over 2days — Friday 10th & Saturday 11thof September — in our idylliclocation at Tjapukai AboriginalCultural Park. Fans from across Australia and theglobe will make their way to Cairns,for yet another stellar Reggaetownline-up. In 2010 we are proud topresent a special performance bythe JOHN BUTLER TRIO. With theirnew album 'April Uprising' wooingcrowds around the globe the trio willreturn from international touring totake part in the festival. Reggaetown will feature anotherAustralian band who have gainedincredible momentum on theinternational touring circuit, Ska,Jazz & Latin kings The Cat Empire.Alongside festival favourites BlueKing Brown and Tiki Taane(Salmonella Dub) who with DJSamobora (Shapeshifter) will bedoing a DJ/ACCOUSTIC/MC set.Plus Dancehall/Reggae band NeaCombo Diffuzion, direct from NewCaledonia!

Also gracing this killer line up areKatchafire, Walli Pazzi, Ladi 6,Ykson, Sista Itations, Zennith,Kingfisha, Mama Kin, Clairy BabyBrowne and The Banginʼ Rackettes,Ancient Instinct, The Nicky BombaReggaeTown Allstars and manymore acts still to be announced.Reggaetown World Music Festivalhas become an important andanticipated part of the regionʼscultural landscape, as well as aniconic festival on Australiaʼs nationalcalendar. Community spirit andparticipation has been a coreattribute for the festival since itshumble beginnings in 1995. Reggaetown has been listedalongside WOMADelaide and theByron Bay Bluesfest as one ofAustraliaʼs premier festivals. In 2010,with the support of the community,government and media partnersTriple J, the festival is set to bebigger than ever. Reggaetown not only showcases aneclectic mix of music, bands, DJsand sound systems, but also rovingperformers, kids activities,workshops in music and dance, pluscafes, garden bars and marketstalls. Tickets will sell fast for thisdynamic formula of soulful music,relaxing tropical surroundings and

delicious food! Reggaetown World Music Festival isan all ages licensed event. ID isrequired to enter bars. Under 18srequire supervision. Under 13s onlyget FREE ENTRY whenaccompanied by an adult.TICKETS AVAILABLE PRE-SOLD PRICES (plus bookingfee)• Friday concession $50, FridayAdult $60• Saturday concession $75,Saturday Adult $85• 2-day pass concession $110, 2-daypass adults $125 - All tix cost moreat the door- these are pre-soldprices

PURCHASE FROM• ONLINE @www.reggaetown.com.au• In person from Brothers Cairns,Kuranda Video, Shiva Moon,Ticketlink & Tasty Records in Cairns• On the ph from Brothers Cairns 074053 1053 or Ticketlink 1300 855835, with credit card details

www.reggaetown.com.auwww.myspace.com/reggaetownfestivalaustraliaAlso visit: www.ozreggae.com +facebook.com

WHAT’SONREGGAETOWN WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL

2 Day Festival in Cairns – Sep 10th & 1 1th

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Art lovers are confronted with an array of exhibitions thismonth! Throughout September the Cairns Regional Galleryis hosting a number of exhibitions from Due North andPistols and Pavlova to Attire and the 64th Cairns Art SocietyAnnual open Art Exhibition. Also, for the first few days thismonth, you can catch the last of Esplanart and the CairnsIndigenous Art Fair, both in conjunction with the CairnsFestival. For more information about tickets and theexhibitions visit the website:www.cairnsregionalgallery.com.au

Pistols and PavlovaIf youʼre around on the 10thSeptember, why not check outthe opening night of NicoletteWorthʼs exhibition Shoefiti at theCell Art Space (109 Lake Street).It will be FREE to view throughthe month of September andshowcases the combination ofthe much loved wardrobe item:sneakers, and themes of urbanculture. For more details e-mail:info@cellartspace.com

Work In Progress

Later this month, the Tanks will also hostthe Work in Progress exhibition, whichstarts on the 22nd and is open 9:30am to4:30pm. This displays many works fromIndigenous people who have used art as aform of recovery and therapy, recoveryitself, a work in progress. Again, this is aFREE exhibition and runs until mid-October.

Energy Exhibition

Been out to the Botanic Gardens yet? Now isyour chance to explore the beautiful gardens andcheck out one of the latest exhibitions. TheEnergy Exhibition starting on September the 3rdis a chance to discover the exciting new workfrom young artists in many dif fering mediumsfrom painting and installation to digital pieces. Itʼ sFREE and open to view from 10am to 4:30pmand runs for the whole month of September .

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WHAT’SONThis month at Birch Carroll and Coyle Cinemas seesthe releases of a range of great new films. If youʼve left yourlove on the other side of the world during your backpackingadventure, you might like Going the Distance starring DrewBarrymore, which tells the story of a long distancerelationship from East to West coast in America.If you prefer something a little quirkier , then The Kids areAlright may be more up your alley. Popular at the 2010Sundance Film Festival, it is about a Californian family withtwo mothers and two teenagers attempting to find theirbiological father.Dabangg is set in Uttar Pradesh in India, and is about acorrupt police officer. It stars Salman Khan, popular withinIndian cinema in films such as Veer. The themes also touchon the corruption and loopholes in the law systems of UttarPradesh.If youʼre after some Aussie cinema, you canʼt miss Australianauthor John Marsdenʼs adaptation to film: Tomorrow, Whenthe War Began. Aimed at predominantly teenagers, manyadults enjoy the book and film, and if you want to see a bitmore of Australia through the medium of film, then this ishighly recommended.The long awaited Salt starring Angelina Jolie is also showingin cinemas this month. Jolie stars as a CIA agent accused ofmurder by a Russian spy and film follows her ef forts to tryand prove her innocence.For those of you that prefer thrillers, there is TheDisappearance of Alice Creed and for comedy buf fs, donʼtmiss the new film starring Will Ferrell, The Other Guys, ahilarious story about two underdog detectives who need tostep up and match the talents of NYCʼ s top cops.Donʼt forget Cheap Tuesdayʼs for penny consciousbackpackers and $8 Monday Movie Nights for local andinternational students (must register first). To find out more,visit the website: www.eventcinemas.com.au

Other cinema experiences around Cairns inSeptember include the Mission Beach FilmFestival, a great way to include a visit to thisbeautiful beach and surrounding area. The festivalalso includes a photography competition andfocuses on the issues on sustainability. TheFestival runs from September the 17th - 19th andmore details can be found on the websitewww.missionbeachfilmfestival.com.au

The Botanic Gardens also hosts Starry Night Cinemanights where classics are shown for FREE whilstlocals and tourists alike chill on their blankets anddeckchairs enjoying their BYO picnics and their oldfavourite films. This month, on the 23rd they areshowing The Princess Bride at 7:30pm. Get thereearly at 6pm with your bottle of wine or beer for a fewdusk pre-drinks with friends. www.endcredits.org.au/starry

Another FREE movie night is at the Courthouse Hotelevery Tuesday. Showing recent releases on the BigScreen, movies start at 7pm.

CINEMA

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WHAT’SONLadi6Other gigs around town include internationallyacclaimed Ladi6, a New Zealand soul/hip hopvocalist on the 12th at the Vertigo Bar and Loungein the Reef Hotel Casino – starts 8pm and itʼ sFREE, for more info phone 4030 8888. The Medics,a local Cairns indie/rock band, play at the Tanks onthe 17th at 7:30pm and the McMenamins, a brotherand sister country folk duo from North Queenslandalso play at the Tanks on the 24th at the same time.Tickets for both Tanks gigs cost $15 and will be soldon the door.

