For some years now we have been hearing that the only travellers that Cairns is interesting in is the back packers.

Called in there a couple of days back for some supplies, one business we entered I was greated by an older female on the check out who instantly had an agressive, rude attitude.

I had two gas bottles to be filled, this person instantly disputed the date of the bottles, 07 ????? still have three yrs to go.

Not happy with that she then attacked me over where I was parked, Realy nothing to do with her as there are not many places in a side street to fit a 15mtr rig & their small narrow lane beside the shop was impossibile. This lead to some words reguarding parking in towns, I said that you want our business then there should be parking & so on it went.

Crunch Time;;; This person then informs me that their prefered customers were the back packers; there more fun & spend more money.

That was the wrong button to press with me, I wont repeat the exchange of comments that took place; all this in front of other customers. With that we left town.

I dare say that by now she is unemployed.

Bonus; I now get two free refills when we get to Darwin, I'll have to time it right.

JC.

Gday...

Know ya must feel JC ... nuffin worser than a discourteous business. Some people I know feel Cairns is not a very 'personable city' but others I know love the place and go every couple of years. They are the fly in - motel/hotel accommodation mob. Stay for two weeks, spend heaps.

I love the inland places ... small inland places to be precise ... so I doubt I will ever go there.

However, I think it is a bit much to think we all should hate the place because of one encounter with an A***hole.

Especially as of June 2012, the population of Cairns is approximately 142,528. Tourism plays a major part in the Cairns economy. According to Tourism Australia, the Cairns region is the fourth-most popular destination for international tourists in Australia after Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

While the city does not rank amongst Australia's top 10 destinations for domestic tourism, it attracts a significant number of Australian holiday makers despite its distance from major capitals.

There is also a growing interest in Cairns from the Chinese leisure market with occasional direct flights from Chinese cities such as Shanghai and Guangzhou. During the 2013 Chinese Lunar New Year period alone, Cairns saw 20,000 Chinese holidaymakers flying in on chartered flights.

Given that tourist attraction, we GNs certainly don't rate in their eyes I reckon. Their loss and our gain praps.

Cheers - John

Don't miss the skyrail and train from Cairns to Kuranda though, you don't have to do it from the Cairns end if you don't want to, you can do your trip from the Kuranda end instead.....not to be missed!

I have been to Cairns many times, including 5 weeks over last Christmas/New Year. Never had a problem anywhere but, then again, I'm quite a nice person anyway.

The Phantom

Phantom wrote ..         I have been to Cairns many times, including 5 weeks over last Christmas/New Year. Never had a problem anywhere but, then again, I'm quite a nice person anyway. 

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You know Jim and Leonie, Are probaly two of the most liked people on this Forum  Spoken very highly of, by all that have met them and conversed with them ! So I think they are '' Very Nice Persons'' as well, even though i have not personally met them,,   You can Judge a lot ??     from what people post, ??     and the responses they get,or give ??

I have Never heard Jim say ?      '' I am a nice person anyway''  about himself. ?    and if he did, That would only be His opinion ?? and would not mean very much,

However, after conversing with him a couple of times, and speaking to others that have met them both, and had help and assistance given by him, They are all of the same opinion ??  They are Very Nice People, confirmed by the judgement of their Peers, ?? and that the only opinion that has any Credit 

We would not be stopping there if we did not have to be there .... Won't stay there, will camp on the tablelands and just do a day trip down the hill and back  .....  Most country towns leave Cairns for dead!

.. Totally agree with all that's been said .. Mareeba, with an opposite attitude just continues to reap the rewards ..

I seem to remember some years back about another area that insisted on providing the GN's with a similar attitude .. they were "by-passed" by many for a long time.

Even now, many won't stop in the vicinity ..

My memories of Cairns was getting food poisoning from a chick pea vege burger at a take away, the huge backpacker line at the PO collecting their mail, going to a movie, seeing Mike Willesee walking down the main street with friends, mud when the tide went out with reeds sticking up and locals telling me they call Townville "Brownsville" as they don't have the lush tropical scrub they have up there.

Been there twice, once an overnighter as a solo (parked my camper in a side street) after getting booted out of a parking area by a security guard, and another time stayed at a caravan park and did the sky rail/railway trip to Kuranda from there.   Another time I stayed at Kuranda caravan park and did it from the other end.

