Cairns

Cairns was settled by Europeans in 1876 who arrived in search of gold. Modern-day Cairns is now seen as the city "where the rainforest meets the reef" as it is the gateway to both the Wet Tropics World Heritage Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef for the many tourists that pass through each year.
The main tourist centre in town is along the Esplanade, which has a swimming lagoon, bustling weekend markets, and plenty of great food options.