Cairns Buskers FestivalIf busking is your thing then you mustnʼt overlook theCairns Buskers Festival (thatʼs right, we have afestival dedicated to it!). It starts on the 22nd andruns until the 26th with varying locations around thecity including The Rydges Tradewinds, EsplanadeLagoon, City Place, Stockland Earlville ShoppingCentre, The Cape York Hotel (18+ age restriction) andmore! Performances include both local andinternational musicians comedians and circus actsand start at midday, 3:30pm, 7pm and 7:30pm. V isitwww.cairnsstreetbuskersfestival.com for moreinformation.Speaking of festivals, the Reggaetown World Music Festivalon the 10th and the 11th of September is going to go off!Hosting some of Australiaʼs most loved, famous andtalented bands such as John Butler Trio, Cat Empire, BlueKing Brown, Katchafire, and HEAPS more… it is not one tomiss. Tickets start from $50, so work a few extra shifts soyou ensure you get a ticket! Itʼ s held at the TjapukaiTheatre out at Smithfield with gates opening at 5:30pm onthe Friday and 1pm on the Saturday. There are loads ofactivities and things to do in between listening to greatmusic. This includes workshops, a great variety of food anddrinks, cafes, bars, stalls and roving performers. Busesconnect the City Place Bus Stop to Tjapukai (route 1X or2A) and for more info and to book tickets go towww.reggaetown.com.au

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DJ Sammy JSeptember starts off with a local: DJSammy J, and her funky tunes on the 3rd (and every Friday) at 5pm at theCairns Courthouse Hotel. Why not pop in for a cold beer and join the FREEentertainment with your mates. The samenight, up at the Kuranda Amphitheatre forʻFolk Nightʼ at 7pm, is the CD launchʻMore to Lifeʼ for the 3 piece blues andfolk band Shells. The night includesperformances from Lara Biggs, TrishMolloy and the Kuranda Mantaka dancetroupe. Tickets cost $15, for moreinformation visit:www.kurandaamphitheatre.com. Both willbe a great night out so better startchoosing…

Another Aussie favourite and national treasure isPowderfinger. With seven albums (most of them platinum)and fans around the globe, if you miss THIS you are missinga great Aussie experience. You must be quick! Tickets areselling fast, however there are still sitting seats and standingtickets for their added show on the 29th at the CairnsConvention Centre. Tickets cost from $95.30 and to bookcall 1300 855 835.For more budget friendly options you can ʻdo it yourself ʼ withkaraoke at Shenanigans Hotel on September the 2nd, orbring an instrument and join in the Open Mic Jam everySunday at 8pm at the Green Ant Cantina. Also at the GreenAnt is DJ Seville every Thursday at 8:30pm, one of the onlyplaces in Cairns to host a funk/soul night. Whilst chilling tothe great music why not take advantage of the $19 RooBurger, Chips and Beer deal or every Monday come in forthe 2 for 1 Meals for International Backpackers. If thatʼ s notenough, they have DJʼs and live music every Friday andSaturday nights!

Cairns is a hub for music - locally , nationally andinternationally. From DJʼs to small gigs to festivals… weʼve got it all this month!

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For quite a long time I’ve longed to become a

certified scuba diver and finally, I have got my

internationally recognized open water dive certification.

It was pretty physically and mentally demanding, but truly

amazing! I loved and enjoyed it all so much that when it all

came to an end, the next morning I felt something similar

to separation anxiety! Nobody warned me that after being

underwater and out at sea for a few days I’d feel the

shock of how bland being on land is. I did the five-day

open water dive course which included; two days of theory

and learning in the pool, and three days of living on the

boat out at the great barrier reef on a great big

catamaran. Sounds amazing doesn’t it?

I really lucked out by choosing to go formy open water dive certificate with Deep SeaDivers Den. I purely chose it because I lovesleeping under the stars out at sea, and Ithought a night dive would be awesome,considering more sharks come out at night;and a course that incorporated this washands down the winner. Little did I knowwhat I was really in for! Deep Sea Divers Denis a highly recognized five and a half starPADI dive course company and mostimportantly my dive instructor, Oli, was ace athis job!

He was very safety conscious and unlikesome other dive instructors or masters, hegave us a lot of bottom time (durationunderwater). DAY 1: I was required to do mydive medical to see if I was physicallycapable of diving. The entire class passedtheir dive medical and then the theory kickedoff. We all needed to purchase a thick textbook, which gave me the impression of nofun, at least for a few days. But I was wrong!

Everything important in text was explainedin a dive video that we watched in class. Atthe end of every chapter Oli went over thetext book questions and elaboratelyexplained the answers so we could allcompletely understand. The most importantthing to remember is to never hold yourbreath!

Next was pool school. We had to treadwater for 10 minutes and swim 200 metres. Itfelt like forever. After proving we could swim,we were introduced to the diving gear: - BCD(Buoyancy Control Device, jacket)

- Tank (air supply) - Regulator First Stage(reduces cylinder pressure to intermediatepressure) -Second stage/Regulators (sourseof air)- Computer (depth gauge and timer,calculates a safe ascent rate to avoid gettingdecompression sickness)- Wet suit (avoidsloosing body heat, helps buoyancy, feelssausage like)- Weights, snorkel and mask.

We were taught how to assemble andarrange all of the dive equipment. When wehad all our gear together, we put it on, didbuddy checks, deflated our BCDs, sunk intothe water and practiced breathing. Olidemonstrated how to get water out of ourmasks. He did this by filling his mask withwater, tilting his head up to the surface,pressing his fingers against the top of hismask and blowing air out of his nose. One byone, underwater he came around and filledour masks so we all had a go at getting thewater out. Next we learnt how to continuebreathing out little bubbles after taking ourregulators out from our mouth, dropping it,finding it and then putting it back in. After thatI learnt how to signal underwater that I wasout of air. Followed by asking my dive buddyif they could share their air, and all thedirections after the ʻokayʼ. A lot for somethingso simple! This was a bit scary, at the time.

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But like everything else, it was fun! My lastdive lesson for the day was decending(going down) and ascending(going up) withmy buddy at arms length by deflating andinflating my BCD respectively.

DAY 2: we went straight into setting upour dive gear. Put onour dive attire andthen learnt how tostep into the water. Itwas really simple.Later on we took turnstugging our buddies tothe other end of thepool, etc. My favouritepart was practicingour buoyancy,watching each otherhover under water likegenies. Lastly in thepool we learnt anemergency ascent, forwhen you run out ofair and need to get tothe surface fast. Poolschool was over andthen we watchedmore of the divevideo. There was onemore quiz and thenwe sat our final exam!I was a little nervousbut all was good.Super relieved andpleased that I passed.Next day we weresent out to sea.

That night I pickedup a digital camerafrom Wet Rez. Located on the esplanadeopposite McDonalds and the Lagoon. Theyare $35 a day, which is a lot cheaper thanwhat most of the dive boats charge per dive!Iʼm so glad I got the digital underwatercamera because I was able to take as manyphotos and videos as I liked. The flashcaptured the colour of the coral better thanour naked eyes could see it! The deeper thedepth of water the more significant loss ofcolour and contrast is visible when you arescuba diving. Due to the water absorbingthe wavelengths of sunlight you lose thecolours red and orange, so everythingappears to be more of a blue-green colour.Using flash paints in any of the missingcolours when close to the subject. Gottahave one! There isnʼt a better way to showthe amazing experience of beingunderwater than visually expressing it.Camera, check. Then it was research time..Reef Teach is a very unique, entertainingand inspiring marine life class that goes foronly two hours. 6:30 to 8:30 every nightfrom Tuesday to Saturday. Located upstairs

the Mainstreet Arcade, between Grafton andLake street. It costs $15 for adults and itincludes a few freebies.

DAY 3: Eagar and excited we all boardedonto SeaQuest, a two story boat.

When we were done with our dive gearwe all shifted upstairsonto the sun deck andwere split into twogroups for ourunderwater at ClipperNorman Reef. I saw ahuge turtle meters belowme when I hopped in todo some snorkeling. Thevisibility was fantasticand I was so pleasedthat it didnʼt take long atall for me to seesomething delightful andexciting. All the studentsheaded back to the boatto get ready for somescuba diving with ourdive instructor. Beforewe stepped into the seato head under to 12metres, Oli told us whatwe were required todemonstrate everythingwe had learnt in thepool. Underwaterrevision so to speak.

Back on board, Isoaked up some sun andthe boat started movingto another part of thereef to give us morevariety and again wewent for another dive!

When we got back to the boat, our boatSeaQuest joined sides with the three levelliveaboard catamaran, OceanQuest! we alltransfered onto the boat for the next twonights. It was incredible fun!