Sorry to here the negative vibe about Cairns

We have family there and have visited the place twice a year for a few years now. We have been fly in visitors and stay with family so I cannot comment on the GN experience there.

Yes the place is seriously setup for the Backpacker & International visitor, but I have felt the place has always had a feel of "destination" about it (ie. somewhere to go). It has always struck us as a place to stay while you range around the local area. From "Paronella Park" (I highly recommend it by the way) to the south, to the Daintree and beyond to the north, to the Atherton Table lands in the west.

I wonder what the "Town Fathers" would feel about some of the comments voiced in this thread. Our world is changing and domestic tourism is becoming more and more important with Grey Nomading becoming (if not already) a seriously big part of that domestic tourism.

A few teasers for you, and by the way although Cairns beaches have no sand  there are plenty of places up and down the coast to make up for it  (just be careful of the local wildlife) enjoy

Just spent 8 days visiting the Grand kids in Cairns, cant say ive had any problems there. For us its cheaper to fly from Adelaide than to drive there, as we visit once a year. I guess most towns will have a grumpy person & you must have found the one.

I hope to get there one day to check it out. I hadn't heard it's reputation. It's looks like a lovely place from the photos.

I am a Cairns local so disregard the previous post from Townsville
Very jealous that mob
I am sorry that some had bad experiences but that can happen anywhere and I feel it is a bit tough to condem a whole area because of the behaviour of a few.

I would be happy to let people know good places to visit, and stay in the area and offer any other assistance i can.

Many of the less welcoming are probably recent arrivals because us locals have always had a far better reputation.

And this is the Cairns esplanade when the tide is in
When its out, it is a world recognised birdwatchers paradise.
There are good things in mud sometimes and the mud crabs are delicious

bill12 wrote:

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I notice the Tide is in , in your pics. How about some pics with the tide OUT.

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 My camera didn't work that day.
Though I have piloted a small hovercraft across the mudflats.
Lots of life out there when you are up close

Why go to Cairns , when you can go to Port Douglas...one hour up the road??

Palm Cove as well, Daintree, Wonga Beach, there are a lot of places along the road north.
Cairns is a good starting point for the many things worth looking at.

Vic41 wrote:

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Don't miss the skyrail and train from Cairns to Kuranda though, you don't have to do it from the Cairns end if you don't want to, you can do your trip from the Kuranda end instead.....not to be missed!

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 Vic, done the rail by steam back in 91,then a bus all around the table lands & then back to C/park, about a 12hr day & was very good.

We done all the coastal areas back in that 91 trip, Port Douglas, Mosman, Daintree etc etc; been back through a couple of times since.

Also had three weeks at Mareeba two yrs back & had a look around the area again.

This time we came back through the area to enable Leonie to see the Josephine Falls & the Boulders at Babinda because last trip she was unable to walk then due to a serious back injury. This time with all the rain it was spectactular.

As for Cairns , we were just going to get some supplies & head west, which we did. Mareeba, Atherton, great areas.

DAZREN;;

The cheque is in the mail.

JC.

We have been to Cairns 3 Times and have had a ball  we like the place and all the surroundings,you can have words with anyone in any town just shrug it off say your  piece  ,and enjoy life it is to short ,time waits for no one.

Lance C

Yes it is a great area, I liked Atherton best of all JC, but did Pt Douglas and Daintree etc also.

I don't know if it has changed now in Cairns, but I remember a number of Japanese owned businesses with Japanese writing that would not serve tourists unless they were from Japanese tour buses, not that you would want to buy anything there they were all overpriced goods for that trade.

Visited a nice quiet restaurant in Kuranda, lovely views over the valley, all of a sudden two tourist buses turned up full of Japanese tourists and they all poured out under the guidance of their tour operator calling out and directing them to their tables amid noisy loud talking so that put paid to the nice tranquil restaurant.    Good for business but not too good for those not on the tour. 

I should add this was a number of years ago so can't comment on it now. 

PS:   I liked Townsville best !!!

we found cairns allright . but had the same problem with gas in gypmie .now just go to bunnings or similar big store .

bill12 wrote:

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I notice the Tide is in , in your pics. How about some pics with the tide OUT.

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Here it is at low tide from the Northern end :D