04/06/2026
Chase the sun this winter in Cairns. Base yourself out of a JUCY campervan and explore all that the region has to offer at your own pace. 💚
📍 1. Great Barrier Reef
One of the seven natural wonders of the world, and it's sitting right on Cairns' doorstep. Day trips depart from the Cairns Marina daily. Most operators visit two outer reef locations, with snorkelling included and diving available as an add-on. Half-day options exist if you're short on time, but if you can spare a full day, do it. Nothing quite prepares you for what's under the surface.
📍 2. Ellis Beach
About 28km north of Cairns on the Captain Cook Highway, the same road that takes you up to Palm Cove and Port Douglas, Ellis Beach is the kind of place you pull over for five minutes and end up staying for two hours. It's quieter than Palm Cove, less developed, and arguably more beautiful for it. Coconut palms, soft sand, views up the coast. Free to visit, and one of those spots that makes you feel like you've found something the crowds haven't caught onto yet.
📍 3. Milla Milla Falls
About 1hr 40min south of Cairns into the Atherton Tablelands, Milla Milla Falls is consistently named the most photographed waterfall in Queensland and once you see it in person, it's not hard to understand why. A perfect curtain of water dropping into a deep, clear swimming hole surrounded by rainforest. Completely free to visit, with picnic tables, BBQs, and change rooms on site. Worth combining with Zillie Falls and Ellinjaa Falls nearby, all three are within a 15km loop, so you may as well do the full waterfall circuit while you're up there.
📍 4. Kuranda Scenic Railway
The Kuranda Scenic Railway has been running since 1891 and the journey hasn't lost any of its magic. Departing from Cairns Railway Station, the train winds 37km up through Barron Gorge National Park, past waterfalls, through 15 hand-cut tunnels, and into dense World Heritage rainforest before arriving in the village of Kuranda about two hours later. Most people pair it with the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway for the return trip, which takes you back over the rainforest canopy. It's one of those experiences that's genuinely hard to replicate anywhere else.
📸