Day 4: Everyone on the boat had theoption of doing a 6:30 morning snorkel. Theshallow reef at sunrise was glorious! I had areally rad dive at Tropos Norman Reef. Thecoral surroundings were enticing and huge.We spotted and avoided a Titan Triger fish.The type of fish that can be very aggressive inreproduction season, so we avoidedswimming directly above it. I also cameacross a giant clam, leopard skin seacucumber and a great barrier aneome fish. Ifelt so amazed at the end of the dive and totop it off it was our last dive as open waterstudents! We got together on the top deck,filled out our dive log books and high fivedfor being certified.

Day 5: Use your imagination!Muchas gracias to all the staf f and fellow diversthat made my experience enjoyable.

ed!

The number 1 way to see the reef !View From Above

If there is one thing about thedestination of Cairns, the scenerystands out as simply magnificent.Whatʼs more, the sheer size of theRainforests sweeping down to theCoral Sea, when viewed from above,will take your breath away. In fact,there is no better way to ʻvisit ̓theGreat Barrier Reef than to actuallyview it from the sky. This is why youwill notice the postcards of the area

are nearly always featured from above.If you were ever going to take a ride ofyou life, then by all means, Cairns is afirst class area to try a helicopter ride.The thrill of the ride alone is anadventure, however, the views will giveyou picturesque memories forever.Heli Charters are available for a quicktour around the city area (10 minutes),to complete visits to the outer barrierreef. A 20 minute rainforest tour, takes

you up the Barron River to thespectacular falls then returns youalong the coastline, or you can haveyour helicopter lift you over the reefsand join Osprey V for lunch and divingor snorkelling. This is by far a ʻcomplete ̓way to reallysee why The Great Barrier Reef isrecognized as the eighth wonder of theworld - from above and from under thewater. Highly recommended.

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A short dive course wil l not only give youthe chance discover the Great BarrierReef during your holiday, but wil l give youa licence to Dive around the World Forever…

Thereʼs the Learn To Dive course, which is a qualifying coursethat will give you certification as a recreational scuba diver. Oncompletion of the course (which takes an average of 5 days total)you are given a license that is usually valid for life and isrecognized around the world. The course usually includes a fewdays completing pool dives and knowledge development sessionsand finish with making four open water dives on The Great BarrierReef. There are also “Referral Learn To Dive” programs, whichgive you a chance to get your open water license in two parts -theory at home and practice here on the Great barrier Reef!.Once you have all the beginner stuff out of the way, AdvancedOpen Water courses are the important first step in continuing yourdive education. It is designed to give the newly certified or not soexperienced diver added confidence and enjoyment in their divingthrough additional skills and training.

Further trainingThe Rescue Diver course is where the diver moves beyondrecreational diving. By expanding their knowledge of the "science"aspects of diving and rescue/emergency techniques, the diver isnow equipped to appreciate and understand the importance oftraining relevant to diver safety and incident management. On tothe “serious stuff” a Divemaster course is the first level of the"Professional" ratings. On successful completion of this programyou will be qualified to supervise recreational diving activities,either boat or land based. It also allows you to act as anInstructional Assistant, and is the minimum rating required foremployment in the diving industry. And for those of you who lovedicing so much you decide to make a career of it: The InstructorDevelopment Course is a two-week program combining amixture of training in the pool and classroom academic modulespresented by yourself, the course director & fellow candidates. So whether you want to take up a new hobby, or carve out anentire career, these courses are designed to take you there. SSI is a worldwide certification program that have a global networkof dive operators for all diving activities. For more information:www.ssidiving.com. To book a diving course or enquire about SSIInternational Scuba Schools, call 02 49664877

Learn to DiveWorldwide

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Day cruise with Down Under Dive

Friendly faces greeted us, although we

were the last to board after running down

the wharf because we were late for our

day cruise. I was introduced individually

to all the charismatic crewmembers that

were on deck, and then sorted withflippers and a mask. Everything was

smooth and well organized, down to the

neat racks where you stashed your diving

or snorkeling gear. We then went inside

for our dive briefing whilst the boat

started and headed out to sea. Mitsy, the

dive instructor easily engaged all of our

attention by including a bit of seamanly

satire in his dive briefing. Time zoomed

by and before we knew it we were at the

brink of the reef, probably because Mitsy

was making us laugh by warning us not

to worry if a woman is overboard; of the

people we shouldn’t punch on the boat

and for us to not hand signal something is

wrong underwater and then point atanother diver as the problem - also we

were on one of the fastest day tripvessels, Osprey V. Before we got into our

dive gear we slip, slop, slapped on some

sunscreen and sat in the sun on the front

of the boat. I had three dives. The second

dive was incredible, pretty close to my

favourite dive so far! We saw a green

turtle swimming against the current

beside a high wall of different coral, a

huge school of spotted sweet lip fish,

clams and a lot of bi-colour parrotfish. It

was so rad! I really regret not hiring an

underwater camera for the day, especially

because the visibility was unreal. The

crew happily helped with our diveequipment while we were hopping out

and while we were out of the water.

Following our second dive was a hearty

lunch buffet of steaks, sausages, fish,

prawns, salami, pasta, salads andcomplementary wine. The variety was

good! After lunch we relaxed on the boat

for forty minutes, said hello to the captain

in the cockpit and then got prepared to

jump back in for another guided dive.

Getting a guided dive is the best way to

find all the fascinating creatures of the

sea. The dive masters generally have a lot

more experience on the reef andobviously know where the good spots are.

Mitsy, our friendly dive instructoraccumulated 600 dives at the GreatBarrier Reef, so we swam along with

him! He lead us to the ‘castle’ (a castle

shaped bombie) getting us there a lot

faster by cutting corners. We passedaround sea cucumbers, touched thesmooth and soft edges of the insides of

large clams and held crazy coloured

nudibranchs/sea slugs. The guided dives

were only an extra $10 and weredefinitely worth it. Once our dives were

over, my beautiful buddy and I went

snorkeling. It was really refreshing to

swim around freely without all the gear

strapped to us. The reef is a never-ending

splendor, beside the beautifully coloured

and contoured coral, we spotted a Potato

Cod Fish (a large stretched lookingspotted fish) and many species ofangelfish. Lastly we took turns trying to

hold our breath in attempt of getting

deeper and closer to a beautiful purple

clam. We swam back to the boat and then

snacked on some crackers and cheese

while we filled in our dive logbooks.

Referring to the reef teach marine life

charts was a handy way of learning and

remembering what kind of ray or fish we

saw in our dives. I had fun hanging about

the boat and talking to some of the crew.

When the cruise was over, out of courtesy

I volunteered to help out and clean the

boat a little bit, because I had such a

beautiful day. Overall the whole day was

lovely, relaxing and fun. Osprey V is an

unbelievably speedy vessel! It reached

the reef quicker than all the other boats

which meant we had more time in the

water!

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Doing your tax return online can seemvery easy, but unfortunately mostonline returns miss importantinformation that can greatly increaseyour refund. This is because they ar enational or overseas companies withvery little local knowledge or expertisewith working holiday taxpayers.

TAX RESIDENCYEven though you may be a non-r esident,probably the most critical area is to try to betaxed as a "resident for tax purposes". MostAustralians don't pay any tax until after theyreach $15,000, and then the rate is just 15%until income of $35,000. Compare this to yournon-resident flat 30% tax, criminal!

However your tax residency status can bechanged, and regardless of what your Tax FileNumber currently records. The criteria to be atax resident is framed in legal jargon and isquite complex. However, to dumb it down, thekey factors are;

1. You have been in based in the onegeographic location over 6 months, or2. You arrived recently, but your intention is theone geographic location for the next 6 months,or3. Your intention changed during the year, orsince arrival, and 1 or 2 then applied.Your address should also appear permanent,rather than just temporary accommodation.

MEDICAREIf a tax resident, you may be clocked for theMedicare Levy of 1.5% if your income is over$18,800. This is so even if you ar e not entitledto Medicare benefits. To get an exemption, anapplication must be sent to a separategovernment department for an exemptioncertificate, along with certified copies of all yourpassport pages. A complete pain, butworthwhile.

