INTRODUCTION of CAIRNS

INTRODUCTION

"Cairns City" is the international tourism city
which has two world heritage sites.

Cairns City is in part of Australia's Wet Tropics and is framed by the lush World Heritage listed Wet Tropics rainforest to the west and north and the Coral Sea and World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef Marine Park to the east. These attributes make the region a world renowned tourist destination.
The urban area is centrally located along the coastal strip with sub-regions to the north and south consisting predominantly good quality agricultural land and areas of high ecological significance. The city is an important gateway to the nearby Atherton Tablelands, Daintree and Wet Tropics rainforest, and the outback Savannah region beyond the Great Dividing Range.
The Russell, Mulgrave and Barron Rivers are the main river systems within the region. The region also includes a number of offshore islands: Fitzroy, Green and the Frankland Islands.

Location‎ Far North Queensland
Area 1,687㎢
Population 165,525(2018/6)
Floral Emblem of City Golden Penda

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GREETING

In today’s rapidly changing world, any relationships that have lasted for decades are remarkable and so it is with Cairns and Minami. This year, we marked five decades of friendship with our first Sister City, Minami, or Hiwasa as it was known at that time in 1969, and commemorated this event with the planting of two trees at a site which has been identified as a potential location for a future Japanese Garden. Minami has formed solid ties with Cairns through cultural and educational exchanges over the years and we will continue to further enhance this relationship in the future. Good relationships start with good friendships – and this is the case with Minami and Cairns. This relationship originally began with the town of Hiwasa and an interest by the then Mayor in the movement of the Loggerhead turtle. His interest in their preservation was very forward-thinking. The international conservation movement did not really emerge until the late 1970s and so his foresight in declaring a need to understand and safeguard these turtles was pioneering. In Cairns, we also care deeply about the welfare of turtles. The Great Barrier Reef is home to six of the world’s seven species of marine turtles and a number of these are seriously threatened by a diverse range of natural and, more significantly, human induced factors. Our community is very aware of our impact on the environment and, as such, support the work of the Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre, which is a voluntary non-profit organisation dedicated to the rehabilitation of sick and injured turtles. While the population of Cairns has increased rapidly since we became Sister Cities, Minami has maintained its old world charm as a fishing village, its unique culture and support of the development of local craft. I look forward to many visits and exchanges between our two cities to enhance our relationship in future years.

Mayor of Cairns City Bob Manning

INTRODUCTION of TOWN