REMOTE ZONE OFFSETInterstate Tax Agents often forget the zoneoffset, or don't calculate it properly. Cairnsresidents get $57 pro-rata over a 6 monthperiod. If you lived in a mor e remote area, theoffset can be as much as $1,173 ! Even if youlived in Cairns for 6 months during which youhad a 2 week holiday in say, Cooktown, yourzone offset would increase to $143.

SPOUSE OFFSETSAnother possible offset is if you are supportinga low or nil income partner and living her e in adefacto relationship, you can claim a spouseoffset, worth up to a possible $2,243 . Thedefinition is a couple living in a genuinedomestic relationship. A Spouse offset will alsodramatically increase your zone offset above.

TAX DEDUCTIONSDeductions reduce your taxable income andincrease your refund. There are too many to

discuss here, but the basic principal is any costincurred in relation to your income earningactivity, or tax affairs, that is not of a personalnature. Receipts are only required if theseexceed $300 in total, and some items ar eallowed a reasonable estimation.

Common deductions for Working Holidayreturns;- tax agent fees; paid within that financial year - work equipment or tools; even if pur chased ina prior year or overseas- telephone; if on call, or working in the field- clothing & laundry; if a uniform with logo, orprotective in nature- travel; between different sites during work- safety; steel capped boots, hats or sunglassesif working outside

It is important that you get a full analysis ofyour situation to take advantage of the lar genumber of tax offsets and deductions, manymore not mentioned above. Local tax agentscan assess these for you quite quickly, and giveadvice about future tax matters, usually at lesscost than many online tax preparationcompanies.

Information provided by theExpress Tax Office from BCAccountants. These and taxestimates & returns are alsoonline in 5 languages atwww.eto.net.au.

TAX

Ad

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HOW TO MAXIMISE YOUR TAX REFUND!

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P.J. OʼBrienʼsThis Traditional Irish pub is located in theabsolute centre of town, and come night timeitʼs the heart of the city. Live entertainmentincludes their famous Coyote Ugly nights(Wednesday and Saturday), with girls dancinglive on the bar top. If you are up for some fun,Pole Idol competitions are held weekly andanyone can enter. Locals tend to meet there inthe early evening, and itʼs a number one placefor major sporting events on the largescreens.We all love the Irish, and this venue offers a

welcome that only the Irish can extend. Every night Great prizes & Promos

CNR LAKE / SHIELDS ST

The WoolshedSHIELDS STREET

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PartyIf you have one night out in Cairns make sure it’s the world famous

WOOLSHED renowned for its wild partying, dancing on tables, crazy

atmosphere and outrageous competitions and games. Sunday kicks off with

the hilarious BLIND DATE competition were you can win yourself a skydive

thanks to SKYDIVE CAIRNS. Get yourself a sombrero & take part in Mexican

Mondays CHILLI EATING challenge, Also MR & MRS BACKPACKER is a

scream and not to be missed late on Mondays, early Mondays through

Wednesdays experience an interactive LIVE acoustic solo set from cairns best

acts over dinner, just the right tonic to get you in the mood early in the week

because every night is a PARTY. Wednesdays FAMOUS WET T-SHIRT

COMPITITION sees one of you lucky ladies win up to $500 worth of cash and

prizes. Thursdays LADIES NIGHT and you’re in for a real treat with MEAL OR

NO MEAL which is THE WOOLSHEDS spin off of the TV show DEAL or NO

DEAL. An amazing $3000 worth of prizes up for grabs from the board to be

won, such as CDC OPEN WATER DIVE COURSE, AJ HACKETT BUNGY, R&R

WHITE WATER RAFTING, SKYDIVES FROM SKY DIVE CAIRNS and many

more, hosted by toddy and the gorgeous ginger spice. Be in before 8pm to

get your chance to play the newest and funniest game, MEAL OR NO MEAL!!!

Saturday s plays host to the original GOLD FISH RACING CHAMPIONSHIPS

(yes you did read that right, gold fish racing!), where the winning human

jockey gets themselves an AJ HACKETT BUNGY JUMP

As in The lonely planet once quoted, “if you can’t get laid in the woolshed,

you’re never going to get laid”!

Open since 1994, THE WOOLSHED represents the very core of backpacking

spirit and reveller, making it famous across Australia and throughout the world.

Check out the $10 meal deal early on and kick start your evening with a

quality huge meal at the best price.

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GilligansGilligan's is the Cairns largest party venue boasting

thousands upon thousands of punters through the

doors every week. Popular with the Locals as well

as Travellers, Gilligan's has non-stop party stamina

all week long. Whether you want to lounge in the

pool for a 'Dive in movie', get messy with 'Jelly

Wrestling' or do your country proud with 'Babe

Nation' or summon the cross dresser within on 'Flirt

Night', Gilliganʼs will definitely have something for

you. FREE backpacker meals are available every

night of the week from 6 – 9pm. From Thursday to

Sunday the back deck by the pool is home to some

of Cairns most popular live bands and DJʼs. We

recommend you check out their Summer Lovin

Sunday Sesh with AJ Hackettʼs Fox – the only

flying fox in a bar in Australia, itʼs crazy!

And just when you think they have done it all;

Friday and Saturday Nights really heat up with

dress ups and dance parties, masquerade balls,

fire shows and live acts brought to you by some of

the worldʼs favourite gigs including The Hilltop

Hoods, Bliss and Eso, Ministry of Sound, RnB

Superclub, Timmy Trumpet and the list goes on.

Every weekend at Gilliganʼs is something different,

check their Facebook for all upcoming events!

GRAFTON STREET

BE TREATED LIKE A LOCAL – AT FUNKY MELBOURNESTYLE LOUNGE BAR...VIBE !From the street Vibe looks like a trendy small cocktail bar,however once you walk through the venue you will beamazed at how big Vibe is, with many rooms to enjoy yourfavourite cocktail or beer, whilst surrounded by amazingartwork. Vibe is highly recommended with good quality affordablefood. They specialise in gourmet Wagu beef burgers, satechicken burgers, and duck & bacon burgers. They alsohave a range of seafood on the menu such as GrilledAtlantic Salmon with steamed rice and garden salad for $15,or the famous NZ beer battered whiting fillets with chips andsalad for $12.50 (Thursdays house special is fish and chipsfor $7.50). Between 4pm – 7pm every night you can enjoya glass of complimentary glass of wine or pot of beer withyour burger, plus a free serve of chips, for only $12.50. Justmention the Backpacker Xpress Meal Deal when ordering.Whether you are looking for somewhere to have a quietdinner, or to party the night away on the dance floor, Vibecaters to everyone. Most importantly, enjoy the friendlyservice, sit at the bar and chat during the day, or enjoy theatmosphere at cocktail hour.Feel like part of the Cairns family. Please ask staff for ourweekly specials. Come in and receive your backpackervoucher booklet with heaps of discounts.vibebar@optusnet.com.au

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The Loungewith its plush surrounds, intimate lighting system and Dj's 7 nights a week, sets the

mood for what is certainly the best lounge bar in Cairns. It's actually a hip mini

dance club; small enough to feel cosy, big enough to swing your hips without

inviting a stranger to a pump and grind session! Locals and travelers mix it up, and I

would have to categorically state that The Lounge is the only lounge bar or dance

club in Cairns that is busy every night of the week. It's located under the Famous

Woolshed Bar (there's internal stairs between the two bars), so backpackers are

more than welcome to meet up at The Lounge. While at The Lounge we

recommend you induge in a few of their delicous cocktails, have a chat and a

dance up it up all night long. You will also find the lighting system mesmerising and

the music just the right balance, always the last bar open in Cairns... check it out!

SHIELDS STREET.

The Pier BarThe Pier has the most enviable location in Cairns, overlooking the water, across the Coral Sea.

This beautiful view of the lapping water and incoming boats and yachts, belong to (possibly)

Cairns ̓classiest venue. However, the hospitality is down-to-earth and itʼs for this reason that the

sun deck starts to fill with locals and tourists as soon as the sun starts to set. It has famous

pizzeria and char grill food on offer, and is decked out in modern décor inside and out.

Professional competitions are held regularly including Bartercard Miss Indy Australia and Best

Model Australia, which have attracted some serious contestants with major prize packages on

offer. These are held on a Friday or Sunday night, and the Pier is the place to be seen most nights

of the week. THE PIER, THE ESPLANADE

Blue Sky BreweryBlue Sky Brewery Wednesday Night-Trivia with a twist

Unleash the Trivia Buff within and join our “Wednesday night Trivia with a Twist.” Cairnsʼ

original and only full audio visual interactive night of fun. Itʼs a modern Wednesday night that

sees locals and backpackers test their unused portions of grey matter! Registration is Free

from 7pm and first questions from 7.30pm. Great Prizes including Blue Sky Brewery food and

beverage vouchers, Rebel sports gear, and heaps of random prizes throughout the night. 34-

42 Lake St.

Ultimate PartyFamous Pub Crawl style party on an iconic double decker Bus -

Cairns ̓Original Party Tour. The open top bus will take you on a 5 hour travelling

party, with stops at 5 different venues to which you are a VIP guest, courtesy of

Ultimate Party. The value for money is unsurpassable, with a free meal at your

first venue, free souvenir group photo, Pizza at your 4th venue, not to mention

the chance to win over $1200 worth of prizes with the party games. Itʼs 6 hours

of madness and mayhem on the Ultimate Party bus, and for just $25, itʼs

guaranteed to be your best night out in Cairns. Call: 4041 0332 to book a

place on the bus, or ask your hostel .

The Green Ant CantinaThe Green Ant Cantina is the leader of Cairns' Indie scene with an eclectic mix of music.

Whether it's DJ's spinning Drum 'n' Bass on a Friday night or local musicians jamming out

acoustic originals, the Green Ant is the place to get your music fix. Sunday is open mic

night where everyone and anyone is invited to come down and give us a tune. So bring

your instrument and a friend or two and enjoy the show! 183 BUNDA STREET

Party Places

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A must see Cairns Landmark! Like nothing else in town!

The newest edition to Grafton St in the Heart of Cairns is The Attic. Think antique,retro, chic and then turn it into a funky lounge bar; a world of classy risquécomfort; vintage like you have never seen before.

The Attic boasts an ambitious selection of cocktails & service accompanied by an exoticblend of sounds from around the globe with a warm uplifting atmosphere thatʼll leave allyour senses just tingling.Within this exclusive environment youʼll be surrounded by vintage and antique abstractart decor & featured lighting to enhance the feel of this state of the art venue. The Attic is a cut above the rest so you will need to dress to the nines and impress thebest of the best; we can't have our furniture looking better than our clientele.

CLUB SPOTLIGHT THIS MONTH

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The Wax Pot and Tanning Studio is arelaxed beauty salon located in the heartof the City, and also at Earlville. It of fersthe visitor and locals alike, a unique salonexperience by offering a wide range oftreatments and services in an upbeat,funky atmosphere. It is a place wherepeople meet and catch up with friendswhilst attending to all their beauty needs.

To set the scene for you, imagine paintedconcrete floors, corrugated iron, distressedtimber work, bold colours, funky music andcrazy, vibrant staff to pull it all together;and you have ʻThe Wax Potʼ.

One of our most popular treatments weoffer are our Henna Tattooʼs. You canchoose from a wide range of HennaDesigns or alternatively, design your own.The Tattoo last on average, two weeks andis applied by piping a Henna mix onto theskin in your chosen design. This product isall natural, made on site by our dedicatedstaff.

WAXINGwhile Travelling

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In Cairns, you will never go hungry. From hostels meals, to al la car te seafood, this tropical city is teaming withrestaurants and pubs serving quality food. And with the many ‘meal deals”

available, each venue has realised they need to keep the quality up if they are tosatisfy the backpackers. Look at These!

PJ’s New $10 Meal DealPJ OʼBrienʼs have launched a brand new $10 meal deal whichincludes a Beer, wine or spirit. The menu is great and PJʼsstreet-side dining area is right in the middle of the City Centrewhere Shield and Lake Streets meet. Itʼ s a meeting hubfrequented by divers, rafters and skydivers and a great sportsvenue too (big screen TV). Backpackers luv the place, and thenew menu is a real winner!

BULL BAR The Steaks are Flaming Wonderful, accompanied by some ofthe best seafood on offer. On Tues & Wed before 7pm. you can try your luck at scoring afree meal if you order the ONE KILO steak and finish yourplate within 20 minutes.Great Atmosphere for backpackers and located right in townon Lake Street, just past the pedestrian centre.

Blue Sky “we love beer so much we put it in our food!”Want some real food with your microbrew beer? Blue Skyrestaurant has new chefs and a fresh new menu and itsCHEAP! Light Lunch meals from $12.50 that arenʼt massproduced. All your favourites, fish and chips battered in our

very own Cairns gold beer batter, Beef potted pie marinated inour True blue Stout and gourmet Pizzas with, you guessed it,beer infused pizzas bases made with our very own Blue SkyPilsner. Eating Beer never tasted so good! Our Beer Buddiessnack menu runs all day for quick bites on the go, or stay and enjoy a Tully tasterbeer sampler paddle! Try 9 different internationally awarded boutique beers brewed onsite while you finish yoursucculent rib eye fillet on the bone and watch your favouritesports on one of the 5 huge screens. 34-42 Lake St

Spectacular OchreLocal seafood and native ingredients have top billing at thiselegant spot that specializes in bush dining. Try the Australianantipasto platter of emu pâté, crocodile wontons, and smokedsalmon for starters, followed by kangaroo sirloin withquandong-chili glaze. Some dishes have a Pacific Rim flavor ,like the tea-smoked duck with mango or the twice-cooked pork.Red Ochre's signature dessert, wattle seed Pavlova withDavidson plum sorbet, makes a fine finish; or you can lingerand sip a glass of Australian wine while nestled into a violetvelvet booth.

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Green AntThe Green Ant Cantina isCairns' longest running Mexicanrestaurant. Since 2001, its cult-likefollowing keep coming back for more!Authentic, fresh Mexican meals aswell as fantastic steaks, salads andthe best kangaroo burger in town!The venue has a tropical beer gardenand is covered in amazing artwork bylocal artists, so go and check out theGreen Ant for great food and greatfun!The Green ant is located in the heartof a traditional backpacker Haven,surrounded by old queenslandersand although very much IN town, itfeels outta town!. Bunda Street (over the rail tracks justbehind Cairns Central).

Gilligan’s for Dinner!!Where else can you relax by the pool,indulge yourself in live music andenjoy our backpacker meals...

Sample our NEW MEAL DEAL menu for $12!Join us for our Cancun Sundaze with our FREE BBQ from 3pmand live music on the deck !Gilligan’s: 57-89 Grafton Street

Woolshed Famous Meal DealRenowned backpacker Chargrill and Saloon Bar, the Woolyholds bragging rights for maintaining an incomparable level ofconsistency in food quality. Prime cuts of meats, pizza, pasta, Indian, Thai curries and vegetarian options are onoffer at 6pm every night of the week. Just ask any staf f at yourhostel desk for your meal deal voucher and their stamp ofapproval for the famous meal deal that every backpackercomes to Cairns to eat.At the one and only Woolshed (City Mall)

La PorchettaCairnsʼs number one pre-movie eatery, la Porchetta is asuperb café-style, Italian Pizza and Pasta Parlour, andlocated right next to the movie theatre on Grafton Street.Perfect for the ʻfirst dateʼ meal and even more perfect forlarge groups, La Porchetta prides itself on using freshingredients and boasts a huge menu. You can receive 25%

offyour billwith CairnsBackpackerXpress (thereʼs avoucher in the MapSection of thismagazine), however theprices are already cheap so youwill find this an easy choice for a goodquality meal at a budget price.

Fasta PastaThis is Cairnsʼ Locals favourite pasta restaurant. Simple, RealItalian food served quickly - this is the ONLY restaurant I goto if I am on a tight schedule as their service is second tonone and always reliable. Specials are always pleasing,prices are just right and the ambience is casual and fresh.They also do take-away. Simply choose your dish and pickup 10-20 minutes later located centrally on the corner ofShields and Sheridan Street. Call 4041 0388.

VIBE Restraurant and BarVibe is a funky Melbourne style bar, with art filled walls andlots of lounges and comfortable areas to relax and enjoyyour glass of New Zealand or Australian premium wine andbeer. Vibe is highly recommended with good qualityaffordable food. They specialise in gourmet Wagu beefburgers, sate chicken burgers, and duck & bacon burgers.They also have a range of seafood on the menu such asGrilled Atlantic Salmon with steamed rice and garden saladfor $15, or the famous NZ beer battered whiting fillets withchips and salad for $12.50 (Thursdays house special is fishand chips for $7.50). Between 4pm – 7pm every night youcan enjoy a glass of complimentary glass of wine or pot ofbeer with your burger, plus a free serve of chips, for only$12.50. Just mention the Backpacker Xpress Meal Dealwhen ordering. Vibe is open 7 days a week, the dance floorcommences at 9pm each night, and they are open till 5amFri and Sat nights (free entry). So if you are looking for aplace to enjoy a cocktail, a delicious dinner , or a place tokick your night off, Vibe is the place to be.39-Lake Street Cairns PH 40 521 494

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Every week there are markets in and

within reach of the Cairns city. Here are

a number of them, where you can find

them and what you’re in for.

The Pier shopping centre on the marinaholds the environmentally friendlyFarmgate every Saturday from 7:30am to2:00pm. Sourced from local farmersFarmgate Market offers locally grownand made seasonal organic & non-organicfruits, vegetables, herbs, breads, cakes,wines, liqueurs, coffees, teas, chocolates,dried fruits, bio-dynamic dairy nuts,muffins, honey, native conserves &pickles, potted orchids & chillis, sulphurfree seafood, organic beef, dips& spreads, spring water, coconut andsugar cane juice.Cairns City Markets in the city centrebetween the sound shell and the busterminal. Open every week day 9:00 to4:30pm. Selling mostly beaded, bones andshell jewelry perfect for gifts andsouvenirs.Cairns’ most popular and successfulmarket Rusty's Market is beneathGilligans backpacker Hotel & Resort(between Sheridan and Grafton street).Stalls are covered in lush fruits and

vegetables, organic and locally grownproduce, asian cuisine, flowers,delicatessen and bric-a-brac. Open: Friday– 5am to 6pm;Saturday – 6am to 3pm;Sunday – 6am to 2pmA forty-five minute scenic drive amongstthe beautiful rocks and beaches out ofCairns on a Sunday leads you to the PortDouglas Markets. Every Sunday 8am to2pm the market place is held between theDickson Inlet and Wharf Street on Anzacpark. The Port Douglas markets is anexcellent place to pick up a painting by alocal artist, some organic food, jewelleryand other products.Kuranda Markets are a popularattraction for locals and visitors tucked inthe trees beyond a bendy half hour drive.Sculpture, pottery, hand made clothing,flora styled crafts, hand painted plates, artwork, oils, gemstones, organic coffee,locally grown coffee, home made tropicalfruit ice cream, aboriginal artifacts, toysand handcrafts are only a number of thethings you will find. There are twomarkets in Kuranda - the KurandaHeritage Markets and the OriginalRainforest Markets (est 1978). Bothmarkets are open 7 days a week from9.30am to 3.30pm. The Original

Rainforest Markets host predominentlyhandmade or handcrafted goods and mostartisans are available to discuss theirwares with shoppers. The OriginalRainforest Markets are located adjacent tothe Honey House - the first touristattraction in Kuranda and celebrating 51years of operation this year. The HoneyHouse offers free honey tasting and a livebee display. In the market complex thereis also a gemstone museum and replicadinosaurs; as well as specialty shops suchas Leatherman, Boongar Aboriginal Artand Craft; Ezy Rider Harley merchandisestockists; fantastic food; jewlers creatingin their workshops; hemp clothingdesigner and lots of other interestingstalls. Kuranda Homemade Icecream isactually located in the Original Markercomplex. Yungabarra Markets is an hour andeight minute drive out of Cairns passingGordanvale. This market has been runningfor twenty two years and has over 250stalls including local made wines,clothing, flowers, home made crafts andmore than you could imagine.Running hours are 7:30 am to 12:30 pm.

Cairns, Port Douglas, Yungaburra- They all have...

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Where else can you raft the rapids amidglorious rainforest? Our Tully River hassome hard core rapids and is a wet andwild adventure that will have your heartracing and some serious laughs inbetween! Have you ever taken a BMX bike of f the roof of apurpose built bungy tower, glimpsing the coral seaon the horizon as you go? Here in Cairns ourBungy site has devised 16 dif ferent ways to bungyincluding the minjin swing and traditional swandive, plummeting 164 feet with elastic strapped toyour legs! How about taking the controls of ahelicopter under the instruction of a professionalpilot? Quad biking around dirt tracks in theKuranda Rainforest, or horse riding over creeks

and through the forest? Or take the ultimateadrenalin rush when you freefall from an airplane,and then sweep to the ground under the safety ofyour parachute? Our own cable ski park is ownedand operated by professional wake-boarders andyou can try knee-boarding to get you started, orfly over the professional ramps if you are moreexperienced. Cairns also offers mountain biking,go-karting, hand gliding, absailing, kite surfing,and sea kayaking! Often referred to as an Eco-tourism haven,Cairns is one place you can get together withnature and test your nerves doing activitiesin a unique environment that will becomelasting memories of your holiday inAustralia.

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Cairns is a Disneyland when it comes to thril l seekingand adrenalin adventure, all in eco-surrounds and nota trashy roller coaster in sight.

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Gravitychallenge

AJ Hackett Bungy Jum

“we wouldn’t suggest an activity unless we

Ruby

Crocod

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in he

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hugging Pelita

Jolene

ChristinaRuby

mp!

e tried it out first!”

THANKS AJ HACKETT

for a great rush

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Sharing the spine thrilling experience of

bungy jumping with a mate was wicked!

For my first jump I did it with a friend of mine, Ruby,

and it was a really entertaining experience. Having

mates there with me made the day more memorable.

Leaping off the platform fifty meters high was insane

and the complete opposite to any normal human

beingʼs instinct. I wasnʼt the only one in on the jump so

it surprisingly seemed like a piece of cake. I felt

invincible and we were both high-spirited and excited!

The feeling of fear only actually kicked in when the

guys handling the ropes at the top of the tower, , began

tying up our legs together. Ruby being paranoid or

either just stirring the guys up asked if they were sure

that the towel and rope around our legs were tight

enough. We wanted to have our torso dipped into the

water so they directed us to put our hands above our

head and our chin pressed down on our chest before

we hit the water. When it was time the two of us

scuffled to the end of the platform, peering our toes

over the edge and facing our stoked heads down at the

water. When the man behind us counted to three, there

was a pause when we realized he wasnʼt going to push

us over. Then we jumped! Ruby wrapped both of her

arms around me and we both screamed an annoying

amount. The feeling of falling with someone was jaw-

dropping and the pull back was so peculiar! It was a

different level of fun! After our dip into the water we

were squirming around like live bait hanging off the

rope. The rush of blood to our heads was unbearable.

Thank goodness for Michael J and his rescue raft. He

paddled out to us and we grabbed a hold of his paddle

so we could be loosened onto his boat.

The adrenalin and sense of achievement after bungy

jumping left the both of us pretty impatient for another

jump! Smiling and shaking the water out of our hair, we

went again! Except, we jumped individually, which was

more frightening! Pushing myself to hop off the tower

on my own was harder but I quickly leaped off to get it

over and done with. I loved swinging to and fro on my

own. This time round I wasnʼt in a rush to be rescued. It

was so good. Erica, the pretty bar lady gave us water

which helped heal our throats from the screaming. The

employees were approachable and good-natured

making the scene a pleasure to be in.

Did you know saltwater crocodilescan survive many month, even up toa year without eating? They cansoak up the suns rays for theirenergy. A four metre estuarine salt-water crocodile, a spotted pythonand a cuddly koala are a few of theanimals we encountered in ourafternoon in cairns. In the RainforestDome, of course! Jolene and Iventured up the Casino elevator tothe beautiful man made junglehabitat. The zoo was filled withbirds of different colours and sizes.One of which flew close to the topof my head. There werekookaburras, cockatoos, iguanas andfresh water crocodiles too. Thelayout of trees, vines, rocks andwater fountains created a comfortingillusion of a natural habitat.Following the veranda to differentheights gave us different views ofthe jungly dome and its animals. Isat on a bench taking photos of aniguana and got so frightened when itstarted to lurch towards me. Ilaughed at myself not longafterwards for quickly scurryingaway. Pelita, the cute koala was soinquisitive crawling through a small

space to get to the trees on the otherside and crawling towards newunfamiliar faces. The people whoworked in the wildlife dome cameinto her space to check on and hugher. She was so adorable andaffectionate. We sat through a‘Reptile Rap’ by Karina who filledus in on the facts and allowed us topat the fresh water crocodile andspotted python. After her show shegenerously let me hold the spottedpython, Darth Vadar. My palms gotsweaty from fear but it was such anexotic experience. It was amazing!The humidity of the rainforest domeleft us quenching for something coldand refreshing. Thus, we ventureddown to the esplanade to have somelemon and lime sorbet ice creamfrom the New Zealand ice-creameryin the night markets. Perfect fix!Jolene wanted to pick up a bookfrom the Cairns city library on anAustralian artist Brett Whitely so wewalked to the library. It was apleasant change into a quiet andcalm atmosphere. When we got thereshe rounded up a great pile of booksand we just relaxed writing andreading in the silent air conditioning.

Exotic escapade, an afternoon in Cairns.

The crew at AJH

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Itʼs the only bungy

operation on the planet that

offers sixteen different jump

styles from the traditional

swan dive to riding off the

roof on a BMX bike. So

wether youʼre a first time

jumper and happy to just

get off the edge or a

seasoned thrill seeker

thereʼs a unique jump style

that will have you covered.

Watch out for a bungy

jumper or a minjin jungle

swinger or you could take

the plunge for yourself!

Sol Sundays from 1pm-

6pm is the time to visit if

you want a laid back

afternoon. With live local

music and a free jumping

castle for the kids, why not

purchase a lunch at their

Aussie BBQ. You could

even climb the tower and

try a jump or two. Before

throwing yourself off into

open space, take the time

to see the wonderful scenic

view. Where else can you

see a view of the worldʼs

famous Great Barrier

Reef?

Operating hours: AJ

Hackett Cairns is open

364 days a year for

operation (closed

Christmas Day) from

10:00am – 5:00 pm

AJ Hackett Cairns

features the worlds

first purpose built

Bungy Jump tower,

nestled in the

rainforest twenty

minutes from

Cairns City.

Jump

Only a 15 minutes drive from Cairns

is the cable ski facility where you

can try kneeboarding,wakeboarding or waterskiing.Operated by professionals youget a good introduction at thebeginning what makes the whole

start easier. Also, if you haveexperience the staff can always

provide you with moreknowledge on how you canachieve a better technique forgliding over the rails or for thedifferent turns and jumps. It was

my first time on a kneeboard and

wakeboard this week and I have

to say, If I can do it, everyone

can do it! :-) For beginners, it takes a fewlaps on the kneeboard to get toknow how fast it goes and howyou have to handle the boardunder you to guide it in thedirection you want. After acouple laps I switched to awakeboard. First attempt: Ifailed! Second Attempt:Yeeeaaaah, I was wakeboarding!

So cool, the feeling to glide onthe water and to lie into the turns

is just amazing. My friend whowent with me can do kite surfing

and for him it wasnʼt a problemto go from the start on the

wakeboard. So if you have some

surfing, kite surfing orsnowboarding experience; better

and easier for you. The cablemachine is not too fast so it'sperfect to try some 180's, 360'sor other tricks. One thing: afteryour first hour of cable skiing be

prepared for aching armmuscles! Take the nextopportunity and go for a ride on

the water at Cable Ski Cairns,you will have lots of fun! Thepark is open 7 days a week from

10AM until 6PM. CBX

Anyone can do it. Everyone is doing it!

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HOW TO GETTHERE(Read this, because you need directions)Cable Ski is located just 10 minutesup the Captain Cook Highway.Buses arrive outside Tjapukai whichleaves you with a walk through thecar park to find the cable ski park.Alternatively you can catch a Sun-bus which is a “hail and ride”. Thismeans you can ask to be dropped offat the cable ski slip road, and walkacross the grass. CABLE SKI PICK UPGather 4/5 friends or more, andCable Ski will come and pick you up!How easy is that! Just call 4038 1304to arrange a time.

Tell the bus driver, and he’ll stop right outside!!!

BACKPACKER THURSDAYSNIGHT TIME SESSION, includes BBQ Dinner and 2 hours of skiing

Thursday nights is the special backpacker night which gives you 2 hours of Skiing for

the price of one hour. Just $39.00. Plus on Backpacker Special night a BBQ dinner

is included and the drinks are cheap. You will be picked up Free of Charge

from your hostel (return) It starts at 6.30 PM and ends at 9.00 PM. Book

now at your hostel reception or call Cable Ski Cairns directly:

Tel: (07) 4038 1304.

Cable Ski!

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74

Cape Tribulation: ancientforests, curious and fascinatingwildlife, cool watering holessprinkled with waterfalls, allsitting pretty on a stretch ofpristine, white sand beachesand blue/green ocean thathouses The Great Barrier Reef.This is what travellers dreamof, and is where those lovelypicture books of Australia getthose wonderful images thatentice you to ʻparadiseʼ .

The Daintree has somespectacular attractions andexcellent accommodationchoices making this WorldHeritage Listed Rainforest farmore accessible than itscompetitor - The Amazon. Forthis reason, backpackers havealways included a trip to CapeTribulation in their Cairnsitinerary staying at popularbackpacker resorts. Self-drivers love the trip up toCape Trib (approx 2 ½ hours)with the impressive coastal roadthrowing a photographers dreamof endless landscape shots(transfers are also available withPKʼs). Eco-tourism is high onthe agenda in Cape Tribulation,and it has won many awards forsustainable tourism to protect theancient rainforest that has morethan 3000 plant species and ishome to about a third ofAustraliaʼs mammal species. As13 of these species are foundnowhere else in the world, youshould try one of the many

wildlife spotting adventures onoffer in the region. Getting highin the Rainforest is alsopopular… with Jungle SurfingCanopy Tours. 6 high platformsand 5 flying fox runs – THIS isthe most exciting way to see theRainforest from a distinctlydifferent view! Another way ofseeing the WILD side of theDaintree is to jump on an OceanSafari adventure where you canbe whisked to the Reef superfast. Beach Horse Riding, FruitTasting, 4 WD Driving, Night timeWildlife Spotting Walks, and SeaKayaking are also popularpastimes, and itʼs a great beachlocation with miles and miles ofsandy coves. Cape Trib is a quietand relaxing environment, butyou can still party with theParadise Parties at PKʼs JungleVillage.

Some History:In 1770 Captain Cook wassailing the Endeavour up theeast coast, and making achart of the coastline. Hestruck a reef about 40kilometres north east ofCape Tribulation, now calledthe Endeavour Reef, and henamed the point he hadcharted earlier in the day“Cape Tribulation becausehere began all our troubles.”There are great views ofCape Tribulation and thefringing reef as you descendinto the Cape TribulationValley from the Noah range.

This road follows the Aboriginalwalking trails. There were once200–300 Kuku Yalanji peopleliving in the region, who had anabundant food supply from therainforest and the reef.The Mason family was the part ofthe first group of Europeans tosettle at Cape Tribulation in 1931and they progressively tried toearn a living from fruit andvegetables, timber cutting andcattle. Produce for the Cairnsmarket was transported by boatto Cairns on a weekly basis. Itwas not until 1962 that a realroad reached Cape Tribulation,and it initially ended at thesouthern end of Coconut Beach,meaning that to get to Cape Trib,cars had to drive along thebeach!

CAPE TRIB

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Mt Sorrow looms over the Cape Tribulationvalley at 850m high, and is responsible forCape Tribulation having one of the fewtropical climates in Australia, with hightemperatures, high humidity and high rainfalloccurring throughout the year. This climateprovides the right conditions for rare tropicalfruit trees which are normally only found nearthe Equator, which is why two commercialfruit orchards are located here. Don't miss theopportunity to sample some rare tropical fruitsfrom farms, cafés and roadside stalls in thearea.Cape Tribulation became famous amongstyoung travellers and backpackers in the early1980s, on the trail from Goa, Katmandu andBali and is now one of the most recognizabletourist icons of the world.There are many things to do at CapeTribulation, including diving and snorkellingon the Great Barrier Reef; exploring therainforest with guided walking tours, on horseback or independently. To appreciate thewonderful view of the coastline and seewhere the rainforest meets the reef, paddlethe coast in a sea kayak, and to learn moreabout the area visit The Bat House andeyeball a bat.If you just want to relax and enjoy thesurroundings you can wander the desertedbeaches which stretch for miles, meditate inthe rainforest, or book a massage or spatherapy, and join yoga on the beach in theearly morning.Cape Tribulation has a range of dif ferenttypes of accommodation to suit every visitor ,all in superb natural settings — four star ,three star and budget resorts, backpackerhostels, bed and breakfasts, holiday houses,and camping grounds.There is a small cluster of shops at CapeTribulation which includes a pharmacy, twosmall supermarkets, an interpretive centre,acinema and four restaurants within walkingdistance.

“Ra inforest w i l derness l i ke

nowhere e l se i n t he W or ld- w i tha l l the amen it ies tucked neat l y in the jung le- Accommodat ion,conven ience s tore, A TM, p artybar , tours and loads more . Give i t a go ! ! ”Lance (publisher)

It’s a Jungle out There!

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it's not just a bus ticket!Greyhound Travel BasePackages make holidays abreeze

Travellers can now jump from onebeautiful city to another thanks toGreyhound Australia’s new Travel BasePackages, which include hop on, hop offluxury coach travel and accommodationin selected hostels along the way.

Greyhound Australia’s Chief ExecutiveOfficer Robert Thomas said these uniquepackages were the result of a partnershipbetween Greyhound and Base Hostelsstemming from discussions at the AustralianTourism Exchange expo in June 2010.“Greyhound Australia is proud to be workingwith Base Hostels to present four newexciting travel and accommodationpackages to travellers,” Mr Thomas said.“Base Hostels are located throughoutAustralia and New Zealand and arespecially designed for the modern daytravellers. They boast state of the artfacilities, superior comfort and friendlyservices.”“The Travel Base Packages are great valuefor money for backpackers travelling on ashoestring budget with prices starting fromas low as $660.”“Passengers can choose from the Sydneyto Cairns and Melbourne to Cairnspackages and take in some of the mostpicturesque and scenic views along thecoastlines, with the added option of startingtheir holiday from any of those cities.“The package also includes 10 nightsaccommodation in any one of the BaseHostels located along the East Coastincluding Brisbane Central, Magnetic Islandand many more..”

“Our 3,000 and 10,000km packages givetravellers more flexibility and the opportunityto travel anywhere on the GreyhoundAustralia network within 365 days. Andwhen the Kilometre Pass is combined withBase accommodation option, it creates anultimate flexible travelling pass.”“In addition they can exchange kilometresfor any of the 250+ Greyhound Adventurestours and experiences available.”“The activity options such as camping onFraser Island, sailing on the Great BarrierReef or surf camps in Byron Bay will

definitely deliver unforgettable holidaymoments.”Mr Thomas said as well as being aneconomical choice, travelling onGreyhound’s luxury coaches was ideal forthose looking for greener travel options.“Greyhound is one of the mostenvironmentally efficient travel operators inAustralia,” he said. “One Greyhound coach produces five timesfewer CO2 emissions per passenger perkilometre than a jet aircraft and is equivalentto 16 fewer cars on the road.”

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Despite being a small and slightly bohemiancafé precinct on the beach, Airlie is equivalentto the massive Bondi Beach in popularity – especially for backpackers. Itʼs tight-knit, fun loving and carefree communitymarries with itʼs stunning beach – the gatewayto The Whitsundays – and has become the“Must Stay” spot when travelling South fromCairns or North up the East Coast of Australia.

Whichever way you are going, Airlie will no doubt becomepart of your itinerary and you will take some magicmemories from there. People relax in Airlie… itʼs got the“Manjana feel”, and as a result, people are themselves inAirlie, which consequently means you will meet somegreat people! Thereʼs plenty of partying, yet in a laid-backstyle, if you can possible imagine how those twocontradictories nestle together! Diving is fantastic, with the Whitsundays within 3 hourssailing from the Airlie, lots of activities and really cool andwelcoming bars too. The appeal of Airlie is no doubt thefact that it is the epitome of a beach town , andembraces everyone who visits, sometimes enamouringstop-over tourists so much that they stay for many weeks!With the sand streaming through your toes, youʼll loveeverything about Airlie. Plus you may get to stay atMagnums, the worldʼs best backpackers! Sometimes wewonder whether people flock to Airlie to see Airlie – or tostay at Magnums! Itʼs located right over the road fromthe main meeting hub – The Lagoon, - and has a famous“Party Boardwalk” as well as itʼs entertainment-stackedBar. Dorms, private rooms and even tent sites are allavailable and from eighteen bucks too.

AIRLIEBEACH

When you ’re head ing down South . . .

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We point you in the right direction for

&Beaches

Freshwater rockpools and creeks:

Crystal Cascades33 minutes by car. Head north ofsheridan street to Freshwater, thenRedlynch until you reach the largebrown Crystal Cascades sign.Stunning water holes and refreshingicy cold water cascading down huge,smoth boulders into shallow pools.

When you reach crystal cascades,instead of following the footpath onthe right, you can venture to the leftand find a dirt track to Fairy Falls. Asmall secluded fresh water waterfalland pool.

Stoney Creek24 minutes by car, via Captain Cookhighway, take your first exist at thelast roundabout across from Tjapukaionto Brinsmead Kamerunga road.Follow the road through caravonicatill you meet a right turn down Stoneycreek road.

Lake Placid24 minutes by car from the city. Thisrainforest lake is the home of amultitude of birds and wildlife. Feedducks, swim in the lake and hire acanoe. With live music at JungleJackʼs Boathouse on specific times ofthe week.

Sandy Beaches:

Stretched over 26km of beautifulcoastline, Cairns has seven stretchesof beaches to choose from. Itʼ s easyto get to the northern beaches viabus or car. Simply follow captain cookhighway up north and keep an eye

out for the roadsigns directingyou to the beachyou desire.

MachansBeach is thefirst beach outof Cairns city.Followed byHollowaysbeach, YorkeyʼsKnob, Trinity Beach, KewarraBeach, Clifton Beach and PalmCove. If you decide to continuedriving you will find yourself cruisingalong one of the most scenic drivesin Far North Queensland heading toEllis Beach, Pretty beach and PortDouglas.

Machans Beach15 minutes away, just a fewkilometers out of Cairns, Kewarra iseasily the closest beach to the city,However, it is the most eroded beachout of the seven.

Holloways Beach18 minutes from Cairns with coconutpalm trees overhanging thebeachfront. With BBQ facilities andthe closest beachfrontaccommodation in Cairns.

Yorkeyʼs Knob23 minutes from the city withbeachfront parks, a beautiful marinaand boat ramp. BBQ facilities and amentities.

Trinity Beach26 minutes away from the city, TrinityBeach is one of the most popularbeaches. Including bars and varietyof restaurants along the esplanade.

Includingfree BBQ facilities,amenities, and water sportsequipment for hire.

Kewarra Beach28 minutes from the city, Kewarra ismore of a private and idyllic beachwith picnic tables with very little roomfor tourism development.

Clifton Beach30 minutes from the city and oneminute from Cairns Tropical Zoo.Untouched by tourist development itretains a very laid-back atmosphere.

Palm Cove35 minutes from the city, this populardestination has small beachfrontcafes, 3 of the top 200 restaurants inAustralia, nearby shopping centreand a camping ground a short strollaway from the jetty.

Sugarworldʼs man made water parkof slippery water slides is located inEdmonton, 23 minutes south ofCairns. Admission price for adults is$12.00

the perfectrockpools